Just saw this on the MNRF listserve.. I didn't hear anything about this on Sunday, but if we can all keep our ears open and hopefully find out who is behind the theft/vandalism.. These kinds of people are bound to brag about it at some point, Saturday night was busy afterhours with Dregs after Dark and Beer for Boobs..
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To the vandals/thieves that stole and destroyed the 3 pirate flags at Mac's Pub Saturday night,
Please be aware that 1 of those flags was owned by a member of the Shakopee Jaycees that worked at the pub.
The other 2 flags were owned by long time season pass holders that liked to hang out at Mac's.
One of those patrons may not come back.
We weren't able to reach the other because he was working this weekend.
When I was talking to the leader of the group of pirates I told him that I was most upset because it was family that had done it.
His comment was, "I thought WE were family".
What do you say to that?
Return them.
John Debnam
Crafter John
Ian Stewart
Smith to Recruiting Company of Col. Gaffneys Regiment of Pike and Shot
Contracted to Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden
1630
Yup. The mood at Mac's on Sunday morning was decidedly somber and disillusioned. One of the flags, the one that hung down off the end of the cove, was literally ripped off... one corner of it is still hanging up there. For that reason, it doesn't seem like a prank. Bad form. >:(
I think the saddest part is this went on afterhours, which means that most likely the vandals are people who work at fest with all of us!!! Its not like it was some random kid just being nasty.. >:(
I thought the same thing about the people who broke into the tents in the campground.. ours included.. "slept" in our bed.. Uug!
Hopefully these people will be caught as quickly as the campground theives were!
Quote from: Muffin on September 21, 2009, 02:05:23 PM
I thought the same thing about the people who broke into the tents in the campground.. ours included.. "slept" in our bed.. Uug!
That's just....icky.
Yeah, definitely the worst part is that the thieves are some of our own. Very sad.
That something like this happened does not surprise. It's just the world we live in. But, that someone who works at 'fest is probably responsible for it does. I mean common man!...
I think we need to show these people that you can't keep us pirates down. I think we should all show up at Macs this weekend dressed in our pirate garb in a show of unity and support. I also think it would be a good idea if we could establish a fund to replace those flags. There are a ton of us pirates out there. Just think if everyone who could afford to would donate the price of a beer (4 or 5 bucks) I bet those flags could be replaced fast! Maybe we could get Mac's to hold the money (and take the donations) and see to it that it gets into the right peoples hands? Of course, since I don't work there and don't have connections I have no idea how to make something like that happen. Maybe someone who does might?...
Just a thought....Show those idiots that we pirates will replace and rally around those flags!
Throw them in Davey Jones' locker!
In all seriousness, I think Storm has the right idea...show them that losing a flag can't kill a pirate's spirit!!!!!
I call dibs on keehauling them!!
a basic jolly roger flag is only $5
... or even buy a flag/banner from the flag shop not too far from Mac's?
I don't want to see a "flag fund" jar at the bar as I fear it would hurt the servers tips but...I would certainly contribute to a fund if a collection were indeed taken.
I say this because these were not "fest owned" items...This was the personal property belonging to our patrons.
Count me in!
And if we find the fools that did this, it should become a Family matter. That said, all can be forgiven if they come forward themselves. Everyone deserves a chance to make their wrongs a right!
I would gladly donate my flag!
It sounds from the listservs like there may already be something in the works to replace the flags. Ethel the Nerd volunteered on one of the listservs to start a paypal donation thingy. I think it would be a veri nice gesture and I would certainly contribute a few bucks.
As a "neighbor" to Mac's and the Bloodwake Pirates, this saddens me a lot.
I know Goody, Lauren and I were hanging out sobering up after Dregs in the Dark. We were there til one-ish so it had to have happened after that.
I know I will donate some money to their flag replacement fund. It is sad we have to, but it is the right thing to do.
I have suggested that a collection box under the control of the Mac's Pubmasters be used. Paypal has a way of either being ignored or becomming a windfall. Neither is acceptable. It is also impersonal. We need faces seeing faces.
We should assess our losses, set a goal, reach the goal and end the donations. Perhaps redirect further donations to Alice and the Second Harvest charity a scant fifty yards away.
Being a totaly new pirate, my first attempt being just this weekend, I would be most happy to donate to the new flag fund. I was welcomed into the pirate ranks and will gladly help replace what these children have taken away. Point the way!
Great idea Kyle, then it is making the best of a bad situation.
As much as it saddens us to think, there are always a few bad apples in the bushel. Hopefully they will get theirs in due time...
This just in from Laurie/Ethel via the listserv:
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I have created a paypal account to collect donations to replace the flags that were stolen/vandalized outside Mac's Pub last weekend. You can donate money to go towards replacement by sending paypal funds to the following address:
flags@sexierthantim wick.com
(I've waited years to use that particular domain. Glee!)
I will personally pay all related costs and Paypal transaction fees, so 100% of anything you send to that address will be donated towards the cause, with 0% overhead. If you prefer to drop cash physically into a box, Tim Wick will make sure that a box exists at Mac's Pub this weekend for this purpose. Either way, the money all goes towards the same spot.
If by some miracle we exceed our community goal, we will donate it to a worthy festival-related cause TBD.
We all have our individual differences and squabbles, but we're a family where it counts. Let's show folks what a family can do.
Laurie Richardson
Ethel the Nerd
Street/Vil/Stocks
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Is there any way to bring them in after hours so this doesn't recur?
I still can't imagine why anyone would do something like this. Very sad. We'll be donating to the flag replacement fund.
I'll drop some in this weekend... what is the cost of the banners if you don't mind me asking?
Quote from: Taffy Saltwater on September 22, 2009, 11:01:24 AM
Is there any way to bring them in after hours so this doesn't recur?
That's what we'll have to do now, probably. We bring them in during the week, but usually not Saturday nights. In several years this has never been a problem.
As to the cost of the flags, I'm not sure. Someone said something about $40 apiece but I think that's just a guess.
Sorry to hear this.
Find the thieves and hang them from the pole by their legs for the next weekend. That would be an interesting display.
Quote from: Kiss-me-Kate on September 21, 2009, 09:10:06 PM
As a "neighbor" to Mac's and the Bloodwake Pirates, this saddens me a lot.
I know Goody, Lauren and I were hanging out sobering up after Dregs in the Dark. We were there til one-ish so it had to have happened after that.
I know I will donate some money to their flag replacement fund. It is sad we have to, but it is the right thing to do.
sorry to hear about this - we were there this past weekend and only discovered Mac's pub Opening weekend.
I am curious though as to "Dregs in the Dark" - what is this. And you stayed til one-ish - I thought the faire closed down at 7?? Or is this something only for cast? - We really like the place and atmosphere.
Quote from: winterland on September 22, 2009, 03:54:38 PM
Sorry to hear this.
Find the thieves and hang them from the pole by their legs for the next weekend. That would be an interesting display.
Close but not quite right... For a tuely interesting display they should be hung from the leg by their pole! ;D
Quote from: Gauwyn of Brocknell on September 22, 2009, 04:16:46 PM
I am curious though as to "Dregs in the Dark" - what is this. And you stayed til one-ish - I thought the faire closed down at 7?? Or is this something only for cast? - We really like the place and atmosphere.
Dregs in the Dark is indeed a cast/participant thing only. There's all kinds of craziness after hours for the people who work there. I'm old and stuff (ha! ;D) and prefer to go home and sleep (maybe it's just that I'm sane-ish....) but many people stay for the fun.
Dregs in the Dark is sort of the annual Dregs for Workers party (sounds like a union huh?) and typically great fun with much love being basked and given. Sad that such would occur at the same place so many go to check in, be accepted and maybe pass out a bit at a back table on a rainy Labor day.
Quote from: TheFerret on September 22, 2009, 05:30:35 PM
Quote from: Gauwyn of Brocknell on September 22, 2009, 04:16:46 PM
I am curious though as to "Dregs in the Dark" - what is this. And you stayed til one-ish - I thought the faire closed down at 7?? Or is this something only for cast? - We really like the place and atmosphere.
Dregs in the Dark is indeed a cast/participant thing only. There's all kinds of craziness after hours for the people who work there. I'm old and stuff (ha! ;D) and prefer to go home and sleep (maybe it's just that I'm sane-ish....)
Me too, generally. Sleep is good.
Back to your regularly scheduled topic...
Laurie reports on the listserv that 1/3 of the cost to replace the flags (assuming they are $40 each) has already been raised on paypal. :)
Huzzah! I'll be bringing cash this weekend!
Not selling booze out of your bodice again this weekend, MG? ;)
Gin and I will be making a donation this weekend for sure!....
Hey now! I resemble that remark! :P
Are any of you memebers of the MNRF listserve? I have to say I am somewhat disappointed by the attitude of some of the cast (in the same breath, there are a lot of them that are very supportive!).. I was thinking of posting something there, but just can't decide..
I think some on cast may forget (or just don't care) that the flags that were stolen/destroyed belonged to two patrons/playtrons and a Jaycee (read: volunteer). None of those people are paid to be there and in some cases are PAYING to be there.. Cast is paid to be there.. little as it may or may not be, they are still on contract and getting paid.. So if this were to have happened to them they may be replacing these items with money they received in payment for working at fest, the three people involved here are shelling the money out of their own pockets..
The crew at Mac's is a fabulous bunch, and are kind to all that enter.. I hate to see that some of the cast is being this way.. It just shows the seperation between us all.....
That kind of stuff really bugs me...
*stepping off of soap box now*
Yeah, I've been reading those message on the listserv and I'm a little ticked off too. I thought our own William MacKean wrote a very good email in response to the original anti-flag-"fundraiser" post.
To sum it up for those not on the listservs, some of the cast seem to be miffed that there is a collection being taken to replace these flags, when 1) they or people they knew had things stolen from them and replaced these things themselves and 2) there are larger issues out there to contribute money too, like Cecilia Lazarchic. Also I think some of the cast took the posts saying what great people the pirates are (very true!!) and decrying the fact that the theft/vandalism was perpetrated by an "insider" as accusatory towards all "insiders". (Someone else on the listserv pointed out (I think it was Tim Wick), the people who stole the flags are probably not really part of the "family." It was probably kids working out here just for a job, who have little invested in Fest.)
First of all, it's not a fundraiser - it's a collection. No one's treating it like a "cause" - people just want to show these regular playtrons that they are a part of the family. It's an act of kindness, not a grand cause. Both have their place, and both are important.
Second of all, I don't think this little flag replacement collection is going to stop anyone from contributing to causes like Cecilia's. The Jaycees have done a couple of fundraisers for her so far, not to mention the other causes we fundraise for!
But finally, let us remember that it was a cast member who first suggested taking a collection to replace the flags, and a cast member who set up the paypal account and is personally paying all the fees associated with that.
I think too any funds collected over and above the cost of replacing the flags will be re-directed to a "cause" and I believe Cecilia was mentioned ( I haven't seen this be confirmed one way or another though)..
With the show of support we've had here on R/F and the show of support from some of the Cast there is no doubt in my mind that there will be more than enough collected to replace the flags and contribute the extra funds elsewhere..
This listserve crap really ticks me off.
Who the hell are those morons to tell us what a worthy cause to donate to is!?
Excuse me! It's MY Money (not theirs) to spend and I will decide how I want to spend it (no input from them is either required or desired...all they need to do is keep their mouths shut). Just because I am going to donate to the pirate collection fund doesn't mean I wont donate to other causes, like Cecilias (which Gin and I donated to also).
Gin and I donate to a number of causes every year and it really irks me when someone tries to tell me we should have donated our money elsewhere. As I said, who the hell are they to tell us how we should spend our money?...
In Figs immortal words, and someone please be kind enough to pass this on to the holier then thous on listserve for me,....BITE ME!...
I second that Storm!
I have to say after reading some of the listserv, I was very disappointed with some of the cattiness to.
I happily gave to the flag collection because two of the patrons are part of our chessboard family out there.
I think there are quite a few whiny drama queens on the listserv,and I for one didn't hesitate for one second to ignore their whiny complaints or let their bad attitude factor into my decision to donate.
Quite a few of the cast members donated and set the whole donation effort up, and that shows that they are not the tools that some of the entertainment people appear to be.
It sounds like the flags were running around fifty bucks each, and we had at least half of that, as of the time I donated yesterday morning.
I too am a little disappointed by the actions of a handful of our cast, but at the end of the day, it's a handful out of HUNDREDS. Hundreds of very theatrical and dramatic people. I'd say that all in all a handful out of hundreds is a relatively good ratio. The trick is in staying classy and in not letting the negativity stop anyone from doing what is in their heart.
The thing to remember is that the majority of other folks came together to support each other. In the end, I hope, it gave as many positive feelings towards those who contributed as it gave (again, I hope) towards the folks whose flags were stolen and destroyed. In my book, raising the money was nice, but it was the underlying expression of love and support from everyone that really touched me.
Well said Ethel! Exactly what I wanted to say, only much more eloquently put.
Like any big group the cast has people in it that are insensitive aardvarks. I have been a twit on tons of occasions myself. That said, we also have great people like Ethel and Nettie (who suggested the donation). :D
Quote from: Obadiah Jib on September 28, 2009, 10:19:26 PM
Like any big group the cast has people in it that are insensitive aardvarks. I have been a twit on tons of occasions myself. That said, we also have great people like Ethel and Nettie (who suggested the donation). :D
Hehe...aarvarks.
Was there any update on this?
Last I heard, between the collection box at Mac's and Paypal, we were about 2/3 of the way there. Haven't heard what the final count was...
Quote from: Muffin on September 21, 2009, 02:05:23 PM
I thought the same thing about the people who broke into the tents in the campground.. ours included.. "slept" in our bed.. Uug!
What the HECK was Goldielocks hanging out at fest this year?????