Athabasca gets in touch with it's Scottish roots

The sound of bagpipes and the smell of haggis poured out of the Athabasca Legion Friday evening as the Fort McMurray and Tawatinaw Mason Lodge held their annual Robert Burns Supper.

ìWe're having what is known as a travelling haggis, î said Morris Nesdole, district deputy grand master elect for the Athabasca district.

Robert (Robbie) Burns was a famous Scottish poet and lyricist who, after his death, became an icon for Scottish nationalism. He was also, says Nesdole, a Mason.

ìRobbie is, was, always been a Mason from almost his birth, î he said. ìRobbie Burns dinners are held in pretty much every country in the world, as are Masons found in every country in the world. î

So, when the Fort McMurray lodge decided to do something about the problems the smaller country lodge of Waskatenau was having getting people to come out to their events, the logical solution was to hold a Robert Burns Dinner.

ìThe guys at Fort McMurray at that time, î he continued, ìdecided that 'You know what? To help them out, we're going to go down to Waskatenau and we're going to take the beef; we're going to take the haggis; we're going to take the pipes and take everything' î

They held it there for two years and, by the second, they had more than 100 people showing up to celebrate the famed Scottish poet. Now, the event has been travelling between the three ìcountry î lodges - Athabasca, Westlock and Waskatenau.

ìThis is the third time we've held it in Athabasca, î said Nesdole. ìIt's always sponsored by (the Fort McMurray lodge) and the lodge of the town. Today, Tawatinaw Lodge, we did all of the cooking, purchased all of the ingredients in town here and tried to do this as cheaply as we could. î

The event ìexceeded expectations î with almost 75 people coming out to enjoy the music, the food and getting in touch with their Scottish roots.

ìWe're very, very pleased, î he said. ìI'm hoping that we can continue to do this in future years. î