[MR] Fwd: [SCA-Announce] Fundraiser to be held at Birka event for Baroness Megan ni Laine

[Ginny Barnett]

Forwarded by request ....  Too late for the auction, but you still might be
interested.


This message is directed to the many friends and supporters of Baroness
Megan ni Laine, Founding Baroness of Stonemarche. I'm posting it widely
because I know she has many friends throughout the known world. If her
name means nothing to you, I apologize for wasting your time reading
this message.

As many of you may have heard, at Pennsic this past year, Baroness Megan
and Baron Harold von Auerbach declared their intention to step down as
Baron and Baroness of Stonemarche. The election for a new Baron and
Baroness has been duly held, and the votes counted, although Their Royal
Majesties have not yet chosen to announce the winner. A date has been
chosen for the investiture of their successors, based in large part on
the availability of Their Royal Highnesses, who will have ascended the
throne by that time.

One of the reasons Baroness Megan is stepping down at this time is that
she has accepted employment in England, which will keep her abroad much
of the year. She has, in fact, already departed our shores for this
purpose. To be present at the investiture of her successors, she will
need to make a trip back to the US from England, solely for that
purpose.

This is, as you might imagine, quite expensive. Megan, as you probably
know, is not in good health, and this severely limits the possible
flights she can take. Making the trip at all is a considerable strain,
and any flight plan that involves a significant layover is out of the
question. Also, her husband must travel with her, as her doctor will no
longer permit her to make such lengthy trips alone. To fly both Megan
and Klaus back for investiture will cost approximately $1700.00.

We have been advised that paying for Megan's tickets using SCA funds is
permissible, as she is traveling to perform duties for the group.
Klaus's may also be permissible, since she is unable to travel without a
companion to provide physical assistance. However, some people feel that
paying for this very expensive item out of the event budget for
Investiture would place an undue burden on the attendees. In order to
avoid doing that, we are undertaking to do some fund raising to defray
at least part of the cost of their travel arrangements.

As part of that fund raising effort, we will be holding an auction of
donated items at the upcoming Market Day at Birka event, on Feb. 1, in
Manchester, NH. If you would like to donate items or promises of
services, you can do so by bringing them to the event. We will be
accepting donations between 10am and 1pm. If the number of donations
seems too large to handle reasonably in a voice auction alone, we will
have a silent auction starting at 1pm, with anything with more than 3
bids going to a voice auction starting at 3pm. If the number of
donations doesn't seem to call for that, then we'll simply start a voice
auction at 3pm.

In the event that this effort raises more than the needed funds, the
excess will be used to defray expenses associated with Investiture. If
you have any questions at all about this effort, please don't hesitate
to contact me (Kathryn Smith, aishabintjamil at yahoo.com).

Mistress A'isha bint Jamil
Lady Catherine Peacock