Meeting Minutes, Society ANNOUNCEMENTS

January Baronial Business Meeting Minutes

South Downs Baronial Business Meeting

4 January 2017, 7:30pm

Atlanta Friends Meeting House

Notes submitted by Lady Raven Helmsplitter (mka Helena Bretherton Hay), South Downs Chronicler.

Lord Lucien d’Artois – our new Herald – called the meeting to order.

Officer Reports

  • Chronicler (Lady Raven Helmsplitter)
    • Mentioned plans for newsletter
      • Plans to publish it quarterly, first issue (hopefully) end of March
      • Seeking artists, writers, photographers for content – would like to show what we are doing as a barony, and offer as much original content as possible
      • Baronial officers and marshals are welcome to contribute content – A+S Salon, Marshals’ Column, etc.
      • Other content ideas: articles from guilds; event summaries (with photos); recipes (does the South Downs Supper Club still exist?); How To Improve Your Fighting or Camping Kit; etc.
      • Articles should be ~250 words (about one page)
      • More information (including links to release forms) forthcoming, both on South Dows website (here) and Facebook group
      • Oh, and we need a title for the newsletter – ideas welcome!
  • Rapier Marshal (Lord Brendan de Hay)
    • Practices are going well! We continue to have practices Tuesday evenings and Sunday afternoons (weather and event schedule permitting).
    • We have a new winter practice location for Tuesday evenings, at Gerrick’s house in Peachtree Corners, with a backup at Brendan’s office warehouse.
    • For the latest info on practice status, check Atlanta SCA Fighting group on Facebook.
    • THL Mathias took care of the insurance paperwork so we can have our practices where we need to have them.
  • Webminister (Master Wistric Oftun)
    • We have a website! Midwinter A+S has a website! Yay!
  • Herald (Lord Lucien d’Artois)
    • Submissions – Devices
      • Bram Halfdannarson – passed Kingdom
  • Chatelaine (Lady Stella di Silvestri)
    • We have had some new people show up and they’re coming back, yay!
  • Arts & Sciences (Lady Veronica da Lucca)
    • December was a great month! THL Mathias taught a great class on singing.
    • A+S competition season has started. Mistresses Allesandra and Sunneva will again offer their class on the basics of entering an A+S competition, including feedback, how do judges review work, what the judging sheets are all about, etc., just in time for Stella Nova at Midwinter A+S.
  • Reeve (THL Maire Dhocair Inghean Chairain)
    • We have money! What shall we do with some of it? (See below!)
  • Their Excellencies
    • Scribal nights continue to be held on the first Monday of the month at Their Excellencies’ home.
    • Her Excellency Adela is planning on attending Black Gryphon (17-19 February) – if you are interested in carpooling or caravaning, please contact her
    • This year’s Meridian Knowne Worlde social is on Saturday night (edit: rumors abound that it may been moved earlier in the week, but I currently can’t find confirmation); Lady Ysmay and Sir Tim are running it and seek volunteers
    • More Gulf Wars: there is an open call for advertisements – events, non-merchanting announcements, etc., are sought out
    • There will again be a volunteer raffle at Gulf Wars! Volunteers can earn points for their local group (South Downs!) and raffle tickets to score lovely prizes!
    • Opening day procession is likely Tuesday morning of War Week. We would like to have banners made for procession, should have 8 total (6 new?) in time
  • Seneschal (THL Mathias Blackett)
    • Midwinter A+S is coming! Now is the time to write recommendations for deserving gentles, as Crown will be attending! Mathias reminded everyone that if you are not 100% sure that a person has a particular award check the Meridian Order of Precedence – you would be surprised at the awards people deserve but DONT HAVE.
    • War College will be held in Alabama the same weekend as Midwinter A+S
  • Armored Marshal (Lord Robert Throckmorton)
    • Fighting classees at Midwinter? Check with Lord Robert if you need support for your class

 

Upcoming Events

  • Bryn Madoc Twelfth Night (7 January 2017)
    • There will be fighting! Classes! Feasting! (Twelfth Night feast is potluck – check FB event page or website (below) for details)
    • Event website
  • Midwinter Arts + Sciences (3-5 February 2017)
    • We should start looking for closer-in event sites where we can hold MWA+S and we can spread out; weekend event with A+S on Saturday and fighting on Sunday at the same site, for example
    • Entry deadline for Stella Nova @ is coming up
    • We have a whopping 2 reservations (!!!) please pre-reg!
    • We have 11 teachers, looking for more – talk to Lady Veronica if you are interested
    • We need volunteers for troll, people to put up and take down directional signs. Master Ximon has volunteered to take care of the street signs
    • We need volunteers for setup, who can be on site early Saturday morning early. Because the site is not secure, it is recommended we set up Saturday morning (6:30-7:00am) instead of Friday night. Several people volunteered.
    • There is no official floor plan, but we’d love to have one set up for reference (chronicler’s note: there is now a simple one on the event program)
    • The Meridian Order of the Blade will sponsor a fundraiser lunch – stew, drink, cookies for $5. There was discussion about where can lunch be set up, especially if weather is bad?
    • We have two merchants already requesting space, we could possibly fit as many as 4 on the first floor merchants area, with maybe a couple more on a different floor
    • Please contact Zeliha if you would like to pre-register
    • Anyone interested in volunteering, please contact Lord Pietro
    • Will there be a regional practice on Sunday, since War College will be the same weekend? Unlikely, but we will still have our regular practice that Sunday
  • Kingdom-Level Events for 2017
    • Bids for Red Tower and Castle Wars are due in April to encourage newer autocrats to step up – it’s never too early to put a bid together for these events!
    • Iazzie has offered to co-autocrat to help teach/supervise a newer autocrat
    • Red Tower (7 October 2017) – potential site is Booker T Washington Park in Chattanooga (where Crown Lyst was held).
      • We would need to put reservation in with 50% deposit. It’s a relatively expensive site with weird pricing structure, but we have the resources to give it a shot. Payoff could be HUGE
      • Bacon Bash is not a conflict in 2017
      • Duke John expressed concern that we have to go out of state for an event. Where else can we get a large cabin site for such events? We are always looking for closer-in sites, but there aren’t many that could handle an event this size.

 

Other SCA Business

  • THL Andreva and Mistress Jadi will host an A+S project night on the 2nd Thursday of the month (a week from tomorrow)
  • Margavati asked if anyone was planning on/interested in going to Trimaris’ A+S event this weekend?
  • Maire has completed taking over the baronial storage unit, and will have sign in/out sheets for all supplies to help keep track of everything
  • This year’s Streets Alive! is gearing up – Abel is coordinating, so stay tuned! Last year was a ton of fun, try to plan for it this year!

 

Non-SCA Business

  • Lord Bram will be taking part in Battle of the Nations as part of a 21 person team. The event will be in Barcelona – immediately, several people offered to serve as translator, crew, managers, etc. Because Barcelona 🙂
  • Secret Santa gifts were then exchanged among the populace

 

All the business issues having been addressed, the business meeting was closed.

Next South Downs business meeting will be held Wednesday, 4 January 2017, at the Atlanta Friends Meeting House.

Happy holidays!

–Raven