March 15, 2022
The Scottish Coalition USA (TSCUSA), announces the presentation of the 20th Annual National Tartan Day Award to Robert “Bob” Currie, Commander of the Name & Arms of Currie, for his many outstanding contributions as a community leader and volunteer to our Scottish American community—most notably for the creation and management for the past 20 years of ‘Tartan Day on Ellis Island,” in New York City.
Presented annually, The National Tartan Day Award is presented as a part of the National Capital Tartan Day Committee’s annual celebrations usually on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol, during the early April celebrations of National Tartan Day, each year. This year the award will be presented at the National Capital Tartan Day Reception on Tuesday April 5th.
The Scottish Coalition, USA Steering Committee member, John King Bellassai, President, Council of Scottish Clans and Associations (COSCA) noted .. “we were unanimous is our choice of awardee for 2022. Bob Currie has devoted more than 30 years to supporting and promoting
Scottish-American culture in the USA, from developing the outstanding Tartan Day festival for the past 20 years at Ellis Island during NYC Tartan Week, to producing the Pipes of Christmas programming, both are now recognized as leading annual calendar events of the Scottish American community, and to obtaining official recognition from the Court of the Lord Lyon, in Scotland, for the Curries to be recognized as an Historic Kindred. This together with Bob’s tireless work in support of Clan Currie and promotion of Scots Gaelic culture, makes him such an outstanding recipient.”
In 2003 the Scottish Coalition USA which comprises the national organizations –
- American-Scottish Foundation (ASF)
- Association of Scottish Games & Festivals (ASGF)
- Council of Scottish Clans and Associations (COSCA)
- Scottish-American Military Society (SAMS)
- Scottish Heritage USA (SHUSA),
introduced the Tartan Day Award to recognize the efforts of those that help to sustain and grow the Scottish American Community, TSC USA.
Nominations are accepted from organizations throughout the United States Past recipients include our first recipient in 2003 – Duncan Bruce author of “Mark of the Scot”, which we are told each Senator was given by Senator Trent Lott to progress the passage of Resolution 41 through the U.S. Senate. In 2008 Sen. Trent Lott received the NTA, and more recently Robert McWilliam in 2016, long time board member of COSCA and SHUSA, followed by Anne Robertson Kennedy, founder and first president of the Living Legacy of Scotland (LLS), Alan Bain, Past President of ASF, Rev. Doulas Kelly, Past President of SHUSA, in 2020 Bob Crieghton and in 2021 to Gus Noble, President of Chicago Scots. The Scottish Coalition USA is so honored to be able to recognize such outstanding pillars of our Scottish American Community in such a way.
For further information please contact:
John King Bellassai, JD
President, Council of Scottish Clans and Associations (COSCA)
E.president@cosca.scot
T. 202 258-4876 (cell)
Camilla Hellman, MBE
President, American Scottish Foundation
E.americanscottishfoundation@gmail.com
T. 212 729 0127 (dl)