[Sca-cooks] Peers, Pressuring the BoD

[kattratt]

I thought I would finally reply sorry it took so long...
I can understand that it is difficult to do an event there with the snow
and all.  This is probably something we will have to just agree to have
differing opinions on... but I did want to address some of the items you
brought up.  After this since there is little food info we should
probably go off list with it unless folks deecided they want to discuss
this it does sort of concern feasts and events. Well anyways here goes.

jenne at fiedlerfamily.net wrote:
>
> Here's the deal.  The point of the event is to have a tourney.

I would disagree on this but that is just me and you already have
mentioned in your email the points I would raise when you talk about A&S
as well as feasts and scholas. So never mind...


>In the East
> Kingdom. In January. That means the tourney has to go on indoors, because
> if we have it outdoors, it's just an optional extra because if it snows we
> can't have the tourney. But, we also want to have a feast, which means a
> kitchen we can use, and other event like activities, which means some
> reasonable indoor gathering space for other things to go on.

I agree that you definitely need the space for all of that for an event.

> Think about your church down the road. Suppose we have the fighting in the
> fellowship hall. Then where does everyone else go? You've filled the only
> large space in the church. Same with Boy scout camps-- they tend to have
> only 1 large gathering space.


OK now this is just based on my experience with the fellowship halls I
have seen.  Mostly Baptist.
The size is large enough for fighting Light Weapon in the AM and Heavy
in the Afternoon on one half of the hall and A&S on the other half.
Feast of course in the same area.  All BIG events in the main area
essentially.  During the day you could also have classes off in the
Classrooms that are generally located somewhere around the hall and if
there aren't any Sunday school classrooms then run around the perimeter.
I know that we had merchants on one side of the hall and A&S on the
other.  Had I left off the scenery we could have certainly had some
fighting.

I wouldn't write off the church just yet just see if it is usable.


>
> We've looked into renting other camps than our main event site, the
> Ukranian Homestead. Most of them, in PA, are dry.  Dry camping events with
> fighting have problems: either they don't have enough attendees, or the
> attendees don't think honor applies to not drinking on a dry site.

This might be a regional thing I dunno... we have plenty of dry events
down here that are heavily attended.  Matter of fact the last Crown
Tourney I went to was Dry.

>We've
> even looked at church camps where the owners objected to the idea that
> unrelated people might be sleeping in the same bed.

I would write that sight off as it sounds like they only want their site
to be used be their own kind.... so to speak.



>I wouldn't
> characterize the other scout camps in my area as any more handicapped
> accessible than anyplace else, though they may have had wheelchair
> accessible bathrooms somewhere I didn't see.

Any boy scout camp should have an infirmary this in itself should have
wheelchair accessible bathrooms.
What do the boy scouts do in case some one is hurt at their camp?  I
know they can't exclude someone just because they are in a wheelchair
there are rules in their guide books about that I am sure.
>
> I've spent a lot of time looking at sites over the years.

And I am still just learning so I do understand the hard work that you
have put into this and I am NOT calling you to the mat I am just trying
to get an inkling of understanding, the only way I cna do that is to ask
questions.

> Now, we also use
> a non-handicapped-accessible schola site, and I'm darned sure that we
> could find a better site...

Uhmmm ok I think that you know what I would say here but I will say it
anyways... charge 2 more dollars a head and get the accessible site.
What is the going rate on Hotel ballrooms up there?
Our local collegiums are held at the local Unitarian Universalist
Church.  Might I suggest looking them up in your area.

> but I think it would cost us more than $100 a
> day, because of where we are, and that would mean that we couldn't
> routinely host scholas that draw 30 to 40 people and have a day fee of $5.
>

snip....

> Assuming we could get any of the sites that would require mats, just the
> site cost would be in excess of $600 more. Then we talk about mat rental,
> which is at least $100 for mats to cover the entire fighting area. Mats
> make our marshalls nervous. Then we have to pay for wear and tear on the
> mats, too. (If we could buy a used portable dance floor, that would work,
> but we can't rent one because we would damage it.)

Ok the only reason I mentioned the mats in the first place was because
it had been brought up as an item before hand... However....

2 suggestions for "mats".  Hit up a carpet supply store or send your
fighters looking for someone remodeling their house. Snag their old
throw away carpet.
If the fighters want to fuss about the work remind them that this is for
them!!! Roll it out at the site and then duct tape the hell out of it.
Duct tape will not hurt most of the floors that would require a mat.
For the ones it would hurt, then that sight won't work for fighting.
2nd suggestion... yep I did say 2... I had several doubting Thomases on
this one at first... but make a cardboard mat.  Yes it works. Yes it can
be fought on.  No it is not slippery. (No worse than that sacred floor
we are protecting).  This one came under close scrutiny for me as I was
using it at an event where there was to be an indoor fight and dancing.
Both dancers and fighters and marshalls walked the floor trying to trip
and could find NO fault in it. I can send instructions for making a mat
this way if you so desire. It is rather inexpensive. The cost being tape
and paint.
And wear and tear on it is simple to fix just get a new box...

> In my local group, I've been that person. I dumped it on someone else
> recently.

I hope that you forward or mention the problems that you faced to them
and maybe even pass on my thoughts.

>
> I have been looking for a VFW big enough to hold anything bigger than a
> bingo game for years.

Hmm this could be a regional thing again.  The one sight I saw was
huge!!! Then the one down the road from me is I would say at least worth
looking at.  Our problem is outside area being down in South Carolina we
can fight pretty much year round with the exception of maybe 3 weeks.


> The hall we currently use for our indoor fighting event is a PA National
> Guard Armory. It does have handicapped access to the main floor and part
> of the basement, which are the major parts we use, but in order to make
> the only toilet on a floor you can get to with a wheelchair handicapped
> accessible, they'd have to rip out the entire bathroom if not move the
> bathroom. Given the fact that they don't make a lot of money on renting
> the place, and that the National Guard doesn't really need a handicapped
> bathroom for their own people... I suspect pushing the handicapped
> bathroom issue would just end with getting the armory closed.

Ok now I might be totally off base here but... Correct me if I am wrong,
but you did say a PA NATIONAL Guard Armory... so that would mean that
that building is owned by either the federal government or the state
government. I am not sure about the laws up in Pennsylvania but down
here both Federal and State buildings are required to have handicap
accessible restrooms (Meaning wheelchair), and be smoke free.  Our
National Guard armory was where we had our senior prom thus it HAD to be
accessible.


>
> We'll probably end up renting a port-a-potty if I can figure out how to
> keep one secure between delivery and use and use and pickup,

This could be one of those regional things again but I have noticed that
for some reason our port-a-potties tend to stay put.  I have never had a
need to worry about the security of a port-a-potty.  The kids up there
may be different than down here... I mean we did have to worry about the
local Grocery Store Mascot sign in my home town because it was rather
easy to get down... Never put a plastic COW on top of a building in the
South... that is begging to be stolen!!! (Looked great on top of the
high school though!!!)


 and if the
> site agrees-- finding a place to put it might be interesting. (And if you
> don't think teens can get up to something in a handicapped port-a-potty in
> January, you need to relive your adolescence.)

Hmmm ok I guess I had a boring teenage life... well ok that and
Port-a-potties stink.

>
> I really think that it's important for us to look for a more handicapped
> accessible site for our scholas, and to provide at least one handicapped
> accessible port-a-potty.

Actually I think it is most important that you listen to those who need
the help.
And there in lies the problem.... where is Muiredach?
What are your thoughts on this? I mean is my area just totally
regulated?  Do we have to many gimps in my canton? (Myself
included...)Ow my back...
I dunno...
Nichola Buscelli

>
> -- Jadwiga Zajaczkowa
> jenne at fiedlerfamily.net OR jenne at tulgey.browser.net OR jahb at lehigh.edu