Below:

• Vigils Monday

• Help Us! Clean Elections Will Clean Out Coal's Influence On Politics

• The Appalachians Premieres In Kentucky Sunday

• Work For The Wild!

• We Want You July 30

 Vigils Monday June 27
Support the children at Marsh Fork Elementary whose school sits very close to a Massey Energy coal processing facility and coal sludge impoundment (the school was there first). Massey wants to put another coal storage silo right near the school. Some parents believe that coal dust and the chemicals used at the prep plant already may be making their children ill, and they worry about the safety of the coal sludge dam. Read more about the situation by clicking here.

If you can, please join one of two vigils:
--Sundial, W.Va. from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. under the shade tree outside Marsh Fork Elementary School. Come whenever you can, stay as long as you like. Free hot dogs from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.. Literature table. Bring a chair and water. Directions: Take I-77 south, approximately 4 miles past the big green bridge that goes over the Kanawha River. Exit at Rt. 94/Marmet. At the bottom of the exit ramp, take a right onto Rt. 94. Travel about 11 miles, take Rt. 3 East (left hand turn at Y in road). Whitesville is 20 miles from there and the school is about 10 miles beyond Whitesville. For more information, contact Bo Webb at bamsterman@charter.net. This may be the first of weekly traveling vigils, so please contact Bo if you'd like to help.

--Charleston, W. Va. from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. outside Massey Energy headquarters on McCorkle Avenue at 70th Street and  in Kanawha City. Bring a chair, water and pack your dinner. Join the vigil whenever you can, for us long as you like. Reply to this e-mail if you need more info.

Return to Index
 

 Help Us! Clean Elections Will Clean Out Coal's Influence On Politics
To address a root cause of mountaintop removal--Big Coal's stranglehold over state politics--OVEC and the West Virginia Citizen Action Group work together at the state level for real campaign finance reform. For the past 8 years, OVEC and WV CAG have partnered in the campaign to expose the magnitude of special interest money in the state's political system. We also continue to work towards a proven election process that decreases the influence of those special interests--"voter-owned" Clean Elections.

We want a government that is honest, open, and accountable. But in order to have that, we have to we end the undue influence that coal companies, pharmaceuticals, the insurance industry, and other big lobby groups exert over West Virginia's politicians, because these groups foot the bill for getting candidates elected into office.

The Piper Fund, a foundation that provides funding for our election reform work, has provided us with a challenge grant of $25,000. If our organizations are able to raise $25,000 by July 31, the Piper Fund will provide us an additional $25,000 to continue our campaign for real election reform in West Virginia!

We have already raised half the needed funds. Please help us boot special interest money out of West Virginia politics by making a donation--every dollar you donate is matched! We are asking you to send any amount you are able. Send your tax deductible contribution to: OVEC, P.O. Box 6753, Huntington, WV 25773-6753 before the July 31, 2005, deadline. Please note "Clean Elections" in the memo line of your check.  Or click here to donate online using PayPal.  Thank you!

Return to Index

 The Appalachians Premieres In Kentucky Sunday
You are invited to a 50-minute preview of the documentary The Appalachians at the Mountain Arts Center in Prestonberg, Kentucky this Sunday June 26, starting at 4 p.m. The FREE event includes music from Jean Ritchie and Old Time Fiddling, as well as a reception. For information or to RSVP call 859-258-7773 or e-mail agirard@ket.org.

Return to Index

 Work For The Wild!
The West Virginia Wilderness Coalition has an immediate opening for an outreach coordinator responsible for statewide grassroots organizing. A bachelors or masters degree in a related field is preferred. For more details on the position, the requirements and how to apply, e-mail Matt Keller at mattk@tws.org.

Return to Index

 We Want You July 30
Save the Date! We need you, your family, your neighbors and everyone you can bring along to come to Charleston for a Stop Mountaintop Removal event at noon on Saturday, July 30. We'll send out more info in mid-July, but if you want to know more sooner, please contact Abe at abe@ohvec.org or 304-522-0246.  Do please save the date and plan to join us!

Return to Index