May 2022 Business Meeting Minutes
Barony of Bhakail Meeting: May 10, 2022
Old Business
Pennsic
Report from the Bhakail Camp Master: Pennsic is coming, and is not likely to be canceled unless something crazy happens in the next month or two. Bhakail’s camp is shrinking for the year, with some people still dropping out due to concerns about COVID. We will have to figure out a seniority policy for next year because otherwise camp would be VERY full. The issue is that the policy in the past has been that people who camped the previous year are given priority for the next year–with some long-time Bhakail camp members skipping this year due to COVID, we need to make sure they still have space next year. Policies for next year will be discussed at upcoming Pennsic specific meetings.
Please email your camp master if you haven’t responded with camp fee, camp form, or have any questions or changes in plans.
There was a question about newcomers who have asked about camping with Bhakail this year, but knowing that the barony space is usually full, should they register with Bhakail? Chana said any newcomers should reach out to her (campmaster@bhakail.eastkingdom.org).
Letters of intent for Exchequer
The Senechal has not yet received any letters of intent, and will continue advertising.
Site for a possible future camping event
Alesia has reached out to the contacts for the girl scout camps and is still waiting for an answer regarding pricing, etc.
Waking of the Salamander
Event Steward Angela Mori reported that all bases are covered, and there were the following questions/remarks during discussion:
- Muin requested that Court be on Sunday
- Alesia commented that there is no pre-registration required with the new policies from the Kingdom. Event cap is 100 (set by the site), with 30 current pre-registrations.
- Angela asked if there is somewhere in Media to pick up a load of firewood?
- Mael Eoin referred to Ryan Young (Bhakail adjacent)
- Mikael also said he is willing to donate wood if someone can pick it up
- Eleanora the Tylemake will help with site tokens
- There will be no feast, and if people are interested in group cooking they can reach out to Angela (204522@members.eastkingdom.org) to coordinate
- It is unsure if there will be fighting, as most fighters will be at War of the Roses that weekend
- There is an opportunity for anyone interested in teaching a class on any topic; reach out to Angela (204522@members.eastkingdom.org) if interested in volunteering
- Taichleach reported that the Gaming Champion will be bringing games
- Angela will be brining a pavilion for shade and there is some tree coverage, but bring pop ups if you can
- Angela would like to have a get-together of people who have had different positions in the SCA to talk about what volunteer opportunities are available and what behind-the-scenes work is required to keep things working.
Commons
- The site reservation has been taken care of
- Event is scheduled for September 18, 2022
- Angela is interested in being event steward as is Roseia. Angela would like to turn it over to Roseia to run and is willing to help as she can.
New Business
River War
Roseia was the Bhakail liaison to the planning committee, but is stepping down because she is not able to attend River War. Sterling wants the event to have a Medieval Olympics theme, and is “Looking for people to help him plan shenanigans.” The liaison needs to be available to attend virtual planning meetings and discuss events. Mikael has volunteered to be the liaison, since he is already on staff for River War.
Yule
Alesia noted that we need an event steward. Brandr is willing to co-steward.
Election for Minister of Arts and Sciences
A call for letters of intent for the position of Minister of Arts and Sciences (MoAS) was published in April. One letter was submitted, from Scolastica Capellaria. A vote was taken and Scolastica was elected unanimously. Eleanora the Tylemaker volunteered to serve as deputy.
Letters of Intent for Seneschal
A call for letters of intent for the position of Seneschal was published in April. Two letters were submitted, from Martyn de Halliwell and Mael Eoin mac Echuidh (see the letters of intent appended.) A formal vote for Seneschal will be taken at the June business meeting.
Other Business
- Muin – Agreed to participate in a largess exchange at Pennsic among members of House Runnymede. He is seeking donations of largess specifically to the Barony of L’Ile du Dragon Dormant (https://dragondormant.eastkingdom.org/); if interested contact Muin directly at baron@bhakail.eastkingdom.org.
- Eleanora is working with a library group making garb at a demo. The library is looking for fabric donations for cloaks and tunics (viking), and is also willing to pay for sewing machines (up to $50).
Officer Reports
Coronet’s Report – Baron Muin maqq Minain
Hello the Peoples of the Barony, Our neighbors and Our Allies;
The sleepy months of Winter are now behind us, and We are now in the grips of the pollen laden Spring! Huzzahchu!
With that said, the event, Waking of the Salamander is right around the corner! Whether you choose to camp with Us, or day trip, the Event will be worth your salt!
On a related note, We had planned, some two years passed, to participate in an exchange of Largess and Favors with the participating members of House Runnymede. With the plague that has gripped the land, this activity has been pushed off until THIS year at Pennsic!
Bhakail will be trading Largess with the Barony of L’Ile du Dragon Dormant!
Any of Our fine craftspeople and artisans who wish to contribute to this Largess Basket, please contact the Baron.
In closing: Let us harken now to the Wise, and Winsome Poetry of Ancient Icelandic Peoples! Let these words whisk you away to a time e’er now long gone. Let it’s inspiration give your soul wings!
Bræður mínar fagna!
Sveifla, sveifla, sveifla með mér
Hækktu val þitt og hækkaðu röddina!
Syngdu, syngdu, syngdu með mér
Niður og niður í djúpið
Hver veit hvað við finnum fyrir neðan?
Demantar, rúbínar, gull og fleira
Falinn í fjallabúðinni
Fæddur neðanjarðar, sogaður úr steinspene
Alinn upp í myrkri, öryggi fjallaheimilisins okkar
Húð úr járni, stál í beinum okkar
Að grafa og grafa gerir okkur frjáls
Komdu bræður syngdu með mér!
Ég er dvergur og er að grafa holu
Grafa, grafa holu, grafa, grafa hola
Ég er dvergur og er að grafa holu
Grafa, grafa holu, grafa holu
Sólarljósið nær ekki svona lágu
Djúpt, djúpt í námunni
Aldrei séð bláa tunglið ljóma
Dvergar munu ekki fljúga svo hátt
Fylltu í glas og nældu þér í mjöð!
Fylltu magann á veislunni!
Stunda heim og sofna
Að dreyma í fjallgarðinum okkar
Fæddur neðanjarðar, vaxinn í grýttum móðurkviði
Jörðin er vagga okkar; fjallið skal verða gröf okkar
Horfðu á okkur á vígvellinum; þú munt mæta dómi þínum
Við óttumst ekki það sem er undir
Við getum aldrei grafið of djúpt
Ég er dvergur og er að grafa holu
Grafa, grafa holu, grafa, grafa hola
Ég er dvergur og er að grafa holu
Grafa, grafa holu, grafa holu
Ég er dvergur og er að grafa holu
Grafa, grafa holu, grafa, grafa hola
Ég er dvergur og er að grafa holu
Grafa, grafa holu, grafa holu
Fæddur neðanjarðar, sogaður úr steinspene
Alinn upp í myrkri, öryggi fjallaheimilisins okkar
Húð úr járni, stál í beinum okkar
Að grafa og grafa gerir okkur frjáls
Komdu bræður syngdu með mér!
Ég er dvergur og er að grafa holu
Grafa, grafa holu, grafa, grafa hola
Ég er dvergur og er að grafa holu
Grafa, grafa holu, grafa holu
Ég er dvergur og er að grafa holu
Grafa, grafa holu, grafa, grafa hola
Ég er dvergur og er að grafa holu
Grafa, grafa holu, grafa holu…
Be Well;
Muin, Baron of Bhakail
Seneschal’s Report – Honorable Lady Alesia de Maris of Ravenstar
The kingdom has dropped the requirement that you must pre-register for events. This now opens the kingdom a bit more and it means that if you are interested in attending the Waking of the Salamander you can attend without making a reservation.
Bhakail Commons is coming up in September. By tradition this event is held on a Sunday and is free. It is a good event for newcomers or for bringing friends and family who are curious about the SCA.
We are looking for an Event Steward for Yule. It’s never too early to start planning so let us know if you have any questions or are interested in being on the event staff.
Events are happening. Please stay safe.
Social Media Deputy – Magister Rowen Cloteworthy
Another month of social media. Photos of our new Prince and Princess have been shared to FB and email, along with a link to a video of them being Crowned. Information about this summer’s KWHSS has been posted. There’s been information on a talk at Penn, a class on improving folks’ wiki pages, information about largess for the Crown, an event and a demo shared from our friends in HHD, and more, along with six new subscribers to the FB page, including some people new to the Barony or planning to move here shortly, all of whom have been introduced to Lady Chana as Chatelaine.
Salamander Pursuivant’s Report – Lady Ragna Grímólfsdóttir
Heraldic Submissions:
From the Eastern Internal Letter of Intent (ILoI) – This letter includes all new names and devices that have been submitted to the Eastern College of Heralds in the last month. It takes about two months for items to reach the next stage, the Eastern Letter of Decision.
May 2022:
— John Patrick has submitted a new name (John Patrick).
From the Eastern Letter of Decision (LoD) – This letter reports what items will be forwarded to Laurel to be decided on and what will be returned to the submitter for more work. It takes about six more months for submissions to reach the next stage, the Laurel Letter of Acceptances and Returns.
May 2022:
— No letter has yet been posted.
April 2022:
— I did not see any submissions which I recognized as belonging to members or friends of the Barony.
From the Laurel Letter of Acceptances and Returns (LoAR) – This letter says what items have been accepted by SCA’s College of Arms and what has been returned to the submitter unregistered.
March 2022:
— Brandr Stillingr’s new name (Brandr Stillingr) has been approved by Laurel.
— Tighernán órdha‘s new name (Tighernán órdha) has been approved by Laurel.
If you are currently unsure of the status of your name or device, please contact me at herald@bhakail.eastkingdom.org and I will provide you with an update.
Knight Marshal – Lord Egill Illugasson
No report
Rapier Marshal – Don Melchior Kriebel
Practice is going forward, have not heard from the church regarding practice space
Archery and Thrown Weapons Marshals – The Honorable Lord Mikael melrakkI reporting
Practices continue on Sundays. Check the Bhakail Calendar for details. Practice on Memorial Day Sunday is up in the air, depends on whether anyone wants to come over after WotS
Minister of the List – The Honorable Lord Mikael melrakki
Nothing to report.
Exchequer – Mistress Philadelphia Brown
The 1st quarter report was submitted to the Kingdom.
Chamberlain – Honorable Lord Bryan Mac Dhunghaill an Boghadair
Will contact Barry to see if she needs anything for WotS. Will do the same with Commons when the steward is decided. As historian, still going out to events and asking for stories. Next one is Earl Horic’s Memorial Event.
Chronicler – Ellyn Grene and Brandr Stillingr
We have been working on plans to begin publishing a newsletter to be sent out by email. Our goals are to publish a newsletter every other month, and to have the first issue sent out the week before Waking of the Salamander. Has a hard drive for baronial history, also working on a paper record.
Minister of Arts & Sciences – Lady Scolastica Capellaria
Angela is doing a virtual A&S Zoom every Thursday from 6-9pm. Hartshorn Dale also has an A&S meetup every 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month on various constructive A&S topics.
Chatelaine – Lady Chana Freidl the Maker
Nothing to report.
Chancellor Minor’s – Lady Honorable Lady Roseia Poseia
Nothing to report.
Webminister – Máistir Mael Eoin mac Echuidh
Work on redoing the site continues; I’m trying to keep some aspects of our custom layout, but the “custom” parts that show the latest posts in three categories (Announcements, Events and Activities) can be hard to implement well.
I think we can drop Activities as a front-page must-see since we don’t have people providing content for our activities as we do them, so they get outdated pretty quickly. Same for Events as we often don’t have a good write-up for our events and have many months in between Tavern and Commons where anything interesting might be featured.
I’m open to thoughts on what should be on our front page, but I think we should feature some photos (which have been provided already) showing regular Bhakail activities that people can expect to find happening locally when they find us online. Other things (like business meeting minutes) shouldn’t be featured too prominently as they’re not going to be appealing to visitors, but need to be published online somewhere. Just not prominently as a feature of the Barony for newcomers 😉
If anyone’s interested in helping in any of this, and/or is interested in the office in general, feel free to reach out 🙂
Bailiwick of Ivyeinrust – Honorable Lady Livia Petralia
Martyn reported that he met with Livia and filed the quarterly reports. Two Penn sophomores have expressed interest in joining, which would mean space in Penn’s student activity fair.
Minute notes recorded by Brandr Stillingr and Ellyn Grene
Letter of Intent for Seneschal – Lord Martyn de Halliwell
Unto Lady Alesia de Maris, esteemed Seneschal of the mighty and great Barony of Bhakail does Lord Martyn de Halliwell send greetings!
Thank you for your service to the Barony over the last three years. When you first stepped up in 2019, none of us could have foreseen what was to come less than a year after you took on what was already a complex and sometimes difficult job. The work you’ve done has been excellent, your leadership has been exceptional, and the Barony is a better place today because we have had you as our Seneschal.
This is my Letter of Intent to serve as the next Seneschal of the Barony of Bhakail, beginning in June 2022, if that is the will of the Populace of the Barony.
Although you’ve known me since I first showed up in your living room 16 years ago when you hosted a Newcomers Gathering, not everyone in our fair Barony knows me so well, and I would like to share some of my background and qualifications:
I already have experience serving as a Seneschal within and for the Barony: I was Acting Seneschal for Bhakail and Interim Seneschal for Black Icorndall, and have also served a term as Seneschal of Ivyeinrust. In addition, I’ve been the Emergency Deputy for the Barony for the last 3 years and Chaired our Bylaws Committee in 2013, which successfully completed a substantial rewrite of the Baronial Bylaws.
In other roles, I have previously served as Deputy Mayor of Event Resources for Pennsic XLIV and served Bhakail twice as it’s Chronicler and twice as it’s Chamberlain. I’ve been the Autocrat/Event Steward for 5 Bhakail events, including two Yule Revels, and have nearly all the service I’ve done in the SCA on my EK Wiki page, found here: [https://wiki.eastkingdom.org/wiki/Martyn_de_Halliwell]
Outside the SCA, I have often used experience I’ve garnered in my 15 years in the SCA to help other organizations host better events and build programs with better volunteer “health” management, with special emphasis on the importance of self-care, creating a caring community of volunteers, and the art of delegation.
I most recently spent the last two years as the State Chapter President for a large young professionals organization which I grew from 12 to 27 active chapters, restructured it’s Charter, established *successful* working Committees, created trainings for event planning and volunteer management, and successfully implemented a program that had our all-volunteer organization create dedicated self-care time and meet overall organizational health goals. I also re-established the organization’s presence in a larger, national organization where I currently hold the position of Mid-Atlantic Region Director.
I currently sit on the Executive Committee & Board of that organization as it’s Immediate Past President, in an advisory role, and serve on three other organization’s Boards in the Philadelphia region.
In the past, I have taken on several roles in the SCA because I felt I “had to” or because I hadn’t properly glued my helium hand to the floor at the start of a meeting. Thankfully, I have grown a lot since then, and I am writing this Letter of Intent today not because I feel I need to, but because I *want* to.
I am excited about the opportunity to serve the Barony as it’s next Seneschal. To listen to its populace, to find ways to work with everyone to not only ensure our compliance with Society and Kingdom, but also ensure that that compliance does not become burdensome to our Officers and other volunteers. To make sure that we not only grow the Barony, but do so in a way that is healthy and sustainable.
I look forward to continuing the important work of coordinating between Officers and other volunteers to continue growing the Barony and ensuring we retain our existing membership, continue the success of our in-person events as we hopefully continue to exit the worst of the Pandemic and step into the next phase that is seemingly upon us.
If anyone wishes to discuss my letter or anything else, I can always be reached via email at 181171@members.eastkingdom.org or via call/text at 484-557-8757
Bhakail has always been my home and I have gained so much in my life from having the SCA be a part of it. It is my genuine hope to have the opportunity to give back to the Barony now and use everything I have learned to help the Barony continue to flourish.
In service,
Martyn
THL Martyn de Halliwell, OSC, OM, OT
aka TJ DeLuca (he/him)
Letter of Intent for Seneschal -Mael Eoin mac Echuidh
Greetings,
I would like to state my intent to run for Seneschal of our Barony and to thank Alesia for her service and stewardship of our group, especially through the difficulties of the past couple of years. Other groups have not fared as well, stayed as active or even grown like Bhakail has during your term and I would like to acknowledge your role and thank you for that.
I am throwing my hat with the intent to see some specific items through. If anyone else is considering the role, I would like to discuss supporting one another, whatever the outcome.
Specifically, I would:
* Solicit for an active, engaged Emergency Deputy Seneschal who would also be interested in the Seneschal role at some point.
* Offer the opportunity for anyone to be a Deputy for visibility into the job, especially new (or newer) members.
* Encourage the Emergency Deputy or other Deputy Seneschal to regularly do routine duties to become familiar with the role (run meetings as allowed by our Bylaws, etc.).
I would ideally serve no more than one term, and support one of the above folks in going for the role.
Projects I want to see happen:
* Review and redo our Bylaws; it’s been 6 years since the last review and they were intended to be reviewed regularly. We should consider changing/removing anything that’s not working out for us, if how we operate now is at odds with our Bylaws (or else make sure we’re following what’s been shared with Kingdom as our Bylaws of record).
* Actively help realize a Southern and/or Western Region identity. Actively work with other groups and individuals, supporting one another to have successful events (via staffing, cross-promotion, etc.) and avoid conflicts wherever possible.
* Host or facilitate regular “How to be a…” classes to help people understand what different offices are, what being an officer looks like for specific offices, etc. plus go over event roles, too (event steward, head cook, etc.). Actively demystify some of the roles in the SCA where we don’t always know what goes on until you do it.
* Have more discussion ahead of and publish an agenda for business meetings. Encourage more of an audience by leveraging the mailing list as our main venue for group discussions.
Why I think I’d be good for the role:
* The business side has been part of my SCA experience since I started out; whether I’ve been an officer or not, I make a point to go to business meetings. I’ve held offices since the early days of my involvement, from Canton through Kingdom levels, including Baron, Herald, Knight Marshal, Seneschal, Exchequer, Chronicler, and Webminister.
* I like making things efficient and hopefully easier for everyone, since we’re all volunteers. If we have rules to adjust, let’s adjust them. If we have extra items in our Bylaws not adding value or potentially causing issues, let’s consider their place. If Society or Kingdom already has a rule to cover something adequately, we don’t always need more definition or restriction, especially if the higher laws have changed.
* I’m active and engaged; since moving to the area, I’ve been part of our activities and events, from helping to start the Social, holding offices, and running or staffing events. I’ve also made a point of focusing on newcomers, including creating a successful newcomer household that has expanded to other Baronies as well as encouraging and supporting newer members to step up to offices, take on roles at events, and more.
What else am I doing now (full disclosure of existing commitments):
* New Groups Deputy Seneschal for the East Kingdom: This would not be a conflict (I checked with our Kingdom Seneschal already) and if a conflict did arise (if we had a new Canton form or if Black Icorndall wanted to come back, etc.), I would drop that role.
* Bhakail Webminister: I would look to hand this off.
* Coill Tuar Webminister-at-Large: I would look to hand this off.
* Plenipotentiary Deputy Kingdom Webminister: this means as much or as little as I want, to stay engaged with the Kingdom and Society Webministry. There’s no defined duties, other than any projects I want to work on.
I realize there’s a lot here, but it was a tough decision and I wanted to make sure if I did put myself forward that *I* knew why and should be able to convey the reasoning along with any considerations I should make known around former or current roles.
I look forward to seeing other candidates step up and whoever is chosen, I hope to work with anyone else to further projects for the benefit of us all, whoever is in the role and wherever the ideas come from.
In Service,
Mael Eoin mac Echuidh
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Leave a Reply