Are you under the age of 18 and a descendant of one of the original Selkirk Settlers to Red River? Do you like to write? Want to learn more about Red River Colony history? This contest may be for you!

Restricted to Descendants of Original Selkirk Settlers. Contestants must be 18 years of age or less.

I wrote about Donald Gunn and his egging expedition for the Smithsonian a couple of weeks ago. I mentioned in the first entry that someone had requested a copy of his book History of Manitoba from the Earliest Settlement to 1835. As I didn’t have the book in my own Red River collection, I decided I’d like to obtain a copy.

Again, I return to the AGM at the end of September this year. The newly elected Vice President of TLSARL, Roy McLeod, stopped me as I was entering the venue. He’d found some articles written by my great-aunt in a couple of old copies of Saskatchewan History, and kindly, he gave them to me. Imagine my excitement when I found her contributions were (an annotated copy of) a journal her aunt kept while on a canoe trip made in the 1920s!

I realised after publishing the last dog entry that I had forgotten to mention what my plans for our new puppy, Stella, were! So just in case anyone was following the entries in order to find out….

I have two somewhat unusual hopes for Stella.

This year we will be returning to one of our members’ favourite venues for the Annual Reunion: Lower Fort Garry! Circle September 27 on your calendar, and plan to be at the Fort at 1:00 p.m. After a traditional tourtiere dinner and dessert, we will have our Annual General Meeting and some entertainment.
There are only 100 seats available, so please, reserve early to avoid disappointment. Tickets are $20 and may be reserved by contacting Betty Gill or Cathie Morgan (contact details last page of Newsletter). No reservations will be accepted after 23 Sept. due to catering restrictions.
The reunion is an excellent opportunity to meet with friends and relatives, to find out what is in the works at TLSARL and to learn more about our shared heritage. See you there!

Members on the email list for the Electronic Newsletter should now have their copy. Please email through the Contact Us form if you have not received it and you believe you should have.

The Fifth Annual Selkirk Settlers’ Parade will take place September 12, 2009. Participants will marshal at City Hall at 11:30, and members of TLSARL are invited to march under our new banner. Join the fun, and help us give a good showing for this event celebrating our ancestors!
The route progresses from City Hall along Main to Bannatyne, then along Waterfront Drive to the Settlers’ Monument & Scots’ Monument where a ceremony of recognition will take place as in past years. The keynote speaker will be Bill Matheson, President of TLSARL.
Please show your support for Bill and TLSARL by taking part (we had a lot of fun last year!).

We are looking for TLSARL members willing to volunteer some of their time to man the “booth” we have at the Scottish Pavilion at Folklorama in Winnipeg during the first week of August. Here’s a chance to set off our new banner with your blazing smile and cheerful banter! Bring your camera and take a photo for the Newsletter! Meet lots of Scottish enthusiasts! Immerse yourself in Scottish culture! What a blast!

Attention Members!

I have now sent out the first Newsletter of 2009, and those of you on the email list should have it in your hands, or in your email box. If you have not received it, please email me through the Contact Us form on the site.

Don’t forget to renew your membership in TLSARL!

We were unable to set up a membership table at this year’s reunion, so many of you may need to send in your cheques this year. Membership is still only $10 per year. Please make your cheque payable to TLSARL, and send it in to the Treasurer. You will find her address details on the last page of the Newsletter.