General Information

The Marche of Alderford is a local branch of the Society for Creative Anachronism, located in Stark, Carroll, and Tuscarawas Counties, Ohio. We are part of the Barony of Brendoken, which in turn is part of the Middle Kingdom.

This section contains general information about the Marche of Alderford — who we are, how often we meet (and how to get there), our officers, and our shire policies.

If you are new to the SCA and are unfamiliar with the terminology, you may find our online Glossary helpful. Links to the Glossary, our search engine, site map, and article index, are found in the upper-right corner of every page, as well.

Area map courtesy Geoffrey of Wroxeter (mka Eric Browning). Used by permission.

Alderford E-Mail Lists

Introduction

Alderford maintains several mailing lists to help members keep in touch. The main Alderford list is for any general discussions related to the shire. An Event Staff list is also provided for event planning.

The advantage of an e-mail list such as this one is that members of the group can easily communicate with one another, without the need for each person to maintain an address list in his or her own e-mail software.

In addition to Alderford's lists, this server has a number of other SCA-related mailing lists. A complete catalog of lists is available.

Subscribing to the Lists

Each list has its own information page, and these pages contain the forms to subscribe to that list. Your subsbriptions are managed independently of one another, and you can change your options for each list to which you are subscribed.

• Alderfolk@alderford.org (Main e-mail list)
• Eventstaff@alderford.org (Event planning list)

Guidelines for Use

Subscribing to the lists is entirely voluntary, and there is no charge to members or to the shire. Subscription is restricted to members only, and to selected other parties at the discretion of the list moderators.

These are unmoderated list, meaning that all messages are posted without review by list moderators. The moderators will remove messages which are libelous, which violate copyright or other applicable law, or which violate SCA or Middle Kingdom policy, but will not edit for content.

Members are asked to refrain from excessive profanity, remembering that this forum is also used by young people and their parents. We are all Ladies and Lords of the Current Middle Ages, so please let's behave accordingly.

Please note that not every shire member has an e-mail address, and some of those who do may not check it as often as others. The mailing list is not a substitute for other means of communication. A portion of the relevant SCA policy document is reproduced below, for your convenience.

SCA Policy on Electronic Communication

The following text is reprinted verbatim from SCA policy. The original document can be found in the Revisions to Corporate Policies:

Electronic Communications to and from SCA Officers

3.1 Formal communications to and from SCA officers may be directed through electronic means (E- mail) as well as through postal or fax systems. However, messages posted for general attention on any public system may not be regarded as formal communications to an officer, whether or not that officer is known to participate on the bulletin board system in question.

3.2 Formal E-mail correspondence with an SCA officer is acceptable and official only when the officer has offered to communicate electronically, by placing his or her E-mail address in SCA publications, by releasing it for individual use, and by initiating E-mail corresponding for official business.

3.3 Formal E-mail correspondence from an SCA officer is appropriate only as a reply to incoming E-mail where electronic communication is clearly invited and welcomed by the recipient.

3.4 In any official E-mail correspondence, it is the responsibility of the sender to make sure that a hard copy, unless waived by the recipient, is sent out by a known and working path. A hard copy must also be sent to those individuals indicated as receiving a copy of E-mail correspondence, unless they too have waived the need for such a hard copy. The "default" path is any established postal delivery service.

3.5 Official electronic correspondence must be treated like any other piece of official correspondence. Any policies or procedures governing the handling of official correspondence, such as the maintenance of file copies for correspondence with lasting effect, apply equally to official electronic mail.

Alderford Meetings

 

Note: You can also read our Business Meeting Minutes on this web site.

Regular Meetings

The March of Alderford holds two regular shire meetings each month. These are on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month, regardless of the date. Meetings begin at 8:00 p.m. and end at 10:00. If you're in doubt about which nights have meetings and which don't, visit our Calendar page to be sure.

The Society for Creative Anachronism is an "open" organization in the sense that you are not required to be a member to attend meetings. All March of Alderford meetings are free and open to the general public. You do not need to be in costume to visit our meetings, but you are welcome to wear garb if you wish.

How to Get There

Alderford meetings are held at the Perry Township Police Department in Perry Township, Ohio. The street address is 622 Genoa Ave. SW, Massillon OH 44646.


View Larger Map

What We Do At Meetings

The first meeting of each month is where we handle routine matters such as reports from the officers, planning of upcoming events and activities, and in general taking care of the needs of the modern world. The second meeting is our "social" meeting, and business matters are limited only to what is time-critical. The remainder of the second meeting is open for socialization and working on (or discussing) your latest Arts and Sciences projects.

Garb at meetings is of course always welcome, but since so many people come there directly from work or school, we generally wear street clothes. If you have an A&S project you would like to work on during the meeting, this is perfectly welcome provided it does not disrupt the meeting and it is not messy or otherwise damaging to the meeting site.

How Much Does It Cost?

Our meetings are free for both members and nonmembers. At each meeting, a donations box is open for voluntary contributions to meet expenses such as postage for our newsletter and other official correspondence. Most members put in a dollar or two per person at each meeting, but the amount is up to the individual. We do not collect dues, nor do we track who does or does not contribute. In particular, we do not ask this of first-time visitors; you are our guests.

Fighter Practices

Alderford fighting practices are held at any of several locations, depending on weather and availability and the inclination of the fighters. Generally, practices are on Sunday afternoons from noon-ish until everyone is tired (generally around 4:00 p.m.).



Summer Practices at Einar's Residence

Our summer fighter practices are typically held at the home of Sergeant Einar. Contact him by email (einar@neo.rr.com) for directions and scheduling information.

Directions to St. John's Cathedral Gymnasium

This is generally our site for practices in the winter. The address is 627 Mc Kinley Ave NW; Canton OH 44703.

Directions from the NORTH: I-77 south to Exit 106, at the end of the ramp, turn left and follow 12th st to McKinley (5th light I think) Turn right on McKinley. The church will be on the left side between 7th and 6th. When you pull in the parking lot, the fellowship hall is in the basement of the building to the right. Use the door with the steps down towards the back of the parking lot.

Direction from the SOUTH: I-77 north to Exit 106, at the end of the ramp turn right and follow 12th St to McKinley(4th light I think) ) Turn right on McKinley. The church will be on the left side between 7th and 6th. When you pull in the parking lot, the fellowship hall is in the basement of the building to the right. Use the door with the steps down towards the back of the parking lot.

Financial Policy

The Alderford Financial Policy is designed to ensure that everyone in the Shire understands the fiscal policies of the shire, beyond those mandated at the Kingdom and Society levels or modern law. The Financial Policy was approved by the shire in October of 2003 and later ratified by the Kingdom Exchequer.

Marche of Alderford Proposed Financial Policy

The following points constitute the Marche of Alderford's financial policy in accordance with Society rules and regulations and may be superseded by any changes to corpora or Society rules and regulations.

• Four signatories are required to be on the group's bank account at all times. These will include the Kingdom Exchequer, the local Exchequer, the local Seneschal and one other officer to be decided by the Exchequer and Seneschal.
• Expenses under $50.00 may be approved jointly by the Seneschal and the Exchequer, but shall be reported to the shire at the next business meeting.
• All expenses $50.00 and over must go before the group for a vote at a published shire activity with a reasonable quorum present before being approved.
• All event proposals being submitted for approval by the group must include a budget.
• Expenses approved in an event budget do not need to be re-approved due to costs exceeding $50.00.
• Event expenses in excess of the approved amount must be approved as follows:
  • Amounts under $50.00 must be approved by the local Seneschal, the local Exchequer and the Autocrat/s.
  • Amounts $50.00 and over must be approved first by the Autocrat(s) and then by a group vote at a published shire activity with a reasonable quorum present.
• All receipts for approved expenses must be turned in within 30 days of the incurred expense for reimbursement with the exception of extenuating circumstances.
• All receipts must be reimbursed within 30 days of the time the Exchequer receives them.
• Cash advances are strongly discouraged.
• All cash advances must be reconciled within 30 days of the advance.
• All event reports must be completed and turned in to the exchequer or seneschal within 2 weeks of the time the 30 day reimbursement period ends.
• Any person who has written a bad check to the Society will be responsible for repaying the amount of the check and any fees incurred from that transaction by cash, money order or cashier's check. A second check will not be accepted to cover the fees of the first check. If this is not resolved within 2 weeks it will be reported to Kingdom. (Please note according to Society/Kingdom rules if the bad debt is turned in to the Kingdom, the person writing the check will not be allowed into any SCA sanctioned event without first paying, via cash, money order or cashier's check, the total amount of fees, bad debts and current event charges.)
• Any person writing 2 bad checks to the group within a one year period will be put on probation and reported to the Kingdom immediately. They will not be allowed to write a check to the Marche of Alderford for a period no less than one year from the date the bad debt is reconciled.
• All checks written by the Marche and not cashed within 180 days will be considered a donation.
• Receipts will be given for all donations; cash, property, services (if requested) and said receipts must be signed by the Seneschal. In the event the donation was made by the Seneschal the Exchequer will also sign the receipt.
• All funds given to the Marche must be deposited within 2 working days of the time the Exchequer receives them.
• All money must be counted and verified. Both the counter and the verifier are to sign off on the count.
• It is recommended that all financial questions should be directed to the local Exchequer. If there is a problem with the Exchequer this should be directed to the local Seneschal. If unresolved the situation will then be directed to the Regional Seneschal or Exchequer whichever is appropriate, and so on.

Heraldic Device and Badge

Alderford's device was registered by the Laurel Sovereign of Arms in late 1996.



The Society for Creative Anachronism has a College of Heralds that registers names and heraldic devices (coats of arms) within the SCA. These registrations hold no weight in the modern world but are permanent and global within the SCA. Individuals who join the SCA can also create and register their own names and devices, which guarantees that no one else in the Society can lay claim to what you have registered.

Blazoning

Heraldic devices are described by a special notation known as "blazon". The purpose of blazon is to allow heralds to communicate what a device looks like without having to tediously copy pictures. In the blazon language, the device you see above would be described as:

Argent, an alder slip fesswise reversed sable, fructed gules, a ford proper, and on a chief azure two laurel wreaths argent.




Downloadable Bitmaps -- Official Version

This is but one of the possible renderings of Alderford's device, and is designed to closely reflect the officially registered version. As individuals create their own versions for use within the March, slight artistic variations are permitted by the SCA.

Six versions of the as-registered bitmap are available here:

Transparent Images
	alderford-device-micro.gif	132x178 pixels, 4-bits per pixel, 1.5K bytes
	alderford-device-tiny.gif	176x238 pixels, 4-bits per pixel, 2.2K bytes
	alderford-device-small.gif	265x358 pixels, 4-bits per pixel, 3.7K bytes
	alderford-device-medium.gif	385x477 pixels, 4-bits per pixel, 5.2K bytes
	alderford-device-large.gif	529x715 pixels, 4-bits per pixel, 8.9K bytes
	alderford-device-huge.gif	882x1192 pixels, 4-bits per pixel, 17.5K bytes

Downloadable Bitmaps -- Group-Preferred Version

This version of the device more closely reflects what is preferred by most of the membership of the group. Note the alder leaves' diffing shape.

There are six sizes of this GIF available here. The transparent versions are suited for use on web pages with a colored or textured background, while the non-transparent versions are displayed on a white rectangular background. I am working on making these available in the PNG format as well. Thanks to Ailith Mackintosh for supplying the original master of this version.

Non-Transparent Images
	alderford-preferred-144x168.gif	144x168 pixels, 4 bits per pixel, 1.6K bytes
	alderford-preferred-240x280.gif	240x280 pixels, 4 bits per pixel, 3.3K bytes
	alderford-preferred-300x350.gif	300x350 pixels, 4 bits per pixel, 4.5K bytes
	alderford-preferred-360x420.gif	360x420 pixels, 4 bits per pixel, 5.7K bytes
	alderford-preferred-480x560.gif	480x560 pixels, 4 bits per pixel, 8.3K bytes
	alderford-preferred-720x840.gif	720x840 pixels, 4 bits per pixel, 13.5K bytes
Transparent Images
	alderford-preferred-transparent-144x168.gif	144x168 pixels, 4 bits per pixel, 1.8K bytes
	alderford-preferred-transparent-240x280.gif	240x280 pixels, 4 bits per pixel, 3.6K bytes
	alderford-preferred-transparent-300x350.gif	300x350 pixels, 4 bits per pixel, 4.8K bytes
	alderford-preferred-transparent-360x420.gif	360x420 pixels, 4 bits per pixel, 6.1K bytes
	alderford-preferred-transparent-480x560.gif	480x560 pixels, 4 bits per pixel, 8.7K bytes
	alderford-preferred-transparent-720x840.gif	720x840 pixels, 4 bits per pixel, 14.2K bytes

Downloadable Bitmaps -- Alternate Version

This version has the elongated leaves of the preferred version, but differs slightly in style. This rendering was created by Iustinos Tekton, with the leaf shape being similar to one created by Llyrydwyl Merewenna. There are seven sizes available, and these are all exterior-transparent.

Transparent Images
	alderford-device-elongated-nano.gif	112x149, 4-bits per pixel, 2.5K bytes
	alderford-device-elongated-micro.gif	168x223, 4-bits per pixel, 3.5K bytes
	alderford-device-elongated-tiny.gif	224x298, 4-bits per pixel, 4.8K bytes
	alderford-device-elongated-small.gif	336x447, 4-bits per pixel, 7.2K bytes
	alderford-device-elongated-medium.gif	448x596, 4-bits per pixel, 11K bytes
	alderford-device-elongated-large.gif	672x894, 4-bits per pixel, 18K bytes
	alderford-device-elongated-huge.gif	1344x1788, 8-bits per pixel, 49K bytes

These files are encoded as transparent GIFs with the transparent color being palette entry #2 (starting with zero for the first entry). This is slightly different from the usual custom of having entry #0 be the transparent color, but should not cause problems for most applications. If you need it rendered differently, or at higher resolution, contact me.

Downloadable Bitmaps -- Three-Dimensional (3D) Version

THL Ailith Mackintosh (mka Kate Soehnlen) has graciously provided these images of the Alderford device rendered with a raised 3D effect. They have a transparent background, perfect for use on web pages. Images are Copyright © 2004 by KJ Soehnlen.

Transparent Images
	alderford-3d-032x037.gif	144x168 pixels, 4 bits per pixel, 1.6K bytes
	alderford-3d-144x168.gif	144x168 pixels, 4 bits per pixel, 1.6K bytes
	alderford-3d-240x280.gif	240x280 pixels, 4 bits per pixel, 3.3K bytes
	alderford-3d-300x350.gif	300x350 pixels, 4 bits per pixel, 4.5K bytes
	alderford-3d-360x420.gif	360x420 pixels, 4 bits per pixel, 5.7K bytes
	alderford-3d-480x560.gif	480x560 pixels, 4 bits per pixel, 8.3K bytes
	alderford-3d-720x840.gif	720x840 pixels, 4 bits per pixel, 13.5K bytes

Except as noted above, the renderings of the device on this site are copyright © 1997,1999 by Scott D. Courtney. Permission is granted to Alderford members to download these images for their own use.

Map of Alderford

The Marche of Alderford is located in Stark, Carroll, and Tuscarawas Counties, all in northeastern Ohio (USA). We are part of the Barony of Brendoken, which in turn is part of the Middle Kingdom. The map below shows the area we serve.






Anyone, regardless of their county of residence, is welcome at the activities of Alderford or other local SCA groups.

Area map courtesy Geoffrey of Wroxeter (mka Eric Browning). Used by permission.

Meeting Minutes

Minutes from the Marche of Alderford business meetings.

Minutes from 2004-12-07 Business Meeting

Baroness Catriona offers these Minutes from Alderford's December 7 business meeting.

In Attendance: 18

OFFICERS’ REPORTS

1. Exchequer: Lord Hugh sent a message saying that there was approximately $3396.23 in the treasury. Pass the red hat collected $29.
2. Herald: Lady Faqita reported that last week’s hands on heraldry workshop got a lot of people started on device and name.
3. MoAS: Lady Aileen passed the list for people to write what they have been doing. She is planning a to resume classes after the holidays.
4. Knight Marshal: Lord Einar reported that he had been in contact with Dan concerning the use of St. John’s Fellowship Hall for winter fighting practices. Details are being ironed out. He has sent in his Domesday report and Alderford has 9 authorized fighters.
5. Rapier Marshal: Lord Gabriel was not present.
6. Archery Marshal: Forrester Offria has sent her report in on time. There is an Archery practice planned for Dec. 10th at Hadley’s in Green, OH. Corner of Rt 619 and Main. The cost is $5.50/hour. Offria requested that the group purchase two loaner bows. After a short discussion the proposal was voted on and passed. On January 22 there will be a St. Sebastian Day celebration by the Gwyntarian Archer’s Guild at Offria’s home. It is a carry in dinner.
7. Thrown Weapons Marshal: Lord Quentin was not present due to work schedule.
8. Chatelaine: Lady Maerwynn reported that donations to Gold Key are a wide variety of types and sizes. She is wanting to step down, but her deputy is unable to take over. Lady Suzanne volunteered to become chatelaine. Hoobah!
9. Demos: A reminder was given that Colin would like us to do a demo for his Boy Scout group. A date has yet to be chosen. Baroness Catriona requested a fighting demo for a class she is teaching in March.
10. Web Minister: Maistor Iustinos reported that the upgrades will be made soon. He is waiting on the new server to be ready. There should be 3 times the performance and lots more space. The photo album is working on the test site and he plans to redesign Alderford’s home page.
11. Chirurgeon: Justin reported that the corporate level chirurgeon’s newsletter is again being published in a PDF format. He has an article called "How to Train Apprentice Chirurgeons" appearing in the recent issue. Feketa should be a warranted Chirurgeon by the next meeting. Hoobah!
12. Chronicler: Catriona has a Domesday report due this month. She is looking for articles. The newsletter is being sent to those who do not attend the meetings.

GUILD REPORTS

1. Cook’s Guild TH Lady Francesca has run away to the Caribbean, so no report ;-)
2. Performers’ Guild: Still on hiatus.
3. Armorer’s Guild: Call Sergeant Garth for details. Offria has offered her horse as a model for horse armor.

OLD BUSINESS

1. Masque of Courtly Love VII
   1. The ad is in The Pale. Her Highness, Princess Noelle, will be in attendance. TH Lady Ailith will be Royal Liaison. Lord Brice will be getting together with staff individually.
   2. Class Coordinator Catriona reported that five classes are secured but more instructors are needed.
2. Oaken Melee School- 2005
   1. The date is secured on the Kingdom calendar. It will be held at the Roswell Primitive Camp.
   2. Please volunteer to help!
3. Sewing Bee: One was held Monday, Nov 29th. Suzanne worked on her garb. Plans were tabled about scheduling a new one until after the holidays.
4. Library Demo in the Summer: TH Lady Milica has contacted Lord Aidan concerning the possible demonstration of the greyhounds.
5. Hall of Fame Parade: No news

NEW BUSINESS

1. Storage of Wooden Castle needs to be inside not in Justin’s side yard. Lady Katya offered her garage.
2. Barony of Brendoken
   1. There are job openings: Exchequer and Chatelaine
   2. Please contact Brice if you are interested
   3. A holiday greeting from Alexander and Catriona, Baron and Baroness Brendoken, was read aloud.
3. Alderford gave a loud and enthusiastic Thank You to Einar and Maerwynn for hosting the holiday revel. It was a BLAST!
4. There is NO MEETING on Dec 21st. However, Ceit mentioned that there was a Solstice Party at the Houston-Brumbaugh Nature Center. Contact Ceit for details.
5. The meeting was adjourned and a social time was had by all.

Minutes respectfully submitted by Catriona nicHugh Mclaey.

Nota bene: The above Minutes have been edited for web formatting and to correct minor typographical errors, but have not been modified in substance. —Justin

Minutes from 2005-02-01 Business Meeting

These are the minutes of the February 1 shire business meeting. These will appear in the February issue of the Alder Leaf.

Alderford Business Meeting
February 1, 2005

A. ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. Thistle is holding fighter practices at the Knights of Columbus in Medina and invite people to attend. Contact Baron Alexander for details.

B. OFFICER REPORTS

1. Exchequer: Lord Hugh the Silent reported a balance of $2309.43. $44 was collected in the kitty.
2. Herald: Lady Feketa Rosa reported that names and devices are pending.
3. MoAS: Lady Aileen was ill and did not attend. Baroness Catriona will be teaching a class on Period Board Games at the next meeting, Feb 15. It is a hands-on workshop.
4. Knights Marshal: Lord Einar reported that there would be two practices at St John’s this month, tentatively scheduled for Feb 13th and Feb 27th. The second practice will have a carry-in dinner. All are welcome to attend, even non-fighters.
5. Rapier Marshal: Not Present.
6. Archery Marshal: There was a good turnout at the St Sebastian Day party. There will be a practice on Feb 4th at Hadley’s from 6-8 pm in Green. Contact Forester Offria for details.
7. Thrown Weapons Marshal: Lord Quinton was absent but sent news that nothing was happening during the winter months.
8. Chatelaine: Milady Suzanne is now Chatelaine.
9. Demos: THL Milica would speak on these during New Business.
10. Web Minister and Chirurgeon: Maistor Iustinos Tekton was out of town on business and was absent.
11. Chronicler: A plea for articles went out. Baroness Catriona had copies of last month’s missing business minutes. A new twist on an old excuse, she was quoted as saying, “The car ate them.”

C. GUILD REPORTS

1. Performer’s Guild: In hiatus.
2. Cook’s Guild: THL Lady Francesca reported that last month’s “East Meets West” meeting was cancelled due to the bad weather. It will be rescheduled. For the present, the guild is preparing food for the upcoming event.
3. Armorer’s Guild: Contact Sergeant Garth for details.

D. NEW BUSINESS

1. DEMOS: There are two scheduled for this summer. July 16 (Saturday afternoon) for the Louisville Public Library and July 22 (Friday evening) for the Stark Co. Library. Under discussion was adding 2 to 3 more. It was decided to do demos on June 13 (Monday evening) at the Claymont Library and on June 21 (Tuesday evening) at the Sandy Valley Library. Alliance Public Library is also interested in a demo, but will get back to us on a date and time. THL Milica also mentioned that the libraries would be interested in individuals doing lectures and classes.
2. It was announced that the Brendoken activity, The Very Civil War, (previously known as Southern Aggression) would be conducted at Alderford’s Oaken Melee School event in July. This will continue for the foreseeable future.
3. March 6 (Sunday afternoon) is tentatively schedule as Inventory Day!!!! Details to be announced.
4. BRENDOKEN The Barony is looking for bids on a baronial championship event for this coming up fall. These are to be submitted to Lord Brice as Baronial Seneschal. For the next two months the meetings will be held at The Mill in Smithville, Ohio. The Barony is soliciting bids for leather coronets. These bids are submitted to Lord Brice as the Officer of Regalia.
5. Magician’s Guild: Lord Varden wants to create a guild for magicians. If you are interested, please contact him.

E. OLD BUSINESS

1. No news on the Hall of Fame Parade Demo
2. Masque
   1. There will be a staff meeting on Monday, February 7, at Scott and Kathie’s house starting at 7 pm.
   2. Autocrat, Lord Brice, reported that things are doing well
   3. Volunteers are needed for Security, Clean up in the kitchen, Tear down of the site, and Servers. A volunteer is especially needed to back up Lady Nastasia as Troll.
   4. There is a waiting list for Merchants. THL Milica has contacted the merchants interested in attending to get confirmations. There are a total of 10 merchant spaces available.
   5. There will not be any Children Activities planned, though there will be a Children’s area with materials available, but parents are expected to supervise their own offspring.
   6. HRH Noelle will be attending the event. There will be a Regency Court. Get your recommendations in NOW! Lady Anne of Dragonhurst has volunteered to decorate the Royal Presence area and high table.
   7. The church was paid last week, and we should be able to get in to set up on Friday night.
   8. The Klingons will be serving lunch, and feast will serve 80 people.

The meeting was adjourned and a social time was had by all.

Catriona, Baroness Brendoken, respectfully submits these minutes.

Minutes from 2005-03-01 Business Meeting

These are the Minutes from Alderford's March business meeting, held March 1.

1. ANNOUNCEMENTS
   1. Several event announcements were passed around.
   2. There were 22 gentles attending.
2. OFFICER REPORTS
   1. Exchequer: Lord Hugh the Silent reported a balance of $3975.84.
   2. Herald: Lady Feketa Rosa reported that nothing new has been happening.
   3. MoAS: Lady Aileen was ill and did not attend. A suggestion was made to have a class on Court Etiquette and Identification of Crowns/Coronets at the March meeting. In April, since camping season will be starting, there will be mini classes on various aspects of SCA Camping.
   4. Knights Marshal: Lord Einar stated that indoor fighter practices at St John's depend on Lord GuyJacques and available dates. Practices will be announced on the e-list.
   5. Rapier Marshal: Lord Gabriel announced that rapier practices would be held at the same time and place as the fighting practices.
   6. Archery Marshal: Forester Offria was absent. There will be archery practices at Hadley’s from 6-8 pm on Friday nights. Contact Forester Offria for details.
   7. Thrown Weapons Marshal: Lord Quinton was absent but sent news that nothing was happening during the winter months.
   8. Chatelaine: Milady Suzanne reported that Shannon and Jason had a wonderful time at the event and may return.
   9. Demos: THL Milica asked that someone volunteer to coordinate the numerous demos coming up. Lady Ceit and Milady Suzanne volunteered for the job.
   10. Web Minister: Maistor Iustinos Tekton is in the middle of processing the photos from the Masque event. All the photos now on the web site will be moved to a personal site. He asked that people please update their personal accounts on the Alderford web site.
   11. Chirurgeon: Maistor Iustinos Tekton reported that Lady Feketa Rosa was the Chirurgeon in Charge at the Masque of Courtly Love. She did a fine job! The 1st quarter report has been sent in.
   12. Chronicler: Baroness Catriona pleaded for articles to be sent to her so that they may be published in the next newsletter. Chocolate is promised as an incentive.
3. GUILD REPORTS
   1. Performer’s Guild: In hiatus.
   2. Cook’s Guild: No news
   3. Armorer’s Guild: Contact Sergeant Garth for details. Justin suggested that Alderford host an armoring day for Marche of the Thistle's new fighters. It was suggested to talk to Garth to work out the logistics.
   4. Magician's Guild: Those interested in participating in this guild, contact Lord Vardon.
4. NEW BUSINESS
   1. Katya has chosen her SCA name: Katerina Chudnaya, with a nickname of Zabava. Hoobah!
   2. The Masque of Courtly Love event
      • Lord Brice/Autocrat
        1. Thanks to all the staff and to those who helped.
        2. We may be outgrowing the site
        3. Feast was sold out with a waiting list
        4. All but one merchant came
        5. Closing the gym door to the populace caused a traffic flow
        6. The feast was AWESOME — Alderford has an excellent reputation for feasts. HOOBAH!!
      • Maistor Iustinos/Marshal in Charge
        1. Deep thanks to Einar, Garth and Morgan
        2. William from three Towers and Curtis (Killian) from Gwyntarian authorized.
        3. As when he was founding seneschal, Justin felt the excitement and the camaraderie from everyone. The new folks participated eagerly. He is honored to be part of this shire.
      • Catriona/class coordinator
        1. A big thanks you to the teachers. We had excellent classes
        2. A HUGE thank you to the actors of the mystery play and to Milica who wrote it
        3. Colin's dad was absolutely wonderful doing the Comedia del Arte at the start of feast. My thanks to him.
      • Feketa Rosa/Chirurgeon in Charge
        1. Thank you to the Marshals for running a safe list
        2. There were no injuries
5. BRENDOKEN
   1. The meeting is scheduled for March 27, 2005, 2-4 PM in Smithville, Ohio
   2. A proposal for Baronial Championships in September will be looked at
   3. Baronial Tabards will be worked on in Three Towers, Sunday, February 27, 2005. This will be a work in progress.
   4. Please remember that blank scrolls are need to fill the new scroll covers that will present at Coronation to Noel and Alaric
6. OLD BUSINESS
   1. The inventory at Norma's house has been postponed. Lady Maerwynn has done the inventory of the Gold Key items already. Please fill out an inventory worksheet if you have items belonging to Alderford and turn in the finished worksheets to Justin.
   2. Showcase: Catriona is able to go to the meeting with librarians in Newcomerstown on March 8th. Milica has sent flyers with general SCA information and contact information for the groups in the surrounding areas to be available for the librarians' use.
   3. Stark County Library Demo July 22 in St Peter's parking lot
      1. Friday night from 6-9 pm.
      2. 2 heavy fighting demos, 2 dance demos, clothing time line
      3. Active games and activities in stations—as at Ohio Mart
      4. Sample foods: keep it simple/pretzels, honey stix, wafers, Sekanjabin,
      5. Expect 600-900 people
      6. Staff members offered to help
      7. There is the possibility of a grant for a large tent
      8. Indoor site is St. Peter's hall
   4. Everyone, please look for the fittings and the bungee cords for the plastic garage tent. They have been missing since Winding Down from War.
   5. The meeting was adjourned and all had a social time.

   Catriona, Baroness Brendoken, respectfully submits these minutes

Minutes from 2005-07-19 Business Meeting

Minutes from the July 19 business meeting of the Marche of Alderford.

GENERAL INFORMATION

5 interested gentles attended and introductions were made. There were about 25 gentles in attendance.

OFFICER REPORTS

Exchequer

Lord Hugh the Silent reported a balance of $4391.28. $55 was collected in the kitty.

Herald

Lady Feketa Rosa reported that not much was new.

MoAS

Lady Ceit asked those who had done activities to write them down.

Knights Marshal

Lord Einar reported that there would most likely not be a fighter practice before Pennsic.

Rapier Marshal

Not Present

Archery Marshal

Not Present

Thrown Weapons Marshal

Not Present

Chatelaine

Milady Suzanne reported that Gold Key was used at the Oaken Melee event. She purchased supplies to make bookmarks for the recent demos.

Demo Coordinator

Lady Ceit reminded the group that Alderford has 3 library demos to go. July 22 at the Downtown Canton Library, July 26 at the Tuscarawas Library in New Philadelphia and the Alliance Library at Glamorgan Castle grounds on July 28.

Web Minister

Maistor Iustinos reported that photos are online at http://sca.4th.com/. New members were urged to join the list serve and register at the Alderford web site.

Chirurgeon

Lady Feketa was happy to report that there were no injuries at the Oaken Melee event and one injury to treat at the Louisville Library demo. Justin was happy to report that he had renewed his EMT certs. Milica proudly showed her First Aid and CPR card.

Chronicler

A plea for articles went out. Baroness Catriona promised good chocolate to those who submitted articles.

GUILD REPORTS

Performer’s Guild

King Lear in a Box will be performed on July 23rd at Lady Katryn’s home starting at 7 PM. Please bring munchies if you are so inclined.

Cook’s Guild

THL Francesca reported that over 500 cookies were baked in preparation for the demo on July 22nd.

Armorer’s Guild

Contact Sergeant Garth for details.

Magician’s Guild

Lord Vardon was not present.

BRENDOKEN

The Barony has changed the meeting schedule. There will be a business meeting once a quarter. A social activity will be planned for a different date once a quarter, also. Volunteers to be retainers for the Baron and Baroness are being sought. Please contact Lord Brice or Lady Debforgail is you are interested.

NEW BUSINESS

Discussion of the Alderford Christmas party. Justin suggested 91 Wood Fired Oven as a site. The group agreed and Justin will make a reservation for December 12th at 7 PM.

There is a household in Tuscarawas County near Newcomerstown. They are interested in perhaps starting an SCA group there. A discussion followed concerning ceding a new SCA group Tuscarawas County, as it now is part of Alderford. It was decided that if the group became a viable shire there would be no objection in giving the land rights to them. It was further decided that Alderford would offer to sponsor the new group, should the need arise.

Sergeant Einar and Lady Maerwynn volunteered to host the Alderford Birthday Celebration at their home on the weekend of September 24th. Details will follow.

Milica announced that she plans to step down from the office of Seneschal after this year’s Domesday Report in January 2006. She requests that interested parties send her a letter of intent by the first week of September.

OLD BUSINESS

The group purchased a shelter/garage tent.

Justin purchased 7 CB type radios. These were different from the radios previously discussed, but will suit our purposes better. There was an overage in the budgeted amount and the group decided to authorize payment for this overage.

DEMOS

Activities for the remaining 3 demos were discussed. July 22nd’s demo starts at 6, set up will be prior to that. Park in the staff parking lot. A list of tentatively scheduled activities has been posted to the list. The July 26th demo in New Philadelphia will be small. The time is 2-3 PM. The Alliance demo is on July 28th from 7-8:30 PM. A schedule of activities has been posted on the e-mail list. A reminder was given concerning the Gwyntarian demo on July 30th in Hudson, Ohio. The demo is from 9 Am to 4 PM. Our help is requested.

MASQUE

The autocrats are still working on obtaining a site. Several places have not yet returned calls.

HALL OF FAME PARADE

Milica sent notice cancelling our participation in this year’s parade by e-mail, phone and letter. There has yet to be a response.

There is a meeting on August 2 at Walsh College, starting at 7:30 PM. The next August meeting will be a revel and welcome home from Pennsic on August 23rd at Justin and Milica's home. Details will be posted on the list.

The meeting was adjourned and all had a social time.

Catriona, Baroness Brendoken, respectfully submits these minutes.
Justin, Web Minister, edited for web format (added/reordered headings)

Officer Selection Policy

This proposed is intended to ensure that everyone in the Shire understands the expectations of conduct and performance for our local officers, beyond those requirements mandated at Kingdom or Regional level.

Process For Selecting New Officers

The outgoing officer (or seneschal) will announce that the position is or will be open, and anyone interested in the position should contact the outgoing officer (or seneschal) if they are interested.

The outgoing officer (or seneschal) will make a selection from the candidates and announce the candidate to the group. Before doing this the out going officer will inform the other candidates of their choice.

There will be a period between business meetings for anyone with strong objections to speak privately with the outgoing officer (or seneschal).

If there are no significant objections, there will be a vote of confidence by the group. Assuming this is favorable, there will be an announcement of the new officer to the group.

Requirements For Warranted Officers of the Marche of Alderford

• Must have a valid SCA membership.
• Must attend meetings or have a deputy at the meetings who can report to the group and then report back to the officer.
• Must file reports regularly and on time to the appropriate officers.
• Copy reports to the seneschal, and make reports available to the group (except the Chirurgeon's report because of patient confidentiality).
• Fulfill other duties and responsibilities of the position.
• Ensure an orderly transition when leaving office. This includes assisting the incoming officer to get up to speed on duties and reports.

Officers

This is a list of Alderford's current officers and most of the deputy officers. Note that some of the officer positions defined in Alderford are not defined or warranted at the Kingdom level.

For reasons of privacy on the 'Net, only names and e-mail addresses are listed here unless the individual specifically requests otherwise. If you need more contact information than is listed here, you may obtain it through the Seneschal.

SENESCHAL	Sgt. Einar Blakklar; einar@neo.rr.com Darby Greene 4643 17th St NW Canton OH 44708 330-478-0109
HERALD	Lady Fekete Rosa; Judith Shupe; juditys446@aol.com
EXCHEQUER	Lady Cynthia; cjdavidcpc@aol.com
MINISTER OF ARTS & SCIENCES	Lady Catriona Fionnaghal nic Elphinstone; Patricia Rickard; ceit@4th.com
KNIGHTS MARSHAL	Sergeant Einar Blakklar; Darby Greene; einar@neo.rr.com
ARCHERY MARSHAL	Forester Offria Pinkhand; Karen Thewlis; KThew1@cs.com
RAPIER MARSHAL	Lord Gabriel de Porte; Chris Hetrick; gr81kieran@yahoo.com
CHRONICLER	Ursula the Widow; Michelle Hartz-Coutts; mhartzcoutts@yahoo.com
CHATELAIN	Lord GuyJacques; Dan Plott; earthmagik@sbcglobal.net
DEMO COORDINATOR	Baroness Catriona nic Hugh Mclaey; Marti Livingstone; catriona@neo.rr.com
QUARTERMASTER	(Position vacant)
MINISTER OF YOUTH	(Position vacant)
WEB MINISTER	Maistor Justinos Tekton called Justin; Scott D. Courtney; justin@4th.com Deputy THL Milica of Varna; Katherine Courtney; milica@4th.com
CHIRURGEON	Lady Fekete Rosa; Judith Shupe; merlynsdragon16@aol.com (note: email address may have changed)

Colophon

This Colophon describes how this web site is created and maintained, and provides credits for those who have contributed in a major way.

Technical Features

This web site runs on a content management system (CMS) called Drupal (http://www.drupal.org/). Drupal is an Open Source, free software application that stores all of the text and HTML content for the pages themselves, user accounts, security settings, search engine data, and so on. Drupal, like other CMS programs, allows people to concentrate on creating content while it handles the details of page formatting, navigation links, and other administrivia.

Large files, such as images, are stored on the server's filesystem, but all other content is stored in a relational database called MySQL (http://www.mysql.com/). MySQL is another free Open Source application, and it is powerful and reliable enough to be used in many commercial and industrial applications.

The web pages are delivered to your browser using the Apache Web Server (http://httpd.apache.org/), yet another free Open Source application, which happens to be the most popular web server on the Internet by a wide margin.

Finally, all of this software runs on the GNU/Linux (http://www.linux.org/) operating system, created by Linus Torvalds and improved upon by hundreds of thousands of other programmers. Linux is an Open Source, free operating system akin to UNIX™ but available from the Internet at no cost.

Web Site Credits

Most of the web site was designed by Iustinos Tekton called Justin, the Webmaster, but significant contributions have come from other individuals as well:

Ailith Mackintosh

Ailith has contributed many of the graphics you see on the home page, including the wonderful 3D masthead and heraldry.

Milica of Varna

Milica is the contributor of many hundreds of photographs, and dozens of pages of educational content, to this site.