Progress Note to the Florida Pagan & Wiccan Community (06/30/14)

First of all, apologies for the recent delays regarding telephone calls and proceeding with the focus group to help organize an advisory group available to the Florida Pagan and Wiccan Community. I have had several personal and family health issues to contend with, however, I assure everyone that I am completely committed to this process and intend to continue to make best efforts in making it a realization although I may have previously underestimated the amount of time it requires.

On a side note (which actually has nothing to do with the focus/advisory group other than a possible misconception or misperception which should be addressed), the Florida Pagan Gathering festival recently had a TEG semi-annual planning meeting for the upcoming festival season and released the following statement on 06/24/2014:

During this meeting, as requested, the subject of the future attendance of Gavin and Yvonne Frost as FPG headliners was discussed.

Also discussed was a request that the Board “publicly support the development of a national advisory board, council, or other type of body made up of volunteer festival organizers, headliners, attendees, and abuse survivors that can be available to privately advise pagan festival and gathering planners on abuse and harassment situations”.

With regards to both of these requests we have come to the following decisions:

It is the position of the Board of Directors of TEG that:

The Frosts will not be returning to FPG as headliners, but as they have not broken any of FPG’s long-standing policies, they are as welcome to return as guests to the festival as any other festival participant would be.

Furthermore: We will not publicly or privately: co-develop, participate in, support, or endorse any “advisory board”, “council”, “body of elders”, “focus group” or any other self-appointed outside group to “advise” us on the policies or operations of our festival. We do not need and will not heed any outside groups attempting to direct or influence our policy or operational decisions.

We have in the past and will in the future continue to discuss festival policies, procedures or operations with individuals or groups of our own choosing, at times of our own choosing. Having these discussions with outside parties in no way obligates or compels us to change any of our policies, procedures or operations, only that we will duly consider the input from the party(s) chosen.

Finally, the Board of Directors of TEG sees the input of each and every individual festival participant as equal in weight and encourages constructive suggestions and comments from our festival participants.

Any questions or comments with regards to these announcements will only be addressed through email or phone call. We will not be responding to any comments on our Facebook page. Please see our general information section listed on the About page for more information.

We will have other important and exciting announcements which will be posted later this week.

As always, I would like to express my appreciation to Florida Pagan Gathering (FPG) for their dedication in continuing to provide a meeting place for the members of the Florida Pagan and Wiccan Community. I would, however, like to clear up a few possible misconceptions or misperceptions that might be made as a result of this statement.

In regard to the focus/advisory group we’ve been discussing, we have not requested approval or support from FPG/TEG or any other festival. Further, we have not made any request whatsoever for such to be made at any FPG/TEG meeting or meetings of any other festival. If any other groups have made any such requests, it should have no bearing on what we are attempting to accomplish, which is and has been entirely independent of any festival.

I have been making many, many phone calls and other communications with many, many members throughout the Florida Pagan and Wiccan Community. Some of those people may or may not have had a connection with FPG or other festivals as a staff member, a volunteer, or otherwise, but communications have been with the individual as an individual and not intended to be in any capacity of seeking approval or support from any festival.

The purpose of the focus/advisory group has to do with the Florida Pagan and Wiccan Community at large only. We have previously stated clearly that its purpose is not intended to be in any manner regulatory or controlling of any group, tradition, or festival.

The purpose is to facilitate services within the Florida Community and has nothing to do with any festival which should be self-regulating. In the meantime, we want to focus on more productive avenues such as a book mobile, clothing donations, centralized informational board, fundraising for Community needs, etc. rather than trying to establish world domination by taking over pagan festivals.  

I understand that progress and evolving can be difficult, but stagnant waters are seldom productive. I have repeatedly made it clear that this process is being done as openly as possible and I am more than willing to discuss any questions, concerns, suggestions, rumors, misconceptions, or misperceptions from the Community.  If this process is causing anyone concern, I have and will continued to make myself available for discussion if they provide me with a phone number on my Facebook page and have patience in my calling them back.

Now that this has been addressed, I hope this misconception can finally be taken off the tables and let’s get back to making productive progress while I get back to making more phone calls so that we can get a focus group together to determine the best way to progress with a service based group for the Community’s future progress.

Muwah!
Mead