Deer Harbor Community Club hosts 251st anniversary celebration of Burns’ birth

In Scotland, commemorative Robert Burns Suppers tend to be solemn, weighty affairs.

Jim Allan’s Orcas Island rendition would be better described as a howlin’ good time. By Scottish standards, it was way too much fun.

“The Burns suppers in Scotland are very serious and traditional, and frankly quite boring,” explained Allan. “I tried to make ours more entertaining.”

And to be fair, auld Scotland doesn’t have Sharon Abreu or the Olga Symphony.

The evening at the Deer Harbor Community Club was a ringing success from the get-go, as club president and MC Howard Barbour welcomed around 50 guests in a rich Scottish brogue, “A great welcome to you, from the highlands and the lowlands, and over the border, and across the ocean.”

The dinner commenced with The Piping of the Haggis, a processional led by Libby Cook to the tune of Sandy Taylor’s blaring bagpipes. The steaming haggis, a traditional Scots dish made of sheep’s organ meats and oatmeal, garnished with sprigs of fresh herbs, was placed on a table of honor between bowls of “Tatties and Neeps,” traditional side dishes of mashed potatoes and turnips.

Allan said The Selkirk Grace, and then Barbour, with dramatic flourishes of a large, gleaming chef’s knife, pronounced the Address to the Haggis.

“Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face, Great chieftain o’ the pudding-race!” it began, finishing emphatically, “Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware That jaups in luggies; But, if ye wish her gratefu’ prayer Gie her a haggis!”

As dinner commenced, Sharon Abreu and Mike Hurwicz entertained guests with vocals, violin and guitar on clear, soulful renditions of A Red, Red Rose, and Ae Fond Kiss.

Terry Neill inspired cheers with a rousing rendition of A Man’s A Man for a’ That, and regaled guests with his memories of a past toast to the haggis:

“We toasted the haggis with one foot on a chair – and the other on the table. And we were all wearing kilts. There were no ladies present,” explained Neill, adding, “If you ever have haggis again and you don’t think it very good, put a bit of Scotch on it. There’s nothing that can’t be improved immeasurably by a wee bit of Scotch.”

Abreu and Hurwicz led diners in a merry chorus of Auld Lang Syne, with much laughter as guests struggled to pronounce the old Scots words.

After the meal the Olga Symphony was in fine form, starting with the melancholy and beautiful folk song, Broom o’ the Cowdenknowes. Barbour was pressed into service as “the guest bell” as Melinda Milligan belted out Black Ball Ferry. Dave Zoeller, or “Z,” then launched into More Wood in his rich, velvety voice, in honor of the club’s new propane stove.

Allan, Scottish born and bred for 40 years, orchestrated the event. The Deer Harbor Burns supper began last year, inspired by Allan’s lifelong admiration for the poet.

Last year’s haggis was from a can, and not so good, said Allan.

“This year I contacted a butcher in Portland, Ore. and asked them to send a proper haggis up. It was quite good.”

Allan and Barbour look forward to hosting another Burns’ supper next year.

“Many of the people who were there approached me afterward and said, ‘Make sure this is an annual event!’ We are planning on doing it every year,” Allan said. “Burns has over 350 poems, so we’re not going to run out.”

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