[Artemisia] SCA Rapier Equipment Needed for Troops in Afghanistan

[mattkatie2]

PLEASE FORWARD: Things are needed by THL Donwenna La Mareschale so she may
do rapier practice with troops in Khandahar Afghanistan at one of the bases
there. Send questions to donwenna at gmail. Com [OMIT SPACES] The shipping
address where you should send equipment is at the end of this missive.

Duchess Katerina
Atenveldt
*******
Fwd: Re: Rapier Gear Needed in Afghanistan 
Posted by: "Lori Taylor" lltaylor at u.arizona.edu   visc_lore 
Mon Jun 22, 2009 10:55 am (PDT) 

Dear Cousins: Having finally caught up on some of my correspondence, 
I read this message (originally forwarded, I believe, by Sir Jason 
and Duchess Katerina) and thought - I *know* this good lady!! I 
worked with THL Donwenna La Mareschale when she was Society 
Equestrian Marshal and I was employed by the SCA Board of 
Directors. She attended Barons' War (the precursor to Southern 
Crusades) when it was held at the Pima County Fairgrounds, so several 
of you may have met her also.

In her life outside the SCA, Dr. Donna DeBonis is a veterinarian who 
for many years had her own practice in both California and Washington 
(state), who wrote me this:

>The Army needed veterinarians and so I joined last year. I got all 
>the training I needed within several mos and volunteered to be 
>deployed. Although I must admit Afghanistan was not really on my 
>list of places to see. Speaking of which it is pretty bleak here; 
>SCA is really a welcome addition and does provide entertainment not 
>only for us but for the soldiers to watch us. ;'>
>
>I hope we get some rapier gear cause we are going to lose our loaner 
>stuff here in a month! As for things to send, we need any rapier 
>gear that you may have hanging around. It seems that is the most 
>exciting fun for folks to watch and try. Simple tabards to go over 
>the fencing jackets would add a nice touch.
>
>Despite the fact that I am in a war zone, I love being an Army 
>veterinarian. We have an excellent training program and are really 
>appreciated for our skills. It is wonderful to be able to do heroic 
>measures on the Working Dogs--they get the best of care. It is a 
>real pleasure and I finally can live up to my ideals of veterinary 
>medicine . The Army itself is very interesting with its own culture 
>but surprisingly I find myself thriving here based on what I learned 
>about politics and human relationships in the SCA.
>
>Here in Kandahar, I am on a NATO Base that has about 20K people. It 
>is simply mindboggling...and what's more we get rockets lobbed in 
>here weekly. Military vehicles are everywhere and folks use them 
>casually to travel on base all the time. Almost everyone here wears 
>uniforms --it is very interesting to see what each country has to 
>wear and then to be able to ID from a distance. Although I must 
>admit my fave is the Blackwatch--those guys are just 
>so...cocky...they wear their green berets at a jaunty angle with a 
>spray of red feathers and a tartan belt! Most of these fellows are 
>rather short and spare but they remind me of terriers--a big dog in 
>a little body. ;'>

I personally have the greatest respect and admiration for her as a 
Lady, a Vet, and a member of our Armed Forces. I hope anyone who has 
rapier gear they could pass along would consider supporting her 
cause. I would even be willing to serve as a collection point and 
assume the responsibility of sending donated items to her.

If someone would please forward this additional information along to 
any rapier lists to which you belong, I would be very grateful.

YIS, Lore

Visc. Lore de Lorraine, Pel.
Barony of TirYsgithr, Kingdom of Atenveldt
mka Lori Taylor - Tucson, Arizona
*********
On Thu, Jun 18, 2009 at 2:53 PM, Donwenna <donwenna at gmail. com> wrote:
Greetings everyone,

Thanks for the support! 
 
Great minds think alike!  We do use a sign up  sheet and offer it to folks
to sign up after they accept an info flyer. I'll see if the flyer will
attach here in my next email. I ask for name, email and cell #. Then after
each practice, I add the new emails to my list. & send out a greeting/mini-
report. You may have noticed the long list of  individuals' addys with my
original posting--thats all the people who have signed up so far. 
 
As for things to send, we need any rapier gear that you may have hanging
around. It seems that is the most exciting fun for folks to watch and try.
Simple tabards to go over the fencing jackets would add a nice touch. 
 
DONNA DEBONIS
TF MED 
993rd MED DET (VS)
APO AE  
09533
 
Donwenna
Donwenna La Mareschale www.lanceofstanne. com
Send Questions to donwenna at gmail. Com [OMIT SPACES]