Posted inCommons

Commons Minutes for February 2018

March 10, 2018

The February commons meeting was held February 16 at the workplace of Ervald LaCoudre in Ostgardr. Here are the minutes as recorded by Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin. The officers’ reports are attached at the end.

Attending

  • Suuder Saran, Viceroy
  • Angelica di Nova Lipa, Exchequer
  • Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin, Herald, Youth Combat, Deputy Webminister
  • Ervald LaCoudre, Armored Combat Marshal
  • Alec MacLachlan, Fencing Marshal, Deputy Seneschal
  • Richard the Poor of Ely, Historian, Deputy Exchequer
  • Wilhelm Larsson, Northpass Seneschal
  • Brekke Franksdottir, Lions End Seneschal
  • Brandr Aronsson, Brokenbridge Seneschal
  • Jacqueline
  • Thorfinnr Hrothgeirsson, Whyt Whey Deputy MoAS
  • Arnora Ketilsdottir, Brokenbridge Exchequer
  • Marion of York, Lions End Lieutenant of Fence
  • Ozurr the Bootgiver, Armored Combat Champion

Absent Officers

  • Lada Monguligin, Vicereine — Plague
  • Alienor Salton, Seneschal, Webminister — Plague
  • Beatrice della Rocca, Chatelaine — Sojourning in Æthemearc
  • Sofya Gianetta di Trieste, Minister of Arts & Sciences — Plague
  • Arnbiorg Helga Niálsdóttir, Archery Marshal
  • Erich Guter Muth, Minister of Lists — Sojourning in Æthemearc
  • Rufina Cambrensis, Chronicler
  • Ian of Clan Mitchell, Chamberlain — Medical Care Duty
  • Vika Grigina z Prahy, Whyt Whey Seneschal

Minutes

Opening

  • Meeting called to order at 8:01 PM by Alec
  • Many officers are absent due to illness or other commitments; we were one person short of the quorum necessary to make binding decisions

Email System

  • Alec: Has everyone signed in to the new email system?
    • Not Ervald or Marion — but both will attempt to do so.

King’s and Queen’s Bardic and A&S Championships

  • Suuder: The event was a success; the royals seemed pleased; the viceregal steed was a hit with the young princess.
  • The A&S exhibitors and staff reported that the event ran exceptionally smoothly.
  • The kitchen staff got stuck with all of the cleanup work.
    • We should make an explicit announcement during the event recruiting other people to help.

Future Event Sites

  • Trinity Episcopal Church (Seaman/Cumming) has a gym-like space with a stage.
  • Huntington Universalist (An Dubh) that we used in the past became more expensive.
  • Brekke: Churches may require supervision for events which raises the price.
  • Ervald: Availability of Sussman space for fighter practice has been delayed by challenge of getting their insurance company to talk to the Society’s insurance company. Plan to host a few more meetings and other non-combat events to let them get used to the idea.
    • If anyone wants a space for a non-combat activity, contact Ervald.

Loaner Mugs

  • It would be good to have loaner/newbie-welcoming feast gear.
  • Wilhelm: Northpass has some loaner feast gear.
  • Angelica: we could get some inexpensive/semi-disposable bamboo ware.
  • Everyone: Biggest challenge is figuring out how to wash it (especially at events with limited kitchen space) as well as storage and transport.
  • Suuder: Could store these in my storage unit if issues of cleaning and transport were resolved.

Heraldry

  • Mathghamhain: Badge of the Order of the Seahorse has been re-colored to brown.
  • I’m hosting a small heraldic schola on March 31 for canton heralds and those that would like to learn the trade.

Northpass

  • Wilhelm: We have some new officers; everyone is on the new email system.
  • See the canton report for additional details.

Lions End

  • Brekke: No Lions End commons this month
  • Farmingdale site will allow fire, so we can have cooking and glass beads and such.

Exchequer

  • Angelica: the Championships event made money; 335 people.

Brokenbridge

  • Brandr: Still thinking about opening a separate canton bank account, but the logistical overhead may make this inadvisable.
  • Valhalla was a success; 45 people; reserving the same weekend for next year.
  • Lots of new people in Brokenbridge, including some coming to Pennsic for first time this year; planning a “Pennsic 101” day in May.
  • Considering a Baconbridge 2 event for mid/late June, but the details have not been figured out yet, so it may not happen. (The first Baconbridge event two years ago was good but the site was awkward, so looking for an alternate location.)
  • On March 17 will host a canton commons and needlepoint class with Sir Edward.

Armored Combat

  • Ervald: McCarren park practice will start in the spring
  • Five sets of loaner armor (built from plastic, leather, and metal) have been delivered, but we’re still waiting on the expected $500 invoice from the armorer.
  • Mathghamhain: The rattan received as a gift from ACL is still available.
  • Ozurr: I could donate a couple of basket hilts to help turn that rattan into swords.

Picnic In The Ruins

  • Thorfinnr: Expect to receive a site permit for April 29, but only starting at 1:00.
  • Event will run from 2:00 to 5:30.
  • Potluck, no site fee. Music, dancing. Maybe could have a fight practice?
  • Ostgardr event, organized by Whyt Whey residents, taking place in Brokenbridge.

Provincial Inventory

  • Wilhelm: Haven’t finished the inventory of the feast gear; will do so at Bear’s Taven.
  • Suuder: Have confirmed that there is no longer any provincial archery gear.

Fencing

  • Alec: Kingdom fencing quarterly report system is being overhauled.
  • Marion: Fencing practice 4-6 Sundays in Levittown; small space but also has room for A&S/hangout; will continue through the winter

EK50

  • Richard: We have a list of provincial champions.
  • Mathghamhain: Seneschals, remember that each branch gets a page in the site book.
    • Brandr wants to know if we can do full bleed printing or need margins.

Bylaws Committee

  • Suuder: Committee met in early Jan, still working on proposals and will review with the rest of the officers after our next meeting

Regalia Committee

  • Suuder: Still evaluating designs and exploring possibility of leather field coronets.
  • Brandr: Sent out preliminary designs to a couple of artisans and waiting on quotes.

Nordenfjordr

  • Suuder: At Dancing Fox, EK Seneschal and TRM reviewed the status of Nordenfjord.
  • As their sponsor, we should provide them with support. I have asked provincial officers to establish lines of communication with their counterparts there and offer useful information.

Frosted Hills

  • There was a brief discussion of the future of Frosted Hills.

Pace University

  • Wilhelm: Efforts are proceeding to organize a college group at Pace.
  • Hoping to launch as a college club with ten people.

Upcoming Events

  • Suuder: Working out the challenge point system for the An Dubh challenge.
  • Suuder: Bear’s Tavern will host the provincial Thrown Weapons championship.
  • Wilhelm: Brew U classes have been posted; event is not sold out. Estimating 55 people. Site capacity at Blue Mountain Lodge (Peekskill) is 58 people..
  • Brekke: Lions Awaken is on track.

Kingdom Event Sponsorship

  • Suuder: Kingdom events can now be sponsored by people/groups rather than a branch, and can be done in another group’s territory.
  • Wilhelm: Some branches are reluctant to host events because they have had a bad experience in the past.

Upcoming Commons Meetings

  • March 16 at Wilhelm and Conandil’s in Northpass
    • Will meet at Apollodora and Francisco’s when the weather gets warmer.
  • April 20 at Arnora and Ragnarr’s in Brokenbridge
  • May 18: still seeking a volunteer to host

Closing

  • Adjourned at 9:34.

Viceregals • Suuder Saran & Lada Monguligin

Curia

We attended the Birka Curia:

  • New Non-Harassment and Inclusion policy.
  • Kingdom Event Bids: non branch group can come in and put in a bid using a site within the branch group. Here is the new language to require the non branch group to work with the branch:

f . If the site being bid is located within a local branch zip code:

i . the bid host must review the bid with the local branch seneschal before submitting the bid;

ii . the local branch seneschal must either give approval or reasonable grounds for denial within three weeks of the review; which denial may be overridden by the Kingdom Seneschal:

iii . the bid host must request, and the local branch seneschal must assign, a branch officer site liaison to work with the bid host and the site throughout the planning of the event, before the bid is submitted.

Idea for newcomers: The Ostgardr loaner mug fund

Clothing can be borrowed, but mugs are a more personal item. Your own mug also gives you a sense of belonging.

Idea: to have mugs available at local events for newcomers. If they like the mug, they are welcome to keep it. A bunch of us probably have extra mugs we can donate to this, plus thrift shops have mugs for a few bucks a piece.

Keep everything in a plastic tote of mugs folks can choose from.

Media Relations

We also attended Media Relations meeting at Birka:

  • Best points of contact for a branch group: Senechal, Chatelaine, Titular heads.
  • We suggest all officers and people of the Province read this: http://www.sca.org/docs/pdf/mediapolicy.pdf
  • East Kingdom Media relations officer is Mistress Analeda Falconridge

Events

We think it’d be great if Ostgardr tries to run one RP a year. We have the manpower and experience. Sites, we have some, but definitely need more.  Some events are also obviously easier to run than others. So we can pick and choose what we put in bids for.

We need to research and develop relationships with new sites. Lada has been doing some phone calls while at work, but it would help if more folks would jump in and either toss out more ideas for places to look at or call them. Particularly if you are local to the site.

EK event bids policy is now extended and you can bid up to 24 months ahead of time.

Here is what Lada got so far:

Site lead on Staten Island:

  • http://churchofstandrew-si.com/contact/
  • They have a hall for 100, they have tables and chairs and a kitchen. There is also a downstairs hall. They have parking. They said they usually do not rent the church, but she seemed interested when I told her who we are and what we do. We did not talk price.
  • I spoke with Karen at their office and they may be interested to work with us. They are a pre-revolutionary war church and they have a historical lecture series. Would anyone be interested in putting together info about us and what we do to send it over to the church and follow up with them?

Catholic Charities of Staten Island

  • They got indoor and outdoor rental space.
  • 718-984-1500
  • Facilities Director Michael Berg 718-317-2806, mberg@mountloretto.org
  • They would give us a special non-retail rate
  • Same as with St. Andrew, need to put email together

Other sites to explore:

Historic Richmond Town

  • 718-351-1611

National Park Service/ Fort Wadsworth

  • https://www.nps.gov/gate/planyourvisit/camp-wadsworth.htm
  • Phone: (718) 354-4606
  • Public Camping at Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island, Contact Number: 718-354-4655

National Park service has multiple NYC locations Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Fort Tilden, Riis Park in Queens, Floyd Bennett Field and Canarsie Pier in Brooklyn , it’s a matter of tracking down the right contacts.

  • FYI: I contact Floyd Bennet field and the guy there told me that medieval combat is really not in line with nature conservation they are trying to promote, however some of our other activities might work. I sent him our introduction packet. Have not heard back or followed up yet.
  • He suggested we reach out to Aviator Sports Complex for combat related activities. I have not reached out yet.

Autocrat notes: K&Q A&S and Bardic Champs

  • Day went really well. It was wonderful to see everyone in the Province and beyond come together and have the event run as a smooth well oiled machine. Thank you all!
  • We have well over 80 volunteers.
  • We made $$ on the event. Final numbers pending all receipts for expenses being turned in and totaled.
  • We also raised over $500 for the Royal Travel Fund.
  • I will let our exchequer chime in with the exact #s.
  • Does anyone have any comments or suggestions?

Seneschal • Alienor Salton

Do we have any interest in sponsoring the bouncy castle at the children’s fete at Pennsic?  Cost is expected to be approximately $300. Sponsorship signs will be our reward.

Reports are due to regional & kingdom levels for 5 offices:

  • MoAS March 1st (Sofya, Apollodora, Godiva, Maeve, Conandil)
  • Herald March 1st (Mathghamhain, Ragnarr, Erich, Bish, Archubeas)
  • Knight Marshal February 28th (Ervald, Valgard)
  • MoL Feb 1 – Mar 1 (Erich)
  • Fencing Feb. 15th (Alec, Marion)
  • Youth Marshal Feb. 15th (Mathghamhain)

Please copy and/or notify seneschal and viceregals when you have submitted your report. Thank you!

Pikestaff Regnum is still out-dated; I have pressed our southern region deputy again.

Seneschal has succumbed to a throat infection. may not be at Commons on Friday in person.

Exchequer • Angelica di Nova Lipa

As of the date of this report, Wednesday February 15th, 2018 Ostgardr holds in the bank:

$11,549.80 broken into the categories of

  • Checking:  $4,489.38.
    Less than usual as funds were withdrawn to seed Troll/Gate and Raffle Cashboxes.
  • Savings: $7,060.42

Of this amount, roughly $4,800.00 are funds belonging to Brokenbridge and Nordenfjord.

Preliminary estimates on the proceeds from the King’s and Queen’s A&S and Bardic Championship Event sponsored by Ostgardr are as follows:

  • 335 attended
  • 76  individuals pre-registered
  • 259 paid for at event gate

Raffle for the benefit of the EK Travel Fund:  $ 516.00, which includes a $ 9 outright donation. This money goes directly to the East Kingdom, and is separate from event calculations.  

AFTER NMS, expenses, and rendering unto the EK half of profit we should clear something better than $1,400.

Pre-reg and Gate/Troll Gross:   $ 5,534.34

Broken down:

  • Gate/Troll brought in a total of $ 3,598.10 in cash and checks (including a dime found on the floor).  
  • Pre-Registration brought in  $ 1,659.24 in PayPal after fees, and $277 in checks.    
  • Expenses:
    • Hall rental: 1500
    • Dayboard: 700
    • Insurance: 50
    • Site tokens: 44
    • Raffle tickets: 18
    • Banners (est): 100
    • Estimated expense: 2412
    • Other Reimbursements:   TBD
  • Revenue:
    • Gate & Pre-reg Gross: 5534.34
    • Minus NMS: -170
    • Event site fees minus NMS: 5364.34
    • Estimated expense: -2412
    • Adjusted Gross estimate: 2952.34
  • Minus 50% to EK: 1476.17 estimated
  • Projected Profit: 1476.17 estimated

These numbers will be firmed up when all reimbursement requests and receipts have been submitted.

Chatelaine • Beatrice della Rocca

We had several newcomers come to King’s and Queen’s Arts and Sciences Champions as well as Dancing Fox. They had a wonderful time, and very much enjoyed court.

As far as I know, all Gold Key is accounted for.

Erich and I will not be at this Friday’s Commons, as we are heading out of State for Aedult Swim Friday night.

Arts & Sciences • Sofya Gianetta di Trieste

King & Queens A&S/Bardic Championships — 2/10

  • Congratulations to the Province for pulling off an amazing event!  
  • Congratulations to all our Provincal entrants. It was wonderful to see our populace participate and share their work:
    • Lada Monguligin
    • Conor O Ceallaigh
    • Þórfinnr Hróðgeirsson,
    • Vika Grigina z Prahy
    • Lilie Dubh inghean ui Mordha
    • Jeffrey from Essex-Queen’s Bardic Champion
    • Please let me know if I left anyone out.

Ostgardr A&S Champions day at Lions Awakens — April 21st

  • Riding on the success of our Kingdom A&S/Bardic Competition I encourage people to submit entries for Ostgardr’s next A&S Champion. If you’re unsure if you want to enter the competition, we will have a display table available as well. I will schedule a consultation table for feedback and answer any questions you may have.

EastKingdom50

  • Work is in progress on our hall of history display:
  • Interviews are being confirmed and scheduled
  • I created a Facebook group and adding people to it that our committee has reached out to for assistance. ‘Ostgardr Hall of History’
  • Pipe & drape has been confirmed by Maria for use at EK50 (thank you!)
  • Banners and floor cloth are being prepared for decoration of the hall. A workshop is being organized to have banners painted (looks like 2/28)
  • Photos and relics are still being requested. Please email me pictures. ostgardr50@ostgardr.eastkingdom.org.

Herald • Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin

Court Heraldry

I’m pleased to report that I got through fifteen minutes of court heraldry in the royal presence without tripping over my legwraps or committing any particularly egregious breaches of protocol. I’ve made some notes of things to improve for next time, and would welcome suggestions from others.

Natural Seahorse Badge

The badge for the Order of the Seahorse has been updated to be brown. We weren’t able to reserve any other colors as part of that change, but if anyone would like to investigate registering an additional badge, I would be glad to help.

Order Of the Sea-Urchin

I have sent the Principal Herald of Atlantia a request for Permission to Conflict with their badge but have not heard back yet. I still need to solicit art from some of our scribes and illustrators.

Consultations

In the last month I helped three people submit arms or badges, and have several other consultations in progress.

Heralds’ Symposium

For the benefit of the newer canton heralds, we’ll be hosting an informal symposium or mini-schola on March 31, covering basics of book heraldry: submission procedures, design rules, and name research tips. Lilie Dubh will lead the names class and I’ll lead the armory class, then we’ll do some hands-on exercises and prep some actual forms for submission. Anyone interested in becoming a book herald is welcome to join us.

Armored Combat • Ervald LaCoudre

No report submitted.

Fencing • Alec MacLachlan

The only practice that has been happening has been in Lion’s End on late Sunday afternoons.  Marion of York is the Marshal in Charge. I have not been able to make it as I work on Sundays.

She’s had a few people showing up including someone new to the area, and a fencer from the MSR (whom I used to fence at an l fencing school).

I spoke with the Southern Region Fencing Marshal at K&Q A&S/Bardic, Don Lorenz (?).  He is reformatting the quarterly fencing reports. In the meantime I told him I will send him an update of what we’ve been doing for the last year or so.

I won’t be at the Commons this Friday.

Archery • Arnbiorg Helga Niálsdóttir

No report submitted.

Youth Combat • Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin

No youth combat activity this month.

Fighting starts up again at Mudthaw in March; I’ll be there, and will reach out to our local youths to get them on board and start preparing for it.

Minister of Lists • Erich Guter Muth

Nothing to report.

I will not be in attendance Friday due to attending Aedult Swim.

Webminister • Alienor Salton

Our vanity domain ostgardr.org is now supported externally (at Panix) — support on the EK servers may be dropped. We are fully migrated to Google for non-Profits.  

One officer has not yet logged into his office email, putting us in violation of EK law.  I have followed up in private email and will continue pressing. Most of us are checking it semi-regularly.  3 officers have not looked at it since January. Please get in the habit of doing so, especially the week before Commons.  

Tech support is always available via FB messenger, texts to 917-204-1175, email to webminister@ostgardr.eastkingdom.org, or in person at Commons or when you see me at events.

I have not yet migrated the newcomer’s list; must coordinate with Chatelaine.  Will get on that.

Chronicler • Rufina Cambrensis

I am unable to attend Commons this month.  Here is my report:

Chronicler submitted Annual Report to Kingdom; everything OK.  At latest reckoning, the E-Horse has 83 subscribers–go us!

Articles currently under consideration for EK 50 Year “Best of the Seahorse” include:

  • Excerpts from Spanish travelogue [Ana de Guzman]
  • Excerpts from London travelogue [Lile Dubh]
  • Camp Cooking without a Cooler [Rufina]
  • Fire Escape Carpentry:A 14th-Century Trestle Table [John Elys]
  • Medieval Logic Puzzles (either Alcuin of York or Fibonacci) [John Elys]
  • “Ave Tigris Regia” (an EK marching song) [Judith FitzHenry]
  • Wearable Art:  Embroidering Accessories [Katherine Gillesfleur]

Other possibilities include event chronicles (for example, several people have written about their Pennsic experiences), poetry, book reviews, discographies.  There are twenty<mumble> years of back issues to go through….

Chamberlain • Ian of Clan Mitchell

No report submitted.

Addendum from the Personal Assistant to the Seneschal • Mathghamhain

The province’s Google Team Drive has up-to-date inventories of pavilion-related items, gold key garb, and youth combat gear. We are waiting on promised inventories of feast/ketchen gear (from Wilhelm), fencing gear (Erich), and archery gear if any (Suuder/Chinua).

We continue to hold the provincial pavilion in our storage unit as plans to return it to the Chamberlain have been stymied by Alienor’s being out of town to care for her mother.

At the last provincial commons, approval was given for the purchase of materials to use in constructing ten additional metal poles to hold list ropes, if we could find someone to do the metalwork. I talked with Brandr, who volunteered to tackle the project and worked out a design template. He has purchased the materials and constructed the first one, which looks lovely. The remainder should be constructed soon, and receipts for his expenses will be delivered to the exchequer for reimbursement.

Historian • Richard the Poor of Ely

KQASB was the Province’s first Kingdom event – and RP in general – (yes, I know there have been RPs *in* the Province, but they weren’t *hosted by* the Province) since April 2013. We really should consider doing them more often.

I note in passing that pretty much the entire event was ON SCHEDULE. Woo hoo!!!!

Northpass • Wilhelm Larsson

Greetings from Wilhelm and all of Northpass,

We are (as always) busy up here. We always are overwhelmed with lots of activity.

First sharing required detail on our officers. All the needed reports are in (Exchequer, Seneschal, Chatelain) are in and accepted in January. No external reports are due in February. A motion was made and passed by Northpass instructing me to make reporting under EK Law section VII B 2 I in this report. Please accept this as completed.

Also with officers there were a few changes in officers. Our previous Chatelaine (Ramona the Second) has resigned the office and commended her deputy to the role. This was reported at our commons and with our bylaws and customs he has been voted into the role. Kingdom has been notified of this and they have accepted his appointment. Also, in conjunction with the Pace initiative I have appointed Hokujōbō Korin as my deputy with that portfolio. A vote was also taken at commons to ensconce him in the role. We have 5 or 6 additional officer position that we expect to fill in upcoming months.

We had much fun at K&Q A&S and Bardic… Northpass was happy to help in the background and we were honored with the accolade of arms given to Apollodora of Delphi and Francisco de Braga. Their Majesties seemed happy with our offerings. We were proud of Lilie Dubh inghen Mordha as she entered the Bardic fray. We offer thanks to Østgarðr for giving us this chance to live the dream.

With events we are working hard on many great events over the next upcoming moths. We can add a few more to the daytrip for Tavern (March 2nd-4th) but for overnight there is no longer any space to be had. We are starting to fill up for Brew U (April 13th -15th) and expect a full house then as well. Planning for Blood and Axes (July 6th -8th) and the Knighting of John Barleycorn (September 7th-9th) is well underway but we are still filling some of the staff positions. (All are free to volunteer if they have interest.) We will accept reservations of all these events at commons. There are others planned but not yet ready for sharing. Our newsletter (The Stronghold) is becoming a great way to learn of our doings.

As shared in many other places, we are abuzz with other activity including (just in the next few weeks) archery, embroidery, period games, bead making… One thing that we are plotting loudly on is getting Northpass armored and active in rattan. We are growing and are planning for further growth. We remain Northpass Strong.

Lions End • Brekke Franksdottir

No report submitted.

Whyt Whey • Vika Grigina z Prahy

GfNP migration: three WW officers have not yet logged into their EK accounts.  I am preparing the heated irons and bamboo slivers.

February’s Solar was spinning, taught by Thorfinnr.  March’s will be pysanky, taught by Godiva.

The Picnic in the Ruins is scheduled for April 29th, though we do not have the permit in hand yet.

Brokenbridge • Brandr Aronsson

No report submitted.