About Black Swamp Gamers
"So I have all these board games...... we should start a club...."
... And that's pretty much how it started, no joke haha. A friend had contacted me back in November 2013 about some interest in board games and asked me what my thoughts were. I was happy to accept any offers at starting a club because I had been collecting board games myself since 2011. I had originally been gaming with a club in Toledo but it was just too far to drive consistently every week. So out of my house, we formed BSG (formally known as Whitehouse Table Top Gamers). We have had plenty of games played, our collection has grown extensively with each new member, we enjoy the conversations and new people that come out to play on a weekly basis. We can't wait to see whats in store for the club down the road. ~Anthony Kniss - Founder of BSG

BSG Membership Details
Membership to BSG works on a few levels that are as follows:
RPG (Role Playing Game) Only - $5 per month or $50 per year
Basic Membership - $10 per month or $100 per year
Partner Membership - $20 per month or $200 per year

All membership accounts include the primary holder and 1 named family member.
additional family members on the account are an added $5 per month/$50 per year.

The sole reasons for having a paid membership is to help keep our doors open. The space we rent is covered by our membership fee. We are a 501(c)(7) organization as well so all money generated by the club goes back into it as we also do not pay our staff, its all done through volunteer work.

Come back and visit for more updates and check out our website for the latest news and happenings!! http://blackswampgamers.org

ALSO check our more up to date facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/blackswampgamers

Membership Rights

Partner - This allows you and 1 NAMED FAMILY MEMBER* to be a voting member in the club. Being a partner, you may be called upon to help open the building on game days and be a staff organizer of hosted events. This is a large responsibility as your participation with the club will be a big help to the function of the club. It will put you in charge if anything were to happen. Partners can bring as many guests as they please, as often as they want (guests must still present a guest pass that would have been given to them by the partner with their initials printed on the card). This is to try and get them to convert to a members’ status down the road. Partners are also allowed to store their game collections at the shop. Lastly, being a partner also will allow you first access to game demos and special events that BSG may hold with game designers in the future. In 2019, the contributor membership was absorbed into this membership status.

Basic Membership - This allows you *AND 1 NAMED FAMILY MEMBER access to the building only when a door code member is available. This level of membership does not have voting rights when it comes to club changes to rules and procedures. Basic Members are allowed 3 guest passes per month upon request. Basic members can check out games from the shelves making sure they record it on the public dry erase board. Basic members also are automatically enrolled in the rewards system, which through group participation, members are awarded points with highest points member at the end of a 2-month cycle, gets to pick an unopened game from our donation shelf. More details can be obtained through a club officer.

RPG Membership – This is exclusively for people who intend on ONLY playing RPG on scheduled group nights at the clubhouse. This pays for the players use of space, lighting, use of club resources such as tables, chairs, dungeon mats, miniatures, RPG books and guides, etc. This membership does not allow them to play on regular games night and should only be at the club on planned RPG campaign nights.

NOTE for 1 named family members - All plans listed (except RPG Membership) are to be considered “Family” plans that include 1 named family member. This means that every plan consists of its primary account holder and 1 named family member. This would include a spouse, child, sibling, or other immediate family member. This does not include “Significant others” or “Longtime boyfriend/girlfriend”. ID proof would be greatly appreciated when filling application in which all additions names should also be listed. Age restrictions apply for family member additions, see Article VIII, Section C

For example: If a married couple with no kids would like to become members, they would only need a Basic Membership level plan for $100 a year/$10 a month OR a parent and a single named child would also only pay $100/10. Any additional children or family members would cost the above stated $50 per year/$5 per month PER named addition.

Current elected & appointed board members as of November 1st 2019 are:

Club President: Anthony K

Club Vice President: Mike P

Secretary/Treasurer: Natalie K

Event Coordinator: Kyle S

PR Officer: Aimee G

RPG Coordinator: Matt G

Board Members: Josh S – Owner of Old School Gaming
JJ W – Original Club Founder
Daniel C – Original Club Founder
Michael C – Original Club Founder

Codes of Conduct
It is important that members have a common understanding of what behavior is expected to ensure the physical and emotional well-being of our members and guests.

- We are a private group. Guests who intend on playing must be accompanied by a member and in some cases, approved by a limited partner OR have donated for a guest pass. This is for security reasons. Visitors, such as walk ins, are welcome to browse and converse but are not allowed to participate in any gaming unless said guest pass is used.

- There is absolutely NO CHEATING while gaming. If caught, you’ll be warned but if it’s consistent, you’ll be asked to leave and possibly have your membership revoked. These will be determined on a case by case basis.

- Please keep our area clean and tidy. Once a game is played, please put it back properly in its box and put it back on the shelves where you found it. Please also dispose of any trash into the waste basket.

- Please also remember to practice clean personal hygiene while gaming. Many other people will be playing these games after you so to keep the spread of germs to a minimum, always remember to wash your hands after using the bathroom or eating greasy foods. There will also be hand sanitizer bottles placed around the club area.

- Accidents do happen but to try and prevent them all together, UNCAPPED drinks are not allowed to be placed on tables where games are in play. Leave your drinks anywhere OTHER than the play area to keep spills from ruining the games.

- If you intend on playing a game with others, you are expected to FINISH the game as well. We understand if you have to leave, then someone else can take over your turns, but not finishing a game simply because you don't want to is not fair to the other players. To keep each game going smoothly, you should only be playing 1 game at a time, no jumping back and forth between tables.

- The way you play your game is different than how others play theirs. BE RESPECTFUL of other people’s playing styles.

- Be considerate of other players opinions and ideas. Everyone is neither right nor wrong. If needed, grab an officer to settle your disputes. EVERYONE INCLUDING OFFICERS, are expected to be mindful of your topics of conversation and refrain from excessive foul language, racist comments or slurs, etc. Conversation as such creates a bad, uninviting image that the club does not condone. Members or Officers caught using such language will be handled on a case by case basis.

- ABSOLUTELY NO TABLE FLIPPING. Calmly remove yourself from the table and relieve your tensions outside.