'Pagans' festival at Millstone 4-H Camp

By John Myers, Internet Photojournalist

Millstone 4-H Camp, located near Ellerbe, NC, is being used by Pagans in the Carolinas and Virginia for a spring festival called Carolina Spirit Quest.

The group "Pagans in the Carolinas and Virginia" has held a festival called Carolina Spirit Quest for the past three years at Millstone 4-H Camp near Ellerbe in Richmond County.
And they're coming back again this year for an event scheduled for April 11-13, 2003.
County Extension Director Taylor Williams said the group has used Camp Millstone "without incident for the last three years" and is scheduled to use it again this year.
A Rockingham woman, Jean Brooks, said she believes the "Pagans" are "devil worshippers" and is organizing a petition drive to bar the group from Camp Millstone.
She said she is contacting local churches to seek support to stop the festival coming here. A family member, Charles Rankin formerly of Derby and now living in Greenville, told her about the group and sent her information from their Website, www.carolinaspiritquest.org.
"We don't need such mess as this in Richmond County," Brooks said. "This is the Bible belt. They're pagans, devil worshippers. They drink blood. That's not my category."

Contract 'reviewed' and approved by state

Williams referred all questions about the group's use of Camp Millstone to Dr. Thearon McKinney, state 4-H program director at North Carolina State University in Raleigh.
McKinney said public concern had been voiced from Richmond County about the group in September and he had "reviewed the processes" on the contract for the 4-H camp's use.
"We found this group had used the facilities in the past and had adhered to the contract. There was no problem with their use of the facility in the past and there was no reason to change that this year."
McKinney said he was not aware the group was called "Pagans in the Carolinas and Virginia." He said the booking for use of Camp Millstone is under the name "Spirit Quest."
Information on the Carolina Spirit Quest website about the Millstone event encourages those attending the festival to come "out of the broom closet" to become public "Pagans."
The "Director's Welcome" by Lance Brown and Dan Tortorelli says "During the Opening, Main and Closing Rituals, it is common to see participants dressed in their finest ritual garb. Robes, dresses, tunics, gowns, cloaks and capes decorated with symbols meaningful to the participants' traditions or body painting in colorful designs are worn by many."

Festival workshops for Carolina Spirit Quest

Workshops planned for Spring Quest 2003 at Camp Millstone include:

"Pyromancy" will "examine the how and why of using fire as a divinatory tool." Quietly Maintaining Your Spirituality at Work" includes "spell-working elements."
"Maskmaking for Personal Understanding" includes "make a request to the gods through the symbol of the mask."
"Coming Out at Work" includes "If you have decided to come out as a Pagan to your co-workers, what is the best way to do so?"
"Legal Aspects of Paganism" includes "Is Wicca a legally recognized religion?"
"Being a Public Pagan" includes "how to put on a positive public face."
"Tantra: Sacred Sexuality" includes "divine prostitute" and "Sex Magick."

Sexual contact by consent only at festival

The website posts a "Consent Requirement" related to sexual conduct during the festival at Camp Millstone: "It is the responsibility of the initiator of any sexual or other physical contact to positively ensure that consent is given before engaging in such contact."
A workshop on the Website listed as held by Spirit Quest at Millstone last year called "Sacred Blood Workshop" is not listed among the workshops for the 2003 event.
The festival also includes children's programs and one of the adult workshops includes the topic: "What should Pagan groups think about when practicing with minors present?"
The website also states about Camp Millstone: "There are two fire circles: one near the mess hall, and one way out in the woods. Drumming can go on until midnight at the near one and indefinitely at the far one. The remote circle is also ideally suited for a spiritual sauna and other private activities."
For more information about Carolina Spirit Quest, see www.carolinaspiritquest.org.

(Note: Next year's Carolina Spirit Quest is not returning to Millstone 4-H Camp. It is scheduled for April 16-18, 2004 at William B. Umstead State Park, Raleigh, NC)