As we have worked through the complications and changes brought about by COVID, we have had to make several pivots to continue supporting the Dragonfest Community in the wake of health concerns, restrictions, shutdowns, and so many other obstacles thrown at us in the last 13+ months. During this time, several members have asked how restrictions on events and the decision to hold virtual retreats affect maintaining membership in Dragonfest. To answer this question, we turn to the Dragonfest Bylaws (available at dragonfest.org/corporation/bylaws-elections/).
Section 2 of the bylaws state:
- Membership – All Retreat registrants 16 years and older shall be considered members of the Corporation for a period of two years from the opening of [sic] date of the last Retreat for which they were registered. Members may vote in any corporate election during this period.
Our bylaws govern how Dragonfest operates. While we can vote as a community to make changes to the bylaws, it can only be done through a vote of the community. Neither the board, Ops, nor any individual or group has the authority to act contrary to the bylaws.
The “two years since last retreat” standard applies even in the event of a complete cancellation (for example, due to fire danger, flooding, or a once-in-a-lifetime global pandemic). For this reason, the virtual retreat is a great opportunity to support your Dragonfest community while you connect with and participate in that same community. And, it’s an opportunity to maintain your membership for a considerably lower price – an opportunity that cancellation doesn’t offer.
It should be obvious, but it bears stating – Our preference is always for the in-person mountain retreat that we all know and love. Nothing can ever replace the energy and atmosphere of gathering our community in a natural setting for five magical days of rituals, workshops, and fellowship. However, in 2020 when faced with the very real probability that we would be unable to successfully host a safe and fulfilling Dragonfest, we made the decision to cancel first and the decision on how to react to that cancellation second.
This is an important distinction. The choice was never, should Dragonfest be in-person or virtual? It was always, given the decision to cancel, what can we do now? Thus, the idea to pivot to a virtual retreat emerged. We know it’s not the same. We know it doesn’t have the same feeling. However, when faced with a complete cancellation, we believe that some form of gathering our community was far better than nothing.
So, last August many of us came together, despite our frustrations with virtual-as-the-only-choice, to support the Dragonfest community at a time of great need. We stuck our toes in the small patches of earth we could find, we pitched tents in our back yards, and we connected. For many, it was like the 90’s all over again when we turned to the Internet for online rituals because a lack of community or fear of persecution removed the possibility of being in-person (only this time, we had video). We also reconnected with past members who have been unable to attend due to distance or rugged terrain. What we learned was that virtual opened options for us. The opportunities that this virtual retreat presented caused many of those in attendance to ask if a separate, smaller virtual event could be held so that we could maintain these benefits, even after we returned to an in-person retreat, thus the Renewal event in March.
The decision to cancel the 2020 in-person Retreat proved wise since our society’s approach to handling COVID recommendations led to infection spikes and government restrictions throughout the summer of 2020. By August, an in-person retreat would not have been allowed under the event and gathering restrictions set forth by the State of Colorado and Jefferson County – aside from any health concerns we would expose our community to. Dragonfest would have been cancelled and would likely have suffered a difficult financial loss, affecting later retreats. In addition, many of you who scraped together financial resources or time off from work in a very difficult environment would have been left holding the bag on scrapped plans – if you could even afford time away and felt that an in-person retreat would have been safe for you to attend in the first place.
As we look to August 2021, we are still faced with much uncertainty. Conditions are definitely getting better – Infection rates are down, three vaccines are available, and many restrictions are lifting. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but we are not out yet. Infection rates are on the rise since February, and we are still higher than the peaks of last summer. Despite political promises of a maskless Fourth of July, experts warn of pandemic conditions existing until Fall at the earliest and they are further concerned about another possible wave of infections due to pandemic-fatigue and a loss of focus on safety guidelines in addition to more infectious variants. Should a wave emerge, will we again see state and county restrictions on gatherings like Dragonfest? What rules (like masks and distancing) would be required, and could we reliably hold our community accountable to them? Would it be safe? Would it be ethical?
Many of the mythological stories we use to inspire our spirituality caution against foolishly forging ahead despite the warnings and dangers around us. Icarus, Beowulf, and many others held a cavalier attitude that, somehow, they alone were better skilled than those around them to handle these dangers or smarter than wise advisors who cautioned against moving forward. Their hubris in the face of every indication to the contrary brought about their demise. I can tell you from the personal experience with those around me that this virus may knock you out like the flu for a couple of weeks followed by a full recovery, or despite being healthy, fit, and in your early 20’s you may recover to find yourself with “long COVID” – months later, gasping for air after taking your dog for a brisk walk with doctors preparing you to be living with this reduced lung capacity for the rest of your life. This virus can also take your life as you lay alone in a hospital room, struggling to breathe, while the one allowed family member is pressed up against a small glass barrier window, shouting muffled words of fruitless encouragement. It has affected three people in my life in very different ways and I hope to never see you crashing into the ocean upon melted wax wings.
Our work is now, and has always been, to support the development and education of the Dragonfest spiritual community. We execute this through an incredible camping retreat that we have all come to know and love. However, when external forces make our location or format a poor choice, we will continue this work in supporting you in your individual spiritual development.
With appreciation,
Dan Finerty
President of the Board
On behalf of the Dragonfest Board of Directors