ES - Are we welcoming enough?

[Arabella de Montacute]

     Ok now it's my turn.  
     Shyness is hard for me to relate to because, those of you who know 
me know that I am the farthest from shy. As a newcomer, I too was 
Tanwyn's shadow for a few events, but those of you who know her, she's 
never still in one place, so I was on my own quickly.  That was a little 
rough, everything was a little overwhelming to begin with.  Defender 97 
was my very first exposure, no meetings, no fighter practice, no guild 
meetings, just 500 people in Garb at a camping event.  
     Tanwyn, who I had met outside SCA, said one thing to me, "I'll 
answer your questions when you have them, but I'll let it sink in first, 
we'll answer your questions later."  Then she introduced me to Averial 
Thorhalla, the Hospitaler of Steppes at the time, now Seneschal of 
Steppes.  I didn't know it at the time but she had also introduced me to 
our hospitaler, Kamile Kouchak.  Both these ladies answered every 
question I had when I had them.  
     If you see a newcomer, someone who looks interested, lost, etc... 
That introduction is the most important you will ever make, "Have you 
met ..... our hospitaler."  I was so excited about the SCA I wanted to 
read every thing I could get my hands on about our wonderful group of 
people.  Lady Mara sold me an SCA Handbook, I think I read it day and 
night for days until I had finished every section I thought I was 
interested in.  
     I try to approach people when I am at fighter practice, about the 
information my office provides.  I feel it can be the most important bit 
of information a newcomer can recieve, a calendar of events and 
happenings in our barony.  It also has a phone number of every officer, 
the people who, when they take the office, make the committment to help 
and educate.  If a person wants information they have a place to start, 
with an officer's phone number.  
     I always have extra copies to hand out and every newcomer who wants 
one gets the first one for free.  Subscriptions are reasonably priced.   
And to top it off I try to have my Chronicler's box with me every where 
I go.  I even sold two subscriptions at Springfaire.       Please seek 
me out if you find a newcomer who seems interested in finding out what 
we do.  I don't always see everyone, I try to approach people I don't 
know, but sometimes I miss a few.  
     Now having said my two cents worth, I will from this day, commit to 
do my part to improve my "hospitaler behavior." 
 
Sincerely and in faithful service to Barony and Kingdom,
Lady Arabella de Montacute, Chronicler,
Barony of Elfsea,
Kingdom of Ansteorra



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