Meeting Places

Public exposure is an opportunity to show what we do, to teach, to share, and to recruit. Small, start-up groups can probably meet in someone's apartment, but this doesn't provide that needed public exposure. It is much better to find someplace where you can see and be seen, that is within your budget (free if at all possible).

Not all areas are created equal, and neither are all meeting places. Some areas can meet outdoors all year long, while others must deal with bad weather conditions for significant parts of the year (wintertime in some areas and summertime in other areas). Some areas must deal with metropolitan issues (freeway access, many people competing for the same spaces, traffic and timing), while other areas contend with rural life (seasonal access, ill-marked access roads, locations with enough non-Adrians to attract attention). Look carefully at your own needs, and explore as many avenues as you can. There may be places that are appropriate for your region that are not listed here - be creative and don't be afraid to ask questions.

Parks

City parks are often available for events, either free, or at a reduced cost. Parks are perfect outdoor meeting places, providing plenty of space for tournaments, and other activities. If unpredictable weather is a consideration, check to see if a covered area, or a building, is available to you.

Check the park's lighting, especially if night falls early in your region, or your events go into the evening. Do the lights come on automatically? Is it an additional cost? For informal events (such as fighter practice), can you set up next to, say, the tennis courts, and use that lighting?

Some park systems require that a percentage of the attendees are residents of the city, which can be difficult to predict. A permit or a reservation may also be required, depending on the number of people expected to attend.

Indoor Locations

In many areas, there are indoor locations that provide meeting rooms for non-profit organizations. Sometimes these rooms are free, and sometimes at a greatly reduced cost. In areas that are dealing with winter weather conditions, indoor meeting places are necessary. These spaces almost certainly need to be reserved in advance, and some require a member of their organization be oniste, or be a member of Adria. Examples are: libraries, churches, temples, fraternal organizations, colleges.

Check the ceilings. If you plan on doing any combat-type activities, are the ceilings high enough accomodate you? Are there hanging lights?

Non-Profit Status and Insurance Binders

Some sites may require proof on non-profit status or an insurance binder. The Imperial Steward can help you with thse types of documents. Our general insurance binder is a statement by the insurance company that the Adrian Empire is insuranced, with the general details and policy limits of the insurance. Most of the time, our general binder is sufficient. Sometimes, though, the site will require a special binder that names them as a co-insured for that particular event. Again, the Imperial Steward is the person to go to. The Imperial Steward is the only person that can coordinate with the insurance company to provide this kind of binder. There is a nominal cost involved, and that cost is shouldered by the region, not the Empire.