Dear Members,

Summertime is for members! Bring your friends and family that love Appalachia. Splash in the water, tap your toes to some great music, or watch a movie with us. We have an established voice for protecting the land, air, and water of the region that grows louder as our numbers expand. Let's grow Appalachian Voices this summer--we're makin' it fun.

The longest serving senator in U.S. history, West Virginia Senator Robert Byrd, passed away June 28. We honor Senator Byrd for his courage to grow and change. His deep love for Appalachia was evident and in recent years, he spoke up against the abuses of coal industry in West Virginia. In one of his last public statements, he said,

"The industry of coal must also respect the land that yields the coal, as well as the people who live on the land. If the process of mining destroys nearby wells and foundations, if blasting and digging and relocating streams unearths harmful elements and releases them into the environment causing illness and death, that process should be halted and the resulting hazards to the community abated."

This summer, let's grow and better inform our community to protect Appalachia.

Hope to see you soon!

Willa Mays
Executive Director

Have Fun While Saving Mountains This Summer!

The following events in July and August will benefit Appalachian Voices and our mission to protect the Appalachian mountains we all know and love. What better way to have fun during the height of summer....

MAKE A SPLASH: Celebrate our mountain rivers at the first ever Watauga Riverkeeper Festival & Hellbender Appreciation Day in Valle Crucis, N.C. on July 24, sponsored by Appalachian Voices. The day will feature a whole slew of activities for both adults and kids, local live music and delicious edibles including featured local foods. Grab your river shoes and come join the fun!

ONE WOMAN, THIRTEEN VOICES: If you're in the mood for some summer theatre that has an environmental bent, be sure to catch Adelind Horan's "Cry of the Mountain" at various venues in Charlottesville, Va. before July ends.

Horan's one-person show combines 13 real-life characters whose lives are bound to the practice of mountaintop removal coal mining, and to top it off, the actor is donating a portion of the proceeds to Appalachian Voices.

Read our review and book tickets online - hurry, the shows are selling out fast!

OUR "DEAR COMPANIONS" MAKING MUSIC FOR MOUNTAINS: Musicians Ben Sollee and Daniel Martin Moore are at it again, joining producer Yim Yames for a nine-day tour to raise money for Appalachian Voices' campaign to end mountaintop removal coal mining.

The tour will include stops in Knoxville, Tenn., Lexington, Ky., Charleston and Marl, W.Va., Woodstock, N.Y., and Newport, R.I. Partner organizations will man an Alliance for Appalachia table at each event to share information about mountaintop removal.

On Tuesday, July 27, be sure to join the Appalachian Voices staff at the Jefferson Theater in Charlottesville, VA., for a special AV tour stop!

MOVIE DATE WITH APPALACHIAN VOICES: On Thursday, August 12, join Appalachian Voices in Charlottesville, Va., at a special $5 screening of the poignant documentary, Coal Country, which tells the story of Appalachia's struggle with the use of coal through the eyes of residents and miners. Director Mari-Lynn Evans and activists featured in the film will make a special appearance at the Jefferson Theater screening -- be sure to meet them during the public reception following the movie. Proceeds will benefit Appalachian Voices.

"Coal Country is incredibly moving, and an important film to see to be a truly informed citizen." Daryl Hannah

Stay tuned to AppalachianVoices.org for details on how to buy your tickets!

GETTING FESTIVE WITH MUSIC
ON THE MOUNTAINTOP:
Tickets are now on sale for the Music on the Mountaintop festival, a two-day musical extravaganza August 27-28 featuring Sam Bush, Keller Williams, Acoustic Syndicate and Railroad Earth, among many others.

Appalachian Voices is this year's featured non-profit at this environmentally-friendly fest, and will be receiving a portion of the ticket proceeds. Stay tuned for more exciting news!