Please join iLoveMountains.org members and other concerned citizens from all across the country in Washington, DC, to advance the Clean Water Protection Act and help end mountaintop removal coal mining.

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You can help support more than 100 volunteers who are coming to Washington next week by making a contribution today.

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The Mountaintop Removal Week in Washington is an opportunity for you to devote your ideas, passion and abilities to protecting the mountains of Appalachia. The Clean Water Protection Act reestablishes the original intent of the Clean Water Act, and reverses the 2002 rule change that redefined “fill material” to allow coal companies to dump millions of tons of mining waste into nearby streams. The Week in Washington is your chance to help end this devastating practice.

You’ll start your Week in Washington experience by meeting other Appalachian activists from around the country when you arrive on Saturday. Sunday will be filled with panels and speeches from Appalachian advocates, workshops and training on outreach, and meetings with your lobbying team. On Monday through Wednesday, you and your team will meet with your representatives and their staff to educate them about mountaintop removal. The ability to lobby your representative is one of the most powerful rights we have as Americans, and this is your chance to exercise it for the mountains!

During the Week in Washington you’ll be able to:

• Meet and work with other passionate Appalachian activists from around the country
• Develop and hone your outreach skills in our outreach workshops
• Meet face to face with legislators to help inspire and educate their decisions
• Help pass legislation to end mountaintop removal coal mining
• Protect our mountains, our Appalachian neighbors, and our children’s future
• Enjoy the sights and sounds of Washington, DC!

We hope to see you in Washington!

SPONSORING ORGANIZATIONS
Appalachian Center for the Economy and the Environment, Appalachian Voices, Christians for the Mountains, Coal River Mountain Watch, Earthjustice, Friends of the Earth, Keeper of the Mountains, Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, Natural Resources Defense Council, Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition, Save Our Cumberland Mountains, Sierra Club, Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards, United Mountain Defense, and West Virginia Highlands Conservancy.

SCHOLARSHIPS
There are also a limited number of full and partial travel and lodging scholarships available. Not all requests for funding can be granted, and funding requests will be granted based on need and priority. For more information, please contact us at outreach@appvoices.org or call 828-262-1500.

FUNDRAISING
Unfortunately, not all requests for travel and lodging scholarships can be granted. Here are a fundraising ideas to help you raise the necessary funds to get to Washington DC and help pass the Clean Water Protection Act. Please send us your ideas and fundraising stories, too!

• Host a living room presentation of Appalachian Treasures in your community and ask for donations to travel to Washington. If you don’t already have a kit, contact us and we will be happy to mail you one right away.
• Go for a hike! Have your friends and family sponsor each mile of your hike.
• Host an “End Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining” house party. Invite community members and generate letters to your representatives and money for travel to DC.
• Have a garage sale! Gather the things gathering dust in your garage, attic, and basement. Ask your friends to also donate to your garage sale.
• Have a bake sale! Cook for the mountains and ask your friends to do the same. You can hold your bake sale at a local school, church, and at your garage sale.
• Collect loose change. Label old yogurt cups or jars and pass them out to your friends and family, asking them to return a full cup for a good cause.
• Set out your own loose change jar. Keep it in visible place where house guests will see it, or on your desk at work.
• Create an office fundraising challenge. Ask your colleagues to challenge each other to raise the highest amount. Give the winner a prize.
• Ask your local bartender to donate a portion of one day’s tips. Create a sign for the bartender stating “All tips collected tonight will go directly to ending mountaintop removal coal mining.”
• Host a used book sale. Gather your old books, ask your friends, family and neighbors to donate whatever they’ve got and set up a weekend book sale. Put up some signs so people will know where the money is going. Once they know that they may even give you more money.
• Contact local clubs and organizations. Send a solicitation letter to your local Knights of Columbus, Lions Club, Rotary Club, Kiwanis, etc. They support the causes of individuals in their communities.
• Host a Game Night. Invite your friends over for a night of competition. Charge them at the door and include some door prizes for the winners.
• Ask your traveling buddies to donate their frequent flier miles to your trip to DC. If you need help with how that works, email us at outreach@appvoices.org.
• Investigate how others fundraise. Google “creative fundraising ideas” and discover many more ideas.