Source: Heartland News
[kfvs12.com/Global/story.asp?S=1503111&nav=8H3xIp1q]
On October 31, 2003 the Heartland News reported that "Halloween is just around the corner, but for some people it's not just a time to dress up or go trick or treating; it's time to focus on a much more spiritual event. Wiccans are people who have earth based pagan beliefs, and part of a religion that's not only one of the fastest growing religions across the country, but also one that's gained the support of hundreds of believers here in the Heartland, in just the past five years. 'For people who don't understand what Paganism is about we might seem spooky or strange,' Tara Nelsen says... Tara is one of thousands of believers of the Wicca faith in Southern Illinois alone; she's also a member of the Southern Illinois Pagan Alliance."