Greetings, Midrealm !
This last year and few months brought us unconceived challenges as we strove to find a way to be together while being apart. We used our creative genius and the wonders of technology to hold Court, teach and take classes, and otherwise just get together to help chase away the disconnect of not being together. In June we started being able to gather again, even if only in small groups. July marked our ability to gather en masse and try to put the pandemic behind us.
I am super excited to be able to gather again. However, please note we cannot and are not going back to “how it was.” This last year has brought us many changes and the chance to grow. One of these changes, in case you haven’t heard, includes our very own Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion (DEI) Deputy. She has worked closely with the Society DEI officer to create classes to help all of us be more inclusive and understanding with each other. As we start going to events, please consider attending a class. These are great not only for the SCA, but apply to the modern world as well. We are all unique and I look forward to celebrating what makes us unique and how we can all be more inclusive going forward.
Another change, as I KNOW everyone is aware, are the re-opening restrictions. Yes, these move and change a lot. I expect them to continue to be fluid as we adjust to new findings from the scientific community and get directives from SCA, Inc. Just to re-cap, as there have been several changes since these were originally released, as of July 1, 2021 , (and current as of that date) the following are the requirements for events in the Middle Kingdom:
- There is to be NO feast, buffet-style spreads, or communal foo d or drink containers at events. Events are all business meetings, fighter practices, A&S nights, social gatherings, demos, and, of course, “weekend” events.
- Pre-registration is REQUIRED for all “weekend” events. If you do not pre-register you cannot attend the event. The Pre-registration will include the collection of VIABLE contact information for each attendee for contact tracing purposes.
- Contact tracing is REQUIRED for all events (as described in Item 1.) This can be done through pre-registration, a sign-in sheet, or other method where this information can be stored by your local Seneschal.
Masks, attendance caps, outdoor-only requirements, and other restrictions, other than those listed above, are no longer in effect at this time. Please note, this can change! Please be patient and understanding as we all work through these together. We are all Volunteers, doing our best. That stated, if you’d like to help your Kingdom, please consider applying for a Kingdom job. We enjoy the opportunity to participate in the SCA, but it doesn’t continue to go unless we have volunteers to do the work. These jobs are a great way to give back and help others get to enjoy the Middle Ages as they should have been!
Yours in Service,
Master Cerridwen verch Ioreword
Kingdom Seneschal