More Information on UU Women's Spirit

As you all know from my Go Fund Me campaign, I am trying to raise money to attend the Unitarian Universalist Women’s Spirit retreat.  This great event has been around for a long time, helping many women from all walks of life and backgrounds to come together in fellowship and community, and to celebrate and honor the inherent power and beauty of the Divine Feminine.

One of my friends has been trying to get me to attend this event for years.  There is an event hosted in both the spring and the fall, and for one reason or another I’ve never been able to go.  I’ve never had the money, I didn’t have the time because of work or school, or I had some other scheduling conflict.  This is literally the first year that I’ve been unable to attend.  Even though I’m currently employed, upon registering for the event I was not.  I’m very lucky that my boss is kind enough to give me the time off for this and other things that are important in my life.  I may not be working my dream social work job, but this job is fulfilling other needs in my life, which is a blessing.

The purpose of UU Women’s Spirit is “to create, conduct, and support activities that encourage and empower women to explore their religious and spiritual origins, experiences, and beliefs. Pursuing, nurturing, and affirming creativity and diversity are major emphases.”  I’m really excited to be able to participate in an event like this, and I’m sure the retreat will have a lot to offer me.  I’m really looking forward to meeting and connecting with all of these lovely ladies, and I’m hoping to build some relationships that will last a long time.  I’m confident that this retreat will help me grow and develop, and I’m looking forward to the opportunity.

My first year social work internship was at a UU church, though, and it was a lovely experience.  It was actually through my time as an intern at a UU church that I came to join PVS (Prisoner Visitation and Support.) 

The UUs are doing a lot of great things, particularly in the areas of local social justice on the national scene, the UUs do a lot with their CUUPS programing, Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans.  UU churches are often how people get plugged into their local Pagan community, and having a physical church or Fellowship to provide a Pagan safe space can be really important to people.  My first North Carolina Pagan event was at a CUUPS group, and that event connected me to lasting friendships that have changed my life and have proved to be incredibly meaningful throughout the years.

So, as you can see, I’m very much looking forward to the UU Women’s Spirit retreat.  I’m thinking about taking a drum workshop to help me learn to play my tambourine, which I use in devotional work to the Goddess Cybele.  I’m not very good at the tambourine at all, so I’m looking forward to some formal tambourine instruction!

I’m still waiting to hear back from UU Women’s Spirit to see if I quality for the $190 scholarship to help pay for one part of the two-part weekend.  Fingers crossed!  And I look forward to when I do have a full-time social work job and I’m able to contribute to the scholarship fund to help someone else who needs help.  Many people have been very kind with their contributions and I look forward to the day that I am able to pay it forward, and in the meantime, I am inspired to help out in the ways that I am able.

Again, thank you all!  You are blessings to my life, and I appreciate your love and your support.  I am infinitely blessed, and I hope that the blessings return to you three times three times three!

Bless!

 

Go Fund Me Update!

Hello, everyone! It's been a week of me doing a Go Fund Me campaign and I'm ecstatic with how well it's been doing! Thank you everyone for the kind words and support. Here is some news:

I got a job! Unfortunately it is not in social work, so finances are still very tight. It makes it much easier to pay for basic necessities in my life like food and gas. I'm still maintaining this campaign, however, because I'm worried about these projects costing more than I am estimating. Having a part-time job plus Go Fund Me donations means it will be easier for me to afford any extra expenses that come up during the retreat and the conference. So, thank you for your continued support and generosity. The Universe is abundant indeed!

I submitted my application for a scholarship for attending UU Women's Spirit. Fingers crossed that they give me the full $190 amount!

I go up to the Federal prison in Butner this Friday, and I'm excited to tell the guys I visit all about this campaign and the generosity of my friends and family. I appreciate it, and I know they appreciate it, too.

I'm writing up some blog posts about UU Women's Spirit and Prisoner Visitation and Support, so keep checking this space in the coming weeks for more information about these programs.

Two very good friends of mine sent me a very generous donation in the mail this week, so my actual "total earned" is $370! That means I only need to earn $330 more in order to reach my total goal of $700 for both the retreat and the conference. WOW! You guys are great, and I can't thank you enough.

And finally, as far as thank-you gifts go, I really really want to express my appreciation for you! Since I'm working right now, my time is a bit constrained, but I'm hoping to have gifts completed and sent by the end of September. I apologize for the delay, and I promise I have not forgotten about you. I just need to make sure I have time in order to devote attention and quality to these gifts. You mean a lot to me, and I want to make sure that what ever you get is indicative of that!

Okay, that's all of my news for now. Again, thank you ALL so much! Blessings and love to you, and I appreciate your love and kindness. You are inspirations to me, and you encourage me to be generous as well. So thank you.

Love and clear skies, Amanda.



Read the original post here!

 Hello, everyone!  Many of you know me and my story, but for those who do not, I recently completed graduate school with a master’s of social work degree.  Unfortunately, my job search is going very slowly.  My husband is a public high school teacher and he works very hard, but money is still very tight for us.  (I’m sure many of you can relate to this!)

I am starting this Go Fund Me campaign to try to raise money to help pay for two things – so I can attend a women’s spirituality retreat and so I can attend a conference that is related to my work as a social worker.

First, Unitarian Universalist Women’s Spirit is an event that takes place in the mountains of North Carolina and lasts from October 15-19.  “The purpose of UUWomenspirit is to create, conduct, and support activities that encourage and empower women to explore their religious and spiritual origins, experiences, and beliefs.”  It is a two-part weekend and the price covers food, lodging, and others programing fees.  I am applying for a scholarship to help pay for this event, but the scholarship does not pay for the full price of the weekend.  Extra funds are needed to pay the remainder of the fees, as well as gas money to drive up to the mountains.

http://uuwomenspirit.org/

Second, Prisoner Visitation and Support is a volunteer visitation program to Federal and Military prisoners throughout the United States.  The purpose is to provide prisoners with regular, face-to-face, contact from the world outside of prison to help them cope with prison life and prepare for a successful re-entry into society.  This is a fabulous program that really makes a difference in many people’s lives.  I’d love to share all of the evidence-based reasons why it’s a great program, but I’ll save that for another time!  (Or message me if you’re interested and tell me all about it!)

I’ve been involved with PVS a little over a year and a half, and it’s made a huge difference in my life.  In order to be a PVS volunteer I am required to attend a conference once every two years, and I’ll be driving town to Florida on October 22 to attend my very first conference and get some very useful PVS and social work training.  I’ve been very lucky to get the conference FULLY paid for!  (yay!)  Unfortunately, extra funds are needed for gas driving down to Florida, food, and lodging to and from Florida (I’ll have to stay in a hotel on my way down and on my way back up.) 

http://prisonervisitation.org

So, basically, I’m unemployed with all the time in the world and two really great opportunities, but I’m unemployed so that means I don’t have any extra money to spare.  That’s where YOU, my beloved friends, family, loved ones and readers come in.

The purpose of this Go Fund Me campaign is to try and raise some extra money to help off-set some of the costs of these two events.  Between the two of them (plus Go Fund Me fees), I need about $700.  I know that’s a lot, but I’ve seen these campaigns help lots of people for lots of different things, and I’m confident that every little bit will help.  I’m hoping to raise at least $400 by September 14, just in time for me to register for the Women’s Spirit Retreat.

So, I get to go to a retreat and a conference, but what do you get?  You get my unending love, but of course, you already have that!  But if you decide to donate to this Go Fund Me Campaign, here is what I can do for you:

- I can give you a 4-card tarot card reading with a deck of your choice.  (I have many to choose from, don’t worry.)

- I can give you a 10-card tarot card reading with a deck of your choice.

- I can make you a custom pair of beaded or charm earrings.

- I can make you a custom beaded bracelet.

- I can make you a custom beaded anklet.

- I can make you a custom beaded necklace.

- I can feature you, your business, your blog, your product, your website, or something else of your choosing on my various and numerous social media websites.

- I can make you a set of runes out of glass or a set or runes out of small stones.

- I can give you a vile of custom-made loose incense.

 

- I can give you a vile of custom-made Goddess oil.

- Or maybe I can do something else for you?

I just want to thank everyone in advance for even reading this, and for those who have supported and encouraged me so far.  I wouldn’t be where I am without you.  I want to thank everyone who has helped me on my journey so far, and I want to thank those who continue to walk with me wherever the path takes me.  I have always been blessed with amazingly generous friends and family, and if there’s anything I can do to repay that love and kindness, it would be an honor to do so.  You are all an inspiration to me.

Thank you all for your love and support, and please let me know if you have any questions or comments about this Go Fund Me campaign, about UU Women’s Spirit, about PVS, or about anything else at all.

I love you all!

Clear skies and endless blessings,

The Space Witch

 

Request - help me do some important things in October!

 Hello, everyone!  Many of you know me and my story, but for those who do not, I recently completed graduate school with a master’s of social work degree.  Unfortunately, my job search is going very slowly.  My husband is a public high school teacher and he works very hard, but money is still very tight for us.  (I’m sure many of you can relate to this!)

I am starting this Go Fund Me campaign to try to raise money to help pay for two things – so I can attend a women’s spirituality retreat and so I can attend a conference that is related to my work as a social worker.

First, Unitarian Universalist Women’s Spirit is an event that takes place in the mountains of North Carolina and lasts from October 15-19.  “The purpose of UUWomenspirit is to create, conduct, and support activities that encourage and empower women to explore their religious and spiritual origins, experiences, and beliefs.”  It is a two-part weekend and the price covers food, lodging, and others programing fees.  I am applying for a scholarship to help pay for this event, but the scholarship does not pay for the full price of the weekend.  Extra funds are needed to pay the remainder of the fees, as well as gas money to drive up to the mountains.

http://uuwomenspirit.org/

Second, Prisoner Visitation and Support is a volunteer visitation program to Federal and Military prisoners throughout the United States.  The purpose is to provide prisoners with regular, face-to-face, contact from the world outside of prison to help them cope with prison life and prepare for a successful re-entry into society.  This is a fabulous program that really makes a difference in many people’s lives.  I’d love to share all of the evidence-based reasons why it’s a great program, but I’ll save that for another time!  (Or message me if you’re interested and tell me all about it!)

I’ve been involved with PVS a little over a year and a half, and it’s made a huge difference in my life.  In order to be a PVS volunteer I am required to attend a conference once every two years, and I’ll be driving town to Florida on October 22 to attend my very first conference and get some very useful PVS and social work training.  I’ve been very lucky to get the conference FULLY paid for!  (yay!)  Unfortunately, extra funds are needed for gas driving down to Florida, food, and lodging to and from Florida (I’ll have to stay in a hotel on my way down and on my way back up.) 

http://prisonervisitation.org

So, basically, I’m unemployed with all the time in the world and two really great opportunities, but I’m unemployed so that means I don’t have any extra money to spare.  That’s where YOU, my beloved friends, family, loved ones and readers come in.

The purpose of this Go Fund Me campaign is to try and raise some extra money to help off-set some of the costs of these two events.  Between the two of them (plus Go Fund Me fees), I need about $700.  I know that’s a lot, but I’ve seen these campaigns help lots of people for lots of different things, and I’m confident that every little bit will help.  I’m hoping to raise at least $400 by September 14, just in time for me to register for the Women’s Spirit Retreat.

So, I get to go to a retreat and a conference, but what do you get?  You get my unending love, but of course, you already have that!  But if you decide to donate to this Go Fund Me Campaign, here is what I can do for you:

- I can give you a 4-card tarot card reading with a deck of your choice.  (I have many to choose from, don’t worry.)

- I can give you a 10-card tarot card reading with a deck of your choice.

- I can make you a custom pair of beaded or charm earrings.

- I can make you a custom beaded bracelet.

- I can make you a custom beaded anklet.

- I can make you a custom beaded necklace.

- I can feature you, your business, your blog, your product, your website, or something else of your choosing on my various and numerous social media websites.

- I can make you a set of runes out of glass or a set or runes out of small stones.

- I can give you a vile of custom-made loose incense.

 

- I can give you a vile of custom-made Goddess oil.

- Or maybe I can do something else for you?

I just want to thank everyone in advance for even reading this, and for those who have supported and encouraged me so far.  I wouldn’t be where I am without you.  I want to thank everyone who has helped me on my journey so far, and I want to thank those who continue to walk with me wherever the path takes me.  I have always been blessed with amazingly generous friends and family, and if there’s anything I can do to repay that love and kindness, it would be an honor to do so.  You are all an inspiration to me.

Thank you all for your love and support, and please let me know if you have any questions or comments about this Go Fund Me campaign, about UU Women’s Spirit, about PVS, or about anything else at all.

I love you all!

Clear skies and endless blessings,

The Space Witch