[Northkeep] Just asking

[zubeydah at northkeep.org]

Quoting Craig Henson <lord_gerard_de_le_quartier at hotmail.com>:

> I've never heard of this, is it something official within the SCA or 
> something just made up?
> 
> Gerard

*smile* No, this certainly isn't something that I made up.  The Waterbearer is 
a deputy of the Chirurgeon, just as the Webminister is a deputy of the 
Chronicler. It is a Kingdom, Regional, and Group level position. Last year, 
prior to Queen's Champion, I held both the Regional and group position. 
Currently, the Baronial WBIC is Montega Blackdragon.

Unfortunately, the resources have not always been available to develop 
knowledge about, participation in, and training for, waterbearing here in the 
North, or in the kingdom as a whole. Our current Kingdom Waterbearer, Lady 
Genvieve de la Gamba, has worked tirelessly with Lord Arkell, our Kingdom 
Chirurgeon, to help turn that around. One of my jobs as northern regional 
waterbearer is to support them in that goal by raising awareness, and training 
folks to do the job. There's a lot more to it than mindlessly toting a milk jug 
or two and bellowing "Water! Gatorade!" 

We've developed Kingdom-wide standards for sanitization for events in 
Ansteorra, using the new 'non-contact' rules, and have worked to 
reduce 'partisan' waterbearing at large scale events. This training and these 
standards formalizes and acknowledges the 'chain of command' on the field, and 
also provides a general overview of the primary health concerns facing 
combattants. (How to recognize Heat Exhaustion, Heat Stroke, etc.)

Here in the north, I've personally put over 30 people through training classes 
in the last year. The class details the core functions of the waterbearer, the 
aforementioned new standards, and lasts about an hour and a half. After the 
class, the individuals recieve a yellow non-contact authorization card that 
allows them to serve on the field.  I've also been helping groups in 
Wiesenfeuer, Mooneschadowe, and Namron set up guilds, and am in correspondance 
with various Cantons to help them do the same.  

I'm also working as Regional to 'raise the bar' on the standard of service 
provided, by trying to demonstrate the clear link between exemplary 
waterbearing service to combattants, staff, and participants, to more enjoyable 
events as a whole. Unfortunately, sometimes it does all come down to the 
Almighty Buck. Providing services does cost money. Some groups in the North 
understand that. Some don't, and *expect* waterbearers to pay for their own 
supplies. (Thankfully, Northkeep is not one such group.)

Probably more answer than you were hoping for....

-Zubeydah