article
by Melanie Fire Salamander
The Cascadia Alternative Spirituality Association (CASA) is planning to give you a home.
Growing out of discussions beginning in 2002, CASA formally presented itself to the public December 27 at Concentric Circles, a gathering of pagan communities put on each year by OLOTEAS (Our Lady of the Earth and Sky). Officially founded last October as a nonprofit charitable organization, CASA hopes to provide a space for alternative spirituality worship services, workshops, meetings and social events. The group has gotten state nonprofit status and has filed for federal 501(c)(3) status, which would make donations to the organization tax-deductible.
CASA's Concentric Circles brochure discusses the group's goal as follows: "For too long, we in the different faith traditions of what can be called the `alternative spirituality' community have done without a meeting place of our own. We've met in people's living rooms, rented halls and lodges, or used other, less-than-ideal locations. And we've made do, because as separate communities we have not had the resources to acquire our own places of worship. Isn't it time for this to change?"
Says Erynn Laurie, president of CASA's board of directors: "Having a nonprofit community center in Seattle would help encourage cohesiveness in our community. It could provide a lower-cost alternative to some of the places we're currently meeting, within the city limits. It could encourage communication between different parts of the community as we share space for rituals, classes or providing services to each other. It could help facilitate organizing community events."
Answering one concern, she adds, "It would never replace such rural sites as the Longhouse, nor should it."
CASA founders see the organization unfolding in three phases: In Phase 1, expected to last about a year, CASA plans outreach to engage the community, assess needs and raise funds. In Phase 2, expected to last two to three years, CASA plans to open an office for staff and sponsoring organizations, with enough room for small meetings and workshops and, ideally, a library. In Phase 3, CASA hopes to open its community center, with space for rituals, worship services, large meetings, social events, classes, a clinic for alternative health providers and office space. Founders want a center located in the Seattle urban core, with access to major bus lines and plenty of parking.
Besides Erynn Laurie, CASA's founders include executive director Bjoern Hartsfvang, Chair of the Multifaith Alliance of Reconciling Communities; Leon Reed, co-owner of Travelers and a long-time leader in the Seattle pagan community; Sam Osborne, board president elect, and Stuart Stuple, treasurer.
CASA is just beginning its community outreach phase. If you're interested in telling CASA what the pagan communities need in an event space, fill out the needs assessment survey printed at the end of this article and send it to the address indicated. If you prefer to fill out the survey online, CASA will shortly have the survey posted on its now-under-construction Web site, www.casanw.org/.
For CASA's goals to manifest, it needs the support of the pagan and alternative spirituality communities. If its goals speak to you, here are some ways you can help:
* Design a logo for CASA, and win the CASA logo contest. The first-place prize is $200; the second-place prize is a one-year Basic Membership in CASA plus $100 CASABucks, which go toward space rental and other benefits; and the third-place prize is a one-year Basic Membership.
* Give a donation. Donations can include cash, furniture, office equipment (especially computers), books and other materials, as well as professional services. All these donations will be tax-deductible once CASA has federal nonprofit status.
* Become a CASA member. Basic Membership is $25 per year and gives access to members-only events and areas of the Web site and e-mail list, and a copy of the newsletter and calendar. Benefactor Membership is $240 for one person or $650 for a household of adults per year and gives all Basic Membership benefits plus an invitation to a yearly benefactor party and mention in published materials. All board members must be at least Benefactor Members. Patron Membership costs $600 for one person or $1500 for a household per year and provides all benefactor benefits plus special event-entry benefits and priority event scheduling. Anyone who contributes $10,000 or more gets a Lifetime Patron Membership. Sponsoring Organization Membership costs $1200 per year; sponsoring organizations get priority in event scheduling and office-use privileges.
The following is CASA's survey of community needs, asking what Seattle pagans want from a community center.
1. Our objective is to provide a facility within the Seattle urban core with ample parking and access to major bus routes. What other criteria would you include for this facility?
2. What sort of events and services are you willing to support? (Please indicate how much you'd support each service.)
Very Some None
o o o Permanent shrines
o o o Private rituals
o o o Art gallery
o o o Membership e-mail list
o o o Workshops
o o o Drop-in center
o o o Soup kitchen
o o o Classes
o o o Coffee shop
o o o Charitable services
o o o Discussion groups
o o o Senior citizen services
o o o Web site
o o o Meeting facilities
o o o Daycare center
o o o Newsletter
o o o Library
o o o Youth services
o o o Referral service
o o o Community (open) rituals
o o o Community bulletin board
o o o Support groups (12-step, etc.)
o o o Alternative spirituality parochial school
o o o Social events (dances, concerts, poetry readings, etc.)
o o o Office space and equipment for alternative spirituality organizations
o o o A clinic of practitioners of alternative healing and counseling
o o o Other suggestions (please list)
3. Please contact me about:
o Becoming a CASA member.
o Making a financial donation to ensure the success of this project.
o Sponsoring/organizing a fund-raising event.
o Volunteering my time and services.
o Providing pro-bono professional services -- please specify type:
o Making a donation of equipment, furniture or other goods once the facility is established.
o Having a CASA representative come speak to an organization about CASA.
Return completed surveys to: CASA, 1011 Boren Avenue, PMB #828, Seattle, WA 98104, providing additional comments as you wish. If you have questions, contact CASA at (206) 817-1162 or casanw@aol.com (a temporary e-mail address).
Copyright © 2006 by the article's author