ALABAMA RENAISSANCE FAIRE

Minutes of Meeting, 7-21-05

Those present:  Perri Scott-Hawthorne, Donna Miles, Mary Nicely, William Freeman, Lee Freeman, Paul Daniel, Thomas Ray, Larry Kimbrough, Jim Lake, Billy Warren

1. Billy Warren publicly thanked Dr. Vince Brewton for his work in creating our new website; all agreed that he has done a great job.  The address is:  www.alarenfaire.org.  Billy conducted a brainstorming session regarding the Renaissance Month activities that should be posted on the site.  These events surfaced:
   1. Children’s Art Contest (grades K-6)
   2. Sonnet-Writing Contest (grades 7-12)
   3. Lectures at the Public Library
   4. Costume-making Workshop on Saturday, October 8
   5. Feast on Saturday, October 15
   6. Shoals Art Guild’s Exhibit
   7. Renaissance Faire on Saturday and Sunday, October 22 and 23
      
       

Billy will make a chart of these and send it to Vince electronically.

2. It was suggested that, on Sunday at the Faire, we post copies from the Times-Daily of the winning sonnet entries.  Good idea!
   
    
3. Donna Miles:
   1. Reported that harpist Annette Harmon Lee is confirmed as part of the entertainment at the Feast; and
   2. Announced that she will soon be grandmother for a second time!  (Everyone cheered.)
      
       
4. Billy Warren encouraged everyone to attend the performance of the dance troupe from India at Florence High School on Sunday evening, July 31.  Donna Miles gave the troupe excellent marks for its performance in 2004.  Darlene Freemon’s Creative Writing program at the high school will benefit from the proceeds – another reason for everyone to attend!
   
    
5. Lee Freeman:
   1. Reported that Jim Matterer has information about our Feast on his website (www.godecookery.com) which is linked to ours;
   2. Stated that Lisa Holcombe-Blair, Jim’s assistant from Mobile, Alabama, is devising the Italian-based menu for this year’s Feast; and
   3. Circulated a copy of several pages from a website in Michigan which describe in great detail a proposed working Medieval Village very similar to our ideas for the development of Veterans Park.
      
       
6. Billy Warren will forward the address of the website (see 5c. above) to all members of the Roundtable.  It is http://bhfi.1st.net/.  He will also forward it to Simpson Russell, Mayor Bobby Irons and Debbie Wilson at the Florence-Lauderdale Tourism Bureau office.
   
    
7. Billy Warren announced that Tina Kitchens is the new director of the Florence Parks and Recreation Department.
   
    
8. Larry Kimbrough (aka Zolin the Wizard) exhibited a copy of Andre Norton’s last book, Three Hands for Scorpio.  (Andre died a few months ago at age 93.)  This novel is set in the Dismals near Natural Bridge, Alabama.  Larry stated that he drew the shield that is featured in the front of the book and that the book is dedicated to him and others, referring to him as the Wizard of the Alabama Renaissance Faire!  Our herald, William Freeman, read the dedicatory paragraph aloud for all to hear as the group congratulated Larry on this honor.
   
    
9. Billy Warren paid a huge compliment to the lovely wedding on June 25 of Liz Myers and Jason Behel and to Donna Miles for directing it.  Billy also circulated copies of pictures of Jason’s hand-thrown pottery which will be for sale at the Faire.
   
    
10. In a random drawing, Thomas Ray won a copy of the sixth (and newest) volume in the Harry Potter series.
    
     
11. Mary Nicely agreed to check the calendar at Kennedy-Douglass Art Center regarding the scheduled date of our costume-making workshop:  Saturday, October 8, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.  (Note:  Mary called Billy later in the day after our meeting and confirmed the date and time.)
    
     
12. Billy Warren announced that he will meet on Thursday, July 22, with Cagri Bagcioglu and other representatives from the international student group at UNA to determine ways that the group might participate directly in the Renaissance Faire.  Stay tuned!