A few C&F Forum members in the New York Mid-Hudson Valley area are thinking about forming a Piper’s Club. Initial thoughts are to gather at a location in Westchester County, convenient to Hudson River bridges and major highways. Right now we’re looking to see if there are pipers who might be interested. Our primary focus is on improving our skills, learning tunes and enjoying the company of other pipers. We should have access to some top tier pipers in the region who might run some workshops for the group. We’re looking forward to hearing from you and any suggestions you may have. Please e-mail me with any questions or comments at jcreilly@aol.com or send a private message through the Forum. Best, Jim Reilly (Pipey)
Hi Jim,
Great news that theres enough interest to get it all going! Have you gotten in touch with the guys down on Long Island?
You’ll find their site here: http://www.longislandpipers.com/
I’m not aware of any other groups in the upstate area or in CT or lower MA. You’ve got a good shot at providing a valuable resource there. When we got things going out here in Utah a couple of years ago, we weren’t certain if or how well it would all go over, and it’s done supprisingly well!
All the best!
Brian~
Thanks, Brian. We’re optimistic and our friends on Long Island will be there to give us advice (Bob, Neil, Rich, Luke – right?) I know you folks have done very well and we hope to follow your lead and put together a small group to get us going. Best, Jim
Jim, Dont do it! It’ll never work! Ride the Hawg instead!
Thats funny Bob! Especially taken from a man who sold his bike for his pipes!
Jim,
As long as you moderate your overall expectations, take from it what you can and enjoy it rather than make it a job, and realize early that probably only two or three people (at most) with the most passion will carry most of the burdeon while the rest come and go, you will do great. Perhaps we can have some joint workshops as well (as we sort of have in the past).
Neil
How far up the Hudson are you willing to go?
KAD
Good luck to you with this venture. I’d love to see something like a piper’s club spring up in the Toronto area. I think we have a critical mass in the greater Toronto area. Why hasn’t it happened so far? I suppose everyone just satisfies themselves with the Langan Weekend and then they wait another 365 for the next one. Also I suppose we’re lucky to have some (or at least one) top calibre teaching piper in Toronto and a lot of people visit her individually (Debbie Quigley) and I guess there’s no purpose getting together with a bunch of fellow learners when you have access to that kind of quality teacher. Personally, I’d like to get together with a bunch of fellow learners, if only to share the trials and tribulations of learning piping face to face rather than online via chiff and fipple, and perhaps for some craic. Appropriate venue of course is an issue. I’ve got a few thoughts about that if anyone cares to chat via PM.
How far up the Hudson are you willing to go?
KAD
About where Lord Howe’s Fleet turned around, near the Tappan Zee Bridge. Nothing is settled, however and we’re open to suggestions. Seth Gallagher graciously offered his new (expanded) facility up in Garrison. We also have our eye on Tara Circle in North Yonkers, but we’ve not approached them yet. It really depends on the location of potential members. We know a few that live in Rockland County and New Jersey. C&F member Kerryman , my partner in this venture, lives in Orange County, a bit further up. Best, Jim
My advice on location would be to have two or maybe even three that you rotate. You can cast a wider net that way and everyone shares in the burdeon of traveling once in a while. On LI, we have generally two: One in Nassau and one in Suffolk county. This cuts down on the complaints on travel as you take your turns. Jim, You may want to triangulate between northern areas, southern and eastern areas perhaps, all within say an hour of each other.
Neil
Good advice, Neil. Thanks. We’ll keep you updated on our progress. If anyone from LI checks in we promise not to poach. Best, Jim
Western LI residents, including those in Queens, are accually pretty close by if you have some events at the Tara House in Yonkers. I am about 35 minutes without traffic myself from there, and as you have come down in the past, I am sure that some of us would love to attend some of your events/meetings. Though we islanders are uneasy spending to much time on the “mainland” 
. Of course all are welcome down here as well.
Neil
Bump !
We have a handful of interested pipers for our new club and we will be organizing our first meeting soon.
Anybody else out there interested in joining us- send me a PM and I will include you on the e-mail list.
Liam 