Clan Blue Feather Pennsic Camp Kitchen Trailer!

Greetings unto all friends of Clan Blue Feather! The encampment at Pennsic needs your help to continue to provide a safe, welcoming space for all LGBTQ+ members of the SCA for years to come.

As many of you know, our beloved Pennsic encampment has been a home away from home for LGBTQ+ individuals and their allies within the SCA community for over 33 years. Besides being among the most visible examples of the Clan’s mission of studying and celebrating queer folk in history and within the Society, the encampment has served an equally important function as a safe space for LGBTQ+ individuals who may not otherwise feel comfortable or welcome elsewhere at Pennsic or in the SCA. Over the years the encampment has played host to hundreds of people (both campmates and visitors) from all walks of life and from far and wide in the Society, and in 2023 our camp was its biggest ever.

Many of our encampment members and friends consider it a second family and a refuge from the struggles we all share in the real world. It's a place where laughter echoes, stories are shared, memories are made, and above all one of the few campsites at Pennsic where ALL are welcome to camp - come as you are!

As our campsite has grown and evolved to meet the needs of its membership we find ourselves at an impasse. Like many long running camps, the amenities our camp relies on are often the result of piecemeal contributions over many years by a dedicated individual or group of members. While these labors of love were given freely, our encampment has been around long enough that much of the infrastructure that is critical for making it a welcoming place is reaching the end of its usable life span. Beyond that, much of it comes with instructions and idiosyncrasies that can be hard to convey to newer campers and make for a setup and breakdown process which is often less than efficient. In addition, the sheer amount of physical labor required has become a huge burden on everyone involved.

For this reason and more our encampment members have been working diligently to research a solution that upgrades our necessary infrastructure, reduces the workload needed for setup and breakdown, configures critical amenities as efficiently as possible, and most importantly will last for years to come as we welcome future generations of Clan members.

To that end, we are thrilled to announce this fundraising drive for a brand new Clan Blue Feather encampment kitchen trailer! This isn't just any trailer; in addition to storing our camp between Pennsics, during Pennsic it will replace our aging kitchen and shower/bathroom infrastructure, connect to our common dining tent, and serve as the heart and soul of our camp.

The trailer will be equipped with a large range, double sinks, built-in propane tanks, electric and plumbing infrastructure, plenty of cabinet and shelving storage, fold out floors, and large windows to make for a practical, accessible, and inviting space. This will be a professionally built, commercial quality trailer that will ensure a durable, long-lasting center of our campsite for years to come, hopefully to be enjoyed by the next generation(s) of the LGBTQ+ community.

But to make this dream a reality, we need your help! After much sourcing, we have secured a great price with a professional builder who is eager to work with us. Our current encampment members have already raised 1/3 of the cost as the downpayment to get the work started, but that leaves us with even more to raise, so we are also reaching out to the wider Clan Blue Feather and SCA community.

Good gentles, if the Pennsic encampment has ever been a place where you have felt welcomed, seen, and appreciated, and if you value our mission within the Society and the existence of our camp at Pennsic, we ask humbly ask your assistance to help us make this investment in our encampment's, and our community's future.

Contributions will go directly towards purchasing and setting up the kitchen trailer, including the build cost, after-build additions, and associated costs (such as the first year's insurance and storage). We also invite you to spread the word and share our cause with friends and family. As is our motto around the campfire, the more the merrier! As a community, we can accomplish anything.

With love and appreciation,

The members of the Clan Blue Feather Pennsic encampment

P.S. Stay tuned for updates on our progress and building updates as the trailer build progresses. Let's build something amazing together!