In addition to our visit to the West Virginia State Fair, the Friends of Coal is continuing its outreach efforts into the late-summer and fall. Representatives of the West Virginia Coal Association and the Friends of Coal will be busy through the next few months.  Continuing our outreach efforts around the state, the Friends of Coal has already scheduled the following events:

*  (August 30)  A group of Association members will meet separately with 3rd District Congressman Nick Rahall and Congressional Candidate Spike Maynard at the Earl Ray Tomblin Conference Center at Chief Logan State Park.

*  (August 31)   President Bill Raney will make a presentation to a group of  Washington & Lee University students in Charleston.  W&L is located in Lexington, VA.

*  (September 11) The Friends of Coal will man an informational booth at the International Resource Partners annual community event in Gilbert.

*  (September 15) As noted, the Friends of Coal will join the Coalition for Mountaintop Mining for the group’s informational event in Washington, DC. The trip will focus on educating the nation’s 100 senators about the importance of coal to the nation and the role surface mining plays in the overall mining mix.

*  (September 17) The Friends of Coal and the Coalition for Mountaintop Mining will present a program on the importance of coal mining to the state’s economy, as well as an information discussion about the practice of surface mining in Appalachia to the annual Energy and Industry Session of Leadership West Virginia. Senior Vice President Chris Hamilton will be joined by Vice President Jason Bostic and others on a panel discussion. Prior to the panel, Hamilton has been asked to speak to the group about the role of coal in West Virginia.

If you would like to schedule a representative of the Friends of Coal or the West Virginia Coal Association for your event, please contact us at 304.342.4153. Our schedules are filling fast and we very much want to meet with your group to provide an accurate portrait of our state’s coal industry.