Water Vigils Around the World TONIGHT @ 6 Solidarity with W VA

Having one? Want to join me in Charlestown? Vigils across the country (and the world) to honor and protect all water! SHARE and LIKE to spread the word. Check out the 40+ vigils that are happening, and add your own! –> http://j.mp/watervigils via WV Clean Water Hub

Water Vigils Around the World – Jan 21st. http://wvpublic.org/post/worldwide-candle-light-vigil-planned-response-elk-river-chemical-spill#.Ut7Cr6GlJkc.email

Here’s a little update-

http://sc.org/WVwaterupdate…Headline news in RI the spilled Coal Cleaning chemicals reached Evansville Indiana today. Reading what could have happened in terms of what is going on in Chemical Vally relatively unregulated the next spill could be worse. However this chemical is spooky, there is very little known about it and what it combines with. Great article.

Quotes from the field:

Honoring the Waters Candlelight Vigil Charleston,WV Press Quotes

For any other questions contact Kat Wallace: kat.toplessamerica.org 978-771-0979

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“The crisis that Crude MCHM has caused highlights just how important water is to life, especially in West Virginia. How much longer can we allow the likes of the chemical, gas, oil, and coal industries to destroy this precious resource for profit? We all live downstream. We have seen the blatant disrespect for public health and life from the WV Governors administration, the WVDEP, and these industries. Now is the time that West Virginians to not think of themselves as victims, but as fighters. Now is the time to make a change not for the benefit of West Virginia, but the whole world. Let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!”

Dustin White: Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition www.ohvec.org 304-541-3144

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“The coal and chemical Industry created conditions to allow disasters like this chemical spill to happen, because of the influence they have over the State Government. Clean water is a human right. We have a right to know what is stored in our communities. “

Bill Price: Sierra Club Organizing Representative Environmental Justice Program; Beyond Coal to Clean Energy Campaign bill.price@sierraclub.org 304-389-8822 ___________________________________________________________________

“The outpouring of support for this event in the Kanawha Valley, around the nation and world shows the universal concern for our right to clean water. This is a powerful illustration of unity in cultivating healing and restoration of our rivers.”

Angie Rosser: Executive Director West Virginia Rivers Coalition

www.wvrivers.org 304-637-7201

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“Being a first time mother can be stressful, but when you receive conflicting information of whether I can drink or cook with the water is even worse. I live a mile away from the spill site and took a shower last week and had a bad reaction. I know use a camping shower, which is not at all cost effective. At this point I haven’t gone to distribution sites because I know there are people that really can’t afford to buy water. Depending on how long this continues, I might have to start.”

Stephanie Gale: 33 Yr. Old Expectant Mother, Kanawha County

________________________________________________________________________Honoring the Waters Candlelight Vigil Charleston,WV Press Quotes

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“West Virginians in affected areas are scared, angry, and confused. They have been told the water was safe, yet the water was not safe for pregnant women. They were told by Tomlin that it was ‘our choice’ whether or not to drink the water! As if having access to bottled water, having the money to buy it, and the ability to haul and cart it every day was a CHOICE.

“We have been blessed with an outpouring of support and solidarity from people all across our state as well as out of state. I am amazed at what we are able to accomplish through direct connections established through the WV Clean Water Hub as well as through working with community leaders, in both affected and supporting communities, who have stepped up during this crisis. This crisis is far from over and we must all work together to settle into a sustainable level of support that we can maintain over the coming weeks.”

Jen-Osha Buysee Aurora Lights: Emergency Relief Organizer jenosha@auroralights.org

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“Through this disaster I have been reassured that I am proud to be a West Virginian. The folks who make me proud to be a West Virginian are those who haven’t had work since the water crisis but are still at their local fire departments and churches handing out supplies every day. The folks who make me proud to be a West Virginian are angry about what has happened to their communities and demand something be done to fix it. The folks who make me proud to be a West Virginian live in unaffected areas but have still worked every day to collect donations and supplies to send to the affected areas. West Virginians stay strong no matter what happens. We bond together as tight-knit communities and we help each other through times of need. ”

Hannah Spencer Aurora Lights: Emergency Relief Organizer

hannah@auroralights,org 304-282-6798

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