SENIOR CITIZEN’S WALK TO END MOUNTAINTOP REMOVAL
for future generations
Where: State Capitol Building in Charleston, WV to Massey Energy’s Mammoth Coal mountain top removal site in Kanawha County, WV.
When: Thursday October 8 to Monday October 12.
Why: To end mountaintop removal.
ABOUT
The Senior Citizen’s Walk to End Mountaintop Removal will traverse 25 miles from Charleston to the Mammoth Coal mountain top removal site, which is owned by Massey Energy.
The march will begin on the morning of October 8 on the steps of the state capitol building in Charleston, WV. Each day, the marchers will walk between 4 and 6 miles. The march will culminate at the entrance to the Mammoth Coal mine site, where all those who choose to will engage in an act of peaceful civil disobedience.
Roland Micklem, the march’s head organizer, published this open letter and all those who oppose mountaintop removal.
Food will be provided en route.
We are currently working to arrange housing with local churches and supportive families.
REGISTER
To register for the Senior Citizen’s Walk to End Mountaintop Removal, please click here.
DONATE
To make this event a success, we need your financial support as well. Please donate to Climate Ground Zero via Paypal and indicate that your donation is for the Senior Citizen’s Walk by writing “Senior Citizen” in the notes section. Or send us a check made out to Climate Ground Zero at
Seniors March
c/o Mike Roselle
PO Box 163
Rock Creek, WV 25174
If you have questions, call 304-854-7372
Click on the Thumbnail above for full size poster.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Senior Citizen’s Walk to End Mountaintop Removal will unite citizens over 55 years of age in a 25 mile march to protest mountaintop removal. It is part of the ongoing campaign to end mountaintop removal, and the destruction of Appalachian mountains and communities. It is a joint effort of local and national organizers. Those who wish to take part in non-violent civil disobedience at the gates of Mammoth Coal mountaintop removal site, may do so on the afternoon of Monday October 12. This promises to be a powerful event, and will bring some much needed energy and the wisdom of age to the movement to end mountaintop removal.
How old do I need to be?
To be an official marcher, you need to be 55 years old. However, younger supporters are welcome!
Do I need to get arrested?
No, you do not need to get arrested. Only those who choose to take part in non-violent civil disobedience will risk arrest. The rest of the march is perfectly legal.
Where will we sleep?
Housing is being arranged with churches and families in the Charleston area.
Wait, if we’re sleeping in Charleston, how will we get there every night and how will we get back to the march route?
Since you will be sleeping in Charleston, we are arranging transportation via cars and vans to and from the beginning and end point of each day’s march stretch.
How far will we walk?
25 miles over 5 days, for an average of five miles per day.
Do I need to walk the whole way?
There will be support vehicles trailing the march in which you can rest.
What if I can’t commit to the whole march?
Come when you can! We will make maps of each day’s route public closer to the time of the march.
How will we eat?
There will be food provided for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
We’re only walking five miles a day, what are we going to do the rest of the time?
Speakers, including Larry Gibson and Green Party gubernatorial candidate, will present each evening. We will also organize group activities and offer trainings and planning sessions for building the movement to end Mountaintop Removal.
Should I bring a sign?
Yes, please bring a sign, or multiple signs! If you don’t bring one, we will provide you with one.
Why would we do something illegal?
Social movements throughout history have employed non-violent civil disobedience as a way to create change. Roland says it very well in his open letter: “No substantial gain in our efforts to continually evolve into a more humane and caring society has been made without the willingness of individuals—with non violence as both a creed and a strategy–to step outside the framework of law and tradition in order to correct wrongs when conventional measures had failed. The abolition of slavery, the enactment of civil rights legislation, the right of women to vote, the termination of the Vietnam war could not have come about without the help of the same kind of non violent, direct, and sometime unlawful action that we are using here to stop mountaintop removal.”
By participating in the march, you are not signing up for civil disobedience. The civil disobedience is for those who choose to do so after the march ends on Monday afternoon.
If I choose to do civil disobedience, what can I expect?
You can never be 100% sure on what to expect, and there will be legal briefings as part of the march’s evening programming at which point we will answer this question as best as possible.
Where can I park my car?
You can park your car at a number of facilities around Charleston. We will release this information on the website closer to the time of the march.
What if I have health problems?
Inform us of your health issues, and we will do all we are able to accommodate them. In addition to having trained medics in the support vehicles, we will notify local hospitals of the event before hand so that they are extra ready in case of an emergency.
What if it rains?
Bring an umbrella and a rain coat. If the weather is dangerous, we will act accordingly.
What should I bring?
Bring all the clothes you’ll need, including multiple layers for chilly mornings, moderate afternoons, and chilly evenings. Be prepared for rain and some cold. Bring signs, good walking shoes, something to write with, a lap top if you use one, and your hopes for a better tomorrow.
What’s the weather like?
Well, you can never count on the weather to make sense, but here are the averages for that time of year: High around 70, low around 45. Be prepared for nighttime lows as low as 30 and highs in the 80s.
More Questions?
Contact Andrew and Roland: anromu@gmail.com or 304-854-7372
