On Saturday, September 24, three faculty from the Office of Economic Development loaded into a car around 7 a.m. to drive out to Castlewood, Virginia. Allison Homer, Sarah Lyon-Hill, and Scott Tate were headed west to attend the Southwest Virginia Workforce Development Board‘s Coal Miner Appreciation Picnic.
As picnic attendees started filing into the Russel County Fairgrounds, Allison, Sarah, and Scott split up to speak with those impacted by the coal industry, conducting surveys and having conversations with current and displaced coal miners and their families as part of their work with the Workforce Development Board and the $2 million POWER grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration.
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- Allison and Sarah speak with two attendees.
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- The picnic targeted coal miners and their families, with fun events, free food, and a door prize raffle drawn hourly.
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- Kids play in the bouncy house set up on the side of the fairgrounds complex.
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- Talented musicians were on hand to play tunes throughout the day.
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- Allison speaks with a representative from the Workforce Development Board.
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- Allison speaks with a retired coal miner.
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- Attendees were treated to a free meal of hot dogs, hamburgers, beans, barbecue, and more.
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- Sarah speaks with a retired coal miner and his wife.
