I find this one difficult to respond to simply because I believe that this society runs on the service of its members. One of our fellow path travelers, Magnus Eiriksson, summed it up very well recently. I don't have his exact word but it made a simple statement
This is a hobby, a game but you get out of it what you put in. It isn't like a football game where you show up play and leave, you have to put in to get out.
I would like to think that I have done what I can to make my small part of the society a better place. I am currently working on a project that will ultimately recognise others for their service to the society that mostly goes unseen. The behind the scenes stuff. This will be me great pleasure to see it come to fruition.
I have stepped down from my role as Chair of the SCA Ltd Board, still a very active member and will continue my service until Festival next year. I have assisted in developing and implementing policy in that time and I would like to think that we achieved a lot in the past 12 months.
How have I served locally since this path started?
I am co-steward for the Feast of Friendship coming up in August so that is my focus right now. I have been steward for two public demonstrations, I have also coordinated our annual Jumpers and Jazz in July decorated tree entry. This is a hands on task that all the members of Stegby can become involved in. We are part of a big community activity that dresses trees up for 10 days in the middle of winter. You really have to be here to understand it. This starts during the week before the Feast of Santiago. And is lots of fun for the people involved. It gives the SCA a different focus in our town.
I have facilitated some workshops for our Standard banner painting and run several classes on different A&S activities. I have been the A&S officer for Stegby for the past year and this has often been a challenge. I am also Lists officer for the Barony, a rather simple job, but one I love.
I broke myself during set up weekend for Great Northern War so wasn't able to help as much as I wanted to at the event. Advice, when holding on to a tent pole on a very windy day, 100% focus 100% of the time.
We arrived a day early for GNW to help out, with my arm in a cast I muddled through, doing what I could with one hand and doing a lot of supervising :-) Once we started the event I was doing my most favorite thing, List Keeper. I truly love being a list keeper, watching the fighting, setting up the rounds, doing draws, reporting on them. I am in a happy place when I do this. GNW adds to that because I also do the Fighter Auction, registering the fighters and their Benefactors. It is a lot of fun. My husband will tell you that he never sees me at GNW, I am always off doing something somewhere, teaching a class, a constab shift, what ever is needed to be done. It is just normal behaviour for me.
And my favorite thing to do away from an event, Heraldry. I have assisted people to design their heraldry and submit names and devices in the past twelve months. I love to see people happy when their device and name come back to them approved and they can start using it. I love seeing them smile when they see the Stegby Roll of Arms with their device on it. But most of all I love to see their banners flying in the wind, hanging on the wall or their own personal pageantry display. This gives me joy. That is not service, that is simple pleasure of life.
So if Piety is service to the Society, I would like to continue to be Pious for many years to come, for Service is what I do, in some way shape or form, it makes Gabriella who she is within this game. It gives me purpose and place. And I am truly honoured to be able to serve this society in anyway I can.
I have facilitated some workshops for our Standard banner painting and run several classes on different A&S activities. I have been the A&S officer for Stegby for the past year and this has often been a challenge. I am also Lists officer for the Barony, a rather simple job, but one I love.
I broke myself during set up weekend for Great Northern War so wasn't able to help as much as I wanted to at the event. Advice, when holding on to a tent pole on a very windy day, 100% focus 100% of the time.
We arrived a day early for GNW to help out, with my arm in a cast I muddled through, doing what I could with one hand and doing a lot of supervising :-) Once we started the event I was doing my most favorite thing, List Keeper. I truly love being a list keeper, watching the fighting, setting up the rounds, doing draws, reporting on them. I am in a happy place when I do this. GNW adds to that because I also do the Fighter Auction, registering the fighters and their Benefactors. It is a lot of fun. My husband will tell you that he never sees me at GNW, I am always off doing something somewhere, teaching a class, a constab shift, what ever is needed to be done. It is just normal behaviour for me.
And my favorite thing to do away from an event, Heraldry. I have assisted people to design their heraldry and submit names and devices in the past twelve months. I love to see people happy when their device and name come back to them approved and they can start using it. I love seeing them smile when they see the Stegby Roll of Arms with their device on it. But most of all I love to see their banners flying in the wind, hanging on the wall or their own personal pageantry display. This gives me joy. That is not service, that is simple pleasure of life.
So if Piety is service to the Society, I would like to continue to be Pious for many years to come, for Service is what I do, in some way shape or form, it makes Gabriella who she is within this game. It gives me purpose and place. And I am truly honoured to be able to serve this society in anyway I can.
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