AGM 2008

The 162nd AGM was held on Thursday 17 April 2008 at the Reception Suite of Glengoyne Distillery. Drinks were served from 7.30 p.m. after which the meeting and prizegiving took place, followed by tea, coffee and shortbread.

Marshall Falconer was delighted to report the Club's success in the Province competitions of winning the Robert Paterson Shield for the first time for many years and the Jim Carswell Trophy for the first time ever. The results of these and the other competitions can be found on the Province Website at Province Archive.

Rita Harris has resigned as Social Secretary on completion of her term on the main Committee although she has now started her two year term as President of the Ladies Section. Jim Meikle replaces her as Social Secretary - a hard act to follow - and Jim Paterson returns to the Committee as an addiitonal member.

The results of the main competitions can be found at Archive. Both the main Club and the Ladies Section had awards for the Curler of the Year which went to Fiona Glass and Gill Smith respectively.

The subscription for the year has been raised to £23. This is to cover the increase in the RCCC subscription from £16 to £17. The subscription for non-mother club members remains at £6.

Ballikinrain Cup

The annual match against Balfron Curling Club and Fintry Curling Club for the Ballikinrain Cup took place on 4 February 2008. Despite John Phillips' magnificent 18 to 1 victory against a Balfron team, we came second to Fintry overall, as our other team lost by 3 shots to 11 to a Fintry team.

Doune 250th Anniversary Bonspiel

The club was delighted to accept an invitation to play in this event on 1 February 2008. A team comprising Mike Jackson, Maurice Rennie, Fiona Glass and George Harris finished 3rd/4th in an enjoyable evening's competition complete with half-time meal.

Greenacres Senior Invitation

This 16 team bonspiel took place at Greenacres Curling Rink before the main Senior Men's District Playdown. A team skipped by John Phillips with Norman Robertson, Phillip Pain and Ronnie MacDonald of Fintry Curling Club was beaten in the final of the High Road.

Points 2008

Eight members of the Club took part in the Province Points competition on 27 January 2008 at Braehead Curling Rink. The competition was well supported with 35 players from 6 of the Province Clubs taking part. The best 2 players from Strathendrick tied for third place with Drymen. The competition was won by Loch Ard with Balfron second. Mike Jackson was the best placed Strathendrick player and the winner of the Club Points competition for the year.

New Year Meander 2008

The annual Meander took place on Wednesday 2 January 2008. As usual it was well attended, members and guests dipping in and out throughout the day. We were well served by the weather, with surprisingly no rain all day.

After a breakfast of sausage and bacon rolls and Bucks Fizz at Di and Mike Jackson's, meanderers set off in good spirits. Next stop was at Ros and Walter MacGowan's where we enjoyed Ros's speciality - mini baked potatoes.

Following the West Highland Way, meanderers made their way to the curling pond (making a short pit stop en route to sample each other's offerings of home made Sloe Gin, Rusty Nails and other similar refreshments). At the curling pond Jean and David Clark entertained us royally with canapés and Whisky Macs.

The following walk across fields to Drumtian Road, ending up at Gail and Phillip Pain's for lunch, was interesting if one kept one's feet out of the mud and did not get lost! Gail and Phillip's soup, pie and a pint were much enjoyed and appreciated by the ravening hordes - empty plates were testimony to this.

Well fed and rested, meanderers once again set out to walk up Drumtian Road and round to Sandra and Des Burt's for a welcome refreshment stop. It was then only a short hop, step and jump to Fiona and Bob Glass's for a sumptuous supper donated by members of the club.

Many thanks go to all members who acted as hosts, keeping us well fed and watered, but especial thanks go to Jean and David Clark who, as non-members of the Club, extended their generous hospitality to us again this year.

We now look forward with anticipation to the Meander in 2009. If you have not attended this most enjoyable and fun event in the past, make a point of coming along next year - it is a social event not to be missed!

Elspeth Murdoch

Elspeth went into hospital on 6 December for a serious operation. She got home on 14 December and is making good progress. Best wishes to her from all the Club.

Old Fellows CC

The Old Fellows CC Autumn League has been won by a team of five comprising three members of Strathendrick CC. (John Anderson claims to have been the player that was mainly instrumental in this but he did say George Harris helped a bit too.)

Stirling "B" League

A team comprising members of Strathendrick are doing well in the 'B' League of what used to be called the Shareholders League.

Scottish Masters

John Phillips was narrowly beaten into third place in the Scottish Masters Competition at Greenacres where the first two progress to the next stage.

Mixed seniors

This took at Pitlochry over the weekend 12 to 14 October. Congratulations to John Phillips' team of Marshall and Margaret Falconer and Fiona Glass who came second in their round robin group with 2 wins and a peal. Unfortunately, they lost in the semi-final of the Low Road.

New members

Since the AGM we have welcomed two new members to the club. Iain Bowie from Little Carbeth is already playing in both the Autumn and Spring Leagues and Sandy Park from Balfron will be available as a reserve.

Texas Scramble

The Texas Scramble took place on 7 September 2007 at Buchanan Castle Golf Club. Five teams played this year and enjoyed a lovely afternoon weatherwise, followed by an excellent meal in the dining room and a general knowledge quiz.

The wining golf team was Fiona Glass, Jim Smith, Norma Mitchell and Eddie Redman with 46 shots.

Second were Maurice Rennie, John Bowie, Mike Jackson and George Harris with 47 shots.

The quiz was won by George and Rita Harris, John and Christine Bowie and Mike Jackson with 19 points out of 20. The quiz master will need to make it harder next year!

Personalia

Since the Annual General Meeting, the Club has lost 4 long standing members of the club.

Firstly, Zena Pollok suffered a severe stroke just two days after the AGM and died a few weeks later without recovering. Her funeral at Buchlyvie was attended by many club members.

Secondly, Joan Shand of Killearn, who was a member of one of the old curling families, and the first president of the ladies section died in the summer.

On a happier note, we lost former president Jim Walker and former ladies president Kate Walker when they decided to move to Pitlochry. However, the number of club members who visit Pitlochry, we do not expect to lose contact with them completely. As of their Christmas card, they are still living with the builders, but hope to have a cooker and sink in time for Christmas. The rest of the kitchen is to follow in the New Year.

We also have another potential member of the club in the form of Kate and Robert Baxter's son Cameron, who was born in the early summer. Both mother and baby are fine. Congratulations also to the proud grandparents - Walter and Ros Macgowan.

Annual General Meeting

The 161st Annual General Meeting took place on Thursday 19 April in the Reception Suite of Glengoyne Distillery. Drinks were served from 7.30 p.m. after which the meeting and prizegiving took place, followed by tea, coffee and shortbread.

Honorary memberships were awarded to two of the club's most senior members John McGowan and Arthur Pollock. John has not played for some years but his membership goes back to the 1950s and his family were amongst the very early members of the club in the 1840s. Arthur still hopes to play for a few years yet, albeit with a delivery stick.

At the meeting, Jim Meikle retired as President and Fiona Glass became the new President. Mike Jackson has become the new Vice President but will continue to be the Evening League Convenor. Marshall Falconer returns to the Committee, after a break of several years, and will replace Margaret Falconer as Match Secretary. Stan Moore has volunteered (if that is the right word!) to become the new Secretary in place of Fiona.

The subscriptions will remain the same as last year at £22 for a full member (including the RCCC capitation of £16), £6 for a non-mother club member and £5 for a non-playing associate member.

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