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Awen Callaway
How long have you been involved in ADF?I would like to heartily believe that I've been a Pagan all my life; that, of course, is never the case. I have been practicing or studying one form or another of a magical, non-Christian system since approximately 1998; I have been involved with ADF since December of 2004, after a few months of meeting and talking with ADF's Webmaster, Anthony Thompson. I became an ADF member in early March of 2005. My hearth culture is Celtic; My Patrons are D'anu, the Irish all-mother and Lady of the Waters, and Ollathair, The Dagda, or Beal, the All-Father. I worship also Usas, whom I believe to be one of the Ashvin; one of the bringers of the dawn in Hindu culture. I started as keeper of the Well and Co-Founder of Ocean's Tide Protogrove in Rhode Island, which became an official ADF Protogrove on October 9th, 2005 (also my 19th birthday, what a gift!). I met quite a few Three Crane's members at Wellspring of this past year, and I moved out to Columbus, Ohio in July of 2007, becoming a member of Three Cranes Grove in September of 2007. What do you do outside of ADF?Outside of ADF I'm a developer and Administrator for the Role-Players Gaming Network, and overall computer enthusiast. I'm also a scholar of computer programming language including C++ and C#. I'm a musician (Piano, Celtic Harp, and Bb Clarinet), a poet, a writer, and I sing in the shower. I'm a recovering studentaholic—I'm just biding my time until school sucks me back in. I am also a member of the United States Air Force Auxiliary, also known as the Civil Air Patrol. I am trained in urban and woodland search and rescue. What do you do in ADF?Too Much! (sometimes.) Aside from fretting about the quality of my Dedicant Path and trying to compete in my beer-brewing capacity, I am a member of several (and by that I mean all) of the Guilds in ADF in some way, shape, or form. My position in ADF right now is that I am the Archivist for the Naturalists' Guild. I am also slaving studying to prepare myself to be a member of our clergy long, long ways down the road. I am an avid member of the Bardic Guild, and I am awaiting my approval of my Dedicant Path so that I may further progress in my path to become a full ADF Bard. I see ADF as a lifetime working; a painting that takes time and delicacy—and I'm holding the brush. What is your personal vision for ADF?My vision for ADF is to have it grow and expand as a family does over time. Like our Reverend Dangler has written, I would love to see our Study Programs accredited. I am ecstatic about the direction our Children's Study Program has taken, and I just want to see further Unity and Strength in such an already wonderful and close-knit community. What is your personal vision for Three Cranes Grove, ADF?Where I came from, ADF was very separate from the Pagan community. Many times, I was often the one to bring a guest. There was no connectivity between ADF and the Pagan community at large. TCG is nothing like that. I have already met several wonderful members of the general pagan community who have become close friends, and it's due to their coming to visit TCG, even in the midst of a larger gathering. The fact that TCG officiated a Pagan Pride Day rite really blew me away. My vision is to keep providing this atmosphere to the pagan community-at-large, to foster communications and friendship between us all. On a personal Grove vision—I moved from Rhode Island because I believed in what the Grove is doing—who and what, we worship, and how we do so. I have a vision of growth and close-knit unity; of family, between us as a Grove. I am truly blessed to have found so many Soul Friends—Anam Cara, as I am reminded often—special friendship, kinship, a bond. I look forward to so many memorable years. Gra Agus Solas; Light on the Path. Awen Callaway  |
