CMSNA Charter
CMSNA is a 501(c)(3) Organization
Contributions to CMSNA are exempted from Federal Income Tax
Purposes:
1. To encourage interest in the history, arts, and tradition of Scotland and of Clan MacLaren.
2. To sponsor Society Gatherings.
3. To collect genealogy and family traditions and provide a permanent repository for such records.
4. To publish a newsletter.
5. To administer monies of the Society for general, specific, or benevolent purposes.
6. To encourage perpetuation of Highland dress, traditions, and customs and promote Highland Games and Gatherings.
7. To foster a feeling of kinship among Society members and provide a means of contact between Society members and those in Scotland and other parts of the world.
The membership list of the CMSNA is used only for official contact with members and mailing the newsletter, The MacLaren Standard.
CMSNA Structure
Officers of CMSNA consist of an elected President and Vice-President. A Recording Secretary, Membership Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Secretary/Treasurer, and Editor are appointed. A Registered Agent is appointed according to the Articles of Incorporation of the Society. The Clan Council, composed of the officers and Regional Representatives from the geographic areas of the US and Canada, is responsible for governing the Society. Society business is conducted at an Annual General Meeting, or at such times as other meetings are called. Mail ballots can also be utilized. In addition, other Society activities are handled by various standing or special committees.
Highland Games
The Clan MacLaren Society of North America is a fixture at most of the major Highland Games held in the US and Canada. A list of upcoming events is published in the Standard and is available on this web site.
The Clan MacLaren Society in Scotland maintains a tent at the Lochearnhead Games in Scotland and are always delighted to welcome clans folk from all over the world. The Games normally are held on the third Saturday of July each year. Lochearnhead has become a famous water sports center and excellent accommodations are available in the area.
Newsletter
The CMSNA publishes a newsletter, the MacLaren Standard, four times each year for the purpose of informing the Society membership of Clan activities, as well as to feature articles on history, culture, genealogy, etc. A copy of each newsletter is provided to all members.
CMSNA Genealogy Project
The Clan MacLaren Society of North America maintains a vigorous and active Clan Genealogy Project dedicated to assembling a body of data for posterity of all MacLaren and sub-families. This information, along with that of over 100 other Scottish Clan organizations, is deposited in the Ellen Payne Odom Library in Moultrie, GA. The repository is updated periodically as the dataset is expanded and revised.
The CMSNA Genealogy Project gives MacLarens a starting point in their own individual research, as well as a place to record and preserve records of their own family histories. The records are such that individual records are combined with the goal of producing an overall record of the "MacLaren" family.
The CMSNA has an active Genealogy Committee, headed by the Clan Genealogist.
The Balquhidder Educational Trust
The MacLaren (Balquhidder) Educational trust is a joint project of The Clan MacLaren Society in Scotland (CMSS) and The Clan MacLaren Society of North America (CMSNA). It was established to provide financial and other support to the young people connected with the Parish of Balquhidder with the general aim of developing their skills and talents in life by means of educational and sporting activities. It also promotes student exchange and educational visits involving the young people of Balquhidder. In meeting these goals, the Clan Societies will raise the profile of the Clan MacLaren in its traditional Clan homeland. Pupils and students who have attended schools in the parish of Balquhidder or who are residents in the Parish while attending schools or colleges elsewhere are eligible for support. Group activities such as school trips may also be considered eligible.
Assistance is intended to be in addition to and not in place of funds provisioned by the state or by the local educational authority.
CMSNA President's Award
An award of $250.00 at the discretion of the President may be awarded annually to persons studying Celtic Heritage subjects, such as Highland Dancing, Piping, Genealogy, etc. This award is controlled by rules set forth by the Council and usually has an Instructor of the subject act as a trustee for administrating the Funds for students advanced studies costs. Nominations must be sent to the president thirty or more days before any Annual General Meeting of any year.
Other Information Sources
We sponsor ads in The Highlander, Scottish Banner, Odom Library News, or other Scottish related publications that might reach potential members. These Publications contain classified ads that can direct you to the Membership Secretary for more information.
Further Reading
The MacLarens by Margaret MacLaren of MacLaren (the present Chief's mother) The Pentland Press, Ltd.
The Settlements of Western Perthshire by Dr. James Stewart. The Pentland Press Ltd.
The Braes O' Balquhidder by Elizabeth Beauchamp. (An Historical Guide to the District).
Walks in the Trossachs by Rennie McOwen
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