Special Election Edition!

Transcription

1 Special Election Edition! Meet the candidates! Learn about the process. Do your part. The Newsletter of the Barony of the Rhydderich Hael

2 In This Issue! 3 Our Baron and Baroness 4 From the Seneschal 5 From The Chronicler 5 Newcomer Factoid! Who are we? The Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) is an international organization dedicated to researching and re-creating the arts and skills of pre-17th-century Europe. Our Known World consists of 19 kingdoms, with over 30,000 members residing in countries around the world. Members, dressed in clothing of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, attend events which feature tournaments, royal courts, feasts, dancing, various classes & workshops, and more. 6 From the A&S Minister The words of THL Cynwulf Rendell and THL Eleanore Godwin The words of Baroness Ekaterina Volkova, OP The words of Lord Magnus de Lyons and Lady Miriel du Lac The words of Brother Riobard o'suilleabhain known as Bobby 13 Practices and meetings 16 From the election steward Officers & Guild contacts 22 Meeting minutes 24 Important internet sites In the SCA, a Kingdom is a large regional chapter of the parent organization, SCA, Inc. Each Kingdom is very different from the next and each have distinct borders and customs. Each Kingdom is ruled by a King and Queen and have a body of officers. There are 19 SCA Kingdoms worldwide. The Kingdom of AEthelmearc was founded in But before this, AEthelmearc was part of the East Kingdom. AEthelmearc encompasses all of West Virginia, most of Pennsylvania, and Central and Western New York. The Barony of the Rhydderich Hael is the local group of the SCA in the Kingdom of AEthelmearc and covers the areas in and around Buffalo, NY. We look forward to meeting you! This is the Election 2015, issue of the (), a publication of (The Barony of the Rhydderich Hael) of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc. (SCA, Inc.). () is available from Lance Kazmark, 36 Wayne St. Depew NY It is not a corporate publication of SCA, Inc., and does not delineate SCA, Inc. policies. Copyright 2015 Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc. For information on reprinting photographs, articles, or artwork from this publication, please contact the Chronicler, who will assist you in contacting the original creator of the piece. Please respect the legal rights of our contributors. 2

3 Our Baron and Baroness... G reeting onto all who hear these words, As we gaze outside we see clear evidence of two things. First that the Ice Dragon has clearly been swept from our lands. This is truly great news, and I hope all have been outside to enjoy. We are very pleased to see the number of fine candidates for this coming Baronial Elections. We both feel in our hearts the Hael will be well served by any of the four candidates/pairs. Your participation in the form of voting is important to the future of this great group. Baron Carolus Loke & Baroness Isolda filia Georgii 3

4 From the Seneschal... A s the couriers are carrying ballots for the Baronial Election circulate across the countryside and I await in anxious anticipation for their return I would like to bring up a couple things. First, if you see anything wrong with your ballot such as a return envelope addressed to someone other than your Seneschal (mka Patrick DeWind) please let me know immediately. Mistakes happen during envelope stuffing sessions, and I want to make sure that everybody can vote properly. The sooner any problems are spotted the faster we can resolve them. Also, please note the baronial grievance policy (below) in case you have any issues with the election procedure and how it is being carried out. Master Caleb and I are prepared to do our part to clarify or rectify any issues, and if you do not believe it can be handled locally will assist you in contacting the proper authorities above. Nothing is more important to me than making sure the election is fair, and that everybody is satisfied that the results are arrived at correctly. IX. Grievance Process. a. Gentles with a grievance or question about the election process should avail themselves of the following methods of resolving the question or conflict. Grievances should always be resolved at the lowest possible level, thus the first contact should be with the Election Steward. IX.a.i. Contact the Election Steward for clarification of issues. IX.a.ii. Contact the Seneschal to request a meeting with the Election Committee. IX.a.iii. Contact the Regional Kingdom Seneschal IX.a.iv. Contact the Kingdom Seneschal. IX.a.v. Contact the Æthelmearc Crown. In closing, think thoroughly about your choices, but don't take too long to get your ballots back to me to make sure they get counted. I look forward to seeing everybody at our Cinco de Mayo election meeting! Is ait an mac an saol. Tiarna Padraig O'Branduibh 4

5 From the Chronicler H ot on the heels of the spring edition of the newsletter comes the Election edition! It is time for the Barony to elect a new Baron and/or Baroness and this edition of the Ice Dragon breaks down the election process as well as gives the populace an in-depth look at the candidates. This edition was originally a bit of a dilemma for me because I planned to run for the position of Baron (with my good friend Sara Herringshaw running as Baroness). On the flip side I was upset at the idea of stepping aside after publishing only one newsletter since taking office as Chronicler. When Sara and I accepted the nomination to run I was worried that my role as Chronicler might be seen as a conflict of interest. At the last Baronial meeting I offered to step aside as the Chronicler for this edition and let someone else take over. The response was a resounding vote of confidence in my ability to publish a quality and objective newsletter. I am honored with this trust and hope everyone enjoys this edition. Good luck to my fellow nominees and whatever the outcome I know the Barony will be in good hands. I have to offer special thanks to Master Filippo de Sancto Martino (Phil Martino) who offered to step in and take over the newsletter if needed as always continues to be a great source of inspiration and advice. YIS Lord Magnus de Lyons Newcomer Factoid! I see YIS at the end of tons of stuff. What does it mean? YIS is short for Yours In Service. It is a common way to end things like, s, announcements and letters in the Society. Anyone is Welcome to use it. 5

6 From the A&S Minister G ood Gentles -Your new Baronial A&S Minister bids you fond greetings! As It is my goal to foster our A&S community in any way that I can, I would like to start something at fight practice called the "A&S Minute". The idea is that someone would present a topic for five minutes followed by 5-10 minutes of questions/ discussion. The topic can be anything SCA related or historical to the period from textiles, to food, to fighting techniques, etc. (Whatever someone is interested in and ideally passionate about relating to our game is welcome!). I plan to have this happen each week at approximately 8pm, but would not preclude the fighting/fencing from continuing. I will announce the topic in advance if possible to encourage people to come out for practice. I plan to begin the A&S Minute on Wednesday 4/29 at 8pm. I will be at practice this week for anyone who has questions. My hope is that this addition to practice would encourage both those who do not participate in fencing or fighting to come join us a bit more regularly and share some details about what interests them. Fighters/fencers are certainly more than welcome to also join us. In keeping these presentations really short, the martial folks who are interested in the topic (or wish to present) can plan a break if they choose without losing valuable practice time and those who prefer to just socialize also won't be inconvenienced. I am actively looking for people who are interested in presenting, so please reach out to me and let me know if you are so inclined. Remember: we're talking about 5 minutes, folks. Anyone can talk about something that interests them for 5 minutes. You need not be an expert! YIS, THL Beatrice de Winter A&S Minister, Barony of the Rhydderich Hael 6

7 Please read the words of THL Cynwulf Rendell and THL Eleanore Godwin 1. What do you feel the Barony needs to improve on, and as Baron/Baroness, what steps would you take toward that improvement? We see a happy and well functioning barony. We want to continue to foster growth with stronger outreach to the public to recruit new members, focus on retention by mentoring new people to help them grow in their new hobby. We see martial activities growing and the upkeep of loaner equipment is key. We would like to find a way to streamline the purchasing methods. 2. What will you keep the same? The example of the welcoming and open attitude that Carolus and Isolda have brought to this barony. We will continue to build upon the traditions that this barony has. 5. What is the kindest thing you have ever seen in the Society? 3. What will you do completely different? Our overall view on the Barony is that with things running as smoothly as they are, we could not think of things we would do different without having the perspective of sitting as Baron and Baroness. It would be unfair to make judgement. We would not change things just for the sake of change. Rendell: "I have seen so many acts of kindness in my years in the SCA that is is hard to pick something. I can recall what drew me to really join the SCA. We went to our 1st major event, Harvest Raid II, I brought my bow to the archery range. It failed inspection. Just as I was leaving, a gentleman running the range said 'take my personal bow to use'. Not only was I able to participate, but I met one of my best friends in the SCA; Charles of Alden, who, as it turns out, is a member of the Hael!" 4. What do you personally think constitutes "politics"? Are all "politics" evil? "Politics" is the art of making people feel they are listened to, and the art of coming to mutual agreement. There is no such thing as "evil politics", only selfish intent. Eleanore: "The one act of kindness I recall the is first time we came to an event in the Hael. We came to Masked Ball. We did not know anyone there, but, had a nice time until it came to feast. We brought what we needed, but didn't know what to do about seating. We were approached by a gentleman in Japanese garb, who introduced himself as 'IKyoto'. He invited us to sit with his family, explained much about the SCA, and made (Continued on page 8) 7

8 us feel welcome. He is a member of the Hael. That tradition of kindness comes from the attitude of this Barony. We plan to continue that tradition." 6. What part of being Baron and Baroness do you expect to be, for you, the most distasteful part(s) of the job? What tactics have you thought of to deal with them? We do not know what parts of the Baron and Baroness job would be distasteful but, each situation would be dealt with our thoughts, kindness and consideration, grace and respect for the feelings of all involved. 10. Do you think you will be able to be "in tune" with all the different aspects of the barony? Yes, our barony is wonderfully diverse. (and momma always said I had perfect pitch!) In closing: We are surprised and honored at being nominated. Our long relationship with the Barony and it's people, and the friendships we've made, have always been one of our most treasured things. Thank you for the honor! No matter who is elected, our Barony wins! 7. What do you expect to have to give up to accept this position? How will your participation in other Baronial/Kingdom activities change? We would refocus the time we put into our personal projects and turn our efforts to our number one job of leading, supporting, and representing the Barony by example. Our secondary interests will take a backseat. Instead of only working events in the background as support staff, we will be leading in our duties to the Barony. (and Rendell says he promises to not sit in the back during court!) 8. Do you see anything preventing you from holding the post at least 3 years? Barring acts of God, the zombie apocalypse, sharknado, or alien abduction, our crystal ball is clear! 9. If elected, would you change your participation in public discussions, including (but not limited to) e mail lists and meetings? If so, how? Yes, we would want to present more of a presence online, and in discussions and other meetings, to promote and support the Barony's image and activities. 8

9 Please read the words of Baroness Ekaterina Volkova, OP 1. What do you feel the Barony needs to improve upon, and, as Baron/Baroness, what steps would you take towards that improvement? It is easy for members of any Barony to become insular and to experience the stagnancy that can take the fun out of the game. As Baroness, I would represent the Barony (and encourage others to do so) by going to events and being involved in activities outside our borders. I would also work with the local households and groups to help provide ride shares to allow others to experience interacting with people from other places, as well as promoting the Barony to other groups and inviting them to join us for local events and activities. 2. What will you keep the same? The traditions of the Barony of the Rhydderich Hael are good and strong. 3. What will you do completely different? About the only thing that I think that I would try to do differently is the approach to Ice Dragon court. Although a Baronial event, it is still the third largest event held in the Kingdom and as such has a reputation for very long courts. I would try very hard to make is so that the Baronial Court part of the day is only the presentation and announcement of the Tournament and Pent Winners and possibly the induction of the newest Tangled Rose. We have enough other events in the Barony to recognize the achievements of our members. 4. What do you personally constitutes "politics"? Are all "politics" evil? The word "politics" is often used to convey a negative idea and thus "all politics are bad or evil". I believe that there is a difference between politics and manipulation/machinations. In reality politics is just the science and nature of running an organization or government. It is not good or evil; it is not positive or negative. The Baronial Coronet is not an instrument for personal gain, but a tool to connect the people of a Barony and their Royalty. I believe that a Territorial Baron or Baroness who has political savvy and familiarity with law 9 and tradition in the SCA brings powerful resources and experience that can benefit the Barony and the Kingdom. 5. What is the kindest thing you have ever seen in the Society? I have been active in the Society for 21 years. In that time I have see so many acts of kindness, generosity and courtesy. From the passing of a hat to raise over $500 for a member who was in a car accident on the way to an event, to the opening of someone s home to a total stranger when her husband s leg was broken at an event and she had no way to drive over 3 hours to get home, to the simple act of picking up a broom and starting to sweep a hall when the event was over, to a spectator offering a tired fighter a cup of water, to watching someone walk over to a new person sitting alone in a corner and engaging them in conversation to make them feel welcome. The smallest acts have great and lasting impact on the recipient and are great moments of kindness. (Continued on page 10)

10 6. What part of Baron/Baroness do you expect to be, for you the most distasteful part(s) of the job? What tactics have you thought of to deal with them? There are going to be times when the Baronial Coronet is called upon to help mediate situations. It is challenging to bring to a solution without causing further tensions or hurt feelings. As someone who has held a Kingdom Office and worked at the Pennsic Watch for over 20 years, I have had long first-hand experience working with difficult situations and strong personalities. My approach to such situations is to listen to everyone involved, refer to the legal/policy precedent, and facilitate mediation that results in an acceptable outcome. 7. What do you expect to have to give up to accept this position? How will your participation in other Baronial/Kingdom activities change? If elected, I see my participation on the Pennsic Staff level to change. I would no longer devote all my time to the Pennsic Watch. Instead of working full time the two weeks of War, I would continue to volunteer a couple hours, but not to the level I usually do and am known for. I would also encourage other members of the Barony to volunteer at the War. 8. Do you see anything preventing you from holding the post at least 3 years? No. I have recently stepped down from my Kingdom Office and can devote my time to the Barony without distractions. 9. If elected, would you change your participation in public discussions, including (but not limited to) lists and meetings? If so, how? I believe that any change I would make would be to increase the promotion of the Barony s people and activities. 10. Do you think you will be "in tune" with all the different aspects of the barony? I believe that I would and am able to be "in tune" and interact with all the different aspects. There are activities that I do not currently participate in, but would like to become more involved in, and will be working to do so. 10

11 Please read the words of Lord Magnus de Lyons and Lady Miriel du Lac 1. What do you feel the Barony needs to improve upon and as Baron/Baroness what steps would you take towards that improvement? We are all about having fun and having fun means enjoying the bounty of activities the Barony (and the SCA) has to offer. Very often these activities (heavy, fencing, thrown weapons, archery, A&S, etc.) are what draws people to the SCA and it is important to offer them at the events we run. We want Baronial events to feature as many activities as possible and we want these activities to share an equal amount of space and time. To accomplish this we need to take a closer look at how we run events. How many activities can a site accommodate and will a different site allow a larger number of activities? Does the event date cause conflicts with other events and will this conflict force members to choose between our events and non-baronial events? Can we change up the event format so that it sparks more interest? Is how we are running an event generating consistent interest or are people losing interest as time goes by? We are not taking about change for the sake of change but reevaluating how we do things gives us a chance to offer more dynamic events. More dynamic event means more interest, more interest mean more people, and in the end more people is what drives our success. 2. What will you keep the same? 3. What will you do completely different? We want to take a closer look at the number of awards that are handed out and when they are handed out. Not to say that people are not worthy of recognition however we feel that if too many awards are handed out too quickly it can overshadow the accomplishments of the recipient. When a person receives an award, however small, their moment should be theirs to cherish. One of the things we love about the Barony is the customs and traditions surrounding court, awards, and recognition. While it is important to have fun we think it is equally important to acknowledge the accomplishments of the Populace in a way that makes the moment special and unique for each person. The Barony does a great job creating a magical atmosphere that makes the Society what it is and we don t want that to change. 4. What do you personally think constitutes politics? Are all politics evil? Foremost politics are the process by which we run, review, and change the policies and procedures of our group. Politics must also include the opinions of the people so they have input on how the group is run. Politics by their nature are neutral, it is how people handle (Continued on page 12) 11

12 them that can make them evil. As the Baron and Baroness it is important to remember that there will be discussions, complaints, and concerns. Each must be looked at with equal importance and handled in a calm and objective nature. At the end of the day we are all friends. This is our hobby. 5. What is the kindest thing you have ever seen in the Society? It not just one act of Kindness we have seen that makes the Society so special to us. It s the individual acts that we see every day that, when summed up as a whole, make the Society such a kind and giving place. Small things from a stick of rattan given to a new fighter, a site fee paid when cash runs short, or a ride given to a person with no car. All done with no expectation of reward or return. How do you pick any one of these without the fear of diminishing the others? In the end the greatest act of Kindness we have seen in the Society is in essence the Society itself. 6. What part of being Baron/Baroness do you expect to be for you the most distasteful part of the job? What tactics have you thought of to deal with them? Dealing with situations that take away from the enjoyment of other people. This could include any number of things from tempers at events, complaints over which we have no control, and flat out drama. We would deal this the same way we deal with it now. Take a look at the situation, gather the details, discuss a resolution, and then implement that solution. Sadly you cannot make everyone happy. The best you can hope for is a calm, fair, and impartial decision. 7. What do you expect to have to give up to accept this position? How will your participation in other Baronial/Kingdom activities change? Perhaps "give up" is not the right way to put it. Yes, things will change for us. We will have to step down from certain responsibilities (Miriel as the Pursuivant and Magnus as the Baronial guard captain). We will have to think of the Barony and the populace first over any other obligations that we may have. This will take away some of our time from other activities, but that is to be expected when you accept new responsibilities in a group. 8. Do you see anything from preventing you from holding the post at least three years? Just the opposite. Part of the reason we decided to run at this time is because of the stability in our normal lives and in the Society. Working as a team we are able to support the Barony while still balancing our outside lives and obligations. We can cover each other when family and work obligations pop up or if either person cannot attend certain events. 9. If elected would you change your participation in public discussions including (but not limited to) e- mail lists and meetings? If so how? Having already held several offices and positions in the Barony we are already accustom to balancing our personal opinions with our obligations and becoming Baron and Baroness will not change that. Honestly we feel this is important even if you don t hold an office. Constructive communication is key to any group s success and is the responsibility of each and every member of the group. 10. Do you think that you will be able to be "in tune" with all the different aspects of the Barony? We think we are already very "in tune" with the different aspects of the Barony. Between the two of us we actively participate in heavy, fencing, archery, thrown weapons, A&S, Baronial meetings, running events, and holding offices. We currently attend and support local, Kingdom, and national events on a regular basis. We have always felt it is important to know and support the people of the Barony and the best way to achieve that is through active participation. 12

13 Please read the words of Brother Riobard o'suilleabhain known as Bobby 1) What do you feel the Barony needs to improve upon, and, as Baron/ess, what steps would you take toward that improvement? We need to be more sensitive to noticing when we have new people with us, and be more welcoming and nurturing to them. Also, I think that noticing the good work of our existing members could be improved upon. Most of this would be via more effective communication, and encouraging people to interact with each other, plus providing venues and opportunities for this to occur, drawing upon the considerable talents of our good people. For me, politics involves one or more individuals lobbying for or against a concept, thing, group, or individual. Many times, politics in the SCA involve someone trying to advance their personal agenda, many times with little regard to repercussions and consequences. Not all politics are evil, provided they don t cross the lines of propriety and decency. 2) What will you keep the same? Quite a bit. We have a viable barony with many excellent people in it. I would like to build on the good already present. We seem to play well together. 3) What will you do completely different? I intend to find a way to encourage more fighters to come to practice. Push the meeting times and places of the various subgroups more. Encourage people to build more relationships with others outside of their preferred activities, and consider "cross-training". More encouragement for people to tell of the good things being done by others so unsung heroes and shining stars get deserved recognition. Note this is not a judgment on how things are done now. Everyone has their own interpretation and way of doing things. I also will not be so caught up in my ideas that I would not be willing to change or jettison them if they don t work out. 4) What do you personally think constitutes "politics"? Are all "politics" evil? 5) What is the kindest thing you have ever seen in the Society? I have seen many remarkable acts of kindness over the years. I remember how many rallied around Caitlin when she was fighting cancer. I ve seen incredible acts of generosity advanced without reward or recognition expected in return. 6) What part of being Baron/ess do you expect to be, for you, the most distasteful part(s) of the job? What tactics have you thought of to deal with them? There are those who look on the person under the coronet as a combination of Santa Claus, Gandalf, and Mary Poppins in vending machine form. I intend to a use a lot of tools I have learned in life to interact with people and deal with situations. And I know how to say things like "No" and "Good point but now is not the time to discuss that; let s get together later" and "Let me point you towards someone better to talk with you about that" and "How did you get in here? Guards! Guards!" I will (Continued on page 14) 13

14 also have various alternate means to contact me available and encourage their use. 7) What do you expect to have to give up to accept this position? How will your participation in other Baronial/Kingdom activities change? Some personal space and time will be sacrificed. I will need to hold my tongue more as I will be representing the barony whether the hat is on or not. I expect my participation level will increase and I will be taking a more active role, traveling to more events, attending more meetings, and keeping up on topics and concerns. 8) Do you see anything preventing you from holding the post at least 3 years? "At this time, no significant impact on the duties of the Baronial Coronet is expected from my home and work life. However, if something unforeseen did come up, I would immediately contact the baronial officers so that contingencies could be put into operation, so there could be as seamless a transition as possible. 9) If elected, would you change your participation in public discussions, including (but not limited to) e- mail lists and meetings? If so, how? I do not participate in anything that I see me needing to curtail. I will follow some old maxims like Measure twice, cut once. Reread before hitting send. Two ears and one mouth means one should listen twice as much as one speaks. I will run all responses (including mundane communications) through a "is this representative of the barony?" filter before I post or speak. 10) Do you think you will be able to be "in tune" with all the different aspects of the barony? I like talking to others and there are a lot of good people whom I am sure will be instrumental in helping me to stay in tune. Someone in a position of leadership is only as good as the people that person gathers around them to work together. 14

15 Practices and meetings All meetings, practices, and times are subject to change. If you do not see information on the meeting or practice you would like to attend please contact the officer in charge of that activity. The Barony may cancel some meetings and practices due to weather, holidays and events. Please check the e-group for updates : Archery Practice: When: Every Friday Time: 6:30 PM to 8 PM Where: Doc s Archery908 Niagara Falls Blvd. North Tonawanda, NY Note: Site will move outdoor when the weather improves. Please check the e-group for updates. Barony Officers and Business Meeting Open meeting. All are invited to attend. When: 1st Tuesday of Every Month Time: 7 PM-9 PM Where: Elk's Lodge, 33 Legion Parkway Lancaster, NY Note: Enter at the front of the building (see map below). That entrance leads to the Elk s lodge bar but the meeting is the back of the building. Ask for directions at the bar. Fencing and Heavy (Fighter) Practice When: Every Wednesday. Time: 6:30 PM to 10 PM Where: Elk's Lodge, 33 Legion Parkway Lancaster, NY Note: Enter at the side entrance at the back of the building. (see map below). Thrown Weapons Practice: Regular TW practice is now as weather permitting Normally scheduled for Monday evenings. Please check the e-group for updates. Scribal Art's Guild: When: 2nd Tuesday of every month Time: 7 PM to 8PM Where: BILL GREY S at 8214 Main Street in the Main- Transit Plaza, Williamsville, N.Y Dance Practice: When: Every Thursday Time: 7 PM-10 PM Where: 59 Sagamore Terrace, Buffalo NY Notes: Please RSVP to Brigette if you plan on attending ( ). ENTER HERE FOR FIGHT PRACTICE ENTER HERE FOR OFF&BUS MEETING 15

16 From the election steward... This evening the ballots were dropped off in the mail box and will be on their way out to their intended recipients. I would like to thank my team of highly qualified and skilled helpers, Baroness Juliana, THL Beatrice and Lord Padraig, who did a remarkable job at adhering labels and folding envelopes. Unfortunately am untrained monkey was responsible for stuffing the envelopes. This untrained monkey, who had obviously padded his resume in order to get the prestigious job of envelope stuffing, has made at least one mistake and confused an outgoing envelope as an incoming one. The hapless envelope will be united with a ballot and sent to its rightful recipient. When y'all receive your ballots, please make sure that each envelope contains a ballot and a return envelope with Padraig's address on it. You should see the name Patrick T Dewind (as in "Cries Mary"). If you do not see that name on the return envelope, and you wish to mail in your ballot, please contact me. Same if you do not have a ballot in the envelope. Most of the envelopes had a loose stamp included, but I miscounted the number of stamps I had on hand and I was short by 11. I'm sorry if you were one of the few who were randomly shorted; it was not anything personal, it was just too late to go out and buy some more stamps. All in all, 178 ballots were mailed out last night and tonight. You have time to make up your minds, fill out the ballots and get them to Padraig. He must have your ballots in his hands by Tuesday, May 5th, at 8pm EST. At 8:01pm, the election committee will retire to Florida and take up golfing. No, we will retire from the Barony meeting and begin counting the ballots. You can either mail your ballot to Padraig or hand them to him in person: he will post on the E-list (and perhaps on Facebook) what Baronial meetings/practices he will be attending. In either case, seal your ballot in the return envelope so that it will remain unseen until the counting. If you plan on personally delivering the ballot to Padraig, please drop the unused stamp into the envelope. Please make sure to read both sides of the ballot and if you have any questions about the ballot, contact me and I will attempt to answer them. ska: Baron Caleb Reynolds mka: Caleb Ronsen arrive on, or near, the April Barony meeting. At the April meeting (4/7/15), the last item of business on the agenda will be nominations (probably around 7:30). You do not have to be present to be nominated but you do have be present in order to nominate someone. Anyone can be nominated, but, in order to accept the nomination you must be: 1) Over 18 2) A paid member (at any level) of the SCA through December ) Physically live in the Barony and/or Canton (based on your ZIP code) 4) Provide proof of the above, such as a copy of a drivers license and membership card Once nominated, candidates will have 48 hours to accept the nomination, in writing or , and provide proof (a photocopy or a picture from your phone). I will have acceptance/ declination forms on hand. Candidates who choose not to accept the nomination and provide the necessary proof within 48 hours will be assumed to have declined the nomination. If you have plans on accepting a nomination, please bring a copy of your drivers license and membership card. I will contact any nominees not present to inform them of their status and of what will be required of them. On 4/11/15, after all acceptance letters have been received, the ballots will be finalized and mailed out. Ballots must be filled out and returned to our seneschal by 5/5/15 before 8pm. The ballots will be sent out with a pre-filled out return envelope and a stamp. Patrick will announce what local meetings and practices he will be attending if you choose to hand it to him, directly. At 8pm, we will make a final call for ballots and then the election committee will retire and count the ballots. When we are done, we will announce the winner (s). Now, on to some answers to questions I have received about the election: ============ Nominations: ============ Anyone can be nominated and any one can nominate someone else. You can nominate yourself, but it really looks bad if you cannot find two people to nominate you and second the nomination. Past News from the Election Steward The election process has now started. The tentative time table is as follows: Mailing labels will be ordered from Corporate so that they There will be no discussion about the "suitability" of anyone who was nominated. One person will nominate a candidate and another person will second that nomination. This is not a caucus where we will debate the candidates. Candidates will then decide to accept or decline their nominations; there will be no vote to determine who gets to be on the ballot. If some- (Continued on page 17) 16

17 one is running that you do not think would make a good Baron/Baroness, put them on the bottom of your list on the ballot. If a person is nominated twice, either as half of two different couples or as half of a couple and as a single candidate, that person must choose which nomination to accept. No one can be on the ballot more than once. For Example, if Thundarr the Barbarian is nominated as a single candidate and then is nominated along with Ookla the Mok as Baron and Baroness, Thundarr must pick which nomination to accept. You must have a membership in the SCA that will run from 4/5/15 through 12/31/15 in order to run. If you win the election, you must have a continuous membership throughout your term as Baron and/or Baroness. Bad things will happen if your membership lapses. If a pair accepts a nomination as Baron and Baroness, both people must meet the requirements I listed earlier. If one person does not, the other person cannot run alone: the nomination was for two people. Make sure that both people are eligible to run. For instance, If I nominate Sir Otto and Mistress Geirny and then it turns out that only Sir Otto has a valid membership because Mistress Geirny forgot to renew hers, they are not eligible to run and Sir Otto cannot change the nomination to just himself. However, if Sir Otto was nominated to run as a single Baron as well as with Mistress Geirny, he could accept the single nomination and the dual nomination would be rejected. ============ The Ballot: ============ The ballot will also ask you to cast a vote for the status of the Barony. You will have the choice of the following: Remain a Barony - pretty self explanatory. Revert to a Province - which is like a Barony only no Baron and/or Baroness. Which means no local courts or awards. And Beau Fleuve would revert to a Riding. Revert to a Shire - We would no longer have a Baron and/or Baroness and we, and Beau Fleuve, would become Shires. Dissolve the Barony completely - The Barony would be no more and all ZIP codes held by the Barony, except for those held by Beau Fleuve, would be available for other groups. Honestly, I don't see any difference, in the practical sense, between reverting to a Province or a Shire. I searched through the SCA legal policies and the only practical difference I could find was that in some Kingdoms/Principalities a Crown or Coronet tourney can only be held in a Barony or a Province; which is not an issue in AEthelmearc. However you vote in stage 1, you will then vote for Baron and/or Baroness. Candidates will be arraigned by alphabetical order by the first name of the Baron (it's misogynistic but it's the period fashion) and then by the first name of Baroness. Candidates will list the spelling they wish used on the acceptance form. Titles might be omitted on the ballot, due to space, if there are many candidates. The voting form is called an "Australian Rules Ballot", which means you vote for each candidate in the order you would want them to win. Or, you can think of it as a survey: which soda pop do you like the best. Now if you can't have that one, which of the rest would you want, etc. You will vote from highest to lowest. with the highest score equal to the number of candidates. Take the following example. There are four candidates: Thundarr the Barbarian and Ookla the Mok, The Herculoids, Scrappy Doo and Winnie ther Pooh and Piglet. You immediately decide that Scrappy Doo is the worst possible choice for Baron, so he gets a 1. The Herculoids are just weird and throw rocks at people, so you vote a 2 for them. You like Winnie but Piglet and you have a history so that leaves Thundarr and Ookla as your best choice. You will fill out the ballot as follows: 2 -> The Herculoids 1 -> Scrappy Doo 4 -> Thundarr the Barbarian and Ookla the Mok 3 -> Winnie ther Pooh and Piglet, too. The winner is the candidate with the highest score. If there is a tie, we will determine, of the tying candidates) which one had the most 4's (or the highest score), then by the most 3's, etc. You must vote for each candidate. If you skip a candidate, or only vote for one, that section of the ballot will be invalid and not counted. You cannot write in your own candidate or use different numbers. If you don't like any of candidates and want to abstain, then don't return the ballot. There is no quorum in this election: if we send out 200 ballots and 75 are returned, we will count the 75 ballots. There is a bigger issue if 125 members of the Barony choose not to participate in the election, but the counting will go on. Once the ballots have been counted, the election committee will announce the winner and inform their Majesties. We plan on sending the ballots with a return envelope and a lose stamp. If you plan on mailing in your ballot, please use the stamp. If you plan on physically handing the ballot to Patrick, just drop the stamp into the return envelope and it will be used for exchequer reports, event refunds or other Baronial business. Or, you can use the stamp to send a thank you note to someone. (Continued on page 18) 17

18 The mailing labels will come from the corporate offices and they will send us a list of all paid members residing in the ZIP codes of the Barony and Canton. If you have recently moved to the Hael, please make sure that Milpitas has your current mailing address. You can check your SCA membership status at It does occur to me that corporate might not send us physical labels; they might send us an electronic file with names and address (.doc,.xls,.pdf) that we will use to print on our own labels. However, I will continue to use the phrase "mailing labels" regardless of what format we get the data. ============ Age: ============ You must be 14 or older to vote, but we will not be culling the youth from the mailing labels. Ballots will go out to everyone on the list. The ballots will have a check box: "I am under 14" and we will trust that the youth of the Barony (and their parents) are honest enough to check that box. We encourage the youth to vote and to return their ballots. When we count them, we will put them off to one side and after we finish counting, we will count those ballots and announce who the youth voted for, even if they voted overwhelmingly for Scrappy Doo. ============ Time Table: ============ We hope to have the nominations on 4/7/15 and the counting on 5/5/15. If we run into problems, such as weather or getting the mailing labels, we will change the dates and announce the changes on the Hael E-list, Facebook and any other methods as needed. The process was designed so that we have some room for problems and still have an investiture in December. ============ Investiture: ============ Assuming that the majority of the Barony and Canton vote to stay a Barony, we will have an investiture in December. Now is the time to start putting together a bid. I understand that there might be the chance that one might only want to autocrat/feastocrat investiture if a particular candidate wins, but I would recommend putting together the bid now, so that it will be ready at the appropriate time. I will post more answers and clarifications as I get questions. ska: Baron Caleb Reynolds mka: Caleb Ronsen 18

19 Officers, Rhydderich Hael BARON AND BARONESS ISOLDA FILIA GEORGII Mary Petrakos please call between 6pm-8pm 312 Patrice Terrace Williamsville NY CAROLUS LOKE Anthony Heibel Westgate Road Kenmore NY SENESCHAL PADRAIG O BRANDUBH Patrick DeWind (716) Windermere Blvd. Amherst NY nihilxaos@gmail.com Deputy: Bovi Davidson PURSUIVANT & KEEPER OF THE DOMESDAY MIRIEL DU LAC Sara Herringshaw (315) French Rd. Apt. 3 Depew, NY lertia@yahoo.com Deputies :THL Eleanore Godwin and Siobhan Readnait CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER CALEB REYNOLDS Caleb Ronsen exchequer@wnysca.org Deputy: ALEXANDER DU LAC Ryan Rathsam Lombardy St. Lancaster NY Rrathsam@gmail.com exchequer@wnysca.org CASTELLIAN VRSVS EPICVRIVS Isaac Scharp grizzlyisaac@hotmail.com CHRONICLER MAGNUS DE LYONS Lance m. Kazmark magnusofnarnia@gmail.com chronicler@wnysca.org WEB MINISTER JULIANA ROSALIA DOLCE DO SIENA Julie DeWind no calls after 9pm julianarosalia@hotmail.com KNIGHT MARSHALL HORATIAS CINCINNATUS Zach Patterson (716) knightmarshall@wnysca.org MINISTER OF ARTS AND SCIENCES JULIANA ROSALIA DOLCE DO SIENA Julie DeWind julianarosalia@hotmail.com no calls after 9pm (Continued on page 20) 19

20 MINISTER OF THE LISTS BRIGETTE DE SAINTE MERE- EGLISE Annette J. Wacha Deputy: GOVINDI Colleen M. Coil CAPTAIN OF FENCE LOGAN LOTTA DE KENT D.J. Weed Arend Avenue, Williamsville NY work Deputy: ROBERT L ETOURDI Robert Meyer Meyer-rm@yahoo.com CAPTAIN OF ARCHERS CYNWULF RENDELL Ralph Spencer archerymarshall@wnysca.org HISTORIAN RHIANNON ELANDRIS OF GLYNDRVDWY Lauren Gascoyne no calls after 9pm artemisproduct6@verizon.net Deputy: Erik Herringshaw 1323 French Rd. Apt. 3 Depew, NY E-GROUP MINISTER (INCLUDING FACEBOOK) FILIPO DE SANCTO MARTINO Phil Martino philm@buffalo.com CHANCELLOR MINOR CORDELIA COLTON Colleen Martino no calls after 10pm Colleen_c17@yahoo.com STEWARD AUGUSTO GIUSEPPI DE SAN DONATO Joseph Piselli steward@wnysca.org CAPTAIN OF THROWN WEAPONS AUGUSTO GIUSEPPI DE SAN DONATO Joseph Piselli thrownweapons@wnysca.org DEMO COORDINATOR (Vacant) CHOIR MINISTER BARONESS CEOL SEABHAC Carol Waddell Sheets MINISTER OF DANCE BRIGETTE DE SAINTE MERE- EGLISE Annette J. Wacha awacha@yahoo.com (Continued on page 21) 20

21 Guilds SCRIBAL GUILD STHURRIM CAITHNES Jill Lapham Cell Westbrook Drive, North Tonawanda N.Y COOK S GUILD 500 OLD NIAGARA RD., LOCKPORT, N.Y BREWER S GUILD CALEB REYNOLDS Caleb Ronsen KNIGHT MARSHALL SEXTUS PLINIUS CALLIDUS Phil Simonds (716) spcallidus@yahoo.com EXCHEQUER EDITH OF WINTERTON Caroline Elliot Deputy: Sthurrim Caithnes MINISTER OF ARTS AND SCIENCES (Vacant) CHATELAINE (Vacant) RHYDDERICH HAEL SIEGE GUILD FILIPO DE SANCTO MARTINO Phil Martino philm@buffalo.com RHYDDERICH HAEL EQUESTRIANS & TEXTILE GUILD YSABEAU TIERCELIN Phoebe Waller-Sharp carnabyservices@yahoo.com WEB MINISTER CORI GHORA Clare Jackson CAPTAIN OF THROWN WEAPONS MORWENNA EVERDON Jo Human Officers, Canton of Beaufleuve SENESCHAL AUGUSTO GIUSEPPI DE SAN DONATO Joseph Piselli PURSUIVANT (Vacant) 21

22 Meeting minutes for the Baronial Business Meeting, May 7 th 2015 (taken by Deputy Seneschal Bovi) Site is pinned down. Looking for marshals for activities. Deputy Caleb, Election Steward Meeting 04/07/15 Officer Reports Greater Baronial Officers Baron & Baroness - Carolus Loke & Isolda Filia Georgii I have my mouth full of whatever you just gave me Baroness Isolda. Thank you to everyone at Ice Dragon. Baron is Buying bear at Ice Dragon next year in his Saloon Baron Carolus. Seneschal - Padraig O'Branduibh Ice Dragon Bids! ICE DRAGON BIDS!! ICE DRAGON BIDS!!! We have a date and location. March 26 th We have one bid in. On the docket for tonight: Baronial election nominations Will be done during new business by the Election Steward Officer Election Minister of Arts & Sciences We have a candidate! May be showing up late. Dance Minister Fencing Marshal (?) Deputy - Magnus, Autocrat for Ice Dragon 2015 So how did it go? Swimmingly!!! 529 paid adults. Estimated in profit. Deputy Eleanor, Autocrat for Baronial Champs Pursuivant - Miriel Du Lac Court went well. Elizabeth did an outstanding job. Chancellor of the Exchequer - Caleb Reynolds dollars in the account. Knight Marshall - Horatius 87 fighters no injuries. Fighter practice will continue on Wednesdays!! Minister of Arts & Sciences - Juliana Rosalia Dolce di Siena New Minister starting today. Chronicler Magnus First issue is out!! Second issue is the Election Issue!! Looking to update all the info in the newsletter. Castilian - Ursus (Absent). Minister of the Lists - Brigette de Saint Mere-Eglise Paperwork is complete. Deputies? Lesser Baronial Officers Captain of Archers - Rendell Fridays. Thursday s starting in a month or month in a half hour. Captain of Thrown Weapons - Augusto Giuseppi De San Donato Mondays starting at the end of April beginning of May!! Chancellor Minor - Cordelia Colten Please don t abandon your children in the children activities area. Used to have hospital bracelet policy with the parents name on them. CAN WE BRING THIS BACK? (Continued on page 23)

23 Demo Coordinator Ursus (Absent) Equestrian - Ysabeau Tiercelin Champs May 23 rd. Historian Rhiannon Elandris Big display at Ice Dragon. Marshall of Fence - Logan Absent New high of 55 fencers at Ice Dragon Steward - Augusto Giuseppi De San Donato (Absent) Youth Combat - (vacant) Youth Fencing Marshal We have our first. Web Minister - Canton Adding content. Seneschal - Augusto Giuseppi De San Donato Seneschal Still Exists. Looking for an Autocrat for Summers End. Will be the same site as last year. Guild Reports Brewer's Guild - Caleb Reynolds Good examples at Ice Dragon. Cook's Guild - Wolfgang & Katryn Last meeting was early march. Next one will be at Tiercelins on the 26th Textile Guild - Ysabeau Tiercelin (absent) Dance Minister - Brigette de Sainte Mere-Englise Looking for a replacement Scribal Guild Sthurrim Caithnes Big Thanks April 14 th is the next meeting. Looking for someone to run this meeting. 6 plus scrolls that need to be assigned. Old Business Don't forget to make award recommendations! They're needed for both Baronial and Kingdom awards. Archery equipment acquisitions is with the finance committee pending the improved health of the Head Hael Hound. Free first event site fee with the finance committee for implementation. New Business Also working on written policy. Caleb is going to add this to the financial policy. Trial run during Ice Dragon. Feedback? Yes but lots of questions. Baronial Election nominations! Baroness Ekat Lord Magnus & Lady Mirelle Lord Rhyndell and Lady Ealonor Brother Bobby Master Chuck (to be handled by Caleb the Election Steward and connoisseur of Bacon) Minister of A&S vote - Beatrice de Winter Andrea Masse is new deputy. Meeting to the joy and delight of all assembled. And the Peasants Rejoice. Yay 23

24 Chronicler Lord Magnus de Lyons (Lance Kazmark) 36 Wayne St. Depew, NY This newsletter is Hael powered.hael Yeah! Want to know more? Baronial website: Baronial Yahoo group: Baronial Facebook page: Kingdom website: SCA main website: 24