RF - Unto the Populace

[Paul Gilbert]

Greetings to all.....   (this is long)

The words below are my opinion and only mine and that will get you, not
much....Please ALL, take them in a constructive vein, there is NO personal
aim(s) taken in any form or fashion. I only speak from my heart and love for
the Barony of Ravens Fort and the people of it.

Ragan is partly right, but partly wrong.

He has been overlooked for awards....but not deliberately, other than for
the reason that in the SCA there is a pre-established and accepted system of
gaining awards of any kind. He feels, for whatever reasons, he should not
have to use  what we call, the accepted method of gaining awards and
recognition. That is his choice. However, it is not the way the starship
runs. Thus, we have an impasse.

In service awards such as a Comet, Crane, Ravens Heart or a Pelican, one
works their ass off. The level of the award determines the level that most
of the work has taken place at.

In fighting, it is a bit broader on the level thing, but still one must show
others (associates, other fighters, peers, knights, Crown, et.al.) that
he/she is dedicated to fighting and they will be rewarded.

In A&S, the same applies. But here, part of the requirement is the display
of ones work. Usually this requires that one must travel to other events to
display their work. In time, if the work is good and continues to flow and
be good and improve and show that this person is also dedicated to what they
have choose to do in the SCA, the system will work and the person will be
rewarded.

That is the system as I see it.... does anyone see it different???

I would ask Ragan to please try to reach out and try to work within the
system. He might be surprised what he would gain

There are those times in which the system does fail. The failure comes for
various reasons. They can be personal conflicts, mere overlook ( you would
be surprised the number of folks that everyone thinks or thought they had an
AoA and did not), or some type of pooofa that occurs and the person
essential commits political suicide and is black listed. Don't think for a
minute that does not happen, cause it does. No matter what hobby or
profession one is in, that kind of stuff does happen.

I am talking about real, fact and life.

When the system fails, one needs to back up and look at it and figure out
what happened and can it be recovered? If not, you do your self no justice.
Everyone makes mistakes...even me...hehe :)

When one is trying to move up in their chosen field of the SCA, they should
seek and accept the offered help of others if possible. They should also, be
willing to work within the established "rules of the game". When they are
then running the game, they can begin to change the rules as they see fit.
Been there, done that.

As to the lack of participation in Ravens Fort.

My Lady and I came in 1995 to Huntsville. I begin playing 1996 (or there
about). She seeked out Crystal and Kief from the beginning. We both have had
this discussion frequently as well as others we know.  We came at a time
that participation was at a low. We now have an average of 30-40 people at
populace meetings. Not all the meetings, an average. This is a very seasonal
group (college town and summer thing). Our best attendance is in the fall
and springs. However, we have seen a consistent rise in participation from
the beginning of our participation.

Another fact about Ravens Fort....LOTS of folks claim Ravens Fort, that have
had to move away from the area and thus, looking at the domesday list (which
is several years old now) is a bit deceiving. Real life needs and problems
enter into the equation very often. Far more often that we like. We (Kezia
and I) were quite absent in June due to the death of her brother and other
items.

But........WE'RE BACKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!

Then there is the dirty, hidden truth that back there in time, there was a
great catechism (sp?). It split the Barony and left some hard feelings and
many people dropped out.

It has taken those 4+ years for the wounds to heal and folks to come back.
Some may never come back. That is their loss for they are welcome back!

Again, we have seen a constant increase in participation over the past 4
years.

We had 421 people at the Defender we did, over 500 at Crown, 370+ at the
Defender last year (we had competion on the sked), and over 200 at both of
the rainy Quests. These were some of the largest events we had ever had
according to the Reeves office records.

The only low attendance event we had recently was Manor and it was due to
events near to us and the style of event we had. Still, we had 130+ and only
lost $223. Beside the feast was the best part (hehehe :).

In looking at event reports that come into my office as Southern Regional
Reeve, we are doing pretty well for a group as spread out and transient as
our population is.

Our average attendance at events is 300+. This is better than most groups
except the super groups like Steppes.

We do not have the sheer huge numbers of indigent population to draw from as
Stargate does. Shadowlands, in  a city larger than we, have worse problems.

Add on top of all this and currently as a rule, the population of the SCA is
on a decline. I think we are doing pretty good, but we could do better.

Now, as to communication within the group, it is up to each and everyone to
see that they stay informed and participate at the level that they wish to
be dedicated and participate within the group.

If one does not wish to be  very informed, then they will most likely not be
very active, for they will not know what is going on...thus their level of
dedication is lower then someone that has the Internet list, the Quoth, the
Blackstar, calls about events and does things such as holds offices and make
meetings or some combination of any of the above.

BTW, I am not saying that one must hold an office to be dedicated to the
group. By maintaining good contact, coming to events, helping with them and
in general participating on a regular basis is an indicator of dedication.

Dedication comes in different levels. Some high, like the Pelicans, some
lower. You have to work at the level you are most comfortable with and can
participate with in your daily, real life.

NEVER...NEVER...NEVER....loose sight that this is just a hobby. A very fun
and rewarding one, but just a @#$%!@$ hobby.

In another hobby that I am very active in, I see folks complaining about not
being informed....I tell them that if they care, they will see that they are
informed.

The information is out there. The RF Internet list, the Quoth, call the B&B,
call Ice, call me. One only has to ask or look. With the busy lives of folks
today, things slip through the crack. They forget to ask. This is where
their level of interest comes in.

Those that are interested in participating will call, seek out, be on the
Internet list or do what ever they need to do to maintain a level of
informedness so they know when the meetings are, where they are and whatever
is going on. I had to deal with a person with this attitude today in that
group. He got pretty much the same speech you see here.

Now, as Lord Finn has offered, if someone wishes to be the Town Crier, then
GREAT!!! For that is still another source of information that people can
draw upon. There is even less reason then for people to not be informed as
to happenings in the Barony and Known World.

Ones level of participation is directly linked to ones level of
dedication/interest to the activity. I practice that daily.

Now.....take all I have said as CONSTRUCTIVE information...not any kind of
personal attack on anyone.

This is a stand back and look type observation and opinion on some
discussion that not just folks such as Tiarna Aodhfionn Mac Cormaic better
known as Lord Finn has expressed. This has been the subject of many
discussions at after populace dinners, beer and cigar sessions on my back
porch and driving down the road going to events on the radio's.

You want this Barony to grow.......????

Then this is how it is done.

EACH person makes a goal of this year (we have about 6 months left) to bring
in one (1) new person into the Barony of Ravens Fort and the SCA by the end
of the year.

Take them, help them, educate them in the ways of our chosen hobby and show
that they and you have made a good choice.

I have issued this challenge before to other groups I have been involved in
and it has caused a renaissance that can not be stopped or believed.

The gauntlet has been thrown down (clang!!!) Who will pick it up?

Ld. Niklas Vasilievich
Barony of Ravens Fort
Capt. of the Baronial Guard
Southern Regional Treasurer
Kingdom of Ansteorra
Yadda Yadda Yaddddddaaaaaaa

Paul Gilbert, KE5ZW                                Ld. Niklas Vasilievich
Huntsville, Texas 77340                            Southern Region Treasurer
281-536-5239                                           Barony of Ravensfort
PrimeCo PCS, Inc, Houston MTA              Kingdom of Ansteorra
              "No, the Pink Guy has still not found his phone"

P.R. does not stand for Public Relations, it means Perceived Reality