October 2009 - Mocha Shriners

Royal Scots... Boast Another Successful Year
Mocha’s Pipe Band, the Royal Scots has had a busy and
rewarding year. As in the past, we finished 2008 by
playing our usual round of Santa Claus parades.
Although often very chilly events, people attending
them seem to look forward to the sound of the pipes and
drums signalling the start of the parade. In December,
we culminated our year enjoying our annual Christmas
get-together at the Shrine Centre. After a marvellous
dinner we enjoyed more music and song and a few keen
players of the horserace game pitted their talents against
one another.
On our way
to the
Kilwinning
Sunrise
Breakfast
2009 started for the Band in January when we were
invited to participate in Kilwinning’s Robbie Burns
Scottish Appreciation night, topping off the evening
enjoying a haggis dinner. In June we were honoured to
pipe in the head table at the Annual Supreme Session of
the Daughters of the Nile which was held in London’s
Convention Centre. Later in the month, we played at
Kilwinning’s Annual Sunrise Service and Breakfast
which was held back at the newly refurbished
Wonderland Gardens. Another June highlight was the
Spring Ceremonial, held this year in Leamington, and
we are thrilled that one of the newly minted Shriners,
Winston Kooistra has joined us as a side drummer.
Jack Habkirk, John
Johnston, Stew Watt,
Jane Watt (Ingersoll
Pipe Band), Charlie
Thomson, Jon Arthur
(Ingersoll Pipe Band)
and John McIntyre in
the Glasgow Town Hall
Gail MacKay and Charlie Thomson, at the invitation of
the Medina Shrine Pipe Band went to Chicago to make
the traditional Scottish dinner of haggis, tatties and
neeps and perform the Address to a Haggis, for their
Highland Ball. We hear that this was a very successful
event!
In July, five of our members joined with the Canadian
Massed Pipes and Drums for a memorable trip to
Scotland where we played for Prince Charles at the
opening of The Gathering 2009. This clan gathering
was the first in Scotland in over 150 years and turned
out to be an overwhelming success. We played in
several other venues around Scotland and we were
often treated to ceilidhs and civic receptions. Our three
week trip ended with the Band playing in the pre-show
at Edinburgh’s famous Tattoo. We were then privileged
to be able to enjoy the many outstanding moments of
the Tattoo with performers from as far away as China,
Tonga and Australia.
Tex Coulter, Andy
Longridge and Terry
Derbyshire relaxing at
the Royal Scots BBQ
Once everyone had arrived back in Canada we had our
annual BBQ, this year ably hosted by Joan and Tex
Coulter at their home in London. It was a time of fun
and fellowship for the band members and their families.
Over the summer and fall we played at the Arkona
Canada Day Parade, the Wheatley Fish Festival, the
Bothwell Annual Antique Car Show, the Labour Day
Parade in Sarnia, and the Rodney Fall Fair. In mid
September the band went to Merrillville, Indiana to
participate in the Great Lakes Shrine Association
Convention Piping and Drumming competitions. We
are delighted to report that every member who entered
the competition came home with a medal. The results
were as follows: Stew Watt, Piping Grade 4 (4th place),
Charlie Thomson, Piping Grade 2 (2nd place), Bill
Middlemiss, Side Drumming Grade 4 (3rd place), Gail
MacKay, Side Drumming Grade 1, (3rd place), Tex
Coulter, Tenor Drumming (2nd place), and John
McIntyre, Bass Drumming (2nd place).
As we are noticing the trees turn colour, and the nip of
frost in the offing, we are resuming our practices, and
looking forward to our pre-Christmas events and to
another successful year. We are always happy to
welcome new pipers and drummers to the Band. We
practice on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each
month. If you are interested in joining our unit, please
call Charlie Thomson, Band Director 519 537-8585,
Ken Webster, Music Director 519 686-0938, or Stew
Watt, Secretary at 519 472-4879.
Medal winners Charlie
Thomson, Gail MacKay, Bill
Middlemiss, John McIntyre,
Tex Coulter and Stew Watt,
Great Lakes Shrine
Association Competitions,
Merrillville, Indiana
MOCHA NEWS November 2009 Page 31