As a non-profit organization, the SCA depends on us — volunteers — to keep the Dream alive and going strong. There are many ways you can serve, from small commitments of a few hours’ time to becoming a recognized Officer with regular duties.
Ways to Volunteer
Officers and Deputies Needed
Current list of openings
To inquire about a position, please reach out to the current office holder or to our Baron / Baroness.
| Family Activities Officer | The Family Activities Officer arranges opportunities for the education and entertainment of youth and families at our events; this officer must pass a background check. Email our Seneschal: Laurellen de Brandevin |
| Deputy – most offices | Officers always need deputies! You might choose to become a deputy as a way to learn the ropes before taking over a future Officer position. Or maybe you just want to help/support a specific activity, working under an Officer within their domain. Contact the officer in charge and strike up a conversation: (link to officer list) |
| Rapier Marshal | Our current Rapier Marshal looking for a Deputy Baronial Rapier Marshal” as I’ve stepped up as Regional. “You don’t have to be a fighter to hold the office! But you do need to be a member. I will work with anyone interested to get you up to a Junior marshal status to start with. You’ll eventually want to be a Senior, but that comes with experience.” Email our current Deputy: Jacques Luis de Normandie |
| Scribal Guild Master | The head of the Scribal Guild promotes the scribal arts by organizing opportunities to learn, practice, and network with other scribes in our barony. Email the Minister of Arts & Sciences: Arontius of Bygelswade |
A Brief Introduction to Being an Officer
Our officers work together to keep the Barony running smoothly and to maintain an organizational structure that helps everyone have fun in the SCA.
Officers always need deputies to assist them. Some offices are required to have a Deputy who serves as a contingency officer, to be available whenever the Officer cannot attend. Most deputies do a specific job within the larger Office. These can be very flexible positions, and the sky is the limit! Being a Deputy is a great way to help out — and to learn the ropes, if you want to become a future Officer.
Officers must have a paid SCA membership (blue card) and live within the geographic boundaries of the Barony. Most officers report both to the Barony’s Seneschal and to a Kingdom officer, filing monthly Baronial reports on their activities and sometimes quarterly reports with the Kingdom.
Officers nearing the end of their term will start looking for their replacement 3-6 months in advance, to make sure there is time for the new officer to learn the ropes. New officers will also gain access to the official email account and online file storage (records) for their office.
If you are interested in learning more about any particular office:
- The Dragon’s Laire Customary (PDF) describes general officer responsibilities.
- Appendix 1 (PDF) describes each office in more detail.
- Look at the SCA and Kingdom handbooks for the office: see the SCA document library and the An Tir library.
- Dragon’s Laire also hosts some Resources for Baronial Officers on our website.
Help Out with an Event
Our events are successful because of the great efforts of our volunteers. Every event has an Event Steward, who coordinates all the activities, and several other important event planners, such as: Feast Coordinator, Gate (entry to the event), Decorations, and Camping Coordinator. Most Baronial events also have organized A&S demos or classes and combat activities. Planning for big events, such as June Faire, starts months in advance! See our Resources for Event Planners.
Many other volunteers help for a few hours on the day of the event, setting up or breaking down tents or decorations, helping with the entry gate, cooking or serving a feast, giving demonstrations, running games or family activities, performing for the populace, teaching a class, etc.
If you want to help with any part of an event, reach out to the Event Steward with your ideas. Or just show up on the day of the event and ask what you can do to help!
The Steward for every event is listed on the corresponding page: see our Events pages.
Illuminate a Charter or Scroll
- We especially need people to paint thank-you cards, which is excellent scribal practice. Email our Scribe to volunteer: (unknown office "Baronial Scribe")
- (unknown office "Baronial Scribe") is also looking for scribes to prepare scrolls and charters for upcoming events. Charters are pre-printed designs, ready to paint and embellish. Scrolls are fully unique designs: designed, painted, and with calligraphy that is one-of-a-kind.
The artwork of scribes is always in demand! Beautifully hand-painted scrolls or charters are given by the Coronet (Baron/Baroness) or Crown (King/Queen) to recognize most of the awards and honors in the SCA. There are opportunities at every level of skill, from painting a pre-printed thank-you card to fully designing a scroll with calligraphy and artwork.
There is always support in Dragon’s Laire for those who want to try their hand at the scribal arts. To learn more, please reach out to the baronial Scribe, (unknown office "Baronial Scribe"), or our Scribal Guild Master, (office vacant).
Make Largesse
“Largesse” is a general term for the great variety of (generally handmade) items that are given out as part of awards, recognition, or formal “thank you” gifts. These items are made by SCA participants at all levels and donated to the Coronet/Crown for future gifting. This is a great way to share your skills with other members and to participate in the SCA community.
Learn more about largesse in this article.
If you have items you would like to donate, reach out to Baroness Kloe of Thira or Baron Arion the Wanderer
.
Join our Retinue
Retinue refers to the people who kindly attend our Baron/Baroness at events and help coordinate the pageantry of Court. Our Coronets attend all official Baronial events and many Kingdom events, and there are almost always opportunities to join their retinue! Read more about retinue in general at the An Tir CultureWiki page (link opens in a new tab).
To participate, reach out to Baron Arion the Wanderer , Baroness Kloe of Thira
, or their Head of Retinue.
Represent the Barony as a Champion
Champions gain their title by winning a tournament or competition. For the next year, they proudly represent our Barony, attending all the Baronial events they can. Champions are expected to share their craft through classes, presentations, drills, demonstrations, or projects. At the end of the year, at the next tournament or championship to choose their successor, our Champions will step down and be awarded the Dragon’s Flame.
To learn more about Championships and see our current and former champions, visit our Champions page.
Volunteer at the Kingdom Level
Watch the An Tir website and the An Tir Crier (our monthly newsletter, available online at SCA.org) for announcements of open officer positions or deputies who are needed.
Scribal assistance and largesse are always in demand.
Volunteering at kingdom events is another good way to get into kingdom-level service — there’s always a need for more help with the entry gate, marshallate activities, water-bearing for the fighters, voice heralds, etc.
Awards & Recognition for Service
Because service is so important in a volunteer-run organization, the SCA has many ways to recognize people who have given freely of their time and skills. There are a great variety of awards given for service, at both the baronial and the kingdom level – just search for “Service” among the Dragon’s Laire awards or the An Tir awards.
Our Sergeantry program in Dragon’s Laire encourages the individual pursuit of excellence, including the path of excellence through service. Sergeants earn their title through a structured program of learning, doing, and teaching. To learn more about the path to becoming a Courtier of Service, visit our Sergeantry program.
Another form of recognition for service is to be inducted into an order. In Orders, existing members of the order recommend an outstanding individual to the Coronet/Crown, who then bestow the award with ceremony. At the Baronial level, service is recognized by the Order of the Wyvern. At the Kingdom level and throughout the SCA, the Order of the Pelican represents the highest honor for service. The insignia is a “pelican in her piety,” a pelican piercing her breast to feed her young with her own blood — a famous medieval trope symbolizing noble self-sacrifice.