The Covenant of the Goddess
P.O. Box 12193, San Bernardino, CA 92423
Circle Sanctuary
P.O. Box 9, Barneveld, WI 53517
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ATLANTA, GA - On
Aug. 22, 2014, the Covenant of theGoddess (CoG) and Circle Sanctuary together presented medals
and ribbons to a number of Pagan men and women, recognizing them for their
military service. For years, both organizations have been presenting separate
military service awards to Pagans. Last Friday's ceremony marked the first time
that the two national Pagan organizations came together to honor veterans and
active duty military. Several awards
were accepted on behalf of veteran and active duty service members unable to
attend. Three awards were received by family members on behalf of deceased
Pagan veterans.
Representing CoG was the National First Officer, Kathy Lezon. She presented each
recipient with CoG's new Military Service Award Medal. During the ceremony,
Lezon said:
It is an honor to recognize the service of our military
Pagans. For your sacrifice of time, safety and service we are grateful, so on behalf
the Covenant of the Goddess, I present to each of you CoGs award for military
service.
Representing Circle Sanctuary was Rev. Selena Fox, Senior Minister, and Rev. Dawnwalker, coordinator of Circle Sanctuary’s Open Circles
on U.S. Military installations. They presented
recipients with the Pagan Military Service Ribbon. Rev. Fox said:
On behalf of Circle Sanctuary’s
military ministries, the Pagan Military Association, and other endeavors, we
present the Pagan Military Service Ribbon to you and thank you for your service. We are thankful to you and to other
Military Pagans who are serving and who have served. Thank you for your
contributions to our nation and the larger world.
The ceremony was held during CoG's 2014 annual meeting at the Crowne
Plaza Ravinia, in Atlanta. Circle Sanctuary members were invited to
this year's meeting as guests of Dogwood Local Council, the local Southern CoG
chapter hosting the meeting. Once
plans were finalized, the two organizations felt it was an opportune moment to
honor Pagan military men and women together. Jack Prewett, a Vietnam Veteran and former Sergeant United States Air Force, said:
As a
Vietnam veteran, I didn't get much of a homecoming. So I felt both honored and
humbled to be recognized by both Circle Sanctuary and Covenant of the Goddess
for my service to my country. To have both these organizations recognize
servicemen both past and present is truly a gift from the Gods and I know from
personal experience how much it means those that do and have served.
Covenant of the Goddess awards its own Military
Service Award Medal every year during its annual meeting called Grand Council.
The current award was designed by longtime member Amber K in 2012. Circle
awards its Pagan Military Service Ribbon at a variety of festivals around the
country each year and has also done so via its weekly CircleTalkRadio podcast on Pagans Tonight Radio
Network.
For more information about the Military Service Award Medal or Covenant of theGoddess, contact Heather Greene, pio@cog.org.
For more information about the Pagan Military Service Ribbon and Circle Sanctuary's
Military Ministries, visit
www.circlesanctuary.org/militaryministries.
The
Covenant of the Goddess is a nonprofit
501c3 organization that has represented Witches and Wiccans for 39 years. Beginning in 1975,
the Covenant of the Goddess has worked diligently to secure legal protection
for Witches and Wiccans, provide minister credentials, offer education through
interfaith outreach or collaboration, and foster community within its membership.
For more information go to www.cog.org
Circle Sanctuary, also known as Circle, is a nonprofit Shamanic Wiccan church and international Pagan resource center serving
Wiccans, Druids, Heathens, Pantheists, and other Pagan and Nature religion
practitioners and organizations worldwide since 1974. Circle Sanctuary’s services include public education, events
sponsoring, interfaith endeavors, publishing, Pagan civil rights activism, and
other work. Circle Sanctuary helps people from many
spiritual orientations connect with each other as well as with the spiritual
dimensions of Nature. For
more information go to: www.circlesanctuary.org
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