[Ansteorra] advice books

Mon May 1 18:29:04 PDT 2006

I think this is a really great idea.  An event specific guide would also be 
helpful when writing an event bid.

Genevria, formerly known as Dagmar
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chiara Francesca" <chiara.francesca at gmail.com>
To: "Kingdom of Ansteorra - SCA, Inc." <ansteorra at ansteorra.org>
Sent: Monday, May 01, 2006 7:36 PM
Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] advice books

> 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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>>> http://www.ansteorra.org/mailman/listinfo/ansteorra
>>
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