Many Earth Spirituality followers from across our nation will be saddened to learn that the Lawrence, Kansas, planning and zoning committee has recently forced the closing of all events at the Heartland's most popular Pagan gathering center, Camp Gaea. County residents organized a
petition drive gathering hundreds of signatures asking the commission to deny renewal of Camp Gaea's special use permit for operating activities such as The 'Heartland Pagan Festival', The 'Gaea Goddess Gathering' plus many more events and seasonal / Holy-days rituals.

Reports state that at least one Camp Gaea opposition leader, openly admits '' I would like to see a church or something in there instead of this perversion'' (referring to nudity and numerous unfounded rumors regarding the Pagan gatherings).

Neighbors who attended the board meeting vocalized numerous concerns regarding nudity, the noise levels of the drumming (as if you can't hear church singers outside of their property limits) and exaggerated traffic concerns (driving to their own churches every week isn't traffic?) not to mention the usual 'satan worship' rumors. But it was probably the flinging of countless unfounded accusations and allegations regarding potential immoral and illegal activities that most likely led to the closing of the camp after 60 years.

Lawrence county residents Beth & Aaron Hecht ,Mike Stieben, and committee member Dennis Bixby (addresses below) all voiced unfounded accusations of  "SODOMY AND PEDOPHILIA''. Other testimony sited a lack of 'spiritual information' on the Camp Gaea web site to challenged the religious foundation of the Camp and others sited concerns about the content of web sites that link to the Camp Gaea site (ya just can't win).

Unfortunately, there were so many unfounded allegations, innuendo's and accusations against the camp that you'll need to read the numerous newspaper reports to understand just how perverted and absurd modern day witch-hunts like this one are becoming (URL's below). You will  also notice that most news reports have utilized title to their stories intended to build bias and sensationalism such as ''Gay, Naked, Pagan Witches .'. Only a few of the more professional news resource have bothered to include the fact that that there have been absolutely no reports of any criminal or immoral activities at the camp whatsoever.

The owners / managers of Camp Gaea, Earth Rising (a non-profit organization), do plan to appeal the decision in hopes of saving the camp and continuing to provide festivals, rituals and celebrations. They have set up a special 'Legal Defense Fund' to help cover the estimated $20,000 in
legal fees of the upcoming challenge. Donations can be sent to Earth Rising, INC., PO Box 696, Tonganoxie, KS 66086; checks should be made out to Earth Rising Legal Defense Fund', Credit card donations will be accepted in the near future, see http://campgaea.org/ for current info.  The second most important thing to do to help save Camp Gaea is to help us spread the word to gather more support. Please pass on this message to all of your Earth Spirit friends and E-groups. When I think of the great spiritual loss to my entire family and at least 1400 other annual Camp Gaea attendees, I feel compelled to ask all of you to help save Camp Gaea for the sake of so many Earth spirituality families and seekers. We would all morn the loss of so much shared knowledge by so many authors, musicians and scholars, not to mention the extensive loss of such joyous spirituality and Pagan fellowship. Hopefully, in saving this camp we can begin to set a precedence for protecting all Earth Spirituality properties and events  (several smaller rituals and gatherings have been forced into hiding or closure over the past year).