Greetings unto the populace (and friends) of the Cleftlands. It is with a heavy heart, we bring you words from the Society regarding an extension to the suspensions of in-person activities covering until May 31, 2021 for North American kingdoms.
At the end of July, the Board of Directors issued a proclamation suspending most in-person 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.
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 in-person 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@sca.org
John Fulton (Society President) president@sca.org
If you would prefer to send something directly to the Board as a whole that can be done using sca-comments@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.
