Coal River Residents Start Pennies of Promise
May 30, 2006
Photos by Vivian Stockman
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For a New School
From the Associated Press: Coal River Valley residents launched a
fundraising effort to build a new school in Raleigh County by presenting
about 90 pounds of pennies and a piece of their mind to Gov. Joe Manchin
on Tuesday.
The residents say Manchin and his administration have ignored their
allegations that
Marsh Fork Elementary has a dangerous amount of coal dust in
classrooms and that its location below a coal waste dam imperils
students. The school abuts Goals Coal, a Massey Energy Co. subsidiary.
Kayla Taylor, 11, gave Manchin her green piggy bank and her grandfather,
Ed Wiley, laid several cloth bags filled with pennies on the floor of
the governor's reception room at the Capitol before confronting the
governor... The bags of pennies, about $460 total, were donated
by schoolchildren in New York City who heard about efforts to get a new
school, Wiley said. Kayla added her piggy bank and others donated about
$50 to the fundraising campaign called "Pennies of Promise.''
A new school would cost about $5 million, said Raleigh County
Superintendent Charlotte Hutchens. Marsh Fork has 217 children in
preschool through 5th grade. Before heading inside to meet with
the Governor, Kayla, Ed and
Coal River
Mountain Watch volunteer Bo Webb spoke outside the State Capitol at
a press conference attended by about 75 supporters. Below are photos
from the day.
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| People gather for the Pennies of Promise press
conference at the State Capitol. |
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| Art always helps in getting one's point across. |
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The
media crowds around the press conference speakers, including
11-year-old Kayla.
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Ed
Wiley and granddaughter Kayla leave the press conference to
bring the first installment of pennies to the Governor, with the
press in tow.
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