DSH Meeting Notes May 2025

DSH Sunday, May 18, 2025
Attendance: Temair ingen Muiredaich, Lettice Peyton, Casimir, Vienna de la Mer, Les P,
Catalina (Llewelyn is working and would make comments via Catalina), Mikael Brooks,
A’isha, Baroness Clarice, J Wat (Rosette), Jaji, Morgan Rhys, Isabela D’allaines Le
Comte
Missed beginning due to technical difficulties
Coronet:
Morgan: Amazing time at crown. Cool to see everyone out there. Tip of hat to Alejandra
for taking a role to getting A&S going. We have an upcoming Pride Fest demo & will be
making pennants for parade under guidance of Alejandra. He wants to know who in the
Barony will be going to Pennsic and where they will be. Would like the Coronet to be
kept in the loop with any members who are chosen as Champions, are involved in
activities, etc.,
Clarice: glad to see so many people at Crown and seeing people from our Barony doing
so well. She will be going to Beltaines this year, Anyone from Barony going so we can
set up a central meet-up. She also wants to know who in the Barony is going to Pennsic
so we can be sure to support them. She will be there for both weeks this year.
Vienna: Are things needed for Runymeade dinner for Pennsic?
Clarice: Would like to bring little gifts for the dinner.
Casimir: How do people let you know what they are involved with at Pennsic?
Morgan: Hate to suggest seting up another group.
Catalina: We can set up a Google form/spreadsheet for people to fill out
Vienna: we have a google drive
Temair: Either that or a google poll
A&S (Lettice Peyton): She’s working on getting her EK email set up. Doesn’t think she
has an email linked to MoAS yet. Thursday night classes are being setting up: Viking
wire weave, dance, How to order fabric over the internet, etc. She’s looking for people
to step forward to teach especially: cooking, embroidery ,baking, book binding, buttonmaking,
event cooking, etc. She gave thanks to Susan, Rosette, Casimir, Morgan, and
A’isha for coming to the class discussion meeting last Thursday. Will be setting up a
Google form up soon for people who want to offer a class and there will be a link on
Facebook group. If you are interesting on teaching on a kingdom level, this is a good
chance to practice or get started as an instructor. Looking to do long-form or weekend
classes but will work on this more after Pennsic. Classes could be hands-on or a
lecture. Possibly Historical fencing and fighting; Historical marshal arts. Looking at the
possibility of a formal schola. Try to host something like game day. At Game Day, half of
the room was unused and we could utilize that space for classes for our next Game Day
event. Looking at having out-of-barony teachers perhaps teaching via Zoom (e.g. veil
hemming, herbalism). Started to look for non-SCA classes available over the internet
like MEDATS (Medieval Dress and Texile group). She will post them as they are found.
Highly recommends MEDATS. She saw a MEDATS class on ruffs and it was
fascinating. To support hand-on classes, she requests a budget of $100/month to cover
the cost of materials. To support teachable hands-on classes, requests budget:
$100/month to cover cost of materials.
Casimir: would like to make a motion to budget up to $100/month for A&S.
Temair: any other member of the barony can second that. She would have prefer to
have a budget for each class rather than arbitrarily coming up with a dollar figure.
Catalina: Would prefer an exact number and that $1200/year is a sizeable amount.
Casimir: We would be using up to $100/month but it’s not something we’d be using
each time.
Lettice Peyton: How much do we currently spend on fighters.
Temair: Storage isn’t just for the fighters. The shed at the Keef center didn’t have a
monthly cost.
Catalina: Storage was a one-time cost to purchase the shed (probably from BJs). If we
have $100/month, it locks us in.
Lettice Peyton: would prefer not to have a discussion/argument every week on costs.
Temair: suggested a once-a-month price list for that month’s A&S classes and that
would work better for the office long term. Barony doesn’t say no very often so wouldn’t
expect there to be an argument over funds.
Lettice Peyton: Classes will be discussed in new business but we don’t have exact class
(or material) list yet.
Temair: People may be able to bring their own stuff to class.
Casimir & A’isha: Cost would be for consumable materials. Tools wouldn’t be a cost to
the Barony as instructors and students would either bring their own or they would be
borrowed from within the barony.
Lettice Peyton: Reiterated cost would be for consumable supplies and she doesn’t have
space to store anything.
A’isha: suggested charging a nominal fee so that people have “skin in the game”.
Students are more likely to actually show up if they know they have to pay rather than
saying they will, the Barony incurring the expense for supplies, and then having noshows
because it’s “free”.
Temair: the finance group consists of her, Maria, and seneschal? and they would review
and approve expenses.
Catalina: Thinks that it was custom to vote on expenditures over $250.
Chamberlain: Llewelyn on work call but may join later.
Herald (Mikael Brooks): Had a minor complaint. He wasn’t given any onboarding for the
position and is now trying to scrape together links to do heraldry. Someone in our
barony got a silver rapier (Maria) and he wasn’t made aware of it.
Temair: The website for Shepherd’s Crook should have information on awards.
Acknowledged that Kingdom isn’t the best at posting accurate and timely event reports.
Vienna: Event reports are lagging somewhat. She found out she got a Consort’s Order
of Esteem well after the fact.
Catalina: Would be helpful to put information on the office in the draft of the Baronial
Officers’ Handbook. The draft is saved to the baronial Google drive.
Temair: If you know and want to report on awards given at a Kingdom court out of
barony, that’s great but it’s not really part of your report. If an award is granted at a
Baronial Court or a Baronial event, that’s different. That should be included in the officer
report.
Catalina: As you learn your requirements of your role, email her and she’ll add it to the
Handbook. This includes anyone who’s learning their role or a “cool trick” you’ve
learned. It’s a living document.
Chatelaine (Jaji): Still learning as he goes. He’ll submit report to regional or whomever
as he learns. Current gold key is with the supplies. He was given donations from Baron
Joe and Baroness Brose but hasn’t had the opportunity to sort it out yet.
Morgan: has cards to use at Pride Parade.
Jaji won’t be attending parade due to mundane considerations. Would like to do a
cooking class in the fall.
Casimir: Officers need to have an EK email address. He’ll find the links and send to Jaji
Catalina & Llewelyn: Totes of Gold Key are in their trailer and garage. Sam had
organized the clothing into women’s/men’s/kids’ sizes. There are still clothing in bags so
we may need more totes or decide if we should consider donating the extra garb to
perhaps another barony’s gold key.
Fencing (Les): Continues on Thursdays. A&S folks are welcome
Heavy (Balfar): Practice is starting up again on Monday nights from 7:30 – 10:00 pm in
Naugatuck.
Thrown Weapons (Leon): Practice has started on Wednesdays at 5:30 pm (weather
permitting). The location is his house at 185 Old Coach Lane, Stratford. Call first to
check to see if has changed for that week. The last Wednesday in June will have no
practice due to scheduling conflicts.
Archery (Casimir): He still needs to get the loaner gear. Practice is still in limbo as he
looks for a location. He plans on being at the BBM practices until a local place is found.
If anyone needs help going through their gear or with repairs, please contact him.
Webminister (Casimir): working on updating website. Will need info to create St Eligius
page. Still getting emails squared away. Hopefully, Jaji & Peyton will soon have working
officer emails. Had problems with email list provided by Vienna.
Vienna: the email list would be one more point of contact to get information in/out.
Chronicler (Casimir): needs to find out what reporting is done to kingdom.
Social Media (Kiera): A Facebook Page has been created. Hasn’t added any content
yet. Needs to add other page managers: Agapios, Clarice, and?
She wants to know how Casimir gets information for the website. Maybe they can talk.
Photos will be needed for creating Facebook events.
Vienna: Anything put on the page will be visible to the public. The Facebook Group: has
chats, discussions, and is private. The Facebook Page: public, information available to
general public on events/gatherings, no chats. That’s why there are separate entities.
Morgan: Having them named the same thing is confusing to people. Having a
differentiator would be helpful.
Vienna: Facebook is particular on their naming conventions.
A’isha: Would permission be needed from people to have pictures/listings on Facebook
Page?
Vienna: The page is only used to list events and practices, no commenting.
Seneschal (Vienna): Curia is on June 3rd, order of Mark is the only change to be
discussed.
Morgan: formally announced to march in Pride. Most of downtown Middletown gets shut
down. There’s not a great deal of parking set aside for this and suggests people get
there earlier than they think. He’ll post a map with the public lots and you can park on
any legal spot on the side streets. Parade starts at the far North end of Main Street with
people lining up on Spring Street. It ends at the South end of Main Street at Union Park.
The full length of the parade is a little over a mile. It’s a great event to recruit and raise
public awareness. He has the banner Vienna made and just needs to rig up poles so it
can be hoisted in the air.
Vienna: has retractable flag poles if you think it will work
Morgan: Hopes to get as much heraldry and banners as possible. Feels the pageantry
attracts folks. Please let him know if you are going. He’s told the parade organizers that
the group is less than 25 people (number of people will determine where the group is
placed in the parade). Right now it’s only 2-3 people beyond his personal household.
Asks people to let him know if they are coming before the morning of the parade.
Catalina: Can post about the parade on the Discord Fencing group. Here is the link to
the Middletown Parking Dept: https://www.middletownct.gov/227/Parking-Department
New Business:
St Eligius: Catalina: helping Maria with stewarding the event. Met with Town of Durham.
The town now has had the opportunity to practice renting the community center out.
They have a formal policy but it’s being reviewed. She spoke with the administrator. The
community center used to be a kindergarten/elementary school before. Town has
invested in more insurance so full use of the kitchen is now available. Prior to this, it
was only available for warming food. There are ranges, ovens, and a full serving line at
the school kitchen. This would be more effective for dayboard. The town requires a
SafeServ person is running the kitchen and will need to include the certificate with the
contract. The gymnasium has an “interesting” floor which is not to the town’s liking but
they need to keep it safe. For that reason, the town will provide tables, etc. that will be
on that floor. There are no knives allowed on the property. She’s working with them on
possible fencing but still in discussion. This is a dry site. There will be restrictions for
people who want to enter brewing into the competition. We would have access to the
entire building: cafeteria, gymnasium, kitchen, four large classrooms, foyer, and library.
The building is one floor and ADA compliant. The parking lot has ramps to the building
and there are sidewalks flush with the parking lot. Last year the cost was $600. This
year it would be $600-$1200 for the day but probably around $800. The policy rewrite
should be done by July. She wants a discussion with the Barony so we can file the
application by end of July. We are penciled in for November 15th.
Isabela: Asked if anyone has an embroidery machine or knows of someone with one.
Agapios and she made embroidery files of the Baronial awards and badges. They are 2”
in size.
A’isha: Is the kitchen an exception to the “No Knives” restriction or do we have to use
their equipment rather than bring our own?
Catalina: She will discuss what equipment can be allowed on site especially with regard
to cooking at a future meeting with the center. If anyone has any questions/concerns,
contact Maria and her especially if you want it added to the proposal.
Balfar’s: Casimir would like to be the Event Stewart for 2026 especially now that he has
experience. Payton Lettice made motion. Morgan seconded. Casimir wants to make it
big as it is the 30th Anniversary of Balfar’s Challenge. See him if you have any ideas.
Pride Parade Pennant Project (Morgan): Alejandra put together a detailed plan. To
make 2’ pennants with populous badge. She’s spearheading that and construction
would be done at the next few A&S Thursday meetings.
Temair: Would need a copy of the budget.
Morgan: less than $100.
Temair: Send the budget to the exchequer email so both Maria and she will get it.
Other Business:
In Person Officer Meeting (Vienna): Vienna would like to set one up, possibly as a
BBQ. She’ll toss out some possible dates so keep an eye out for that.
A’isha: Would it be just for officers or deputies as well?
Lettice Payton: Would it officer significant others be welcome?
Vienna: Yes to both but the partners of officers may be bored by the business aspects of
it.
Champions Day:
Clarice: have we figured out what’s going on with Champions day?
Vienna: hasn’t head anything yet.
Catalina: Crown was a distracting activity so Llewelyn hasn’t had the chance to do more
on that.
Morgan: looking for something in October time frame.
Catalina: Looking at October should give enough time to find a site and figure out how
to run activities.
Other Items of Note:
Lettice Peyton: How do I gain access to the Baronial MoAS email?
Casimir: Set it up to go to her email and ran a test. Did she get it?
Lettice Peyton: didn’t go through.
Casimir: will trouble-shoot and let her know.
Catalina: Would like to revisit Baronial custom. There was some discussion before
about an in-person meeting.
Vienna: suggested having a meeting BBQ at her home in Naugatuck as she will be
recovering and would make travel easier for her.
Catalina: Bring custom outline/draft?
Vienna: If you could send it, that would be helpful. Would like to make an officers’ email
group and a Google drive for it.
Catalina: Thought the access to the Google drive was by request but it was under the
control of the Web minister. She’s still on it as she wasn’t removed when it was originally
set up.
Casimir: Will we have heavy list practice next Monday as it’s Memorial Day.
Vienna: Building is closed for Federal and State holidays so no practice.
Vienna: Would like to set up a regular time for baronial meetings and would propose it to
the Facebook group.
Casimir: We traditionally “meet” on the 3rd Sunday of the month at 2 pm with variance to
allow for holidays and major events.
Vienna: The upcoming meetings will be:
06/22 (shift to allow for Fathers’ Day)
07/20
08/21: probably a good day for the BBQ for officers
09/24
10/19
11/09 (shift suggested by Catalina so we meet BEFORE St. Eligius)
Isabela: Suggested avoiding back-to-back meetings.
Dates to Avoid: 11/08 (Artifacts of a Life) 11/22 (Hundred Minutes War)
Temair: Crown Tourney is in November, same month as St. Eligius
Isabela: Would like to have a Crown Tourney at Guilford Fairgrounds
Catalina: We’d need people willing to volunteer for two events back to back and that’s
not easy to do.