6 March 2024, Time: 7:33 PM EST

Notes submitted by Seong Myeong Su Daesaseong, South Downs Chronicler.

Magister Lorenzo called the March meeting to order. La Magnifica Justina di Silvestri, covering for our Seneschal, Lady Raven Helmsplitter, started recording the meeting and greeted the populace joining the Zoom meeting. La Magnifica Justina read the Kingdom Anti-Bullying statement.

Officers’ Reports

Seneschal, (Lady Raven Helmsplitter) (Covered by La Magnifica Justina)

• Schedule for this month:
  • Mar. 13th: online project night
  • Mar. 20th: in-person dance practice
  • Mar. 27th: in-person meeting – RT 50 planning discussion
•  

Herald (Magister Lorenzo Petrucci)     

• No activity for name or device submissions, please email me if you have something if you want to submit.
• Awards:
  • MCA
    • Lady Ogata – Meridian Order of the Blade
    • Majster Nikoslav Mikolaevich – Order of the Pelican
    • Mistress Alessandra Giovanna Fioravanti – Meridian Majesty
    • Baroness Rhiannon verch Madyn – Order of the Bough
    • Baron Ximon Martillo De Cordoba – Order of Defense

Knight Marshal (Lord Eiríkr Pálsson)

• April will have no heavy practices due to events.  Gulf Wars will take up next 2 weekends we will have practice on the 24th if weather allows.

Rapier Marshal (Captain Brendan de Hay)

1. Practices have been proceeding, weather and other events permitting.  Sundays starting around noon (concurrent with armored practice).  Schedule changes, cancellations, and any other relevant information is shared on the FaceBook group “Atlanta SCA Fighting,” and sometimes other locations depending on circumstances.  Loaner gear is usually available, but it doesn’t hurt to check the “Atlanta SCA Fighting” group in advance.  Sometimes when I’m not available, the “stunt marshal” might not be able to bring it.
2. BTW, “Atlanta SCA Fighting” is still visible publicly and searchable, but is now “Private” to keep the bots out.  If you have any trouble at all finding practice announcements, feel free to reach out directly to me or Ld. Eirikr.  It should be readable to anyone, but you’ll need to join in order to post.
3. Thanks to everyone for working together to keep practices happening.  I wouldn’t mind having a deputy step up who could take over from me in the not-too-distant future.  In the meantime, my continued thanks to our celebrity stunt marshal team, particularly Ldy. Ogata, Master Ximón, Master Nikoslav, et. al.
4. Big shout-out to folks recently giving rapier a try.  Looking forward to seeing more folks having fun!
5. Meridian Challenge of Arms was successful.  Congratulations to Master Ximón on his elevation to the Order of Defense and Ldy Ogata  on her induction to the Meridian Order of the Blade.  Barons Mark de Wytteney and Piers Simmons were the Royal Family’s choices to be included in the MCA Championship.  Well done everyone!
6. HYDRATE!

Live Weapons (Master Mathias Blackett)

• We had held practice at Mistress Peryn’s farm, she is happy to have us there to share when the Meridian Equestrian calvary happens
• Practice may not happen this month due to events

Exchequer (Lord Salim) (covering for La Magnifica Justina di Silvestri)

• Here are the march stats:
  • We have $5,522.22 in the bank.
• March storage is paid
• Go over MWAS numbers
  • total attendance tally: 112
  • Profit: 1228.14
• If you sent Reeve a receipt, look for your reimbursement check coming to you in the mail- if you want me to hold sending it till after Gulf Wars, please let me know.

Quartermaster (Maestra Isabetta de San Marco) 

• We have stuff, the new storage unit looks like it’s working out pretty well
• Still needs to be organized, but will need to set some time aside to do so
• Still looking for a deputy

Chatelaine (Lady Ogata Mitsuko)

• Nothing reported

Demo Deputy (VACANT)

• Nothing reported

Arts & Sciences (Lady Maryam)

• Not a long to report this month
• Had a great 2-in-1 class month in February, Research Basics and Research Basics: The Paper
• Shout-out to everyone who volunteers to teach, thank you!

Provost (Lord Ælfric Hort)

• We had 6 students in attendance at the February Class Night for Baroness Rhonwyn’s Research Basics class.  We also got a bonus class on Research Papers.
• There will be no Class Scheduled for March, as the normal Class Night (3/27) is going to be used for the In Person Red Tower 50-year planning meeting.
• I am still looking for classes and teachers for most of the rest of the year – April, June, August, September and October.  Please reach out to me if you have something you would like to teach or if you have any suggestions for class topics that I might be able to request teachers to provide for us.
• I am still looking for a Deputy.  The job is not difficult, just requires a little bit of organization and scheduling ability.  If you are interested, or know anyone who might be, please get in touch with me so that we can start getting someone trained to be able to help with the upcoming Fall Event Season and to take over when I step down following Midwinter 2025.

Chronicler (Seong Myeong Su Daesaseong)

• Nothing new to report.
• Always looking to interview the populace for each issue, so please fill out this form to get included! Eventually I’d like to collect these into one PDF so we have a good collection of information about our members: https://forms.gle/MNxww3KUQJo2VsEG9
• Please submit photos, art, articles, shout-outs, or anything that you’ve found interesting and want to share! I’ll always be collecting stuff for the newsletters going forward. You can submit either through this form: https://forms.gle/8SyEF9D7c8rMCnZP6 or email me at chron.southdowns@meridies.org.

Social Media Minister  (THLady Agnes Halydaye) 

• We’ve got socials! Note about Discord and meeting schedules: Discord is currently reporting the baronial meeting schedule based on an automated link to the barony Google Calendar. Thanks to Seong Myeong Su Daesaseong for setting that up! 
• Something for the barony to think about is figuring out how to get everyone, or at least the appropriate leadership and officers, access to add and edit meetings and other activities to that Google Calendar to take full advantage of this functionality. There is a google sheet that also has meeting information on it, but it isn’t linked to Discord and not sure it can be. Your humble Agnes does not know if the website could also be configured to be linked to the Google Calendar, but that would be cool to explore. Thank you!

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Officer (DEIB), (Lady Lily of South Downs)

• Thank you for bearing with me while we work through the DEIB office and classes
• Hoping to pick up with DEIB Classes next month

Webminister (Lord Eiríkr Pálsson)

• Nothing significant to report.  
• For future events and needed updates please email me those to the web.southdowns@meridies.org email or use the request update link on the webpage.

Minister of Children (VACANT)

• Position is still open, if you are interested, please contact Lady Raven.

Their Excellencies, (Maestro Ximon Cordoba de Martillo & HE Rhiannon verch Madyn)

• Ximon and Rhi
  • Good luck if you’re currently packing for Gulf Wars!
  • Thank you to the barony for being so hospitable to our visitors during MCA and for Baron Ximon’s vigil
  • Meeting on March 27th will be a brainstorming session on RT50, please come to share some ideas
    • RT50 will be the first weekend in October at McIntosh Reserve.
    • Bring some snacks so we can share while we brainstorm!
    • If you have any questions or ideas for RT50 and can’t make it to the meeting, please message us on FB or email us 

SCA Business

• Meridian Challenge of Arms

• • • Baron Ximon
      • Had a fabulous event, thanks to THLady Alisandre for setting up the hospitality table
      • Lady Raven took some photos and will post them soon

• Royal University of Meridies

• • • Sumarlidi
      • In the planning stages, be on the lookout for for more information as it comes it coming weeks and months

• Red Tower 50

• • • Event Steward still TBD
    • Please come to the meeting at the end of the month so we can discuss planning!

• Castle Wars

• • • Lady Raven
      • Looking for bids, please contact me if you’re interested
      • Reserved Bert Adams for Castle Wars
    • Baron Ximon
      • I may not be there for all of Castle Wars due to not getting vacation off at work, but Baroness Rhi will be there, so please take care of her!

• Comic Con Demo

• • • Lady Mairghread
      • 100 names gathered from the demo, will be passed along to TRM to invite to Fool’s War
      • Had one newcomer come to MCA from the demo

• Gulf Wars

• • If you’re going to GW, have fun and be safe!

Non-SCA Business

• None reported

The business meeting was closed @ 8:03 PM EST

The next business meeting will be held on April 3rd, 2024, 7:00 PM EST via Zoom Meeting.