Unto the populace of the Citadel of the Southern Pass,
Greetings! May has passed into June and we haven’t been forced to consume the minstrels (RE: Monty Python and the Holy Grail), although it isn’t winter yet.
Looking into Our Recent Past
May was a great month and we accomplished many things thanks to all of your hard work and effort. THL Edmund hosted a Tablet Weaving Class that functions as a series of A&S events with some of our members doing some amazing things as a result.
We did Outlandish and Clann Wars as a Barony and it was a ton of fun. Both events are always a great time and this year was no exception. It was encouraging be with the crew from Citadel that attended and fully participated representing us all very well. Thank you again to all who made these events extra special.
Fighter practices are up in attendance and this past weekend we hosted two; one on Saturday and another on Sunday. We had a total of 18 unique fighters between lights and heavies across the two days. If we get these numbers consistently we will be ready to take the fields in the name of the Stag Crown as a fierce force of fury and might!
Special Boroughs of the Citadel Met Up
Boroughs are an unofficial thing made by us, and we’re experimenting with it here in the Citadel. I know, not very Italian, but I figured I’d reach across the channel for some inspiration to Medieval England. The Boroughs here in Citadel are meant to be special groupings in a location, specifically, Fort Bliss and UTEP. Each Borough now has a Deputy Seneschal who operates as the Point of Contact for those locations to help us understand their unique needs and considerations as a military installation and a university campus, respectively. Dominus Caledonius and Lady Caitriona will be stepping up to help us figure out how to generate interest and activity for these locations along with all of the wonderful gentles who attended our lunch meetings. I learned a ton and I even work on Fort Bliss!
In Our Immediate Future
Outlands Herald and Scribes Symposium was this past weekend, but other than that, June is generally a light schedule for us as the Summer begins its violent conquest of our backyards and open areas. As a result, most of the events on the calendar are in the North, which is okay for us because that means our weekends are open for looking inward towards the Barony and nearby to our amazing Southern Outlands neighbors for some of the more regular practices and workshops.
Lady Rita has handed off the reigns to our new A&S Minister, Albrecht the Wanderer (aptly named), who has returned to us after a stint in Trimaris. Look for the calendar to be populated with A&S classes for this month and beyond as he gets settled into his role. Lady Rita has done a wonderful job building our A&S community and we remain dedicated to making sure it stays strong in the future.
SCA 101 classes with Sir Berold are starting up! Mondays at 6 PM will be for those newcomers or some of us more veteran folks who want to learn. After SCA 101, head on over for Calyx Harmoniae just down the path a ways to participate in the choir or listen in on what they’ve got brewing for us.
There Will Be Friction; but We’re a Team!
As I continue to roll out my plans for the future, I acknowledge that there will be some friction in how we do business. It is inevitable in any group that something will get lost in communication and especially while we’re working to ensure that we achieve some next level coordination. Things will start feeling much more business like around the Officer Corps, but I want to make sure everyone feels comfortable, included, and valued.
We are a team; Team Citadel! As I’ve stated several times, if you come to me with something that would be better served by an officer, I will ask you if you’ve spoken with that officer first. This is not to shut you out, but it is to empower our officers to take care of the programs and offices they stepped up to lead. In your SCA experience, this may not be how it has always worked, but understand that I’m not trying to distance myself from all of you wonderful people. It might feel a bit weird at first, but I assure you that once we get this machine running I will have way more time to spend being among you and doing everything I should be doing as a Baron.
The exception to this whole effort of course is that if you have business with me, you should always feel free to approach me. I’m not going to hand you off to a secretary or a member of the retinue to schedule an appointment or some such nonsense, but understand that if I redirect you to an officer with your question or idea, it is because they are much more empowered and focused to handle that matter.
Officer and Populace Meeting Times
The current consensus within the Officer Corps and in my mind is that we will strive to make our monthly meetings make the most sense time wise leading to a regular effort to hold Officer Meetings on the 3rd Thursday of the Month and then Populace Meetings on the 3rd Saturday of the Month. The locations may change, so please keep an eye on the official Baronial Calendar as this will always be the source of the most correct information. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc. are not official sources, so please keep an eye on that calendar.
Not Distant, but Not Immediate Future
Coming up in July is Battlemoor and then in the Fall things start cooling down temperature wise, but start heating up for us. We have Fall Coronation, St Edrik’s and Hastilude to look forward to and as part of that we need your help! The bid for Fall Coronation will be submitted this week thanks to Domina Julia and Dominus Caledonius submitting a package. I also have interest expressed in 12th Night and an event coming up in April of 2020 that we’re hoping to have more information on coming soon. St Edrik and Hastilude still need bids, so please get those in to me at coronet@southernpass.org as soon as you can.
In Closing
Something in Citadel stirs and we are building up to a major movement that will see many new faces and opportunities. I ask that you continue to work as hard as you have in supporting this Dream. In everything we do, no matter how many great ideas or passionate acts we may conduct, you, the people, are always our greatest resource.
Yours In Service to Our Dream,
HE Bernardo dei Medici
13th Baron of the Citadel of the Southern Pass
