[MR] The whole surcharge thingee

[Sean Pearson]

Ok I usually don't bother ya'll with messages except for the Regional 
Calendar thing but I would like to make a few comments.

1.) In one of the many emails someone mentioned that we had time to make 
comments on this surcharge before the decided on it. I know the first I 
heard it was from my successor in the office of the Exchequer for my local 
group. And this was two weeks before Pennsic. I am on a lot of lists and 
have not heard anything about it. If you wish to make comments on this 
surcharge please contact the Board at comments at sca.org Warning: I do not 
know if this email still works because I can not find it on the SCA website 
at the time I write this email.

2.) I need a bit of confirmation because my memory is a bit fuzzy and I 
don't usually trust it anyways. During the Minister of Youth meeting at 
Pennsic I believe it was stated that under Atlantian rules the member 
discount/surcharge is not valid for minors. In other words non member minors 
paid the same price as member minors. However, the Corporate fee will be 
enacted for people of all ages. So if family that has 4 children attends an 
event had to pay $12 more than for their children? This seems really unfair 
to those families that use the SCA as an educational experience and only go 
to one or two events a year. Can anyone tell me if this is true.

3.) I disagree with the surcharge. Three and half years ago when I joined 
the SCA is was still in college. I could not afford the membership. I only 
offically joined so that I could become a officer for the group. Three 
positions and two event Autocrated later, with two more to come, I am still 
a member. However if I had attended my first event and was told that since I 
was a newbie I would have to pay extra for something I wasn't sure I would 
like anyways, I would have most likely not joined. Sometimes the amount of 
paid members in the group is the amount of officers in the group. With all 
the other organizations on campus, both extra curricular and academic out 
there, college members monies are slim.

And what about the event groups themselves put on. A college group is a 
small group with a transient population. Usually they are only able to put 
one major event on a year. Is the next Autocrat supposed to say "Hey thanks 
for volunteering. You have been such a big help. We couldn't have
done it with out you. Oh by the way, you owe three dollars more than that 
member over there who didn't do much at all. Thanks." That doesn't make 
sense.

That's my humble two cents.

Sean Pearson
5th Grade Teacher - Mallory Elementary - Hampton VA
http://members.cox.net/~iollan

Iollann mac a Phearsoin
Per chevron vert and azure, a chevron raguly on the upper edge argent 
between two dolphins haurient Or and a candle fesswise argent lit at both 
ends atop a candlestick Or

Minister of Minors for the Barony  of Tir-y-Don
Webminister        for the College of Rencester
http://rencester.atlantia.sca.org

Keeper of the Atlantian MoM Listserv:  moms at seahorse.atlantia.sca.org

Autocrat for Unevent December 7th, College of William and Mary
Autocrat for Tir-y-Dons Baronial Investiture, Date: TBA

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