Aberdeen St Fittick is in the midst of expanding their contacts with Freetown, Sierra Leone. In conjunction with the KidsAction charity the members of St Fittick are helping on 3 major fronts.

1 At the Children’s Home in Lumley, Freetown. Earlier in the year several members of the Club visited the home and painted a considerable part of the outside and inside. As the amount of time available was restricted local tradesmen paid by the Club finished the parts that couldn’t be completed by the members. Around this time a fresh water supply was laid into the Home. The children in the Home along with the staff and the families of the staff are now in the throes of being vaccinated against cholera, yellow fever, typhoid, tetanus and polio all paid for by the Club. Carrying out these vaccinations may well save the lives of several of the recipients. Plans are well underway to erect a protective fence around the Home, which will result in far greater security for the children and make them feel more safe and protected. The Club have been working very closely with the KidsAction charity in all these projects and a proper management structure is in place to ensure that all work is carried out to the correct standard and that all finances are carefully monitored every step of the way.

2 At the Polio Community at Grafton just outside Freetown great efforts are being made by the population to work hard and create a better life for themselves but with little support from anyone. KidsAction, however, with the support of St Fittick have undertaken to ensure that the children in an orphanage there will be fed. Apart from polio some of these children are dumb, have Cerebral palsy, and are mentally handicapped as well as suffering from malnutrition. There is also a desperate need for toilet accommodation as the previous dry toilet pit (grossly inadequate though it was) is now full and they do not have any toilet accommodation at all!!! This is another project, which is being assessed at the present time.

3 At the present time a tractor has been donated and implements for the tractor to assist in self-help for the subsistence farmers. St Fittick is also gathering all kinds of hand tools and implements to help the farmers as they work in the fields. These implements along with virtually anything, which is in serviceable condition for any purpose whatsoever, clothes, books, pens, bandages, shoes will all be going out to Sierra Leone in the near future.

Aberdeen Balgownie and Ellon Rotary Clubs
Charity Sandwalk joint venture - Cheque Presentation

Sandwalk 2007 - The presentation of the Sandwalk Cheques took place on Thursday, 27th September in the Mains of Scotstown Restaurant, Bridge of Don.

The Sponsored Sandwalk is a joint venture between the Rotary Clubs of Ellon and Balgownie and was lead this year by Ron Falconer from the Rotary Club of Balgownie. The walk took place on Sunday 24th June 2007 starting with registration at Balmedie beach and then the option of walking from Newburgh or Bridge of Don back to Balmedie. Transportation and wardens were organised by the joint Rotary Clubs and sponsorship was arranged by the participants.

On the day the event was supported by Sarah Gosden, the Coastal Ranger from the Aberdeenshire Council Ranger Service based at Balmedie Country Park and 51st Highland Signal Squadron TA Unit based at Gordon Barracks.

Charities supported, ALEC, CLAN and Erskine. Funds raised £4103

Ellon Rotary Charity Golf Open – Sunday 30th September

The Rotary Club of Ellon would like to thank all sponsors, participants and McDonald Golf Club for their assistance in another successful day of charity fund raising. The weather was particularly kind to the golfers and the course was in great condition for a full turn out at the competition. (See attached photographs)
The Ladies section prizes were presented on Sunday evening by Rotarian Les Johnston, the Community Services Convenor and event organiser. The Men’s section results were confirmed early on Monday.
The winners were:
Men Division 1 1st, F Duncan, Ellon, 2nd, K Reid, Ellon, 3rd, B Rae, Longside, 4th, S Macleod, Ellon: Division 2, 1st, Dave Barclay, Ellon, 2nd, W Porter, Alford, 3rd, D J Heap, Ellon, 4th, H Galbraith, Ellon: Division 3, 1st A D Gollan, Ellon, 2nd A Williamson, Ellon, 3rd, Darren Bruce, Ellon, 4th, D Troup, Ellon

Ladies, 1st, M Roger, Ellon, 2nd, E Davidson, Ellon, 3rd, V Riddell, Turriff
Prize Holes,
Men, Nearest the Pin (7th), Gavin Duncan, Meldrum House: Longest Drive (9th), Ian Galbraith, Murcar
Ladies, Nearest the Pin (15th), Sandra Brockie, Ellon: Longest Drive (17th), Kirsten MacCallum, Ellon.

The photograph is of the group “on the walk”

At a recent meeting of Ellon Rotary Club member Charlie Allan gave a talk entitled ‘The School of the Moon’. He explained that by contrast to the three R’s taught today, the School of the Moon related to an earlier time and a different use of three R’s, namely Rustling, Reiving and Raiding. Cattle raiding used to be a routine part of clan life and a significant part of a young clansman’s rite of passage. All clans did it and clan warriors liked nothing better than raiding other clans to lift their cattle then disappear into the wild mountains under cover of darkness.

The generic name for these warriors was ‘caterans’, and Charlie described a walk that he and 14 other Rotarians and friends did following the ‘Cateran Trail’, a 60 mile circular route through the glens of Angus and Perthshire. It started at Blairgowrie, passed through Bridge of Cally, Pitcarmick, Spittal of Glenshee, Glen Isla, Alyth, then back to Bridge of Cally.

Charlie illustrated his talk with many beautiful slides and accounts of amusing incidents, and said that the experience was great fun and fellowship. The walk was made still more enjoyable by the help of Kenny & Jackie Winton with their van carrying support essentials.

Pictured from left to right is Ellon's president Mike Watson, Alasdair Campbell, DG  Bill Leslie presenting the award and Rotarian Mick Gordon.

Gavel Challenge
Oldmedrum Rotary Club Win the Semi - Final

A team of 8 Rotarians with one loyal and enthusiastic supporter made the round trip to Thurso and back over the weekend to play in the semi-final of the annual District 1010 gavel competition. It was fitting on cup final Saturday that after welcoming their visitors with food and drink the Thurso club gave a rendition of “Over the Orde” in their team huddle. The unexpected Sutherland Haka was not enough to unnerve the visitors though, and the Oldmeldrum Rotarians prevailed in the close fought tests of skill in pool, darts, draughts, connect 4, table-tennis and indoor curling to win the encounter by 25½ points to 21½. Margaret McCartney, the team coach congratulated her team, Captain Denis Emslie, and team members, Lara Anderson, Phil Duncan. Robin Falconer, Anne and Martin Foster, Sandy Fowlie, and Andrew McCartney. A special mention for Sandy Fowlie who won ALL his matches! At the final exchange of banners, captain of the home team Robbie Gunn graciously presented the victorious visitors with a bottle of Old Poulteny that Oldmeldrum President Lara Anderson promptly poured into a fellowship quaich and shared the contents among those present. An evening of fun and fellowship followed.

Oldmeldrum Uploaded 4.06.07
Simple Heraldry Cheerfully Illustrated

President Lara Anderson welcomed members and especially our speaker for the evening, Gordon Casely. Gordon is a founder member of the Heraldry Society of Scotland, producing exhibitions at Balmoral and St Andrews. His book, “Who do you think you are?” is soon to be followed by another in April next year. Gordon illustrated his talk with flags of the British Isles, reminding us that only the Queen is authorised to fly the flag with the lion rampant. The Saltire can be displayed by a person who is born a Scot, is of Scottish descent, educated in Scotland, or interested in Scotland. We all were agreed that must encompass the world! Scotland it would seem is the envy of the world in that the history of heraldry is well documented back to the middle ages. Gordon then produced his heraldic flag. He explained that the coat of arms for father, sons and grandsons can all share the same basic design with subtle differences to show the various generations in three, five and seven pointed borders. The ladies of the Rotary were interested to find out that they have the right to fly the same flag as their fathers without any subtle differences! In Scotland anyone can apply for a coat of arms to the Lord Lyon and this icon of identity can be purchased for fourteen hundred pounds.

Anne Shirran, slightly affronted by English flag of St George being the smallest one shown, gave the vote of thanks for a fascinating insight into heraldry. She encouraged us to include this on our wish list!