Community Voices Heard Group Leads Organizing Workshop in Whitesville

In May, 25 coalfield residents and mountaintop removal activists and leaders participated in a dynamic organizing workshop in Whitesville, WV. OVEC extends its deep gratitude to Coal River Mountain Watch for lending their office for this event. The organizing workshop was led by Paul Getsos, Sondra Youdelman and Sheila Ireland, from Community Voices Heard, a non-profit, grassroots organization in New York City that empowers mostly women of color and is 5,000 families strong.

Paul is another awardee of the Ford Foundation’s Leadership for a Changing World program. His style of organizing caught both Dianne and Janet’s attention during a presentation he made at an LCW meeting.

After the workshop, Larry Maynard who has started his own group in Delbarton, WV, said he liked the graphics, other techniques and learning communications skills. He realized after participating in the workshop that he was bogging people down with too much information - that he needed to streamline his "rap" with people he approached. Alisa, Larry’s wife, said she liked Paul’s New York style, that it was a "tough love" approach.

Organizing, Training to Take on Assorted Environmental Obscenities

Participants at OVEC's and Coal River Mountain Watch's organizing workshop included Julie Archer, Eddie Harmon, Julian Martin, Frank Young, Viv Stockman and Janice Nease.

During the June organizing training, Judy Bonds awarded a check to Larry Maynard so the Delbarton Environment Awareness Community Foundation in Mingo County can get a computer. The money came from Judy's Goldman Environmantal Prize. Judy also made a very generous donation to OVEC. Thanks so much, Judy!

Larry Gibson, second from left, talks to Sheila Ireland, Sondra Youdelman and Paul Getsos of Community Voices Heard, who visited Kayford Mountain to see the cracks in a hillside caused by old underground mining that threaten the nearby town of Dorothy, WV.