[Ansteorra] When did this change????

[Aunt Dwen]

----- Original Message -----
From: <j_smallw at titan.sfasu.edu>
To: <ansteorra at ansteorra.org>
Sent: Wednesday, August 07, 2002 10:27 PM
Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] When did this change????

> The advice of accounting for it in the budget is a good one, but for
smaller
> group's events it has the effect of inflating the site fee even larger.
Let's
> say that the event is probably going to have an attendance of 50 to 75.
> Budgeting for the $100 will raise the site fee by 1.33 to 2.00.  This can
be
> significant.  The question becomes "how does this policy (3 pages for 1
event
> and pay for all the rest) affect the smaller groups?"

I appreciate Master Michael Silverhands pointing out my earlier error about
being able to split the pages between events.  I think the policy stinks,
BTW, and wish they would consider allowing us to split them.

In respons to Ansgar's missive quoted above, and speaking for the Small But
Tasteful Shire of the Wastelands, such an increase in budget will hurt us a
lot!  We may not be able to use the state park we've historically used due
to money problems with state parks here in OK.  If we are able to use that
site there will be a significant increase in fees.  If we don't use the
state park, we're pretty much left with Camp Cimmarron which, while familiar
and beautiful, is fairly expensive.  We are already at $10/adult as it
stands.  While our attendance has consistently been in the 150 or so range,
our "profit" margin has been fairly slim.  Typically we use that "profit" to
pay for things like our newsletter, loaner gear, etc.  I expect that the
increases in advertising costs proposed, including the non-member fees, will
make it more and more difficult to afford eventing.  I imagine it will
understandably cause folks to choose larger events in the region over ours.

I also tend to think higher and higher fees are in no way encouraging an
increase in membership--paid or otherwise.  I know when I and most of my
friends and family throughout the region began playing we were students or
just beginning our careers.  Annecdotally, one of the things that has
distinguished Ansteorrans from some of the other kingdoms has been the
accessibility of the game to a wide range of income levels.  Is it just me,
or is that changing?

It can be a pretty expensive hobby...but I hate to think of it becoming
financially exclusive.

Sigh.

Auntie Dwen