[Mid] award recomendations, a recomendation

Greetings all.

I've read a pair of letters describing the problems we in the SCA have now in
the 90's that we either didn't see or weren't statistically significant in the
70's and 80's. Rather than make this into a "me too", I want to suggest a
course of action on one of concerns -- awards.

Two words: *==write recommendations==*
  Yea, it's kinda trivial, but it's the only way the crown knows who deserves
what. I doubt TRMs of the A.S. n-teens were able to know everyone in the
kingdom, I'm even less sure of it now. They're the ones who get to pass out the
cookies, so you gotta tell 'em who gets what flavor. I've had the distinct and
dubious pleasure of knowing a few royal folk, and most of them have stated that
(1) they can't give out an award for nothing, and (2) they want(ed) to see more
than one letter of recommendation for somebody before going ahead. I would hope
that everybody in the SCA knows two other people well enough that you could team
up with the first to recommend the second for something. Grab that first
friend, write that letter and Poof! There you are.
  As usual, there are complications, two easier to fix than the third. An award
can't be given unless you know where to give it. PLEASE remember to include a
list of 2-5 events this person will be at. And send it in with enough lead time
on those events so the scribes have enough time to make the cookie look nice,
six weeks minimum. Lastly, be prepared to send the same recomendation six or
twelve months later. Royalty try to be organized (no, honest, they do!) but
sometimes things get lost in the shuffle from one house to the next. Your
friend may not have been snubbed, just misplaced. Write a *nice* *polite*
letter explaining what more your friend has accomplished since you last wrote.
  
Probably I'm too new at all this to understand the bitterness that comes from
waiting too long for a well deserved piece of recognition. But I have seen
folks get their long-overdue AoA with a grimace of "it's about time" and with
the joy of "wow, I got an award". I much prefer congratulating and schmoozing
with the second person.
  
So, write a letter! And stay for court occassionally, you might get a bit more
than you bargined for.

adam comyn
From: Adam Zabell <zabell@stanley.bio.purdue.edu>
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Received on Fri Jan 23 10:28:30 1998