[Wyewood] FW: [Announcements] Resolution to Suspend In-Person SCA Activity Updated - December 4, 2020

[Ruslund Geyer]

And because our email list loves to break long web links, here is the full
text of the notification.
In service, 
Avine 

December 4, 2020

Greetings:
At the end of July, the Board of Directors issued a proclamation suspending
most inperson SCA activities in North America until January 31, 2021, due to
the COVID-19 global pandemic. In November, we asked the Kingdom Seneschals
and Crowns of the
known world to give us their counsel on how to proceed in the first part of
2021. We received very thoughtful responses from nearly all Crowns and
Kingdom Seneschals as well as many other concerned people. We wish to thank
everyone who responded for
taking the time to do so, and for putting such effort into your responses. 

After reading and discussing the feedback received, the Board decided at
their conference call meeting on 12/01/2020 to continue the suspension of
in-person activities in North America through May 31, 2021. That action
reads as follows:
Motion by Ross Roegner to extend the Resolution to Suspend In-Person
SCA Activity until January 31, 2021, originally issued by the Board of
Directors on July 28, 2020, for a period of four (4) months, until May 31,
2021. Second by Gigi Coulson. Opposed: none. Absent: Jennifer
Krochmal. Motion carried.

The original document can be found here:
https://www.sca.org/news/resolution-to-suspend-in-person-sca-activity-until-
january31st-2021/

While there is good news on the horizon regarding effective vaccines and
other ways to treat and manage COVID, implementation of those treatments is
still in the future. The current situation shows that infection rates are
continuing to increase in many places
throughout North America. The most important concern at this time must be
the safety of all participants. 

Please remember that federal, state, provincial, and local health directives
and guidelines must continue to be followed whenever Kingdoms decide to
authorize smaller local inperson meetings and local fighter practices. These
local activities remain under the
discretion of the Crown and Kingdom Seneschal. Kingdom Earl Marshals are
welcome to give advice to the Crowns and Kingdom Seneschals when approving
local practices. 

Virtual events, as have been happening in many kingdoms, are of course
allowed and encouraged to continue. If a Kingdom believes that the
circumstances in their area allow for an in-person event, beyond approved
local practices and meetings, to be held safely before May 31, 2021, the
Crown and Kingdom Seneschal are welcome to discuss a variance with the
Society Seneschal.

Such variances for events beyond local practices and meetings will be
considered, but please keep in mind that limits on participants, mask
requirements, local government approval, insurance questions, vaccine
availability, and actual conditions regarding the
epidemic in the Kingdom requesting the variance are all important issues
that will be considered and discussed for any requested variances prior to
the May 31, 2021 date. 

Further, as stated in the original Resolution, if a Crown or Coronet feels
the need to step down without heirs, a regent may be installed according to
the laws of the kingdom or principality. If those laws are not adequate for
the situation, the kingdom is invited to work
with the Society Seneschal to create a solution that will be in the best
interests of the kingdom or principality. 

Live events and personal interactions are a large part of the way the
Society has continued over the last fifty-plus years. These restrictions on
live events in the SCA are painful, but the state of the world, and the
well-being of everyone involved, currently require we be as careful as
possible.  

It does look like there will be vaccines available soon and once the
epidemic is under some semblance of control, we can have live events again
and celebrate all our interests and community safely.

If there are any questions, or further concerns or comments, please send
them to us.
Lis Schraer
Society Seneschal
Seneschal at sca.org
or John Fulton
Society President
President at sca.org

If you would prefer to send something directly to the Board as a whole that
can be done
using sca-comments at lists.sca.org.

You may also contact your Kingdom's Board Ombudsman. The list of the Board
members
and the Kingdoms each represents can be found here:
https://www.sca.org/about/officers/#board.

In service, respect, and the sincere desire to see everyone safely again.
John and Lis