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 [email protected] or (828) 262-1500.
Related Articles
Latest News
More Stories
Neighbors Help Neighbors
A photo essay that celebrates the volunteer spirit of the grassroots group Hurricane Helene WNC and speaks to the resourcefulness, collaboration and hard work embodied by thousands and thousands of volunteers, first responders and aid workers across the region after Hurricane Helene.
Halloween Approaches, and Night School Is in Session
The House of Art in Bluefield, West Virginia, looks like a haunted tower, making it the perfect location for its sixth annual haunt event: Night School. The Night School will be open every Friday and Saturday night through Oct. 31.
‘The Most Perfect Act of Love’
Hundreds of people attended the second annual Affirming Sumner Pride celebration on a 24-acre farm dubbed “Fruity Farm” in Bethpage, Sumner County, Tennessee.
Signs of Life: Endangered Bats Found in Nantahala for First Time in More Than a Decade
In the Nantahala National Forest, a team of biologists spotted Indiana bats, an endangered species that hasn’t been seen in North Carolina for the last 11 years.
‘First Line of Defense’
During Hurricane Helene and its aftermath, rural fire departments and other first responder hubs played critical roles in keeping their communities safe, even without power and cut off from outside support for days or weeks after the storm. Two years later, plenty of work remains to ensure these hubs have the resources they need to operate day to day and be ready when emergencies or natural disasters strike.
The Rocky Road — and Bridge — to Recovery
Hurricane Helene is estimated to have damaged nearly 7,000 private roads and bridges in Western North Carolina. Two years later, many restoration projects are complete, but the journey hasn’t been easy — and isn’t over for others.
Leave a comment
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Leave a Comment