[ANSTHRLD] Assistance at a local level ( was: Eldwin's Submission 1)

[Alasdair MacEogan]

>  I know that as regional officers we are responsible for Crown lands and
>  groups that have opted for the no herald option. However, if the submitter
>  doesn't contact us, then we can't help them. 

Agreed.  This is one of the reasons I am trying to find out what happened in this case.  

>  Also, and Asterisk or Star can
>  correct me, but anyone can contact the nearest group to get heraldic help.

Really anyone can contact anyone for heraldic help.  usually it is easiest to contact the closest group herald as they have a better chance of being able to sit down with you to discuss things.  But with email and telephone, locality should not be a barrier.

>  Maybe that isn't publicized enough. It is preferred that you submit through
>  the group you play with or the regional if you don't have a group nearby.

That touches on the education issue I referenced.

>  I don't know that the College has totally failed, the Oakenwald Pursivant
>  pointed Eldwin to this list to get help and he is getting it.
>  I'll talk about the education below.

I did not say there was total failure.  Nor am I solely focusing on this one issue or instance.  I will say I consider it a failure at some level if a submitter has problems getting assistance or does not know who to turn to.  Whether it is a total failure or just a single instance that the submitter gets past is often a question of the person's own tenacity.  I do know of people that, for one reason or another, had issues with getting submissions through and just given up.  

I am not trying to lay fault here, but there is a pattern I have noticed of people not knowing where to turn for assistance and this is what truly concerns me.  Maybe I am alone in my concern and no one else sees this as an issue.  

Alasdair