Peoples Climate March Sister Rally and March in Huntington, WV

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Media Advisory
Contacts: Robin Blakeman, 304-840-4877, robin@ohvec.org
Bob McCollister, 740-533-0673, bobfaye@roadrunner.com

What: Peoples Climate March Sister Rally and March in Huntington, WV

When: Saturday, April 29

Music begins 10:45 a.m. Rally and march begin 11: 15a.m.

Where: Heritage Station, 210 11^th Street, Huntington, WV

Who: Organizers of this event include:

–    OVEC (Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition)
–    Organizing for Action (OFA)
–   WV Citizens Climate Lobby (CCL)

– Marshall University Native American Student Organization (NASO)

Speakers include:

Bob McCollister, certified by the Climate Change Project in climate change presentations
NASO’s Genenahgehneh Lee and others will speak, drum, and sing
A representative of Keep Wayne Wild, who will speak about the group’s frontline struggle to protect the Wayne National Forest (near Marietta, OH) from unconventional oil and gas well pad installations, which would allow for gas fracking under the Ohio River.
OVEC, OFA, CCL, and other participating group leaders will speak briefly on local issues associated with climate change.

Check for updates on speakers and participating groups on PCM Huntington’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/2019948721565644/

Statement from OVEC’s founder Dianne Bady: “Our Huntington area is a potential ground zero for increased climate change, with nine big fracked gas pipelines proposed to come through here, as well as extremely deep fracking that has already started in aastern Kentucky on the Wayne County border. OVEC’s thirty year history shows that when people work together, we can do things no one thought were possible. Your help is needed to preserve the peace and beauty that surrounds us here!”

What else: Family friendly activities, speakers, music, information on local, regional, national, and global climate issues. Come out to Heritage Station and join in the march around the downtown area. Come celebrate your love for Huntington, the Ohio River, and the Earth!

Note: The public and members of the press are invited to a poster making party for the Peoples Climate March Huntington Sister Rally and March (PCM Huntington), from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, April 18, at the OVEC office, at 725 West 14^th Street in Huntington’s Old Central City.

Why: In solidarity with people gathering in Washington D.C. for the main Peoples Climate March, local, allied organizations are holding this sister rally and march in downtown Huntington, WV.

Solidarity marches are taking place around the nation, and internationally. There’s also a sister march in Charleston, WV. (PCM Charleston’s Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/events/1662876250675278/) All West Virginians and Tri-State area residents are urged to find the march nearest to their homes and join in. Carpool with friends and family. The WV marches have the potential to send a powerful message to our elected representatives.

We are all threatened by climate change, and the only way to avert the worst consequences is to halt new fossil fuel projects, and transition rapidly to a clean, renewable energy economy—which will also generate more jobs than the deadly fossil-fuel-based business as usual.

We in Appalachia know all too well what it is to have safe drinking water threatened—or destroyed—by fossil fuel projects. We know how it feels to watch our elected officials and agencies scramble to defend the energy corporations—not us. We know how it feels to be regarded as a low-class, low-population culture whose health is a low priority. We, therefore, stand in solidarity with people worldwide who are demanding an end to climate denial and immediate, widespread climate change action, especially for those who are already experiencing dramatic, even catastrophic effects of climate change in their communities.

Flier: Peoples Climate March Huntington:
https://ohvec.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/PCMhton.pdf

Note: OVEC is celebrating its 30th anniversary the weekend of April 28-30. Details here: https://ohvec.org/ovecs-30th-birthday-bash-weekend/

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