[Archers] archery loaner gear and equipment program?

[Garth Groff]

Noble Friends of the Bow,

Excuse my tardiness in answering Lorelie's message. I cannot post to the 
group from my home computer on weekends, and I was out of work yesterday 
on family business.

After I gave my loaner kit class at the last University, I decided it 
was time for the Isenfir to replace most of our loaner bows with new 
equipment. I worked up a plan for replacements spread over a year, which 
will be considered by our Populace later this spring. Since some of the 
old camp bows the Shire owns have still have a few years of use, I 
pondered what to do with them. I heard from Lorelei that there were some 
groups trying to start an archery program, but they had no loaner gear. 
My idea was to recycle the older gear to groups in need, which would 
serve them for a couple of years until the groups could replace them 
with something better.

As it turned out with Isenfir's gear, there were some valid objections 
raised by our Exchequer. These goods can't simply be given away without 
a vote by the Populace (which I expected), and need to be accounted for 
in the Shire's financial records. The equipment does have a cash value 
for accounting purposes, even if old and banged up. The exchequer is not 
just being picky. Most of the SCA has apparently been pretty sloppy 
about group-owned gear, garb, tents, etc., and she says there is a 
greater need to keep track of this stuff in case we come under more 
careful scrutiny by auditors, our own or the government's (the 
government is looking much more closely at non-profits as possible 
outlets for money laundering and terrorist financing). I quite agree.

Lorelei and I discussed the idea via email and (as I remember it) the 
general agreement was that there needed to be a coordinator who could 
collect surplus donated equipment and redistribute it to those groups in 
need. The DEM already has so much to do, and possibly some noble person 
of long experience, knowledge of archery throughout the kingdom, and 
lots of personal contacts, could step forward and set up this program. A 
coordinator could catalog what is available from local groups willing to 
donate for redistribution kingdom-wide, survey the needs of needy 
groups, and arrange the distribution. That's as far as I got.

I hadn't considered personal donations at that time. I suspect that 
personal collections hold a lot of surplus equipment. Maybe some of our 
archers would also consider donating this to the program. Lady Martelle 
suggested that any personal donations should be acknowledged with a 
receipt for tax purposes if the donor itemizes deductions. Great point.

Along those lines, with Lorelei's help I found one group that had just a 
single loaner bow in their kit. After discussing their needs with the 
group's TA Marshal and their seneschal, I chose three surplus "camp" 
bows of different sizes and draw weights from my personal collection and 
sent them off as a gift (after cleaning and inspection). I also backed 
this transfer with a formal letter of donation for the group's 
exchequer. This was pretty much a one-shot deal. I can probably only do 
it once more (I have just two more extra bows), but will gladly do so 
again if I learn of another group in need.

Comments? Ideas? Volunteers?

Yours Aye,


Mungo

On 4/23/2012 2:53 PM, loreleielkins at aol.com wrote:
> Good afternoon,
>
> I have been remiss in passing along an excellent idea Lord Mungo had 
> for a loaner bow & equipment program.  (Sorry Mungo.) Many of us have 
> perhaps an extra bow we no longer use, or archery equipment such as 
> arm guards or gloves.  Mungo's idea is to collect these items and 
> redistribute them to groups who are in need of equipment.  As you've 
> probably noticed, we're getting a good number of folks to the range 
> who want to give archery a try.  We want to accommodate them, because 
> after all...once they give archery a try, you KNOW they'll be hooked.  :-)
>
> I will ask Lord Mungo to elaborate on his program idea and to ask for 
> a person/people to collect these items and help with redistribution. 
>  (The Royal Archery competition is a great time to do this.)
>
> Thanks for your time,
> Lorelei
>
>
>
>
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