CR - Regional Community (long)

[Mike C. Baker]

Pardon me for a split response: I'm going to respond to part of
Galen's message by replying to Lissette's message, and then pick up
a couple of the other items separately from Galen's original.

---Rita Menzie <rita at slideguy.com> wrote:
> Paul Mitchell wrote:
> > Galen here...
> > We must decide whether we're going to be a community
> > (I use "community" to mean the same concept I think
> > Amra was getting at when he said "fully-functioning
> > region").  Whether I have the resources to stir from
> > my routine and go to Graywood and help out there or
> > not, I need to decide whether their problems are mine.
> > We must each face this question, and answer it for
> > ourselves.  Some will choose to focus on their own
> > enjoyment or development in their chosen pursuits.
> > Some will choose to focus on their local group, or
> > on the Kingdom as a whole.  And some of us will
> > decide we want to take responsibility for the
> > development of our region into a community, even
> > if it's never to become a principality.
> The "we" you are talking about does not exist, Galen. You can 
> decide that you want to put your energy into building a
> community, I and many others may also, and by example inspire
> others, but clearly there is no "we" yet. I believe that is
> what Amra meant when he suggested that the region is not ready.

I beg to differ somewhat with Lissette: "we" exists, but has not yet
achieved a very useful self-awareness. "We" were present Saturday in
the late afternoon, gathered to formally discuss a pair of fairly
important matters. As much a nascent community as an actual one, but
that is to be expected. We, who become "we", still tend to
self-identify with our current home branch and the kingdom as a
whole before we consider ourselves part of Central Region. (From
prior comments in this forum, Richard Fairborne appears to be a
notable exception to this.)

Other than in its incarnation as an administrative division, the
Central Region of Ansteorra is still very much in the process of
"becoming" as a community. There is actually a fairly siginificant
difference between the community we may be and become, and that myth
of a functional region. We've many strong-willed personalities, some
in particular who will never be easily satisfied. We've others who
will never say a word, and perhaps just slip away into the shadows,
and perhaps vote overwhelmingly yea or nay depending upon whose
voice they last heard. 

If I may adapt an image-in-words which I read recently, and consider
the SCA on the whole as a family-by-choice, Central Region might be
considered one of the teenagers who is in the clutches of the first
confusions and emotions of puberty.

"Fully-functioning region": I make no particular claims as to what
that really means. That definition remains for the populace of the
region to decide, at least as far as I have thought things through. 
Deliberate planning of regional events, on an on-going and regular
schedule, would do a great deal toward achieving several of the
probable goals I personally foresee as being positive for the
Central Region. A sense of community is certainly one of the
desirable goals that might be attained in the process.

I may be another voice in disagreement to what I perceive as the
current kingdom policy for / toward regional officers, as evidenced
by Galen's other remarks, other recent message traffic, and
oft-faulty memory of past conversations. So long as the regional
officers are no more than paperwork conduits, they will not be
representative of the "core group" around which community builds
itself. 

EXCEPT and unless they choose to go beyond the narrower definition
of their offices...

> In the mean time I plan on attending as many out of town events
> as I can with the intent of not only supporting those groups,
> but of doing what I came into the SCA to do; learn, have fun and
> make friends.  I am willing to participate in demos outside of
> my Barony as long as my mundane schedule cooperates. I am willing
> to participate and teach what I know to other members.

As am I, a willing and often willful volunteer.

My friends, I hesitate to invoke the dread words in this current
context, but I am one who believes strongly in "the Dream". Define
it however you will for your own purposes, for *me* the phrase makes
a convenient shorthand for the sense-of-wonder others call "crossing
over" as much as it invokes the thought of the pageantry, codes of
personal honor, and that sense of always being able to "go home"
anywhere around the world. (Again, my words fail me in this poor
description.)

Part of *my* Dream included the desire and the expectation of
sharing what I have found, what I have researched, what I have
experienced, with as many people as I can. (Heck, bring in the pets
and the working animals as well. And have *fun* doing it.) In order
to make this a part of my experience, of my enjoyment, I go to
events where and when I can. I go to local meetings (of whatever
type) whenever I can. I work on assorted projects in my other spare
time, including handwork carried to occupy my hands during long
courts or other waiting time.

And I am willing to do all of this on a wider scale when I can. 
Currently, I'm somewhat limited by my transportation (anyone who has
seen my vehicle will understand that remark...) and a need to make
part of my hobby pay for itself. I ALSO see my actions as a merchant
as part of trying to assist others in achieving their own vision of
the Dream, selling  multi-purpose items (knives for costuming &
feast use, as well as for their other "tool" functions, etc).

The efforts which will grow the Central Region into a community will
take leaders, singers, story-tellers, armored fighters, artisans,
merchants, drudgework, and (patient) spectators. And transport
drivers / carpool coordinators.

> > <snip>
> > With the right people, it could work.  I think.
> The key to everything in this and every endeavor of its kind...
  
"Hoo boy, girl". (You speak a great truth, m'lady. And Sir Knight
before you.)

We've got some amazing strengths and some perplexing weaknesses when
it comes to attracting and keeping "the right people" in the SCA.
One of dual-edged concepts we must face is that we grow our
population by attracting the "dreamers" and thrive as branches and
as an organization by keeping the "doers". Or harnessing the
dreamer's dreams into doing things for more than themself.

All right, then. What are the specific actions that we can plan
which might strengthen and coalesce the Region into a community? The
short list, as I have it in mind thus far (some of these were indeed
only recently plucked from thin air):
Regional Demo Team

More / Better Officer Training & Support for the smaller branches

More / Better recruitment of volunteer workers & leaders

More / Better Supported Regional Events

Encourage travel within Central Region 

Borrowing a recent statement of concept from the Ansteorran kingdom
mail list, "fosterage" for newcomers to include sharing transportation

Participation in events in other Regions *AS* representatives from
Central Region



Much to think upon, much to dream about, much to do!

===
Adieu -- Amra / Pax ... Kihe / TTFN -- Mike
(al-Sayyid) Amr ibn Majid al-Bakri al-Amra  /
Kihe Blackeagle (the Dreamsinger Bard) / 
Mike C. Baker: My opinions are my own -- no one else would want them!
Homepage: http://www.geocities.com/Area51/8661
Alt. e-mail: KiheBard at aol.com, MikeCBaker at aol.com

_________________________________________________________
DO YOU YAHOO!?
Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com

============================================================================
Go to http://www.ansteorra.org/lists.html to perform mailing list tasks.