FFRF was recently informed that it successfully thwarted a planned North Carolina county religious outing for seniors.
Davie County Senior Services was organizing and sponsoring a trip to the Creation Museum, Ark Encounter and St. Mary’s Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Covington in May. The Ark Encounter and Creation Museum are part of a Christian ministry run by the creationist Ken Ham.
The Davie County Senior Services program is funded by federal and state grants and county funding, FFRF pointed out. Some of this funding comes from the Older Americans Act. Under this act, programs that receive federal grants may not use the funds, including local matching funds, “to support inherently religious activities, such as worship, religious instruction, or proselytization.”
FFRF Staff Attorney Chris Line wrote to Davie County Senior Services Director Kim Shuskey. FFRF’s advocacy on behalf of the Constitution had the desired effect.
“Please be advised that the trip outlined in Mr. Line’s letter of Jan. 18, 2023, did not occur after the county received his letter,” the senior services’ legal counsel recently emailed FFRF.
