| Raven on a Writing Desk |
Okay, Raven on a Writing Desk…Lords and Ladies, let’s go to press!!!
These are the continuing chronicles of the Canton of Ravenhyrst – Herein will you find a (reasonably) accurate accounting of the Canton meeting minutes for Sunday, January 30, 2010 (Anno Societatus 44)
Upon this day at the Inn of the Village did our Seneschal, Lord Louchelan de Hay, called to order the populace and called for the officers reports:
OFFICERS’ REPORTS
Exchequer – Lady Signy says “We have money!”* We are still awaiting some checks, including one from the Barony. We have a new bank account, but now we need checks, an endorsement stamp, and a book for said checks. This will come to $106 total. Populace voted to approve this expenditure.
Signy is working on getting the signatures on the account by early next week.
Additionally, she wants everyone to know that there is now a Canton check request form on the Ravenhyrst Yahoo Groups folder. So if you need to put in a check request, the form to use is no longer the Caerthe form, we have one of our very own.
* If you wish to know the exact figure, please contact Lady Signy.
Herald – Before we get started with the report, your humble correspondent would like to offer a hearty CONGRATULATIONS to Lady Tatiana on her recent AoA!
Lady Tatiana has five names and six devices ready to go. Three names and devices will be going in this month, the rest next month.
She is still waiting for a response on our Canton badge from the White Stag Herald. Lord Louchelan will be contacting the Master James, Kingdom Seneschal, regarding this matter.
Tatiana held a heraldic consult at Caerthe’s Twelfth Night, and will be holding another at Caerthe A&S in early March (more about Caerthen A&S in a moment).
A&S Minister – Herrin Drahomira reported that an average of three people attended A&S nights in the month past.
Duchess Elisheva will be hosting the next Newcomer’s Night at her home at 1776 Cimarron St., Aurora on Tuesday, February 9th from 7pm-9pm. The topic for this month will be persona development. All members of the Canton, not just newcomers, are encouraged to attend.
At the last Populace meeting, held at Twelfth Night, several folks put in the request that A&S Night be moved another night at least part of the month to allow those who have other obligations on Wednesday nights to attend.
In response to that, Drahomira announced that, beginning NEXT month (February), A&S Night will now be on 1st and 3rd Tuesdays and 2nd and 4th Wednesdays.
Whether Tuesdays or Wednesdays, all A&S Nights will still be at the home of Herrin Drahomira and Sir Flanagan.
Additionally, Feb 16th's meeting will be a class/counseling by Duchess Elisheva for those who might be interested in entering the Baronial A&S competition on March 6th and need some assistance in research or documentation on your item - how best to display, etc. Remember, you only have to entire three projects if you are competing for Caerthen A&S Champion. Anyone may enter a single entry if they aren’t contending for the championship.
Lord Avram has offered to do a "paint by number" scribal class - the date has yet to be set for this - please contact Herrin Drahomira if you might be interested so that she can better set a day for the most interested and for the teacher!
And Saturday, March 20th, is the Persian New Year (called Now Ruz). To celebrate the return of Spring, Lady Maire and Milady Kesh are planning a day of Middle Eastern cooking at the home of Kesh and Lord Albert. We’d like to get a good cross-section of various cuisines, so please think about coming out to share your knowledge. This is open to anyone with an interest in Middle Eastern cooking. And, of course, at the end of the cooking, we will be feasting on the fruits of our labors (the best part, heh heh heh). Anyone who has a Middle Eastern specialty they would be willing to teach/make for this day-long event, please contact Kesh at laurie dot decker at gmail dot com.
Knight Marshal – No Thak; no report.
Archery – It’s been too cold for outside practices, however the Monday and Wednesday indoor practices have been well attended.
Rapier – No one was present to deliver a report.
Hospitaler – Milord Balint had nothing to report.
Chronicler – Milady Kesh still needs a deputy. This would simply entail taking meeting minutes if Kesh cannot be present, writing them up into a report (such as this one) and posting them to the Ravenhyrst Yahoo Group, Facebook page, and send a copy to Lord Simon the Webminister to post on the Canton website. If you are interested, please contact Kesh at laurie dot decker at gmail dot com.
Webminister – Lord Simon has received no new content to post to the website since October. Send any upcoming even news to him at webminister at Ravenhyrst dot org and he will post it to the site within 12-24 hours.
Lord Simon (who could not be present but sent his report to Loch) further reported that our domain name is coming up for renewal next month (2/25/2010) and he suggested that now that we are a fully fledged canton (and so, not expecting any new name change, such as when we went from “incipient canton” to “canton”) that we should register our domain name for a longer term (3-5 years) than our usual annual renewal in order to save the most money (the host gives the best rate for that period of time). The matter is being passed to the Finance Committee.
Lord Albert pointed out that a number of pages have information that appears to be out of date, including pages that were updated (which points to a possible navigation link issue). He will put together a list of navigation bugs to send to Lord Simon.
OLD BUSINESS
CANTON ASSETS TRACKING
Lady Signy needs asset lists from everyone in the Canton who is in possession of any Canton property. As of today’s meeting, she has the archery marshal’s list, but that is all. If you are keeping any Canton property, please send a list of what it is and where it is to Lady Signy, ASAP.
All officers need to send her a report as well, if only to say “I am not holding any Canton property at this time.” We’re trying to verify what the Canton assets are, and where they are.
RAVEN’S FAIRE:
The populace voted to approve 10/30/2010 as the date for this year’s Raven’s Faire. All of the other Saturdays in October were already bespoken by other groups in the area.
The populace also voted to approve Lady Maire’s projected expenditure of $700 for Raven’s Faire.
The theme for this year is “Geese.” There will be more posted about this event in the months to come, but there will be a Wild Goose Chase, pay-per-play games, and rather than a pie throw for the fund raiser, this year’s Raven’s Faire will see many arrests and ransoms, so be thinking of who you have long thought should be arrested.
The populace further voted to donate 10% of the event profits (excluding the fund raiser) to the Baronial travel fund.
Fundraising activities will remain separate from the net profits from Raven’s Faire and those funds will remain in the Canton.
Lord Albert volunteered to make and run a “Game of Goose” for the event.
NEW BUSINESS
BATTLEMOOR:
Milady Illaria suggested that we put in a bid to run the general store for Battlemoor. The populace approved this. She will contact the event autocrat and merchant coordinator. Duchess Elisheva volunteered to help her run the store. Illaria further suggested that the general store also be made the Lost & Found for the duration of the event. (Excellent idea, Milady!)
Lord Louchelan said he would like to see a good showing by the Canton in volunteers for Battlemoor.
Lord Avram said that House Wandering Dragon has already signed on to run security for the event in the name of the Canton. (HUZZAH AND VIVAT, HOUSE WANDERING DRAGON!) And Herrin Drahomira reported that House Goldstar is already planning to help with site preparation clean-up in May (HUZZAH AND VIVAT, HOUSE GOLDSTAR!)
So be thinking about where you might like to volunteer at Battlemoor. (The Battlemoor website is up. You can find it at http://www.battlemoor.org/
NEW BARON/BARONESS
Lord Loch reported that Baroness Mary will be stepping down soon. Herrin Drahomira wants to remind all who dwell within Ravenhyrst that if you think you’re baronial material, then you need to have the following three items: a letter of intent, SCA resume, and a business plan in to the Kingdom by February 14th. (This is also the same date any letters of intent to participate in Crown Tournament are due in as well.) Mistress Ansteys Darcy posted this to the Caerthe Yahoo Group List about the Baronial Polling:
The recommendations of the populace shall be solicited at a Polling on the 6th day of March, being a Saturday; and the Investiture shall take place on April 17th.
The requirements and prerequisites for this office are carefully delineated in Kingdom Law and Corpora – It is imperative that anyone wishing to submit his candidacy be prepared to adhere to these requirements.
ESTRELLA (OR NOT)
Lady Signy and Lord Brinky are planning an Estrella Pity Party on Feb 13th at their home. If you have a Carcassonne game, you are requested to bring it. They are hoping to have a HUGE Carcassonne game! For details, keep an eye on the Ravenhyrst Yahoo list, website, and Facebook page.
LORD ROBERT MAGNUS’ KNIGHTHOOD VIGIL
On February 20th, Herrin Drahomira and Sir Flanagan will be hosting Lord Robert’s vigil in preparation for his knighting. Vigil begins at 3 pm at the home of Drahomira and Flanagan. Please come in garb. Because of a scarcity of available parking, carpooling in strongly urged.
Lord Robert will be knighted at Gulf Wars in front of the Castle.
CAERTHEN A&S, March 6th
Lady Signy is handling Troll for this event. She wishes it to be known that anyone who wants to attend the baronial polling, but will not otherwise be attending the event will not be charged a site fee. There will be two tables, one for those coming solely for the polling, and the other for the event. (She also said she is still looking for volunteers to assist with troll.) Lady Celeste is still looking for instructors and judges.
OUTLANDS HERALDS AND SCRIBES
Lord Avram wants to remind everyone that the Outlands Heralds and Scribes Symposium (http://www.outlandsheralds.org/ohss/) will be held on February 27th at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado. The College of Scola Metallorum has kindly reserved space for this event on their campus.
So if you’re a scribe, or have an interest in learning about heraldry and/or the scribal arts, he encourages you to plan on attending.
FUNDRAISING
Milady Kesh raised three new pieces of business, all involving fundraising. She proposed that a standing Fundraising committee be formed to come up with and implement fundraising projects for the Canton throughout the course of the year. Many thanks to Lord Avram, Milady Illaria, Duchess Elisheva, and Lord Albert for volunteering to be on the Fundraising Committee! (HUZZAH, Y’ALL!) Right now, it looks like Kesh didn’t take a giant step backwards soon enough, and is now chairing the Fundraising committee.
With the idea of fundraising for Ravenhyrst in mind, Kesh laid out an idea she had for making breakfast burritos available for a donation (via brass bowl) at Readstan’s fighter practices (since they have morning FPs) and a recurring bake sale at Ravenhyrst fighter practices (as they take place in the afternoons) during official fighter practice season. Funds raised via two activities have been earmarked for loaner gear, to include heavy weapons, archery and rapier gear, all of which the Canton is in serious need.
Because of the ongoing nature of this fundraiser, Kesh said she would need to have materials for the burritos recouped, but is donating her labor in making the burritos, as well as her time selling them at the Readstan FPs. At this time, she was requesting only the approval of the populace and officers of the Canton to contact Readstan’s seneschal and officers (at their next populace meeting) to ask if they would be amenable to this venture.
Kesh further proposed to solicit donations of baked goods (via a sign-up sheet) for the bake sales. Her idea is that if three or four folks donated baked goods to each bake sale, then providers could be rotated so that no one had to make baked goods to donate more than a couple of times during the FP season.
The populace approved and Kesh will move forward in contacting Readstan.
With New Business being thus concluded, Lord Louchelan moved to close the meeting. Herrin Drahomira seconded the motion and the meeting was adjourned.
Seventeen members of the populace were in attendance.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Feb 8-15 ESTRELLA WAR XXVI, Kingdom of Atenveld
Feb 27 Kingdom Heralds and Scribes, Caerthe (Scola Metalorum)
Mar 6 A&S Championship and Baronial Polling, Caerthe
Mar 14-21 GULF WARS, Kingdom of Glenn Abhann
Mar 27 Feast of Fools, Dragonsspine
Thus concludes this month’s edition of Raven on a Writing Desk. See you next month!