[Artemisia] Pay to Play

[Sondra Gibson]

Aletheia Isidora of Philae wrote:
> And how much do you charge or pay for donated time? (snip) They earned
their attendance at that event! But they could NOT spare $35 a year out of a
non-existent budget for membership.
> 
> So now it seems everyone wants to make these people shell out 
> money they 
> don't have just to attend an event they worked hard for? Or 
> to have the 
> time and efforts they have put forth recognized by their group or 
> kingdom? Where is the chivalry there?
> 

Donated time is just that - time that is freely given with no expectation of
monetary reward.  The majority of SCA folks donate their time to make our
'society' what it it.  

I don't think anyone has been discussing site fees.  Just memberships.  You
do not have to be a member to attend an event.  You do have to pay the site
fee plus the non-member surcharge.  However some groups do offer a free site
fee to first time attendants.  (the group pays the surcharge) Or as you
said, arrangements may be made for someone to 'work off' their fees.  Or
I've seen anonymous members pick up the tab for various fees for others.
There are a lot of options.  And I believe those who truly can't afford to
pay are a small minority.  I have also seen groups or individuals gift
others with memberships.  

After reading other posts and thinking about it, I don't see a problem with
non-members getting local awards, but I still think to receive any
arms-bearing awards you should be a member.  By the time a person would be
recognized for one of these awards, he/she would be well past the stage of
checking out the organization to see if they like it. 

Gefjon
(who knows very well what it's like to live on a very limited budget)