[Ansteorra] Fee Increase and other Business...

[Darlene Burns]

On Fri, Feb 19, 2010 at 1:01 AM, Donnchadh Beag mac Griogair <
donnchadh at cornelius.norman.ok.us> wrote:

> <Snip>
> As to why it makes a difference to me is purely a matter of perception to
> our new members who are just trying us out.  One phrasing has more positive
> connotations, the other has more negative connotations.  Given that the same
> money is collected, the same way, from the same people.  I would prefer to
> use a phrase that may be more welcoming to new people.
>
> If a group is concerned about being welcoming to new people there are a
large number of ways this can be done and we can leave behind wheather we
call this charge a surcharge, a discount, a hatbox or a portopot behind as
something that really doesn't make that much difference in the long run.

1. You can waive the rest of their site fee and the group can absorb the
cost. How many newcomers are we talking about at an event? Half the the
people..??? hardly. If you have 15 first time, brand new out of the box
ADULT newcomers at an event you are doing great. You can even look at past
events and estimate and work it into your budget.

2. Your group can decide how many times a brand new, newcomer gets to come
to your local events before they have to pay the site fee *and* the
NMS...once...twice...three times...How to keep track of this is to have
really great newcomer households sponsored by an established responsible
*paying* member of your group. They can keep track of who has attended what
and counsel their newcomers on the need of joining up. Well established
newcomer households sponsored by your most responsible *paying* members is
one of the best ways to ensure those newcomers get well grounded in the
Society AND become paying members.

3. Your group can take up donations (You exchequer types chime in here)
which I believe would have to be separate from your normal operating
funds...something about SCA rules where individuals don't benefit from SCA
funds which are supposed to only go for the group...but anyway you can do it
just check the rules first so you don't get in trouble and have
"scholarships" that pay the membership for persons in your group so strapped
financially that they can't come up with the fee. One really legal way to do
this is to have established members step forward (number of ways to do this)
and volunteer to pay for someone else's membership. I've done this myself
several different times. This isn't just for newcomers but any member of
your group without a membership.

4. If you REALLY want to welcome those first time players, waive BOTH site
and feast and all they have to pay is the surcharge/discount whatever you
want to call it $3 going to $5 thingy...