Over120peoplefromOhio,Michigan,WestVirginia,Tennessee,Kentucky,Virginiaandmanymorestatesparticipatedinourweek-longTrainingCampinMay,acoal-freeeventpoweredentirelybyelectricityfromsolarpanels. Wedrankmountainspringwater,learnedaboutcoal
miningandAppalachianculture,atedelicioushealthyfoodandstayeduplateformountainmusicjamsessionsaroundthecampfire. Therewasawonderfulcommunalatmosphereofloveforthemountainsandeachother-andweevenhadgreatweather. Oneparticipantsaiditwas
"thebestweekofherlife." Anothercalledit"thebestcampever."
LastweekendMountainJusticeSummer(MJS)wenttoBonnaroo,themassive(100,000plus)4-daymusicfestivalinTennesseefeaturingThePolice,Tool,TheWhiteStripesandabout75otherbandsonsevenstages. OurboothwasanAppalachianFrontPorchandwetalkedto
hundredsofpeopleaboutmountaintopremoval-pluswehadlotsoftimetocheckoutthemusic. Twelvevolunteersworkedinourbooth,andwegotfreeadmissiontothefestival(becauseMJSisanall-volunteerorganization.) WeevengottogouponBonnaroo'sSolarStageandtalkaboutMJS,whichwasprettycool.
Wehavelotsofeventscomingup,andhereareafew:
*SaturdayJune30-SundayJuly1:SeeMountaintopRemovalatGroundZero:LarryGibson'sKayfordMountaininWestVirginia. TheannualMountainKeepersMusicFestivalonKayfordMountainwillfeatureeightlocalandregionalmusiciansplayingavarietyofbluegrass,gospel,
countryandoldtimemusic. ThisisafreeconcertthatwillcelebrateAppalachianculture.
Larry'sfamilyhaslivedonthesamelandforover230years,andheisnowcompletelysurroundedbytheravagesofmountaintopremoval.
Thereareseveralawesomeandhorribleplacestoseetheminingfromwhat'sleftofhismountain. Theconcertwillbetwodaysofremembranceofthehomesandjobslost,whilealsocelebratingcommunities'effortstoresistthedestructionandpromotesustainable
jobsforabetterfuture.
StanleyHeirsParkontopofKayfordMountainisabout35minutessouth
ofCharleston,WestVirginiaoffofInterstate64/77. Fordirections,
goto:
Pleasebringacovereddishforpotluckmeals. Freecamping. Email
[email protected]
*WednesdayJune207:00:(Tonight)Lexington,KentuckyPublicLibrary
downtown,freescreeningoftheclassic1977stripminingfilm"In
MemoryoftheLandandPeople,"followedbydiscussionwithfilmmaker
BobGates. Thisfilmisamust-see!
*SaturdayJune23-SundayJune24: MountainJusticeSummermeeting
inBlacksburg,VirginiaonthebeautifulcampusofVirginiaTech,234
SquiresStudentCenterstartingat9:00am. Newfolksarewelcometo
joinus!
*MondayJune25-Noon-Protestagainstaproposeddirty-coal-fired
electricpowerplantplannedforWiseCounty,Virginia. Wewill
protestatthecorporateheadquartersofDominionPower,120Tredegar
StreetinRichmond,Virginia.
Moreinfoandaflierishere:
MapquestdirectionsfromBlacksburgVAtoDominionHeadquarters:
TakeI-81NtowardROANOKEfor93.2miles
TakeI-64EviaEXIT221towardRICHMONDfor99.3miles
TakeI-195SviaEXIT186towardPOWHITEPKWY/DOWNTOWN(Portions
toll)for5.7miles
Taketheexittoward7THST/US-60/9THST.0.1miles
StaySTRAIGHTtogoontoEBYRDST.for<0.1miles
TurnRIGHTontoS7THST.go0.1miles
Enternextroundaboutandtake1stexitontoTREDEGARST.1.1miles
Endat120TredegarSt
Formoreinformationcontact:
[email protected]@riseup.net
*TuesdayJune267:00-PublicForumonCoaltoLiquid,Lexington
KentuckydowntownPublicLibrary. Freeadmission. Learnmoreabout
thecontroversialproposalstoturncoalintoaliquidfuelfromour
panelofexperts.
WedJune27throughSatJune30-MountainJusticeSummerwillbe
tablingatthefirst-everU.S.SocialForuminAtlanta,GA. Wewill
havetheopportunitytospreadthewordaboutmountaintopremoval
miningandMountainJusticeSummertoover10,000peopleexpectedto
attendtheUSSF! ThiswillbeanamazingopportunityforMJSto
networkwithotherorganizationsandtorecruitactivistsforour
movement.
Volunteersareneeded-TheUSSFisgoingtobefreakin'awesome.
[email protected]
table. Checkout
Thanksandwewillseeyouinthemountains!
DaveCooper
TheMountaintopRemovalRoadShow
608AllenCt.
LexingtonKY40505
(859)2995669