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IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE From: Perry H. Gravely, Attorney for Pickens Civitan Club Phone: (864) 878-1577 Fax: (964) 878-1336 Date: 3/30/98 Civitans allow Confederate in Festival: In a meeting over the weekend, the Pickens Civitan Club agreed to allow the Sons of Confederate Veterans, along with the Pickens County Citizens for Life and Hope Women's Center, to have a booth in the Pickens Azalea Festival on April 18. According to the Civitan Club, this decision was made to avoid a federal lawsuit that the Sons of Confederate Veterans were going to file against the Civitans, City of Pickens and other community organizations and individuals. Prior to making this decision, the Civitans were assured by the Sons of Confederate Veterans that they would not file the lawsuit and not hold a rally that was scheduled to be held during the festival. The Civitans also received the same assurances from the other 2 organizations. According to Michael Chastain, the spokesman for the Civitans, "We are a very small group of about 28 people and raise about $2000 from the festival which goes to the Special Olympic and other charitable projects and the club felt we could not afford to fight this battle in court. We also did not wish to put the city and other community organizations through a lawsuit in federal court." Many of the members of the Civitans felt that canceling the festival would have presented a problem to the vendors and other civic groups who use the festival for fundraising. According to Chastain, "We had seriously considered canceling the festival all together, but he club felt that we had an obligation to these other groups, especially with the festival less than 20 days away." "It appears that everything will go on as normal if the weather will be as cooperative," stated Ann Day, President for the Civitans and commented that the Civitans will meet after this year's festival and determine the fate of the festival for next year and the future. |
Sons of Confederate Veterans