GALA DAY 2010 - THE OUTCOME

Well that's another year of gala over and who will forget the 50th birthday celebrations and the mon-

soon that swept over the park at 3.30pm on Saturday 5th June 2010 - boy oh boy did it rain! It was all going so well, maybe too well, the sun had been shining all morning, many people gathered from near and far, there was a fantastic ray of gold sweeping through the streets and down to the park and the fact that I had time to walk round the park and take in what was going on. Give everyone their due they stuck around huddled under the trees and in the gazebos sheltering from the rain and praying that it was just a little black cloud passing over, but it was not to be. It was a terrible shame that gala day was cut short but don't let your spirits be dampened as we raised over £4300, a fantastic amount considering the wet weather.

Gala is not possible without the help of many people in the village (too many for me to name everyone individually), but I must say a special thank you to those who organise the week's events (the Walking Treasure Hunt & BBQ, Car Treasure Hunt, Bowling Night, Childrens Discos and the Hill Race), without you these events would not go ahead. Also to everyone who took time out of their day to help set up the park and help on the stalls. A huge thank you to our sponsors, especially our main sponsor Branston Ltd, without cash donations we would not raise nearly as much as we do To those who kindly donate items for the raffle, bottle stall and cake & candy stall. Last but by no means least our VIP Bob Macdonald, our Gala Princess Lois Gourlay and her 2 attendants Kimi Anderson and Caitlyn Fyffe. We hope you enjoyed your day and being involved in this special 50th occasion.

This has been another extremely successful gala and the Williamson Hall Committee is delighted with the money raised. I'm sure we will hear (or see) how they plan to use the money to benefit the hall and the community.

I've been involved in organising the gala for 3 years and as the population of Abernethy has grown I find it very sad that more people in the village do not help with the arrangements. Although there are many different aspects to pull together, none of it is complicated and many hands really do make light work.

So IF Gala goes ahead next year don't just spare a thought, do a good deed and lend a hand. The current committee is stepping down so the Williamson Hall will be looking for a new committee. Maybe it's your time to put something back into the village. Even if you don't volunteer for the committee, please remember next year how much work is involved in the setting up and taking down of the park on gala day. Many tables and over 100 chairs need to be moved from the hall and church to the park and returned again at night, and over 10 gazebos need to be put up and down. It is the same few faces that help each year and this year was especially difficult in the pouring rain. I honestly cannot explain how deflated I felt down at the park at 6.30pm when the few people helping were still struggling on. Had more people stayed behind to help it would have been an easier task.

Finally, what a great night we had at the Pig Roast in the Square –special thanks to Jim Cook for making all the arrangements. Umbrellas were at the ready but luckily only needed for a few minutes and for me it was nice to sit back and enjoy the night (with a well deserved glass of wine in my hand).

Andrea Dewar