Eastern Coal Regional Roundtable: News

New Phone Number

As of Monday December 8, our new phone number is (304)294-1005. The fax number and mailing address are the same.

2009 Membership Drive

ECRR is currently seeking membership for its 2009 Membership Drive! If you have found Creek Clips, or any other services ECRR has provided valuable, we ask that you please consider becoming a member by making a contribution today. With your help, ECRR will be able to continue to provide the resources groups in Coal Country tell us again and again are so important to them!

The minimum donation to become a member is $15. However, please feel free to contribute any amount--we all know how it is: every bit counts!

If you would like to contribute to ECRR in another way, please contact Kelsey to discuss all the wonderful possibilities!

You may write a check to ECRR and send it to: 300 Front Street Rm 19, Mullens, WV 25882. Or: contact Kelsey at info@easterncoal.org or (304) 294-1003

We are a 501(c)3 organization, so your contribution is tax-deductible.

As always, thank you for your partnership!

Gratefully,
ECRR Staff and Board

Fall Trainings a Success!
Spring and Summer 2009 Dates Announced

Well, we just completed our first set of trainings, and what a success! Already we have surpassed our original goal of training 60 watershed groups in two years, as this season's trainings alone brought in more than 160 individuals representing 63 community groups! All of us at ECRR have been thrilled by the amount of hard work and enthusiasm shown by groups all across the Eastern Coalfields. Thank you all!

Trainings were Oct. 27-29 at Canaan Valley Resort in Davis, WV and Nov. 17-19 at Breaks Interstate Park in Breaks, VA. Attendees chose between full-day tracks in beginning and advanced water monitoring, grant writing and organization development. Speakers from organizations including the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), the Appalachian Regional Reforestation Commission (ARRI) and the Appalachian Coal Country Watershed Team (ACCWT) spoke on funding and project opportunities, community and volunteer engagement. Karen Vuranch, a West Virginia historian and performer, performed Coal Camp Memories, her original script highlighting the female experience in coal camps.

Spring trainings will be May 15-17 at Pine Mountain Settlement School in Pine Mountain, KY and June 1-3 at the National Mining Academy in Beckley, WV. A summer practicum July 7-10 at the Mullens Opportunity Center in Mullens, WV will involve participants in intensive, hands-on instruction in water monitoring and organizational development. At the end of the practicum, attendees will be certified in either SOS Water Monitoring or Leadership Plenty for Watersheds.

All trainings are made possible by an EPA Hope and Hard Work grant. The summer practicum is further supported by the Rural Appalachian Improvement League and a West Virginia Flex-E-Grant. These generous partnerships allow ECRR to pay for all training, lodging, meals and travel costs of attendees.

Individuals and groups in Alabama, Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia and invited to participate in future trainings. Please contact Kelsey Fischer at (304) 294-1003 or at info@easterncoal.org if you are interested in attending a training. Or, visit www.easterncoal.org for more info. And let her know if you have any suggestions for training topics—we want to know what you need!

Once again, Dvon and I, with all the members of the ECRR board, want to extend a big, warm THANK YOU to everyone who participated in these trainings. Hope to see you all soon!

Kelsey Fischer
Coordinator, OSM/VISTA
ECRR

Tell us what YOU want!

We here at ECRR are constantly striving to improve the services we provide you, and we are most effective when you let us know what you need! We are currently looking to improving our website, expanding the resources available and making them easier to access. We are also looking for ideas for spring training topics, expanding our Coal Country store, and creating effective marketing materials.

If you have any ideas or skills you'd like to share with us, please contact us at (304) 294-1003 or info@easterncoal.org. Remember, we're here for YOU! As much as you need us, we also need you.

Look forward to hearing from you!

ECRR Staff

Eastern Coal Regional Roundtable is committed to providing equal access to all programs and activities to persons with disabilities. ECRR is fully compliant with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and does not discriminate against anyone based on race, color, origin, age, sex, disability, religion, or income status.

The design and implementation of this website has been made possible through assistance provided by the the Western PA Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation (WPCAMR).      (c) 2005, ECRR - Eastern Coal Regional Roundtable