ALABAMA RENAISSANCE FAIRE

Minutes of Meeting, 2-26-09

 

Those present:  William Freeman, Mandi Green, Darlene Freemon, Rick McAdams, Her Majesty Queen Rebecca of Linam, Devin Bowling, Maria Camp, Perri Scott, Debbie Martin, Lee Freeman, Aubrey Gaskins, Calvin Liles, Sharon Bradley, Carol Burhans, Sue Bevis, Billy Warren

 

  1. Billy Warren expressed sympathy to John Iaria in the loss of John’s dad, Leonard Iaria.  Billy stated that the Roundtable has placed the book, 1215: The Year of the Magna Carta by Danny Danziger and John Gillingham, in the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library in his memory.
  2. Maria Camp reported that she is sending a query soon to Renaissance magazine regarding an article that she is writing on Renaissance Faires with free admission and which she hopes the magazine will publish.
  3. Darlene Freeman:
    1. Reported that she found a root beer/sarsaparilla vendor on-line from Fort Branch, Indiana, who wants to come to our Faire this year;
    2. Stated that she will bring her framed copy of the children’s Renaissance certificate to a future meeting of the Roundtable so we can determine whether we want to revive it for this year’s Faire; and
    3. Announced – to a huge round of applause – that Signatures, the creative writing magazine that her students create each year, has been judged one of the top three in Alabama and one of the top 10 in America.

  4. Billy Warren publicly thanked the following Roundtable members for going to Florence High School in full costume on Wednesday, February 25, to assist in welcoming the Lord Mayor of Westminster (London, England):
    1. Devin Bowling
    2. Maria Camp
    3. Lee Freeman
    4. William Freeman
    5. Darlene Freemon
    6. Aubrey Gaskins
    7. Thelma Gaskins
    8. Her Majesty Queen Rebecca of Linam

All agreed that it was a grand occasion and that Roundtable members added greatly to the atmosphere.  The Lord Mayor was in town to officially extend the invitation to Florence High School band for it to march in the Westminster New Year’s Day parade on January 1, 2010.

  1. Billy Warren circulated:
    1. Two recent issues of Renaissance magazine, and
    2. a flyer from Diana Tidwell offering a tapestry-covered chair which she wishes to sell for $50.

  2. William Freeman reported that a lady from Classic Events, an events – planning group, contacted him about the possibility of members of the Roundtable going to Birmingham on Sunday, March 8, to participate in the gala opening of Tuscany Estates, a new residential subdivision whose houses are built to reflect “Old World” designs.  Though the developer of Tuscany Estates ultimately decided not to do the gala opening because of the economic downturn, we now are known by Classic Events as a potential participant in future events.  Kudos to William!
  3. Calvin Liles:
    1. Expressed interest in the possibility of creating a scale model of the Gutenberg Press for this year’s Faire; and
    2. Suggested that we consider the possibility of our in-school educational programs this year reflecting a German Renaissance theme.

  4. Billy Warren distributed paper copies of an e-mail from chef Jim Matterer in which Jim stated that he and Darell McCormack are planning an authentic German menu for this year’s Feast.  Billy suggested to Her Majesty Queen Rebecca that she correspond with Chef Jim with menu items.  Darlene Freemon reminded everyone that the final menu must be approved by the Board of Directors.
  5. In a drawing, Carol Burhans and Maria Camp each won a framed, handcolored page from the Bestiary Coloring Book which Lee Freeman and Audrey Parrish created several years ago as a fundraiser for the Faire.
  6. Billy Warren thanked Sue Bevis for the website on heraldry that she located.  Billy stated that he had forwarded the website address to all members of the Roundtable.
  7. Perri Scott reported that she has a tote filled with items that we used in past years in Arthur’s Field (the children’s section of the Faire).
  8. Her Majesty Queen Rebecca:
    1. Stated that she would like for this year’s Faire to feature such characters as the Plague Doctor, Flagellants, etc.;
    2. Stated that the Gutenberg Press idea for the Faire is excellent and that, in conjunction with it, she would like to emphasize documents of the German Renaissance such as facsimiles of illuminated manuscripts (which children might create);
    3. Stated that she wants to help people understand the connectedness between the English and German languages; and
    4. Stated that she will present the plans for her reign to the Board of Directors at its April meeting.

  9. Billy Warren suggested that members of local theater groups might be interested in re-enacting the journey to Canterbury of Chaucer’s Pilgrims at this year’s Faire.
  10. Debbie Martin noted that Karen Ugrovics might be interested in setting up a booth at this year’s Faire specifically for children’s Renaissance-related activities.
  11. Sue Bevis suggested that we might create bookmarks and/or notecards featuring reproductions of this year’s children’s art contest winners.  Both items could easily be sold as fundraisers for the Faire.
  12. Lee Freeman circulated a flyer advertising a presentation at the public library on Miss Maud Lindsay, teacher at the first free public kindergarten in Alabama.  Though she died in 1941, the school still operates on Cole Street in East Florence.  Miss Maud was posthumously inducted into the Alabama Women’s Hall of Fame a few years ago.  Dr. Ken Johnson will present the program at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 7.  Admission is free.
  13. Billy Warren asked everyone to stop by the gallery of framed posters reflecting the Alabama Renaissance Faire through the years.  He thanked his assistant, Marcia Austin, for creating the gallery.