Sad Purge...

I honestly do not know how many readers I have, other than my husband, but I feel the need to vent/purge, so you are forewarned. 

Close to three years ago I learned of a wonderful campaign to build a pagan community center.  I was excited and motivated to make it happen.  My husband and I donated our time and money, not to mention creating items for the silent auctions at events.  We joined the Launch Committee once we had a physical address and worked to make the Dream a Reality.  New Year's Eve 2011 we opened the doors to the community.  I say "we" because the OHF Community Center belongs to the community, WE made it happen.  I became a weekly volunteer and joined the Event Planning Committee.  A few months after the launch I was asked to be the Steward of the Community Center and I agreed, eager to do all I could.  I ran a successful household and what is a community center but a home-away-from-home? 

Shortly thereafter I started to notice things not running as soothly as they did in the beginning.  Then suddenly on of our Vice-Chairs, and strongest supporter, stepped down and removed herself from the OHF completely.  I was told that this was her own decision and the OHF had nothing to do with it.  Later I learned that she was manipulated by our other Vice-Chair, her husband, into resigning to save her marriage. 

Things really went down hill from there and I decided to distance myself from working with the remaining Vice-Chair that had now taken control of the Board of the OHF.  I could not handle working with him, knowing how he treated his wife, my close friend.  So I stepped down as Steward.  I used the excuse that life events were making it diffiult to continue as Steward because I am the type that hates confrontation.

A month or two later I found out he was having an affair with one of their friends.  Now his ethics were called into question in my mind, and the minds of many others.  I resigned my volunteer duties, not that anyone ever came to the center during my open hours. 

Shortly after that Firefly pulled its sponsorship and many members pulled their donations to the Center because the Vice-Chair was still in power on the Board, as well as his mistress, and nothing was being done to remove him from power.  I pulled my monthly donation as well, being sickened by the fact that the Board of the OHF seemed to support this person's lack of ethics.  It was almost like the condoned his behavior. 

Then today I learned that two of my friends are having a hard time with their newly opened Massage & Wellness Center.  We are planning a fundraiser on September 8th at 4pm.  They are two of the most giving and wonderful men and it breaks my heart to see them having financial difficulties.  (If you want to help out, shoot me an email and I will let you know more.)  But this got me to thinking.  We should be having this fundraiser at our Community Center, but because of one person's selfishness being condoned by the Board, we cannot have it there.  While the Pagan Community should be pouring our energy into helping our Brothers, we have to fight amongst ourselves. 

It is just a sad, sad day in the DC/MD/VA Pagan Community.