ALABAMA RENAISSANCE FAIRE

Minutes of Meeting, 6-23-05

Those present:  Ann Iaria, Aubrey Gaskins, Billy Warren, Donna Miles, Kim Lovelace, William Freeman, Carol Burhans, Lee Freeman, Mary Nicely, Susie Rickad, Beth Faulkner, Sheila Colston, Sue Bevis, Her Highness Salina Letsinger, Spencer Letsinger

1. Billy Warren apologized for rescheduling this month’s meeting from the third Thursday to the fourth Thursday.  He had to attend an educational conference on the third Thursday.
   
    
2. Everyone welcomed Beth Faulkner and Shirley Colston as the newest Roundtable members.
   
    
3. Billy Warren reported that the Russellville home of Donnie Bryan and his family was heavily damaged in a recent fire.  No one was injured, but the family won’t be able to move back to the house until November.
   
    
4. Ann Iaria suggested that everyone visit the website of Richard Gomez:  www.medievalworld.com.  Mr. Gomez, of Fort Collins, Colorado, is planning a working Medieval village on an 80-acre tract of land, with an estimated cost of $20 million.  Everything about his project (dollar amount, acreage, etc.) fits almost perfectly our suggestions for the development of Veterans Park.  Billy Warren will forward this web address to Simpson Russell and other local leaders who have influence over the future of Veterans Park.
   
    
5. Susie Rickard reported on research she has done regarding the establishment of a website.  She also stated that the Renaissance Faire’s website can reside, free of charge, on the server at Northwest-Shoals Community College.  Great news!
   
    
6. Sue Bevis reported that she has located a tent for use as our information booth.  It is available at Sam’s Club for $200 (which includes roll-down sides).  The size is 10 feet x 20 feet.  Sue will e-mail the exact cost to Billy Warren so he can forward it to Jim Holland for payment.  Then we will need a Roundtable member who owns a pickup truck to get the tent and transport it to our storage facility.
   
    
7. Aubrey Gaskins stated that we should be careful with our new tent.  We need to touch the interior side of the covering as little as possible since touching it increases its vulnerability for rain seeping through it.
   
    
8. Donna Miles reported that the entertainment schedule for the Feast hasn’t been officially set, but she stated that there will be singers, Eastern dancers, Irish step dancers, a harpist, a virginal player and an excerpt from Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing.”  She also stated that the evening will revolve around a Renaissance murder mystery theme.
   
    
9. Lee Freeman suggested that everyone visit Jim Matterer’s website (www.godecookery.com).  It has extensive information about our Feast and Faire and includes the tentative menu for this year’s Feast.
   
    
10. Billy Warren reported that Vince Brewton, who created Heritage Preservation, Inc.’s website (www.florencehistorical.org), is creating a site for our Feast and Faire.  We’re considering a change in domain name to alarenfaire.org since we are having difficulty locating all of the necessary items to continue using the former domain name (alrenfaire.org).  Billy stated that Vince is doing a great job and expressed sincere appreciation for his efforts.
    
     
11. Sue Bevis described the certificates that she created for the four winners (first place, second place, third place, two honorable mentions) in the poster contest for high school students.  She stated that she will retain that format for use in future years.  Billy Warren thanked her for such a great job.  He also stated that he sent prize ribbons to the four winners and that the first and second place winners would receive their monetary awards.
    
     
12. In a drawing, Donna Miles won a DVD of “Lord of the Rings: Two Towers.”
    
     
13. Donna Miles presented everyone with pencils, pens and other items donated by integrity Physical Therapy, the healthcare company that is headed by her husband, Greg.
    
     
14. Billy Warren reported that completed applications are coming in daily from vendors throughout the country.
    
     
15. Billy Warren reminded everyone that we have been invited to the wedding of Liz Myers and Jason Behel this Saturday (June 25), 4:30 p.m., at Coby Hall (Magnolia Church of Christ, in case of rain).
    
     
16. Billy Warren stated that our poster should be back from the printer by our July meeting date.