Support WV Rivers Coalition this Giving Tuesday
This Giving Tuesday, your donation will be doubled to make a lasting impact in Southern WV and beyond.
From the West Virginia Rivers Coalition:
You know, it’s not all fun and games on the water for a lot of us. Some people are afraid of their water.
My name is Mariah Clay and I’m the Southern WV Coordinator at West Virginia Rivers Coalition. Growing up in Mingo County, I developed a deep understanding of the appreciation for clean water and the fear of how toxic the water can be.
I quickly learned that while some people in our beautiful state were able to turn their faucets on and have unlimited amounts of clean and safe drinking water, others had water that stained hair red, filled the air with a rotten-egg smell, and was deemed unsafe to drink or cook with, but acceptable to bathe with.
As I got older, I became envious of the folks in other parts of our state who could enjoy recreation in clean freshwater, while my water was full of acid mine drainage and hundreds of thousands of tires from lack of effective solid waste authorities. Southern West Virginia has had to learn to endure these hardships as an act of necessity and sacrifice to protect the “family-supporting” jobs that our communities depend on. My neighbors loaded mountain spring water into their trucks to haul home while those with money and access placed their kayaks in canoes in abundantly clean freshwater rivers with ease. My envy turned to anger.
I want my community to enjoy those recreational opportunities that are offered in other parts of the state, not just the tourists visiting our region. I see firsthand how hardworking and tenacious my community is; they deserve to enjoy the beautiful landscape around us. But for us to have that same enjoyment and feel safe in the water, we need help.
We need help in cleaning up our wild and wonderful landscape — and we can’t do this alone. That’s when I learned about the West Virginia Rivers Coalition, and my anger turned to action.
Whether it’s working with Friends of the Tug Fork River to pull tires from the stream bed or organizing around the proposed gigantic ammonia facility in my hometown, I do this work because everyone in my community and across the state deserves access to safe and healthy water. At West Virginia Rivers Coalition, we firmly believe in this mission.
This Giving Tuesday, your donation will be doubled to make a lasting impact in Southern WV and beyond. Your gift will train community members, install water quality monitors, and empower people to advocate for clean water and healthier futures. Will you join me in investing in this work today?
Because of you, we can change the relationship communities in Southern WV have with their waters and create a future with clean water for all.
Thank you for your support of my work. It means the world to me and the communities I serve.
– Mariah Clay
Southern WV Coordinator, West Virginia Rivers Coalition
