[Steppes] Possible site for Steppes meetings, practices

[Elaine]

If there is a problem finding a venue, even one at short notice, you  
might want to look at the website of the Episcopal Church of the Good  
Samaritan. It loves the SCA. It is also just now beginning to open up  
its facilities for non-church activities, and we can get in on the  
ground floor. The best part of this venue is that, if we clean up the  
place after we use it, it is FREE!

www.goodsamaritandallas.org

The SITE  is in a quaint area near the spillway of White Rock Lake,  
MAPSCO 37Y. (The photos are of the site before the parish hall's  
renovation. New pictures will be up soon.) Parking is mostly under  
large live oaks, with area for overflow.

The PRIEST there is Fr. Bill Warnky. He is a great lover of all  
things medieval and Renaissance oriented. He even gets out the  
Cathedral robes once a year for an event which also includes most of  
the small congregation: they all trek to Scarborough Faire to hold a  
communion service from Henry VIII's 1549 prayerbook and is sanctioned  
by Dallas Diocese Bishop James Stanton. Is that dedication to a small  
niche of interest or not?

FOR MARTIAL EVENTS, There is a rather large, mowed field the church  
has to the west of the parish hall that  would be more than adequate  
for pavilions and heavy fighters. There is a nice grassy area between  
the large parking area  and the church building itself that the  
rapier group might like. The archers, unfortunately, know all the  
city rules about where permits for their shooting activities will be  
allowed, but why not use the place to work on working on bolts and  
arrows and the like?

For ACTIVITIES NEEDING A HALL, the recently refurbished Parish Hall  
is excellent. There is a small kitchen with all the goodies. Men's  
and women's restrooms are separate. There is a drinking fountain by  
the kitchen. Lighting has been recently redone in the PH makeover and  
is wonderful for needlework needs. Gamesters can have a fun time.  
Being Episcopal, they are not squeamish about meads and wines and  
beers being at a feast or contest.. Round tables for eight and chairs  
are also available. Also, the priest said merchants at events would  
be more than welcome, as well, like at a mini-tourney, for instance.  
It  is also the perfect site for small meetings or dance or music  
practices.

There is a small, grassy area on the back side of the church with  
swings for KIDS even. And a GARDEN with benches to relax and to see  
them from.

If you want to know from those with experience there, ask those who  
came to "Good Sam" to Prince Gunthar's seminar on Safe Handling of  
Food at events that he so graciously held, insuring the health of the  
population of Ansteorra.

If you have other questions, you may contact me (HL Lete Bithespring  
at this email address) or the Junior Warden there, who in charge of  
scheduling the date and time of the Parish Hall's  reservation times  
(Susan Walker 214-324-4463).

(I need to mention that there is absolutely no smoking inside the  
Parish Hall, please. Ashtrays are provided by the garden benches.)

Where else can you, even small groups of us,  get all this---for free?

YIS,
HL Lete Bithespring / mka Elaine Crittenden