Appalachian Voices Volunteer Update

Ending Mountaintop Removal

Our volunteers and interns accomplished a lot this semester for our mountaintop removal campaign. So far this semester we held 5 volunteer nights where our volunteers made phone calls to members and activists across the country urging them to write their representatives and tell their families and friends about the devastating effects of mountaintop removal coal mining. Adam Wells continues to work on his mountaintop removal research and will soon be traveling to West Virginia to conduct interviews with coalfield residents.

This semester we also have two amazing interns, Abby Pifer and Andrew Cornelius, who organized our Congressional Briefing in Washington, DC at the end of February. Austin Hall, JW Randolph, Nancy Benson and Stephen Callihan were also instrumental in making this event such a success.
In addition, Steve Wussow has been working with Google Earth to make a comprehensive map of the extent of mountaintop removal in the Appalachian region.

Clean Air Campaign

Erica Palmer is continuing her work to pass clean air resolutions across North Carolina. In addition, she has been researching air quality statistics specific to counties and towns in North Carolina. Erin Garcia has also been assisting Erica with her work on our clean air campaign. Brenda Huggins passed a clean air resolution in the city of Morganton.

At the beginning of the year we held five volunteer nights dedicated to our bake sale in Virginia to buy AEP a scrubber for their plant. Our volunteers made phone calls, prepared materials, and gathered postcards from Virginia residents. Thanks to Austin Hall, JW Randolph, and Steve Wussow who took the lead on this event.

Sustainable Forestry

The second edition of our “Managing Your Woodlands Guide” will be coming out this May and we could not have done it without the help of our outstanding volunteers and interns who conducted research, wrote articles and continue to help our AmeriCorps volunteer, Benji Burrell, finalize the handbook. Thanks to Anita Henson, John Whilden, Judi Bell, Susan Hazlewood, Sarah Ashton, Mareshah Abers, Sarah Balmer, and Andrea Juliani.

We can always use more help. If you are interested in becoming an intern or volunteer, please contact Shelly at outreach@appvoices.org or (828) 262-1500.