The
Witches' Voice
Financial

Greetings!

The sponsorships are holding steady at about 5 new sponsors per week. Thank you to all who have sent in donations! Now that the monthly bills are stabilized, we are starting to build funds for the CD project, publishing brochures/info packets for general distribution, and to pay for future legal research fees. We would like to have monies available to file "friend of the court" briefs on relative court cases.

We were recently pleased to be able to participate in the PEN project to address changes in the dictionary definitions of Pagan terminology and would like continue to finance and support similar projects. Donations of Pagan oriented books to libraries and literature/training materials to local police departments are some things that we are considering. We plan to purchase multiple copies of the updated "Law Enforcement Guide to Wicca" to distribute free of charge to government agencies as situations may warrant.

So as you can see, TWV has many plans for the future. We would like to again thank our most generous sponsors and supporters who have generously donated to make these and future projects possible!

Blessed be and thank you!

Wren Walker
(Chairperson - Witches' Voice)
Boston, Ma
(c) Nov. 11th., 1997

Greetings!

Income for the first six months of The Witches' Voice, Inc. reflect our 123 registered members. Of those wonderful people who pledged their support to the organization, many also sent along an extra donation amount to be applied to miscellaneous expenses. Some have even pledged a monthly support check! These donations quite literally have allowed us to keep going. We thank you all for the outpouring of support and financial assistance.

The legal fees involved with the initial set up of the corporation and the filing of tax exempt status has been our major source of expense during this time period. We feel that this has been money well spent. To insure the correct foundation of the corporation and the legal protection of your donations was a top priority of the Board of Directors from the start.

Other major expenses included a printer to be used for the information packets and letters; the phone lines (approximately $150.00 a month) that are essential for the communication within the organization and the gathering of information on cases where there is no on-line access ( and confidential information); and the Internet service provider. We now have a very reasonable server at the remarkable rate of about $25.00 a month for unlimited access. The Goddess really came through for us on this one!

The printing costs are primarily for the memberships packets and educational brochures.

Thanks to your support, we have paid the outstanding expenses on a timely basis and now can look forward to building up the funds which will be used to help Pagans who may require assistance- and to once again begin plans for the release of the CD project and the Legal defense Fund.

The Board of Directors will make every effort- as responsible fiscal managers- to keep the operating expenses as low as possible. We want as much of your donation dollars to go where it belongs-to help our fellow Pagans in their time of need; to educate the public about the beliefs systems of the various Pagan Paths and to keep the Witch community abreast of situations that may affect their religious practice and freedoms.

May the blessings of your love and generosity return to our entire community threefold!

Blessed be and thank you!


Wren Walker
(Chairperson - Witches' Voice)
Boston, Ma
(c) June 30th., 1997

The incorporation with preparation for a tax number (TIN) and the filing of the application with the Internal Revenue Service to request tax exempt status should come in at about the $800.00 mark. We (Fritz and Wren) have already paid $500.00 up front because this simply had to be done properly. We meet again with the lawyer on May 5th when we will pay him the remaining balance due.

We have not cashed a single check that has been mailed to us up to this date. First, we wanted to make sure that we had a legal corporation and corresponding bank documents in place before we did so. Second, we have held off to get a "feel" for where this is going. Quite honestly. we feel that if we cannot give you the "value" that you deserve for your contribution, then we will just send your check back and reduce the site to a few pages that we can afford on our own.

As a consequence of this stance, we have paid all the bills related to this site out of our own pocket. We needed supplies to make up membership kits and print documents. We have continued to send out information packets to all who have requested them. We spend many hours on the phone counseling people with discrimination related problems or supporting other people and organizations that are doing similar work.

And we want to do much more... but we do need your help. We do not want to have to spend your donations on promotions for new members. We want the money to go directly to the people who need it the most - our pagan brothers and sisters that need to know that they are not alone. If this is important to you as well, then whatever small amount that you can spare will help defray the operating costs so that we CAN devote the bulk of monies raised toward this end.

What also does not show in the report , is all the time and energy that some very fine people have put into the Voice by writing articles, sending us news clippings, organizing groups in their area and generally empowering the Witches' Voice to continue to make a difference. We want to thank everyone who has supported us. We could not do this without their loving contributions.

Blessed be and thank you!


Wren Walker
(Chairperson - Witches' Voice)
Boston, Ma
(c) March 31st., 1997