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The SCA Board of Directors further lifts the suspension of in-person activity in North America, effective August 1, 2021, provided adherence to the items in this resolution;
1. All attendees in North America must follow all national, province, territory, state, and local health guidelines at SCA events. In addition, at all North American SCA events:
a. Kingdoms may continue to require the use of masks at their events as they deem necessary;
b. As research has shown that minimal transmission occurs from food, the serving of feasts, inns, day boards, and buffet-style food is now allowed at the Kingdom’s discretion;
c. Large coolers to dispense water into individual personal containers are now permitted;
d. To facilitate contact tracing, all who attend any SCA-sponsored event in North America (including local meetings, fighter practices, etc.) must be signed in on a roster prior to entering the event; and
e. The following language is required to appear on all event notices, flyers, online announcements, and advertisements, as well as being posted in multiple locations (including gate) at any and all SCA-sponsored functions going forward:
Although the SCA complies with all applicable laws to ensure the health and safety of our event participants, we cannot eliminate the risk of exposure to infectious diseases during in-person events. By participating in the in-person events of the SCA, you acknowledge and accept the potential risks. You agree to take any additional steps to protect your own health and safety and those under your control as you believe to be necessary.
2. Any Kingdoms that propose any deviation from the above restrictions must request a variance from the Society Seneschal in order to hold the proposed event. The Society Seneschal shall have the authority to grant or deny these requests. These requests will be reviewed by the Board using the same review method used for variances to Corpora; and,
3. Enforcement of this resolution will be coordinated by the Society Seneschal and President of SCA Inc.
Questions or comments should be sent directly to president@sca.org and seneschal@sca.org, or your Board Ombudsman.
No matter what safety precautions we put in place, there is no substitute for each individual being educated about the risk to themselves and their loved ones and making responsible choices to protect themselves and others from this virus.
Link to document PDF: https://www.sca.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/AugustInPersonActivityResolution.pdf
From the Kingdom Seneschal.
Greetings unto the populace and assembled guests of Meridies. As Their Majesties discussed in Court, there has been much talk about how best to reopen the Kingdom. We know that there is no one solution that will please everyone. There are those among us who would have the Kingdom remain closed, while there are others who would have there be no restrictions at all. Neither of these is feasible. Bearing that in mind, after consultation between Their Majesties, Their Highnesses, and myself, we have reached the following decision.
Beginning September 1, 2021, Meridies will follow the SCA Board of Directors resolution dated May 25, 2021. This announcement takes the place of the Meridian phased reopening plan.
The following requirements apply:
1. All federal, state, provincial, and local health rules and restrictions must be followed. If a local government does not allow gatherings above a certain size, or requires masks, those restrictions must be followed, up to and including further governmental shutdowns.1. Advance registration and payment is STRONGLY encouraged.
2. The following language MUST be posted prominently in multiple places at EVERY practice, meeting, social, and event, and in event notices, flyers, online announcements, and advertisements:
Although the SCA complies with all applicable laws to ensure the health and safety of our event participants, we cannot eliminate the risk of exposure to infectious diseases during in-person events. By participating in the in-person events of the SCA, you acknowledge and accept the potential risks. You agree to take any additional steps to protect your own health and safety and those under your control as you believe to be necessary.
3. A roster must be maintained for EVERY gathering, martial practice, A&S night, meeting, and event. There is a link on the Kingdom webpage to a fillable form, or you may print the form provided and submit to the roster deputy.
4. Advance registration and payment is STRONGLY encouraged.
5. The SCA, including officers and event staff, may not provide shared drinking containers or any food served in buffet, dayboard, or family style. Box lunches that are pre-prepared are acceptable, as are “Gatorade” style water coolers out of which individuals may fill their own individual cups. If an individual or household chooses to offer food to people, they MUST make it clear that they are doing so on their own, not as part of the event.
6. There will be no size caps on events or gatherings, and camping is allowed.
We are a Society whose core foundations are built on the ideals of courtesy, honor, and chivalry. I ask, no, I EXPECT everyone to honor those ideals. Consent is of vital importance as we navigate these waters. Chivalrous, courteous, honorable individuals do whatever is necessary to make those around them feel safer and more comfortable, whether it is wearing masks, asking for hugs, or maintaining a safe distance when asked.
I remain, as always, in Service to Meridies
Zayn al-Munajjima, called Mittens
Seneschal
South Downs Fighter Practice
For your convenience South Downs has combined the heavy and rapier sign up onto one platform. Here is the link to sign up for either. If our combined numbers stay under 20 we will combine our practices. If not, we will break out and split the field to practice at opposite ends of the greenspace to maintain Kingdom distance requirements. Sign up includes fighters as well as all spectators.
Board of Directors Announcement Concerning Reopening – must be posted at every in-person activity!
Although the SCA complies with all applicable laws to try to ensure the health and safety of our event participants, we cannot eliminate the risk of exposure to infectious diseases during in-person events. By participating in the in-person events of the SCA, you acknowledge and accept the potential risks. You agree to take any additioanl steps to protect your own health and safety and those under your control as you believe to be necessary.
Relaying this from Kingdom Seneschal.
Good evening, everyone. As promised, below is a list of what has to happen now that the Kingdom has moved as a whole to Phase 1. Please read and acknowledge, and let me know if you have any questions. Please share with your marshallate, A&S officers, and whoever you think might need the information.
1. As per BoD requirements, all groups MUST collect a roster, which shall include a persons mundane name and means of contact AT A MINIMUM, for EVERY local fighter practice, business meeting, A&S night, and social. This roster shall be entered into the Google form maintained on the Kingdom website (HisRH will be testing this out this week, and we hope to go live by the weekend) within 7 days of each gathering. There is a 20 person limit on each gathering. If gatherings are held concurrently, a physical space must be maintained between the gatherings. Link to the roster form on Google is here: https://meridies.org/roster-submissions/ – how you choose to do this is up to you. You can have everyone sign in with the information on the form on a piece of paper, and have someone designated to enter it on the website, or you can have everyone who attends the gathering fill out the roster on their phones, or you can do it on a laptop. It doesn’t matter, what matters is compliance.
2. Local shall be defined as a metropolitan statistical area. Even though there may be more than one local group in a MSA, meetings/practices/gatherings shall adhere to the 20 person limit. A list of MSA’s can be found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/…/List_of_metropolitan…
3. Permission need not be secured for local gatherings every time such a gathering happens. To require this will encourage noncompliance.
4. Unvaccinated persons must wear a mask. We are on the honor system, and there can be no asking or requiring of vaccination status. There can also be no SCA sponsored sales or giveaways of “I’m vaccinated” tokens of any sort.
5. There will be no buffet style or family style food, period. There will be no shared water containers, but a 5/10 gallon “Gatorade” cooler that is prefilled and which remains sealed is acceptable (for now – this may change after the July BoD meeting). If a person brings (for example) cookies to share, those who partake do so at their own risk, and any such sharing CANNOT be sponsored by the SCA or any of its groups, branches, or disciplines.
6. The following signage MUST BE POSTED at EVERY gathering, practice, meeting, etc. This is a BoD requirement.
Although the SCA complies with all applicable laws to try to ensure the health and safety of our event participants, we cannot eliminate the risk of exposure to infectious diseases during in-person events. By participating in the in-person events of the SCA, you acknowledge and accept the potential risks. You agree to take any additional steps to protect your own health and safety and those under your control as you believe to be necessary.
7. Groups need to be thinking ahead making plans for events that might happen after August 1. As KSen, I am prepared to grant limited variances to distance requirements in order for the Kingdom to get back on a “normal” schedule.
If you have any questions, you know where to find me 
I remain, as always, in Service to Meridies.
Zayn al-Munajjima, called Mittens
Seneschal
COVID-19 Reopening Plan with new guidance
Greetings Meridies,
Since the country is slowly advancing from the pandemic and most (if not all) of the kingdom’s states opened in full, We believe, in the kingdom’s best interest, that the time has come to update the COVID-19 Reopening Plan with new guidance that will allow local groups to plan their activities with greater overall confidence.
After serious consideration and discussion, We are pleased to announce, beginning July 1, 2021, the entire Kingdom of Meridies will no longer operate under Phase 0 of the Reopening Plan. All groups will automatically proceed to Phase 1. This means that all Meridian local groups no longer need to track their counties’ COVID statistics. Gatherings of local groups, limited to twenty people, may resume for in person, daytrip activities.
Even as the outlook is bright, We are well aware that the Delta variant may still have a significant impact on our population. Furthermore, the upcoming holiday weekend may produce an unwanted spike in infection rates. Therefore, Meridies will remain in Phase 1 while We continue to closely monitor the variant to see if it proves to be a significant hazard. If so, We will meet again to strategize the most prudent steps to help manage the Kingdom to fully open. However, if vaccines prove effective against the various strains and the rate continues on a downward trajectory, We will once again consider adjusting all COVID restrictions.
We heard you, Meridies, and your frustrations in planning local activities and events beyond July. If all goes well, We will consider the following tentative plan effective August 1, 2021.
•Phase 2 new target rate will be 0.4 (increased from 0.3).
•Phase 3 new target rate will be 0.3 (increased from 0.2).
•Attendance may increase to 150 in Phase 3.
•Phase 4 new target rate will be 0.2 (increased from 0.1).
•Because Meridies has a small piece of both Florida and Kentucky, while Meridies operates in Phases 3 and 4, We will measure only the counties of Florida within Meridian borders (not the entire state). Our Kentucky populace members will refer to Tennessee state metrics.
Regardless of the phases, the following will remain in place.
•The mask mandate for unvaccinated members remains.
•All hygiene, safety, and food protocols remain.
•All groups MUST wait for a formal announcement from either the Crown or Our Kingdom Seneschal before advancing with any plans in August or beyond.
•All groups are required to maintain an attendance roster and secure permission for all in-person activities.
As always, in the best interest of the kingdom, this plan is subject to change at any time based on the state of the pandemic.
Yours In Service,
Timothy & Ysmay, King & Queen
Wulfstan & Thorkatla, Prince & Princess
Zayn al-Munajjima (Mittens), Seneschal
Resolution to Further Lift Suspension of In-Person Activity in the SCA as of July 1st, 2021
On May 25, 2021, the Board of the Directors resolved to further lift the suspension of in-person activities in the SCA in North America.
For more information, please see the link