Call to Action!!!!

Help support Ed Wiley on his final leg of the Pennies of Promise Walk to Washington DC!

On August 2, 2006, Ed Wiley set off on what would be an incredible journey through West Virginia, Maryland and Virginia on his way to Washington DC to ask that the children of Marsh Fork Elementary School, and everywhere else, be provided with a safe and healthy school in their own community. The Pennies of Promise campaign is pleased to announce that Ed is almost there! We are all so proud of him for standing up for the kids at Marsh Fork Elementary and the surrounding community. On September 13th, 2006 Ed will be ending his walk in DC and needs your support!

Here are a few ways you can help:

1. Come on out to DC and meet Ed at the Lady Bird Johnson Park on September 13th, 2006 at 7:30 am and at 8:00 am start the walk with Ed across the Arlington Memorial Bridge to the Washington Monument. We will leave the Washington Monument at 12:00 pm and walk on to the Cannon Building for the press conference at 1 pm. After a long time away from home, Ed will be glad to see a crowd of familiar faces for the last leg of his walk.

From the Metro:

Take the Metro to the Arlington Cemetery Stop on the Blue Line (Metro system map). Exit the station on the south side exit. Walk East towards DC over the bridge into Lady Bird Johnson Park. Look for the Pennies flag in the field to your right.

Driving:

You can drive into Arlington and park at the Arlington National Cemetery (directions) (it's $1.25/hr for the first 3 hours and $2/hr after that). From the parking lot head back out to Memorial Dr. and take a right. Walk over the bridge into Lady Bird Johnson Park and look for the Pennies flag to your right.

Or meet Pennies of Promise at the Washington Monument

If you just want to meet Ed at the Washington Monument and do not want to walk across the Arlington Memorial Bridge, take the metro to the Smithsonian Stop on the Orange or Blue Lines. Please be at the Monument by 11:30 as we will be leaving for the Cannon Building at 12 noon for the press conference at 1 pm.

If you cannot come out to DC, don’t worry, there is still plenty you can do from home.

2. Call Governor Manchin on September 12th and ask him to please call Ed on September 13th, 2006 with good news that a new school will be built for the kids at Marsh Fork Elementary in THEIR own community. Governor Manchin can be reached at 1-888-438-2731.

3. Call Margaret Spellings, the U.S. Secretary of Education, (202) 401-3000. Politely ask her to make sure no child is left behind in the state of WV and Marsh Fork Elementary School. Politely ask Secretary Spellings to support the Pennies of Promise campaign and to please meet with Ed Wiley. Be sure to follow-up with an email to her reiterating these things. Her email is: Margaret.Spellings@ed.gov and make sure you copy her secretary Christina Wilson at Christina.Wilson@ed.gov. You could even follow-up with a fax. (202) 401-0596.

4. Come on out to Ed’s Welcome Home party on September 18th, 2006…more info to come soon on this event!

Thanks again for all of your support and we hope to see you in DC!

Marsh Fork Elementary School

This is Marsh Fork Elementary. The school building sits just 225 feet from the coal silo and 400 yards downstream from a 385 foot tall sludge dam holding back over 2 billion gallons of toxic sludge which the Mine Safety and Health Administration says is leaking.

In an independent study, samples of dust were taken from various classrooms in the school. Analysis confirmed that all seven samples taken showed coal dust contamination, which has been proven to cause respiratory problems, especially in children. In his conclusion, Dr. Scott Simonton, Vice-Chair of the WV Governors' Environmental Quality board, stated:

I believe that the occupants of Marsh Fork Elementary School are at risk from exposure to the dust emitted from the Goals Coal facility.

For updates and more information: www.penniesofpromise.org