[Artemisia] Pay to Play

[Aletheia Isidora]

Mark Chapman wrote:
> The non-member surcharge is in fact a form of pay to play.
> I would like to see everyone who plays very much be members. (how to 
> define "very much" is probematic)
> For the person who attends one or perhaps two events a year membership 
> an unralistic expitation.
> Let them pay the surcharge, no awards,& no fighting after their first 
> local event.
> Ådne
> 
Not to pick on Adne, but here's my tuppence:

And how much do you charge or pay for donated time? I have known people 
who, while unemployed and barely keeping a roof over their heads, gave 
lots of time to helping set up/take down/organize etc events, fighter 
practices and other things (when they weren't job hunting. They would do 
costuming or decorations or other arts or assistance therewith for the 
price of a site and/or feast fee. Sometimes event stewards waive fees 
for diligent helpers, and these people took advantage of that, by doing 
practically everything. 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?

Yes, officers should be members, so should peers - if only to 
demonstrate that they can withstand the monetary costs of the office 
they are undertaking.  I know heralds who routinely pay their group's 
heraldry-related postage out of their own pockets, and peers are 
expected to look like peers, which takes either money, or friends with 
talent (or both).

Also remember that membership does NOT benefit local groups except thru 
the insurance coverage thing - the money all goes to corpora. Local 
groups are supported by site and feast fees - better to pay at the local 
level (and cheaper, too).

And yes, I am a paid member and have been for quite a while now.

Aletheia Isidora of Philae, sometimes called Tarimaat




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