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Letter from Merwyn of Gwyntarian and Zillah bint Uways al-Qahir for election to Baron and Baroness of Brendoken 
Deborah L. Patterson
Zillah bint Uways al-Qahir
938 Kennebec Ave.
330-784-5577
330-962-9669
zillah1199@aol.com
Member #186539
SCA Experience: I have been in the SCA for 13 years, though I have been associated with members of the Society since childhood. I have been a member of the Marche of Gwyntarian since joining and have served variously as local Herald and Webmistress for that group. When I joined Gwyntarian was still part of the Middle Marches, and I was serving as group herald at the time that the decision was made to split off from the Middle Marches. I was active in the movement to create the new Barony and served as head of the Name and Device steering committee until that position was taken over by the incipient Baronial Herald. I continued to assist the committee and personally worked with Talan to compose an acceptable name for the new group. I served as Baronial Signet from the inception of the Barony until the spring of 2008 at which time I became Baronial MoAS.
I have autocratted Farewell to the Flesh in 1998 for Gwyntarian and served as head cook for First Contact:: Japan in 2006 and RUM in 2007 for Gwyntarian and the 2007 Qaina Hafla for Brendoken as well as assisting in the kitchen for numerous events within the Baronial region
Involvment in the arts has been a focus of my Society membership. I have illuminated scrolls for both baronial and kingdom awards and taught classes at meetings and events on various Middle Eastern topics. I have participated in regional A&S competitions as a judge for the Northern Oaken area. I submitted a research paper on the use of food as a metaphor in the Canterbury Tales, at the kingdom level. I have been fortunate enough to receive an AoA and a OoW for beadwork at the Kingdom level, and a Golden Thistle and a Golden Alderleaf - respectively for service and for the arts and sciences - at the baronial level.
Mundane Experience: I have earned B.A.s in Art History (1994), Photography (1994) and History (1995) and an M.A. in English Literature (2003) from the University of Akron. I was president of the Student Art League my senior year in college. I have taught English composition at the college level at both the University of Akron and Kent State University.
Other employment experience includes factory assembly, an office assistant, a librarian, a computer technical assistant, a computer graphics artist, a photography lab technician and in an art gallery—all positions that require working in teams and/or small groups, managing time-sensitive projects and meeting deadlines.
I've had experience speaking before large and small audiences. I have delivered a number of academic papers on subjects within the disciplines of Art History and English Literature and Theory and exhibited artwork in galleries throughout the country.
I have studied various forms of dance since high school. Most recently, I am focusing on Middle Eastern dance, a form I have studied within the SCA and with non-SCA instruction and some professional performances.
I have trained and shown Siberian Huskies for 20 years.
Currently, I moderate and assist in maintaining a gaming related website: http://www.naturalsims.com/
Interests: I have interest and experience, both mundanely and within the Society, in a number of arts and sciences including but not limited to research, clay and metalworking, costuming, fiber arts, cooking, middle eastern and asian dance and culture, illumination and armor construction.
Strengths: I work well under pressure, I am usually very even-tempered and easy to get along with. I am skilled at organizing and analyzing on both a practical and theoretical level. I prefer to make decision by weighing the advice of those around me and considering the opinions of others, but am not afraid to make choices that need to be made when it proves necessary, even though they may not be popular. I have been in the Brendoken area since joining the SCA and am familiar with most of the populace and the 'personalities' of the individual groups within the Barony. I am inclined to be open minded towards new ideas and tolerant of difference and dissent. I have a strong personality, and while I tend not to assert myself, I am perfectly capable of doing so when the situation warrants it.
Goals: I have been a member of Brendoken since the first meeting and I have seen the problems and difficulties we had to overcome to become a legitimate, functioning Barony. While I have seen tremendous growth and progress, one of my primary goals as Baroness would be to foster greater group cohesion within the area. Since the Barony was formed out of individual groups, there remains a tendency towards insularity within those groups that I would like to address and overcome. In addition, since current active membership tends to be a mix of those who have been members for many years and those who are fairly new, with few mid-range members, there is the occasional 'Old Guard' versus 'Young Turks' element which I would like to see become a source of strength, of experience combined with adventure, rather than a source of adversity.
In addition, while Brendoken is rightly proud of its fencing and archery participants, I would like to see what can be done to increase the enthusiasm and participation in heavy and thrown weapons in the area. We have no shortage of members involved in these activities and I hope to find ways to bring all the arts martial within the Barony up to, or even beyond, the standards set by the Brendoken rapier unit over the past few years.
Since I am, myself, a person interested in the arts and sciences and currently serve as MoAS, I would, of course, encourage and cultivate greater participation in and enthusiasm for the arts and sciences within Brendoken. This area is as gifted with artisans as it is with fighters and I believe that the accomplishments and skills of those members should shine as brightly as those who don armor. With that in mind, I hope to foster a greater appreciation for A&S within the SCA, beginning with a goal of demonstrating to the populace that A&S is an enjoyable, creative pastime, and not a thing to be approached with fear or resignation, even when entering an A&S competition.
Stan Jones
Merwyn of Gwyntarian
330-633-7759 (home)
330-633-9543 (cell)
madmonk1955@hotmail.com
Member #176976
SCA Experience: While relatively new to the SCA, for the three years I have been a member I have participated actively on both a local and a baronial level. I have made myself available to assist at any and all events and demos in any capacity needed, be it set up and tear down, washing dishes, assisting at troll or any other job that needed filled. It has been my pleasure to be the kind of person that can always be counted on to serve in any capacity, even on the shortest of notice.
Mundane Experience: Masters of Liberal Arts from University of Tulsa. I served in the U.S. military, Army and Navy (active and reserve) for 22 years as a commissioned officer with aviation and combat experience. I am accustomed to both giving and receiving orders and working within a command structure. I have worked in the civilian world as a steel shop foreman, then as the general manager of a manufacturing facility. I am currently employed by Costco Inc., as a Vault Clerk responsible for all financial receipts of our building.
In my civilian and military careers I have traveled extensively and resided in a number of different places, where I have been required to adapt to changing situations and customs. I have been in a stable relationship for eight years, and married for one of those years. My wife is also a member of the SCA and supports my interests and intentions wholeheartedly. We have thoroughly discussed the idea of my being baron and sharing that honor with Zillah, who is a close friend of ours. As my wife supports our local and baronial group with the same enthusiasm that I do, we both look forward to this new challenge.
Interests: I am interested in a variety of the arts and sciences, focusing specifically on woodworking, leatherworking, metalworking and armoring, all of which I have taken up since joining the Society. I have made armor and leather objects on commission for several members of the Barony and made armor for myself as well. I have some experience with heavy weapons fighting and both my wife and I are interested in authorizing to fight in the near future. In addition, I have done some archery and plan to become more involved in that activity as well.
Goals: Rather than re-inventing the wheel, I would prefer to make it just a little more rounded and smoother-rolling. I hope to look at the strengths and positive aspects of our Barony and find ways to perfect these areas, as I believe that focusing on the places where our Barony is strongest will help to instill regional pride and community within our citizens and encourage those who have been less active to want to 'join in the fun.' In the past three years I have learned much and I understand that I still have much more to learn from those with more SCA experience than I do. However, I have noted that there is some resistance to those of us who are newer from those of the "Old School." I would like to address this issue, so as to keep our Barony in touch with every participant, new and old. As I am a older adult, I have years of life experience to fall back on, while being relatively new Society member, I still have the 'new blood' sense of exuberance. I believe this to be a good combination and would allow me to lead using a patient and steady hand. I hope that I can use this combination to help create a greater integration within our group and to show both the old and the new how much they have to offer.
Strengths: I am passionate about the SCA and the activities and experiences the Society provides. I am highly adaptable and have no difficulty with variable situations and conditions. I am comfortable with positions of authority and responsibility and I'm able to take on whatever tasks and challenges are necessary to get a job done. I'm an outgoing person who makes friends easily and I enjoy dealing with people on a regular basis both personally and professionally. I learn quickly and would enjoy applying my knowledge to the greater good of the Barony.
As a pair, Zillah and I represent a very characteristic cross-section of the Barony. We are located closely geographically, enabling a high level of communication. We participate together in activities outside the SCA and have similar interests and temperaments. We work well together and have a good balance of experience and enthusiasm, which allows us to approach situations in a competent yet exuberant manner. We are both mature and amiable in our outlooks, but possess strong personalities that will help us develop distinct roles as baron and baroness and allow us to work both as a pair and as individuals in whatever manner is required of us.
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