There are several guilds for all different kinds of faire-based interests that are run by the same organization. For more information, check out www.Lundegaard.com

WENCH NUMBER 596, AT YOUR SERVICE
by Willa, ATF Staff Writer

A bit of background on my story: On Christmas morning in 1998, I became an official, registered wench with the International Wenches Guild. My best Christmas present that year was a packet that contained a "Little Brown Book", certificate, kiss cards and (the piece de resistance), my pewter pin proclaiming me to be Wench 596. It was a proud moment for me!

A few months back, I contacted the guild to see about replacing the book, certificate and cards that were lost during my "divorce move", and it was with great sadness that I was told I was not actually wench 596, but 597. I have no idea, really, why it made such an impact on me when I was told I was actually one number off, but it did. I was just about heartbroken!

So I thought I would take this time to try to explain to you all just what the International Wenches Guild means to me.

There is no test to become a registered wench. You don't have to have any innate skill, and you don't have to be jumped in or anything. You simply have to send in your money and have an address they can send the package to.

However, I have yet to meet a member of the guild that didn't have that little je ne sais quoi about her that makes a true wench a wench. As it says on the guild web site, "the Wench's Guild is a loose (not necessarily literally) yet powerful confederation of women who share beliefs that some may consider sexist but that we feel are just fine."

It's almost as if the guild is a sorority of sorts. Perfect strangers who meet up at faire and see the pewter pin immediately embrace in a familial way. The instant bond occurs each time without fail. It's an amazing thing...it really is!

For more information concerning the guild, I direct you to their web site.

And I have a very happy ending for this story. Just a few days ago, I got a phone call from the guildmaster himself, Lars, to let me know that they had misread the official roster. He wanted to personally call me to let me know that I was, am, and always would be Wench 596. You have no idea how relieved that makes me feel!

Of course, true wenches don't need certification. You don't require the pewter pin that states, "Bigger, Better, Faster, More!" in Latin. You don't need the stack of cards to hand out for your loyal followers to redeem for free kisses, wubbies or grape dives. You don't need any of that to be a true wench.

BUT, real wenches never can have enough baubles. And it's good to have over 1000 sisters watchin' your back, because goodness knows enough of the rogues are watchin' your front.

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