I

Thanks to all who contributed to making the Christmas Dance and Hogmanay wonderful social occasions. Good music, good dancing, good food and good friends.

The Committee of Management has been working hard to plan for a successful year of SCD, but we need your help and support to make our classes and events successful.  I had originally planned a much longer message here, but have been prevailed upon to save some of my remarks for discussion at the AGM in May.

The COM has received the full report of the Premises Committee which was set up seven months ago to look for alternate halls for our various events.  I want to commend the efforts of the members who have researched the hall resources in the London area.  We are continuing to gather more information about the locations recommended by them.  The report will be presented to the membership at the AGM; however, decisions as to the rental of halls for the coming year will have been made by the COM before that date.

The COM is undertaking several initiatives to encourage new members to experience Scottish Country Dancing at our free invitational classes.  When finalized, I will be rolling out the program to you.  These invitational classes for people who are interested in trying out Scottish Country Dancing have been under-utilized.  We need a large pool of new dancers to create the social atmosphere and dynamics important for a successful Basic Class this September and in coming years.  It starts with successful invitational classes and with each of you making an effort to spread the joy of SCD.  The London Branch cannot continue to offer the same level of benefits to its members unless we have a significant influx of new, enthusiastic and fully participating members.

If you might be interested in serving on the Committee of Management please contact Marel Fielding for information.  We are all volunteers here and there are many opportunities for you to participate whether in the background or by being elected to a Committee position.

I hope to see you at Winterfest, and at the Ceilidh and Workshop.

Brian

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Membership Fee Breakdown

Active Dancers

Classroom fees and teachers honoraria	$60.00
Edinburgh Society fee (i.e. 10 Pounds Sterling, any shortfall comes from Branch funds	$20.00
Newsletter	$10.00
General Administration expenses including liability insurance and publicity	$10.00
Total	$100.00

The annual fee for spouses or those who live in the same household will be $90.00

Non-Active Dancers

Edinburgh Society Fee	$20.00
Newsletter	$13.00
General Administration	$7.00
Total	$40.00

 Single Class Fee                                                           $5.00

The five dollar fee is for visiting Out-of Town Dancers, or for Non-Active Dancers who do not reside in the London area.  All London and area dancers must be Active Dance Members

CURRENT RUNNING COSTS OF THE EDINBURGH SOCIETY FEE

Staff (net of contribution)	4.70
Property, Equipment, Depreciation	2.56
Printing, Postage, Stationery	1.29
Governance (audits, meetings etc)	2.08
Irrecoverable VAT (a UK tax)	0.73
Magazine (two issues)	3.67
Website and Database	0.73
Publicity	0.92
Youth, E&T Initiatives	0.68
Royalties, Licences, Archives	0.49
Total	17.85

   *All values are in pounds

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WINTERFEST – Sunday January 27^th, 2008

Come join in the fun at our annual winter celebration at Coldstream Community Centre beginning with an afternoon of whatever the weather permits - cross country skiing, walking or participating in snow sculpturing.  For those preferring indoor activity, bring your board games or cards. The COM will provide   stews and chilies for the pot-luck supper at 5:30 p.m.  Members are asked to bring salads and desserts.  Don’t forget your plates and cutlery and of course your ghillies. Fred Moyes will provide the music for the evening dance which will start at approx. 6:45 p.m.

Catherine Shaw will once again be holding a draw (not to be confused with a raffle) so remember to bring along your loonies and toonies.

2008 LONDON BRANCH WORKSHOP-Saturday Feb 23

The Branch workshop is an event that you will not want to miss!  You will find your application flyer in this newsletter.  The workshop is a great opportunity to experience teaching skills of guest teachers, Joan Reeves and Ian Souter, as well as learn new dances.  It is always a wonderful evening dancing in the Great Hall at Somerville House.  Hopefully we will see you there.

2008 ANNUAL CEILIDH

A ceilidh is planned for Friday, Feb.23 at 8 p.m.  Dorothy Sample, mistress of ceremonies, is looking for members or visitors with gifts of song and dance and skits with a mix of both serious and spoof items.  The “John Angus Dornoch award for excellence in show biz” could be your award for a novel act.  Contact Dorothy Sample at 519-434-8926 to add your name to the ceilidh performance list.

LONDON BRANCH ANNUAL BALL

Mark your calendars now for the Spring Ball.  This event, the

highlight of the Scottish Country Dance year, will take place on Saturday, May 3, 2008.  The venue is the historic Middlesex County Court House at the Forks of the Thames River.  The evening will begin with a social hour at 6:00 p.m.  Dinner, catered by Great Hall Catering, will be served at 6:30 p.m.

At 8 o’clock we will put on our ghillies and dance to the lively music of Bobby Brown and the Scottish Accent.

DANCE BOOKS AVAILABLE TO BRANCH MEMBERS

Nancy Duncan has some large dance books with music included.  She is offering these to members for a small donation to the Branch.

DANCE SYLLABUS

For those who wish to have a copy of the dance syllabus, you will find these in the labeled brown envelope on the bulletin board.

Out - of –Town

Feb 16, 2008   Tartan Ball.  This is the 50^th Anniversary year, a commemorative evening of dance led by Bobby Brown & the Scottish Accent.

March 8   Hamilton Branch Workshop.  Details to be announced.

March 15   Windsor Branch Annual Workshop.  Details TBA.

March 22   K-W Branch March Dance and Workshop.

March 29   Blair Ball  Waterloo Regional Police Association Banquet Hall.  Music by Bobby Brown and the Scottish Accent.

April 5   Hamilton Ball.  Michaelangelo’s Banquet Hall.

June 14   Kitchener Waterloo Branch Crystal Ball

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Miscleaneous

BURSARY FUND AND TAC SUMMER SCHOOL

TAC Summer School is being held at Wilfred Laurier University in Waterloo from August 10-17, 2008.  The London Branch has a Bursary Fund to financially assist Branch members who are attending TAC Summer School for the first time or who are taking courses for their Teachers’ certificate.  Written applications for an award from the Bursary Fund need to be given to Janet Schreiber by March 31, 2008.  If anyone is interested in the criteria for receiving assistance from the Bursary Fund, please contact Janet (519-681-8068) for a copy of the Bursary Fund information.

The applications forms for the 2008 TAC Summer School are now available on the TAC web-site.

A LITTLE TOUCH OF HUMOUR ATTRIBUTED TO Dick Crum, a folk dance teacher

Beginning Dancer – knows nothing

Intermediate Dancer – knows everything – too good to dance with beginners

Hotshot Dancer – Too good to dance with anyone

Advanced Dancer – Dances and dances everything especially with beginners

ON A PERSONAL NOTE

Elizabeth King will be celebrating her 70^th birthday on February 16^th.  We wish her all the best and many more years of dancing.

Belated birthday wishes to Wendy Kelly and to Ella Thompson who both celebrated birthdays in December.

We wish a speedy recovery to all who have had surgery, broken bones, and other injuries.  The list includes Elfriede Rollo, Allison Robinson, Bill McLennan Allan Pate and Alex Leslie.  We hope that no-one has been left out.

Friends of John Dolphin will be saddened to learn of his death on December 10^th.  The sympathy of the Branch is extended to Fleur.

Our sympathy is extended to Judi Cooper and her family on the death of Judi’s husband John on January 5^th.

 To our Windsor friends Griff Evans and Teri Murphy, the Branch sends congratulations on their recent marriage.

GHILLIES AVAILABLE

Men’s new black ghillies, size 9.  Contact Jim Gilmore 519-472-9529

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Websites

Members are encouraged to surf the Society Website at

WWW.RSCDS.ORG   The Members Area may be accessed with the username “Monymusk” and the password “Petronella”.

And, of course, your are now visiting: www.RSCDSLondonCanada.org

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