Mocha November 2010.indd - Mocha Shriners

Here’s What’s Happening in the Units!
Royal Scots O'Mocha
Mocha’s very own pipe band, the Royal Scots has had
another successful year. With flurries in the air, we are
anticipating our usual round of Santa Claus Parades, and
reminiscing about our accomplishments in 2010.
The band has had a busy time and has enjoyed a lot of
fun along the way. Last Christmas we braved the elements
and enthusiastically played in four Christmas
parades. Sometimes the weather is challenging, but one
of the highlights of the season was a post parade party at
John and Brenda Johnston’s farm. We think John’s haggis
is the best ever! In December we met at the Shrine
Centre for our annual Christmas banquet. After a lovely
dinner, we were entertained musically by some of our
members and, of course, played the horserace game.
Our first event of the New Year was the Annual Robbie
Burns Scottish Appreciation Night hosted by Kilwinning
Lodge. In March we joined several other Shrine units for
a fund raiser at the John Labbatt Centre. In April, our
music Director, Ken Webster encouraged our participation
in the Kiwannis Music festival which was a new and
challenging experience for the band.
In May, we played along the course for the Forest City
Road Races, a race run to support the Thames Valley
Children’s Centre. The runners could hear the pipes from
some distance away and were very enthusiastic when
they arrived at the band location. Impromptu highland
dancing broke out among a few participants! Later in the
month we were invited by the Dutch Consulate to participate
in the 65th Anniversary of the Liberation of the
Netherlands, held at the Cenotaph in downtown London.
That afternoon, we gathered in celebration of Bill
Middlemiss’ 80th birthday...but who’s counting?!
In June we played in the parade for the Spring Ceremonial
in Waterloo, Ontario, followed, later in the month, by
one of our favourite events, the Kilwinning Sunrise
Breakfast, held this year at the RCR Barracks.
In July, some of us played with a massed Shrine pipe
band down University Avenue in Toronto to lead the
parade for the Imperial Session being held there. Not
only was it the hottest day of the year, we were competing
for the crowds with Her Majesty, The Queen!!!
This year we were invited to play, with several other
bands, at the Ingersoll Pipe Band Tattoo held in honour
of their 100th Anniversary. Many Royal Scots play or
have played with the Ingersoll Band and we were honoured
to be included in the celebrations. Our summer
season ended with parades in both Bothwell and in
Rodney for their Fall Fair.
We are always interested in welcoming new members to
our unit. We practice on the second and fourth Tuesdays
of the month. If you are a piper or a drummer who may
want to participate in our band, please call Charlie
Thomson, Unit Director, (519) 537-8585, Ken Webster,
Music Director, (519) 686-0938, or Stew Watt, Secretary,
(519) 472-4879, for more information.
Christmas fun with Charlie, Jimmie, John and Don
Playing for the Forest City Road Races
The 65th anniversary of the
Liberation of the Netherlands
Page 10 November 2010
MOCHA NEWS