Resources

The piping and drumming community is very supportive of its members. Listed below are various types of philanthropic opportunities for pipers and drummers. The purpose of this list is two-fold: to let potential donors know about organizations that sponsor contests and scholarships to which they can contribute, and also to let people know about the variety of awards that may be available to them. If you have an item you'd like to add to this list, please email it to zecsec@euspba.org.

The Alex Currie Memorial Scholarship for Bagpipe

Administered by the Gaelic College of Nova Scotia, the annual scholarship is named for the famed Cape Breton piper. Currie was a living representation of one of the many different piping styles that existed in Cape Breton among the highland immigrants and their descendants – styles that have disappeared from the piping landscape of Cape Breton.

The Pipe Major Kevin Ray Blandford Memorial Scholarship for Bagpipe

dministered by the National Piping Centre of Glasgow, Scotland, for their NY Piping School the scholarship pays tribute to the founder of the R.P. Blandford & Son Pipe Band of Redlands, CA and creator of the original “Pipes of Christmas” studio recording which became the foundation for the annual Clan Currie Society concerts.

The Private Bill Millin Memorial Scholarship for Bagpipe

Administered for the Clan Currie Society by Lyon College of Batesville, AR. The annual scholarship honors the memory of Private Bill Millin, the famed D-Day bagpiper for played for his troops during the British landing at Sword Beach on June 6, 1944. In the year of his death, the Pipes of Christmas performed a solemn and moving tribute to Millin. The video can be viewed via the following link: http://www.pipesofchristmas.com/Videos.html

The Charles O. Gordon Memorial Scholarships

The House of Gordon USA sponsors two scholarships annually through the Charles O. Gordon Memorial Scholarship program to our youth who wish to further their tutelage in the Scottish Arts including but not limited to piping, highland drumming, highland dance, Scottish country dance, fiddle, heavy athletics and Gaelic language study. Clan Gordon also sponsors an award of a trophy and $250.00 scholarship to the Grade IV Junior Piper of the Day at the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games. For more information visit www.houseofgordonusa.org/scholarship.html 

The Manchester Regional Police and Fire Pipe Band

The Manchester Regional Police and Fire Pipe Band Inc. is offering three scholarships for pipers, drummers and drum majors in the New England area. Deadline for requesting a scholarship is June 1, 2011. Please visit our website at: www.mrpf.net to get the scholarship application.

Richmond Highland Games & Celtic Festival

The Richmond Highland Games & Celtic Festival is produced by the State Fair of Virginia, a private, not-for-profit company dedicated to promoting youth, education and agriculture.

Proceeds from the Festival benefit the State Fair of Virginia Scholarship Program, which, since 1989, has awarded 1,580 scholarships and has dedicated nearly one and a half million dollars to youth education.

Announcing the 2011 Annual Jack Munro  Memorial Award for Young Aspiring Pipers

We are now accepting applications for the 2010 Jack Munro Memorial Award for Young Aspiring Pipers. Applicants for this award must meet the following criteria:

  • Must be between the ages of 8 and 16
  • Must have been taking bagpipes lessons for no longer than 4 years
  • Must be a resident in one of the EUSPBA states

Each applicant should submit a 1-2 page essay titled “The importance of my Celtic heritage and my interest in the bagpipes.”  Each applicant should also supply two letters of recommendation, one from their bagpipe instructor and one other from another adult (i.e. parents, family, friends, teachers, etc.).

The winner of this award will receive a new set of McCallum bagpipes, valued at ~$1000. The winner will be selected by a committee of Munro family members. The winner will be chosen based on the applicant’s essays (taking age into consideration) and will be the applicant that best exemplifies the passion, enjoyment, energy, dedication and commitment that Jack Munro had for the bagpipes and the perpetuation of the Celtic culture.

The bagpipes will be awarded at the Capital District Scottish Games, which will be held on September 4th and 5th, 2010 (Labor Day weekend) at the Altamont Fairgrounds.

Email confirmation will be sent to you upon receipt of your application package in the mail (assuming you provide us with an email address). Applications must be postmarked by August 5, 2011, should include all appropriate contact information (including age) and should be mailed to:

Jack Munro Memorial Award
c/o The Munro Family
114 Appleton Road
Rexford, NY 12148

The winner of this award will be notified during the 2nd half of August 2010. Any questions can be directed to either mmunro1@nycap.rr.com or you can call 518-373-0797.

A special “thank you” to Iain Donaldson and the British Shop for their assistance in acquiring and preparing the set of McCallum bagpipes given for this award.

Clan Munro Association, USA, offers scholarships for highland dancing, piping, drumming, and fiddling to students 18 years and under. We have offered these scholarships of $250 each since 2004, beginning with 8 scholarships. In 2010 we gave out 19 scholarships. The number of scholarships varies each year, but we anticipate giving at least 16 this year. The deadline for the application is March 31, 2011. Please visit www.clanmunrousa.org for more information.

Clan MacInnes offers scholarships to those involved in the study of Scottish arts, such as piping, dancing, drumming, Gaelic language, or Scottish history. These scholarships may partially or completely cover expenses related to classes, lessons, tuition, and/or registration, etc., but do not apply to living expenses to attend such classes.

If you are interested in applying, please send your name, address, phone, and email address (if applicable), along with detailed information about field of study, dates, fees involved (please break down fees), financial need(if applicable), and any reasons why you should be deserving. Please submit applications, in letter format, to:

Randy McInnis, Chairman - Scholarship Committee
1413 Autumn Ridge Lane
Fort Mill, SC 29708
or via email: rmci@comporium.net.

Applications must be received by June 1 of each year. For more information, see: www.macinnes.org/scholarship.html

North Georgia College and State University, a Senior Military College, has scholarships available to bagpipers or drummers who are also interested in Army ROTC. For more information you can contact Cadet Recruiting at 1-888-413-9366 or visit www.ngcsu.edu.

The Hawk Mountain Highlanders Pipe Band has scholarships worth $1000 per year available for pipers or drummers attending the Schuylkill Campus of Penn State who also participate in the band's programs. For more information concerning Penn State Schuylkill, see: www.sl.psu.edu. For more information on the band, see: www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/m/w/mwl2/
Band_page.html. These scholarships are not need-based and may extend for up to four years. For more information, contact Wes Loder at MWL2@psu.edu

Please visit the New York City Fire Department Pipe Band Web site for information on donating to the Uniformed Firefighters' Association Widows' and Children's Fund.

With regard to the tragic events of September 11, 2001, donations are being requested for The Silver Shield Foundation, which provides scholarship money to children of fallen firefighters and police officers. The day-to-day affairs of this foundation are managed through the organization Changing Our World, Inc. in New York City. The Web site for Changing Our World, Inc. is http://www.changingourworld.com

Who is covered? Children of people who have been killed in the line of duty as a New York City Police Officer, a New York City Firefighter, a Port Authority Police Officer, or a State Trooper from New York, New Jersey or Connecticut. Several pipe bands from these organizations are members of the EUSPBA. Each child is eligible for $20,000 in scholarship assistance. Additionally, the foundation provides tutors when the children need extra help at any age. The foundation also hosts lunches for the widows, provides food baskets during the holidays, and offers financial assistance to widows who may wish to go back to school to help them earn a better living for their family.

In one day, 403 firefighters and police officers died in the tragedy in New York, and the foundation added 700 children to their list. This number is higher then all the children the foundation has had under its umbrella since the foundation started 18 years ago. (700 children X $20,000 = 14 million dollars) If you can give anything it would be much appreciated.

Checks and money orders should be made out to "Silver Shield Foundation" and mailed to:

Silver Shield Foundation
c/o Changing Our World, Inc.
420 Lexington Avenue, Suite 2320
New York, NY 10170

An endowment was established in 2000 for the Charlotte J. Lowe Memorial Trophy and Scholarship, to be awarded each year at the Virginia Scottish Games. This scholarship and trophy are being awarded to the Amateur Grade III Piper of the Day. Further contributions may be directed to:

Virginia Beach Federal Employees Credit Union
Charlotte J. Lowe Memorial Fund
2501 Courthouse Drive
Virginia Beach, VA 23456

The Virginia Scottish Games Association also awards a scholarship in memory of Robert Gilchrist to the Amateur Grade 4 Junior Piper of the Day. Donations to:

Helen Harlow
24 Highlander Drive
Fredericksburg, VA 22406
540-373-4890
harlow59@msn.com

The Nicol-Brown Amateur Invitational Contest, founded in 1982 to honor the memory of Robert U. Brown and Robert B. Nicol, invites Amateur Grade 1 pipers from across North America to a formal indoor competition each October. The overall winner receives airfare to compete in London, England the following year. The volunteer committee relies on donations to make this a quality experience for the competitors. To donate, send checks payable to the Nicol-Brown Chalice to:

Paula Glendinning
103 Country View Court
Ashton, MD 20861
301-774-3154
inning@aol.com

The Colonial Highland Gathering at Fair Hill, Maryland, awards a $250.00 scholarship in memory of Robert Gilchrist to the winner of the Amateur Grade 4 Junior piping competition. The prize is to be used towards a piping school of the winner's choice. The scholarship was initiated by Gail Gilchrist, and is now controlled by an independent committee. To donate, contact:

Ian Johnstone
516 Dougfield Road
Newark, DE 19713
302-731-7672
Fax: 302-453-8165
idj67@aol.com.

Also at the Colonial Highland Gathering, the Amateur Drum Major of the day is awarded tuition to any Drum Major Workshop of their choice, in memory of Jim Penrose III. This scholarship was originated by Connie Penrose, and is now controlled by an independent committee. To donate, contact:

Ian Johnstone
516 Dougfield Road
Newark, DE 19713
302-731-7672
Fax: 302-453-8165
idj67@aol.com.

The Scottish Scholarship Fund of New Hampshire annually awards scholarships for individuals and organizations to promote interest, understanding, and enjoyment, and preservation of Scottish and Gaelic literature, art, architecture, dance, music, history, athletic achievement, culture and traditions. Grant and scholarship requests are accepted through 10 April of the year and awards are made by early May. For further information, contact:

Ralf L. Hartwell, Jr.
13 Gale Village Road
Newton, NH 03858-3101
ralfh@ttlc.net.

Amateur Grade 1 competitors at the U.S. Piping Foundation in June each year vie for a number of scholarships and awards, made possible by the generosity of donors. The competitor with the highest point accumulation from the Piobaireachd and MSR competitions will receive round trip airfare to Scotland and two weeks tuition at an approved venue in Scotland. The overall winner also receives the USPF Silver Buckle. Scholarships will be awarded to approved Piping Schools for overall placements in the following amounts: 2nd Place - $700; 3rd Place - $600; 4th Place - $500; 5th Place - $400. In the event of a tie the over-all winner will be determined by a piobaireachd preference. To contribute, contact:

Maclean Macleod
20 Wakefield Drive
Newark, DE 19711-7012
302-731-5101

The Balmoral School maintains a scholarship fund used to award: three full scholarships to the top ranked piobaireachd player in EUSPBA Amateur Grades 1, 2, and 3; full scholarships for two of Scotland's top junior champion pipers; and approximately 20 partial scholarships to attend the Balmoral Schools. These scholarships are made possible by grants and donations from the Ed Littlefield Foundation, the Balmoral scholarship fund, and individual donors. To donate, contact:

George Balderose
The Balmoral Schools
1414 Pennsylvania Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15233
412-323-2707
info@bagpiping.org

The Midatlantic Branch of EUSPBA awards a $500 drumming school scholarship to the winner of the John Murray Memorial Challenge, an Amateur Grade 4 Jr. Drumming contest held at the Midatlantic Workshop. Also at the Midatlantic Workshop, the Branch holds the Robert Gilchrist Memorial Challenge, a Piobaireachd contest for pipers who will be under 22 years of age the following August. The prize is a trip to Scotland to compete in the MacGregor Memorial Piobaireachd contest at the Argyllshire Gathering, which is also for pipers under the age of 22. For more information, contact:

Midatlantic Branch Chair
midatlantic@euspba.org

EUSPBA has established a scholarship fund, begun with donations from Wygent Reedmakers. Plans for the scholarship fund are still being developed. To donate, contact:

Jim Roberts
EUSPBA Treasurer
treasurer@euspba.org