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size=1> <SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'MS Sans Serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.5pt">Greetings
all!<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"
/><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 1.7pt 0in 0pt 1.7pt"><FONT size=1><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'MS Sans Serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.5pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 1.7pt 0in 0pt 1.7pt"><FONT size=1><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'MS Sans Serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.5pt">In reply to
Isabel’s thoughts on those who play the game for long periods of time without
being a member:</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'MS Sans Serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1.7pt"><FONT size=1><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'MS Sans Serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.5pt">I've been a card
carrying SCAdian since '93 (member #72993). I believe that people who play the
game regularly should pay dues. The way the BoD's reasoning has been
portrayed is that they see non-member surcharges as a way to prop up the funds
of Corporation. I don't see this as the proper way to raise funds for the
Corporation. In general, I don't see a non-member surcharge as a bad thing;
it should encourage membership. It's the reasoning behind the surcharge
that I fault. If the cost of producing and mailing the kingdom newsletters and
TI have increased so that membership fees no longer cover them, then membership
fees should be increased to cover them. The Corporation should not hit up
non-members specifically to cover shortfalls in money for membership
privileges.</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'MS Sans Serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1.7pt"><FONT size=1><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'MS Sans Serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.5pt">I think that if
you attend more than three or so events a year, you should be a member. I feel
that you have an obligation to support the Corporation that supports your hobby.
I may ask you why you aren’t a member if I happen to notice but in general I
won’t badger you about it. Becoming a member is a personal choice and people
have very good reasons for both becoming a member and for not becoming
one. </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'MS Sans Serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1.7pt"><FONT size=1><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'MS Sans Serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.5pt">That aside, the
SCA is a weird group though. It was founded in 1968, in San Francisco by a bunch
of hippies (many of them Lit. students at various local colleges and
universities). A lot of the good things from the 60s (equality for all
regardless of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, ability, and religion, the
freedom to explore your own interests, and a resurgence of hand crafts) have
been engendered in the SCA. As you may have noticed SCAdians take great pride in
being accessible to everyone regardless of anything. We want people to play with
us and don't want to put barriers in people's way. Some people see making people
have memberships to play as being one of those barriers. Others see the
non-membership surcharge as one of those barriers. </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'MS Sans Serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt">One of the
things that some people cherish about the SCA is the ability to play with us,
without having to be a member.</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'MS Sans Serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1.7pt"><FONT size=1><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'MS Sans Serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.5pt">It's all well
and good to talk about the economics of the situation; it needs to be
done. A non-member surcharge may be a quick way, to raise substantial
amounts of money, it's not a way that sits well with a vocal percentage of
the populace, bcause it seems as though the BoD see non-members as a bit of a
"cash cow".</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'MS Sans Serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt"> </SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1.7pt"><FONT size=1><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'MS Sans Serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt">I hope this
clears up any confusion from my former post.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1.7pt"><FONT size=1><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'MS Sans Serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt"></SPAN></FONT><FONT
size=1><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'MS Sans Serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><FONT
size=1>Yours in service,</FONT></SPAN></FONT><FONT size=1><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'MS Sans Serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> </SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1.7pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'MS Sans Serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><FONT
size=1>**aelfwynn**</FONT></P></SPAN></BODY></HTML>