By WILSON BUTT
Bluefield Daily Telegraph
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Organizers for the Labor Day celebration in Pocahontas, Va., promise a “different kind of day.” The town’s annual Coal Miners Reunion will provide folks from near and far with a chance to reminisce, enjoy some good food and hear some politicians warm the air.
The day will begin with registration form 8-10 a.m. for miners and railroaders and a country breakfast — eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits, gravy and more. Breakfast will only cost $3 bucks. Registration will be in the caboose in Pocahontas where the old railroad yard was once located. You can’t miss it. Yes, railroaders are also being equally honored — they hauled the coal.
Those who sign up will be provided a free 19th annual reunion hat and a free dinner. There will also be drawings for a U.S. savings bond and other neat prizes. At 11 a.m. there will be a Miner’s March right through the middle of town. (Well, it’s more of a parade than a march.) For those miners and railroaders who are unable to walk the distance, they will have an opportunity to ride a wagon in the march. Politicians have to walk, the folks over there said they ain’t gonna haul ‘em around. Later those politicians will be stumping (think I’m kidding — they actually have a stump for them to stand upon). The baby kissers will have a chance to hone their oratory skills, spread a little manure, and attempt to sway the votes their way.
The word is that Jim Campbell, Mike Hymes, David Woodard and, if the weather holds out, Morgan Griffith, candidate for the U.S. Congress, will fly in from a meet in Covington Va., to be with the folks in Pocahontas. The folks in Pocahontas invite everyone to come on over and have a good time, enjoy the eats, and do some hand shakin’ with old friends and new friends.
The main event of the day, the Coal Miners Dinner — with good ole brown beans, cornbread, taters, and all the fixin’s — will be at 1:30 p.m. It’s free for all registered miners and railroaders and for the rest of us folks the cost is only $5. Now that’s a deal. Go on over there and have a good time on Labor Day. They will probably have a few soap boxes on hand just in case the stump doesn’t hold up under that load.
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That isn’t all that is going on in Pocahontas. People in the area will also have an opportunity to take some neat classes over there that will be offered through Southwest Virginia Community College. Dr. Tony Lotito has made arrangement for 19 college level classes to be offered to the community. Registration will be held in the Pocahontas Fuel Company office building, located at 124 East Water Street, on Monday from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m.
The classes range from “Topics in Personal Law,” with David Smith, to fitness studies. Any person interested in attending classes in Pocahontas is encouraged to attend. Financial aid representatives and instructors will be available to help. Scholarships and financial aid are available. For a full listing of available classes, contact Tony Lotito at (276) 964-7384.
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Bluefield Elks Lodge No. 269 will be holding its 9th annual tribute to first responders. All area first responders on both sides of the state line — Virginia and West Virginia State Police, city and town police, deputies, sheriffs, federal agents, rescue squad members, firemen, 911 center people and any other first responders to incidents — are invited to come, be honored, and enjoy a good buffet dinner provided free by the Elks and their supporters. Those who have to remain on duty and are unable to attend may request a box dinner.
The public is also invited to come and honor these dedicated men and women who often put themselves at risk to protect us, our neighbors, our families and our children. The public can partake of the meal for a $5 donation. The keynote speaker for this year’s event will be state Senate Majority Leader H. Truman Chafin. Festivities will begin at 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 12 at the Bluefield Elks Lodge, located at 1501 Whitethorn Street. Bent Hickory will also be on hand to entertain the crowd. The group was the opening act for Stella Parton when she was here in Bluefield earlier this year.
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I stopped by to take a look at the new Democrat Headquarters at 615 Rogers Street in Princeton. Party Chairman Mike Vinciguerra was there tidying up and getting things ready for the grand opening that will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 1, at 6 p.m. (I mentioned the wrong day in last Wednesday’s column ... oops.)
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The West Virginia Coal Association, Citizens for Coal, the Federation for American Coal, Energy and Security (FACES of Coal), several allied citizens groups, and coal advocacy groups, will participate in a press conference and gathering held on Sept. 15 on the grounds of the United States Capitol. The gathering will celebrate the American coal miner and the contribution coal and coal mining makes to our nation’s energy security and economic stability. Current regulatory challenges, coupled with ill-informed public opinion and damaging legislation are threatening the viability of coal mining throughout the United States and particularly in West Virginia.
“We plan to highlight the critically important role of the American coal miner and to call on lawmakers and administration officials to discontinue efforts to regulate the coal industry — and the hundreds of thousands of jobs it provides — out of business,” said Chris Hamilton, senior vice president of the West Virginia Coal Association and co-chair of the Mountaintop Mining Coalition. “West Virginia’s congressional delegation understands the importance of coal to our local economies and national energy plan, but many federal legislators and bureaucrats do not.”
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There you have it, a few comments on items of interest to the area. It looks like these last few days of August are going to have blue skies, and I hope you enjoy them.
Wilson Butt, a resident of Bluefield, is a retired Department of Highways official.
