Author: Edward Talbot

Categories
Archived

February 11, 2022 — Update on Kingdom Gatherings

Good evening, East Kingdom Populace,

Their Majesties, Their Highnesses, and the Office of the Kingdom Seneschal are relieved to note the continued decline of the Omicron variant across the Kingdom.

As such, we feel it is time to permit a full re-opening of the Kingdom at this time. All safety measures must remain in place, both as required by the Society COVIDSafe policy and the East Kingdom’s masking policy.

Of note, the updated Society COVIDSafe policy states everyone 5 years old and over must present proof of vaccination or negative COVID test in the US when attending all SCA gatherings. This update will include Canada effective March 1, 2022.

The East Kingdom requires that all attendees ages 2+ at all in-person gatherings wear properly-fitting masks that comply with CDC/PHS guidelines about effective masks. Masks must be worn at all times, including while fighting indoors. They may be lowered briefly while actively eating and drinking.

For more information about the East Kingdom’s COVID policies, please review the Gate in a Box: COVID Edition resource on the Seneschal’s page: https://seneschal.eastkingdom.org/gate-in-a-box-covid-edition/

As always, we urge the East’s populace to take good care of yourselves: practice social distancing, wear good masks correctly at all times when in public, and stay home when feeling ill or if someone you’ve recently been in close contact with becomes ill.

We look forward to seeing everyone soon.

In service to the Kingdom,

Medhbh inghean Ui Cheallaigh, Kingdom Seneschal
Audrye Beneyt, Kingdom Seneschal-Elect

Ioannes II and Honig II, Emperor and Empress
Ryouko’jin and Indrakshi, Heirs to the Tyger Throne

Categories
Archived

A pause for in person gatherings – until January 17, 2022

Good evening, East Kingdom Populace,

With the care of the Kingdom ever in mind, Their Majesties, Their Highnesses, the Seneschal-Elect, and the Kingdom Seneschal have agreed that we must shut down all in-person events, meetings, practices, and other activities in the East for two weeks, until January 17th.

The Omicron variant of COVID is at its peak for the next 2 weeks, is highly transmissible, and highly virulent. This is a risk we cannot ask folks on staff to take on behalf of the Kingdom.

Over the weekend of January 15th and 16th, we will revisit the scientific data to see whether extending or lifting this shut-down is warranted. Their Majesties and Their Highnesses will also review options for ethereal Court or postponed in-person events. We ask the populace for patience as the Royal Staff assess how to best address this delay in cherished plans.

In the meantime, we urge East’s Tyger populace to take good care of yourselves: practice social distancing, wear masks correctly at all times in public, and stay home when feeling ill, so that when we can gather, we can do so with joyful spirits.

In service to the Kingdom,

Medhbh inghean Ui Cheallaigh, Kingdom Seneschal

Audrye Beneyt, Kingdom Seneschal-Elect
Ioannes II and Honig II, Emperor and Empress
Ryouko’jin and Indrakshi, Heirs to the Tyger Throne

Categories
Archived

Board Resolution – Amendment to COVIDSafe Policy

On 25 October 2021, the Board updated its process in the COVIDSafe policy for checking vaccinations and negative test results.

Paragraph seven now reads:

‘The Kingdom must check for proof of being fully vaccinated or a negative COVID test at an event. The event organizer may designate multiple people to perform the vaccination/negative COVID test check where each person performing the check is responsible for all people whose last name begins within a specified subset of the alphabet (for example, one person for A-H, one person for I-M, etc.)

The event organizer, or their designee, shall maintain a list of names and times of the person(s) conducting the check at the entrance. A separate list shall be maintained for each alphabet group. Once the entrance is closed at the event, said person(s) will sign a statement at the bottom of the list of names and times, which reads:

“I have monitored the event entrance at the times noted above, and I have verified that each person age 12 and over with last names through _, entering the event during that time to have shown me proper identification, along with either proof of being fully vaccinated or a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours of the start of the event.”

The event organizer, or their designee, shall forward the signed statement(s) to the Kingdom Seneschal, or their designee, who shall maintain such records in accordance with the standards for retention of waivers.’

The full policy is available here: https://www.sca.org/news/covidsafe-proof-of-fully-vaccinated-status-or-negative-covid-test-policy-resolution/

Categories
Curia EK Law

From East Kingdom law:

Laws may be enacted, amended, or repealed only by the Crown, after consultation with the Curia Regis.

The purpose of the Curia Regis is for the Crown to solicit and listen to the opinions of those with seats on Curia, giving adequate time for discussion. While it is not a requirement, the Crown is advised to act with the consensus of those with seats on Curia.

The following are entitled to a seat on the Curia Regis. With the exception of the Crown, these people may send representatives to the Curia to fill their seats if they are unable to attend.

  1. The Crown and Heirs
  2. The Coronet and Heirs of EK Principalities
  3. Kingdom Officers
  4. Local Seneschals

E. Others Invited

East Kingdom Royal Peers and Territorial Baron/esses are also invited to attend, and have the right to be heard by the Crown.

F. Others wishing to attend

Any other gentle who wishes to attend is welcome, but may speak only if recognized by the Crown.

Categories
curia

Curia

East Kingdom Curia

Date TBD

Curia Agenda TBD

Zoom

Link to be announced

EK Law Section III.I. The Agenda for the Curia Regis

1. Any items that The Crown chooses to add to the agenda after the Curia has been called will be added to the agenda under “New Business”.

2. If a Curia notice has been sent according to East Kingdom Law, but another Curia needs to be held before the previously announced one, any items of business held over from the earliest Curia will be automatically added to the agenda of the subsequent Curia under “Old Business”

Categories
Archived

Help Wanted – New Groups Deputy

New Groups Deputy

The New Groups Deputy works with members of the populace who wish to form an incipient branch or to change their branch status to make sure they understand the steps as defined in Corpora and East Kingdom Law.

Position duties include:

  • guiding potential incipient branch members or members of an established branch who wish to change their group’s status through Corpora and EK Law requirements
  • reporting to the Kingdom Seneschal about new group/group change progress
  • working with the Kingdom Seneschal to develop tools to make new group/group change requirements more accessible to the populace

Candidates must be a current member of the SCA with access to their East Kingdom email account. An interest in policy and strong communication skills are essential.

Interested candidates should email the Kingdom Seneschal with a description of their background and relevant experience.

Categories
Archived

East Kingdom Resumption of In-Person Activities

The Board of Directors has decided that in-person events can resume June 1, 2021, with limitations (see the full Board announcement).

We have updated the East Kingdom’s in-person event guidelines.

A survey to gauge the Kingdom’s level of comfort with returning to events will be sent to branch seneschals and chatelaines. The survey can also be completed online. We encourage the populace to full out the survey so we can better guide the East Kingdom’s slow and careful return to in-person events.

In service to the East Kingdom,

Medhbh, Kingdom Seneschal
Tindal and Alberic, Consules of the East

Categories
Archived

From the SCA Board of Directors, May 28, 2021

Greetings to the SCA:

In April of this year, the Board of Directors of the SCA, Inc. issued a proclamation allowing in-person events to resume in North America as of June 1, 2021, subject to any federal, state, provincial, or local government health restrictions, and subject to restrictions imposed by the Board to try to ensure the safety of our participants, given conditions of the pandemic at the time. It was stated then that these restrictions would be revisited as appropriate.

At their May 25, 2021 conference call meeting, the Board of Directors of the SCA, Inc. discussed the latest guidance from the CDC, as well as current trends in the United States in particular with regard to the increasing availability of COVID vaccinations and the decreasing incidence of illness and hospitalizations in the United States. The Board then decided to loosen many of the SCA-imposed restrictions effective July 1, 2021. The Resolution released earlier today, spells out the requirements for in-person events going forward from that July 1 date.

The Board further took the following action:

Motion by Dale Fong-Frederick to approve the following language, and require that it appear on all event notices, flyers, online announcements, and advertisements, as well as being posted in multiple locations, including Troll (Registration), at all events:

Although the SCA complies with all applicable laws to try to ensure the health and safety of our event participants, we cannot eliminate the risk of exposure to infectious diseases during in-person events. By participating in the in-person events of the SCA, you acknowledge and accept the potential risks. You agree to take any additional steps to protect your own health and safety and those under your control as you believe to be necessary.

Seconded by Gigi Coulson. Opposed: None. Motion carried.

This language will be required to appear on all event notices, flyers, online announcements, and advertisements, as well as being posted in multiple locations at any and all SCA-sponsored functions going forward. A poster with this statement can be found on the SCA website: Event Sign

A few important notes:

  1. During the month of June, all current restrictions including mask requirements and the 150-person attendance limit remain in effect. The new proclamation does not take effect until July 1.
  2. As always, any and all federal, state, provincial, and local health rules and restrictions must be followed. If your local government does not allow gatherings above a certain size, or requires masks, those restrictions of course must be enforced.
  3. Individual kingdoms are always allowed to impose more restrictions than those imposed by the SCA, Inc. No kingdom is required to begin holding in-person events if the Crown and Kingdom Seneschal do not believe it is safe yet; a kingdom may continue to require face coverings, impose size limits on events, or prohibit overnight camping if it wishes. The President, Society Seneschal, and Board will support kingdoms in resuming events in the way that seems safest for them. Please contact the Society Seneschal at seneschal@sca.org and the President at president@sca.org with questions.
  4. The SCA has always been built on the ideals of chivalry and courtesy. We expect that people will continue to display these values at all times, and respect individuals’ personal choices regarding their own health and safety. The Society Seneschal and the President will continue to work with Kingdom Seneschals to implement the SCA’s return to live events in a safe and responsible manner. We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding as we move forward.