Article: Self Care & the SCA

This month's guest article is courtesy of Mistress Milesenda de Bourges, Baroness of Darkwater.

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Self care and the SCA:

Due to the volunteer nature of our organization, there’s always a trend for volunteers to over-do it. We’re excellent at looking out for our friends’ well-being and health but very often we let our own slip. In Trimaris, this is often heat related but the concept of self-care, particularly for volunteers and event staff, is something that can slip your mind. In some cases, people become so dedicated to the idea of their service or whatever concept they are working on, they are willing to forego their own self-care to “be responsible.”

If we plan to keep volunteering and plan to keep our volunteers in good shape and coming back, we need to be aware of some self-care necessities.

1) Make time for yourself to have regular meals at events.
Even if you’re the autocrat, the nobility, or the busiest reservations steward ever. Keeping your body fueled is Important not only for your health but also to keep you energetic and sharp. When we are hungry, we don’t think clearly or quickly. We react more sharply and emotionally. We lose problem solving skills.
Tip: If you’re the sort of person that forgets to eat when busy, assign a friend to run lunch over to you as you work.

2) Hydrate
Much like the above, this one is critical for events themselves. Even for kingdoms not dealing with extreme heat, dry air and lots of activity can make you dehydrated very quickly. Again, this also can affect your ability to think and problem solve.

3) Get sleep.
You don’t need to do a 12 hour marathon but plan ahead to get at least 6 to 8 hours so you are functional for the big events of the day. Again, a lack of sleep can inhibit thinking and cause us to react more negatively than we intend.

4) Take a short break.
Have a backup person to cover while you sit down for fifteen minutes. Go into the AC and cool off (or the heat and warm up). Be willing to realize that you need a momentary breather and then take it. The more stress you pile onto your brain for an extended period will again affect your ability to deal with problems.

5) Have backup plans
This is a planning piece that ties into self-care as having a solid “what-if” plan for your event can save you a lot of time and stress on the day-of. While you can’t plan for every contingency, have some backup folks ready to go for volunteer needs and last minute issues.

6) Be kind to yourself – mistakes happen
Most people won’t notice and if they do, they happen. Forgive yourself, make up for it as you can, let it go, tell a friend and vent, and then move on to having a great day.

7) If you are actually sick or injured – DON’T DO IT.
Commitment to your job, your position, your practice, your whatever is not worth injuring yourself further, making yourself sicker (or spreading germs), or straining yourself. That’s not commitment and responsibility or dedication – it’s injurious. It’s better to find someone to take on the responsibility and get your rest (don’t just drop the ball!) or to take the night off than it is to push yourself so far that you cause greater injury. As volunteers in the SCA this is one of the biggest issues I see. Real life – and your health and well-being – ALWAYS comes first. Running a fever or too exhausted to safely drive? Don’t go to the meeting. Been fighting a serious cough for a week that the weather won’t help? Get a friend to help cover event duties and take it easy. Take care of yourself first – so that you can take care of others when you are able.

November Business Meeting

Following are the minutes from the November 2018 business meetings, as taken by our Chronicler Lady Ursula Blackpool.

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Barony of Darkwater Business and Officer Meeting - November 1st, 2018
Fashion Square Mall Community Room

Officers in Attendance
Gravin Eva van Oudeachterkol - Exchequer
Lady Thyri Bersi - Hospitaller
Lady Ursula Blackpool - Chronicler
HL Calpurnia Fortunata - Arts and Sciences
Mistress Milesenda de Bourges - Baroness
Baron James Highgate - Baron
Lord Kylan Hundr - Constable
HL Toki inn Eldri Bassi - Archery Marshal
Lord Ephrem Orbeli - Herald
HL Hextilda Marshall - Acting Senechal
HL David Archer - Seneschal
Mistress Ilene Johnnestoune- Deputy Seneschal - Social Media Liason

Open Meeting

1)    The reading of last month’s minutes - HL David Archer

a)    Officers were already polled about waving the minutes from the last month.

2)    Seneschal - HL David Archer

a)    Kiwanis

i)      Paperwork with park service is being worked on for the next event

ii)     We will probably have to pay 100 dollars for Trident

b)    Peregrine Springs

i)      Is not being reactivated but is not dead either

ii)     David will be working with the people in the area to work on SCA activities for the area.

iii)   He will be talking to people in the area to see their interest level.

iv)   In 3-4 months they will discuss what to do next in term of the canton.

v)    Requirements of any meeting that is held in the canton’s name:

(1)  Either Seneschal HL David Archer, HL Hextilda Marshall, Mistress Ilene Johnnestoune, or HL Calpurnia Fortunata have to be in attendance for any meeting.

(2)  David can make a temp deputy for the meeting if one of the above cannot attend.

c)    Sexual Offenders

i)      Handout given out. Copies are available when/if wanted or needed.

(1)  Verbage of handout:

Greetings unto All Kingdom Seneschals,
I have been directed to provide the following guidance on the reporting of Sex Offenders discovered to be participating in the SCA. Please use this Procedure.
Please pass this on to Local Group Seneschals.
SEX OFFENDER REPORTING PROCEDURE
If someone discovers a person in the SCA is on a sex offender registry, they are to contact the Kingdom Seneschal. The Kingdom Seneschal will contact the Society Seneschal and forward all relevant information about the matter.
A preliminary determination of the danger this person poses to the Society and its members will be made. If the danger is immediate, the Society Seneschal will expel that person immediately. Expulsion by a Kingdom will not be necessary in these circumstances.
An SCA Investigator will obtain the Court Records to view the nature of the crime, the penalty imposed and conduct interviews, where appropriate, and to gather information and records.
The matter will be presented at the next Board meeting to make a final determination and take any appropriate action in the matter.
Respectfully,
Mike Watkins
Society Seneschal

ii)     If anyone suspects that someone is a sexual offender please follow the above procedures immediately.

d)   Agendas and meetings for the Barony of Darkwater

i)     Everything we do is not in stone. Suggestions about the meetings are always welcome.

e)   Social media person is Mistress Ilene Johnnestoune

i)     She will be reporting to the seneschal as deputy

(1) What this means is that the name Darkwater on any social media group needs to add Ilene or another approved person as the moderator in these groups with admin permissions.

(2) More information will be given as Society sends it out.

3)   Hospitaller - Lady Thyri Bersi

a)   Lady of the Lakes

i)     For anyone interested. You can still attend. Let Thyri know.

ii)    Set up is done and it is ready

iii)  Gravin Eva: Motioned for 100 dollars needed for the event feast crat:

(1) Seconded by Mistress Milesenda de Bourges

(i)   Motioned passed

iv)  Gravin Eva: Motion: 100 dollars for butter and cheese for event:

(1) Seconded by Mistress Milesenda de Bourges

(i)   Motion passed

b)   Deputy/Successor

i)     Rita Miller will be taking over as of Clans

4)   Constable - Lord Kylan Hundr

a)   Lost and found from Village Faire is waiting for you all to come claim it.

5)   Exchequer - Gravin Eva van Oudeachterkol

a)   Kiwanis has paid the 100 dollars back for Village Faire

b)   We are waiting on the Autocrat for Village Faire to let us know the final numbers to know what we exactly made. Estimate is around 1750 dollars.

c)   Budget is usually voted on in the December meeting.

i)     Officers need to look over the budget and initial if they agree with their offices budget amount.

d)   Trailer: Was seen at 3:14 PM on a toll road.

e)   Trailer: Motion: Budget of 3500.00 to go towards a new trailer

i)     Seconded by Mistress Milesenda de Bourges

(1) Motion passed

f)    Banners: Ephrem would like to know the cost of the banners that hang from the lights that were lost with the trailer.

i)     Gravin Eva will look into the cost and let us know in December.

g)   Can the guilds get money for projects was asked for by Ilene Johnnestoune

i)     Guilds can get money if they put together purchase amounts ahead of time and ask for it at a business meeting.

6)   Heavy Marshal - HL Hywell ap Wyn (Not present)

a)   No business

7)   Archery Marshal - HL Toki inn Eldri Bassi  

a)   Practice on the 1st and 3rd of each month from 10-2

b)   Wooden arrows needed for competition, but the archery group needs replacements

i)     Could we do carbon arrows for practice needs?

(1) Need to create a proposal for this and then a motion can be done for the funds.

c)   250 dollar donation was given to the barony by Aviary Reconditioning Center in Apopka

d)   Archery Stands: Currently making new stands to replace the ones lost in the trailer.

e)   Double check on the college archery availability for SCA members.

8)   Webminister - HL Thomas Wildstein (Not Present)

a)   Let him know if something is wrong with the website

9)   Chronicler - Lady Ursula Blackpoole

a)   Online newsletter

b)   DO YOUR REPORTS

c)   Working on printing from school if possible

10)Herald - Lord Ephrem Orbeli

a)   Submissions welcome

b)   Willing and ready to help with Coat of Arms, Devices, and Names

11)Art-Sci - HL Calpurnia Fortunata

a)   Classes are scheduled throughout the end of the year.

b)   Classes are being scheduled for January on into next year.

c)   No meeting on the week of Thanksgiving

d)   Incoming Baroness and Baron for Marcaster gift basket

i)     Dragonflies, celtic, frogs

12)Guilds

a)   Scribal Day

i)     November 18th is Scribal Day here at the mall from 11-5

13)Cantons

a)   Swampkeype -

i)     Archery class next week

ii)    Petition to update canton heraldry

b)   Loch Gryffyn

i)     Needs more people that want to teach

ii)    Meeting second Monday of the Month

14)Baron and Baroness

a)   Encouraging everyone to go to Lady of the Lakes

i)     Please stay for breakdown and load out

b)   Take time for you and your friends-Self-care!

15)Upcoming Events--HL David Archer

a)   Kingdom Art/Sci might be taking place at Trident. We are waiting to see how this works out.

b)   Grant request to art/sci fund to make wall coverings for the screens at Trident

i)     They will be Kingdom property, but will fit our screens for Kiwanis.

ii)    Discussion about purchasing heaters again.

c)   Clans bid

i)     Submitted by Tommy

(1) Gravin Eva: Site Herald and Autocrat should not be the same person

(a) David is sending this back to Tommy as a note

(2) Gravin Eva: Are we sharing profit with Loch Gryffyn?

(a) This is being worked on now

(3) Any other questions or concerns:

   (a) None

d)   Village Faire: Return to Alexandria

i)     Any other questions or concerns

(1) None  

16)Populace

a)   Kira Phillips of the Orlando Renaissance Festival  

i)     Casey Robbins: Marketing Department

ii)    First full weekend of December - Friday, Saturday, and Sunday

b)   Reaching out to see if they can work on getting us to come back

i)     Scheduling conflict with Lady of the Lakes is reason we are not taking part this year

ii)    Thyri spoke out about communication issues over the event

iii)  Thyri spoke out about the position of where the barony was at the event.

c)   Somewhere in January we can schedule a meeting between the barony offices involved and the Orlando Renaissance Festival staff to work on this between.

d)   Contact information:

i)     Kira Phillips: orlandorenaissancefestival@gmail.com

ii)    Casey Robbins: See email above           

Close meeting