[Ansteorra] advice books

[Chiara Francesca]

We have actually done that here in the Steppes. There is one book for each 
of the three major events we hold.

The biggest problem for us right now is that the book is handed down from 
autocrat to autocrat.

I hope that one day we can put these in a format that we can easily pass 
around or have online for each to share.

Chiara

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Patty" <prand at swbell.net>
To: "Kingdom of Ansteorra - SCA, Inc." <ansteorra at ansteorra.org>
Sent: Monday, May 01, 2006 7:04 PM
Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] advice books


> This is a great handbook, I have used it myself.
>
>  What I would like our shire to do is come up with a handbook specific to 
> our group.  It could include info about the sites we typically use, who 
> the contact person is for the site and the particulars of the site.  Who 
> do we use for port o potties.  Sources for buying the food for feast--ie 
> so and so has the best price for chicken.  I would like it also to include 
> a copy of the event report so future autocrats can see the attendance 
> trend  and how many feasts we have sold in the past.  A detailed report 
> from each event would be helpful....what went right, what did not and how 
> it was handled.  Like the year it rained a whole lot before our event and 
> we had mud to deal with.  (we got lots of hay to spread around--a good 
> reason to have "incidentals" included in your event budget for the 
> unexpected expenses) Oh and include the budgets for past events. Not only 
> would this be helpful to autocrats but it would be a great history of our 
> events
>
>  Caitriona
>  Historian/Shire of Seawinds
>
>  I am also a past Senschal and was a co-autocrat for several events 
> including Coronation and our shire's 20th celebration
>  I was Hospitaler after only being active in the SCA for 6 months--great 
> way to learn about the SCA--on the job.  I went on to be the Coastal 
> Regional Hospitaler.  Being an officer is a way of giving back to your 
> group and making the Dream possible for everyone.
>
> HL Chiara Francesca <vscribe at ansteorra.org> wrote:
>  There are many publications that have such a thing already. The one I 
> think
> most of have used through the decades as been Lyssa's.
> http://tinyurl.com/z2n6p
>
> But the best part of her article is:
> Autocrat's Schedule
>
> 6 Months to 1 Year in Advance
> Get approval from seneschal.
> Ask exchequer for site deposit.
> Select and confirm site and price.
> Declare event name, site, and date.
>
> 4 to 6 Months in Advance
> Choose co-autocrat, crew chiefs.
> Prepare preliminary budget.
> Fill in site diagram.
> Draft menu.
> Contact officers, guilds, and entertainers.
> Meet with seneschal.
>
> 3 to 4 Months in Advance
> Send publicity to newsletters (kingdom, nearby groups, and special
> interests).
> Line up any missing crew chiefs.
> Ask exchequer for expense advance.
> Reserve porta-sans, order water and firewood.
> Meet with seneschal.
>
> 2 to 3 Months in Advance
> Meet with seneschal; discuss progress and budget to date.
> Attend official meetings, events, and practices; announce plans.
> Collect reservations.
> Reserve items from group storage; note damaged, missing items.
>
> 1 to 2 Months in Advance
> Prepare "trial feast"; finalize and print menu.
> Meet with seneschal, crew managers.
> Confirm all commitments of assistance.
> Purchase prizes, paper goods, decorations.
> Prescreen performers and entertainers.
> Hold poster party; print all signs.
>
> 1 Week to 1 Month in Advance
> Call people who were too busy to be crew chiefs, but who might spend
> some time working at the event.
> Hold final meeting with seneschal.
> Close reservation list; type up master list for the gate.
> Deposit last of reservation fees.
> Visit site with crew chiefs.
> Ask exchequer for food expense advance.
> Order feast items.
> Purchase non-perishable feast items.
> Borrow cooking and serving equipment.
> Call all crew chiefs for last-minute checks and changes.
>
> The Day Before the Event
> Prepare checklist of items to be transported to site tomorrow; organize
> and pack.
> Pick up perishable feast items.
> Deliver ingredients to advance cooks.
> Transport as much as possible to the site.
> Get some sleep (well, at least try).
>
> The Day After the Event
> Take down all outdoor signs.
> Thank all of your volunteers.
> Clean and return all borrowed items.
> Return non-perishables to group storage.
> Try to recover; treat yourself nicely.
>
> Within 30 Days After the Event
> Meet with crew chiefs to discuss event.
> Do accounting; calculate profit or loss.
> Type up autocrat's report; give to the seneschal.
> Gird your loins for next time.But it is by far the one the most of use.
> :)
>
> Chiara
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From:
> To: "Kingdom of Ansteorra - SCA, Inc."
> Sent: Monday, May 01, 2006 2:22 PM
> Subject: RE: [Ansteorra] advice books
>
>
>> An advice book or handbook even just a check list can be a great thing. I
>> remember being in a planning meeting once when the
>> steward remembered that he had fogotten to plan for porta potties! And he
>> was a seasoned steward.
>>
>> This was such a common sense item and such an easy thing to deal with as
>> an expereinced steward that it just slipped out of
>> the plans as not a big issue. Fortunatley we had planning meetings well 
>> in
>> advance and something someone else said made us
>> all think of it.
>>
>> If we'd had a checklist then even the experienced guys would have fewer
>> dropped balls. And for inexpereinced stewards a
>> mentor and a checklist would help a lot. I think every steward experinced
>> or not should have a metnor who's only job is to ask
>> all those annoyingly obvious questions. We can't all be supermen, but a
>> little help can make us all seem that way.
>>
>> Just my $.02
>>
>> Claire
>>
>>
>>
>> On 1 May 2006 at 12:39, Faelan Caimbeul wrote:
>>
>>> Great idea! Has anyone considered making "advice books" for the 
>>> different
>>> positions? I know in An Tir there's an event stewards advice book that
>>> helps
>>> steer people away from some of the more common mistakes of the trade so
>>> they
>>> don't keep repeating them. Maybe something like that, written well, 
>>> could
>>> alleviate some of the anxiety people feel about taking the plunge for 
>>> the
>>> first time.
>>>
>>> Faelan
>>>
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