Friends of Blackwater Canyon Winter 2004 501 Elizabeth St.reet Room 3, Charleston, WV 25311 • 304-345-7663 • www.saveblackwater.org • [email protected] Annie Dillard Urges Blackwater Lovers “Tell Candidates How You Feel About Canyon Protection” “Living this way by the creek, where the light appears and vanishes on the water, where muskrats Historic surface and dive, and redwings scatter, I have come to know a special side of nature. I look to the mountains, and the mountains still Blackwater Heroes slumber, blue and mute and rapt. I say, it gathers; the world abides.” J. R. Clifford, West Virginia’s first black lawyer, who lived from 1849 to Annie Dillard, A Pilgrim at Tinker Creek. 1933, is an early hero of the civil rights movement in West Virginia. Clifford won his most important Dear Friend, civil rights case on behalf of a school- teacher in Tucker — County in the town As a child, I fell in love with the West Virginia Highlands. These beautiful, of Coketon at the head of the Blackwa- ancient mountains are an oasis of peace and natural beauty. ter Canyon! But today, the destructive roar of chainsaws and bulldozers is threatening the ...read more on page 6 Mountain State’s scenic “Crown Jewel” — the magnificent, 10,000-acre Blackwater Canyon and the wild and scenic Blackwater River. We must preserve and protect this pristine landscape — home to endangered salamanders, flying squirrels, water shrews, and many more species — for our children and grandchildren. That’s why I am asking you to take a few minutes, right now, to let your voice be heard. Please cut out and complete the enclosed BLACKWATER PROTECTION PETITION form (page 2) and return it in the mail. Your voice will join with thousands of others to show West Virginia’s 2004 statewide political candidates that protecting the Blackwater Canyon is an important issue. The creatures of the Blackwater Canyon have no voice. They are counting on you. Please send in your form today. Yours in friendship, In this issue: Director’s Update 2 We are excited that Pulitzer Prize-win- part of their political platform. Valentine Sweepstakes 2 ning nature writer and author Annie We hope that you will respond to Annie Board Profile: Linda Cooper 3 Dillard is helping Friends of Blackwater Dillard’s heartfelt call to action. Please Celebrating our Membership 4,5 in our 2004 Blackwater Protection Peti- send in the form on page 2, adding your name Northfork Update 6 tion Campaign. to the 2004 Blackwater Protection Petition. Website Redesigned 6 The goal of the 2004 Petition campaign Petition signers’ names will be delivered to is to make sure West Virginia political candidates throughout the election season. Winter Canyon Hike 7 candidates make Blackwater Protection Only your name will appear on the petition. DC House Party Success 7 Photo Contest 8 ...read more and find out how you can help on page 2 Happy New Year from Friends of Blackwater!! Cuddle-Up in Style in our Last year was the first time we offered memberships, and we want third annual Valentine’s to recognize and celebrate all the folks who joined!! Regular dona- tions from individuals are the lifeblood of Friends of Day Sweepstakes Blackwater. Anyone who sent in a white “donation envelope” in 2003 Have you been bitten is a member. Your membership will expire a year from your last donation by the love bug and need in 2003. We will put that date on your newsletter label, and remind you as to share some romantic the date draws near. We work hard to keep our records straight, so let us know if there are any space with a special mistakes in your membership record. If you have not joined as a member of Friends of Blackwa- someone? You can qualify for ter, please do so! It is so important when talking to public officials to be able to talk about our two fantastic grand prize packages to be members and your support. You give us credibility and power! We appreciate so much all the folks given away in the Friends of Blackwater who have donated gifts of their artwork, crafts, gourmet food, and writing. Our volunteers are “Cuddle-Up In Style” Valentine’s Day deeply important; they give their time and talent to help save Blackwater Canyon. Many people Sweepstakes. You may find yourselves nestled have donated outside of the membership process, and we will be recognizing them in upcoming in a cozy cabin or relaxing on the couch, issues of the Newsletter!! Please note our new donation envelope, with many more choices. Work- surrounded with gifts. To qualify, check ing together, we can make 2004 a great year for Blackwater Canyon protection! “Valentine Sweepstakes” on the form below and include it with your winter donation or Judy Rodd annual membership renewal. Donations are not required to qualify, but are certainly Blackwater Valentine’s Sweepstakes!* appreciated. Make sure your envelope is postmarked on or before February 14. Name: Following are the prizes: Phone: Address: “Blackwater Getaway” This package includes a two-night cabin email: stay near Blackwater Canyon, two tickets to a Mountain Music Weekend show at the Blackwater Getaway Virtual Blackwater Purple Fiddle in Thomas, dinner for two at Siriani’s Cafe in Davis, and a massage from ...continued from page 1 the Highland Inn and Spa in Canaan Valley. Your address, phone, or e-mail information be aware of this exciting opportunity. will not. We encourage you to be active in Please fill out the following card, and mail “Virtual Blackwater Getaway” Enjoy the Blackwater Canyon area from gaining support from others, who may not it to Friends of Blackwater. home! This package includes a romantic 2004 Blackwater Protection Petition dinner for two consisting of West Virginia Dear West Virginia Candidates in the 2004 Elections: smoked trout, a bottle of West Virginia wine and a box of West Virginia chocolates, a copy Protecting West Virginia’s signature landscape — the magnificent Blackwater of West Virginia: The Allegheny Highlands Canyon — is very important to me. I support moving all of the private land in the Canyon into public ownership. I urge you to make protecting the entire by Jim Clark, a Save Blackwater Canyon t- Canyon a prominent campaign issue in 2004, for the welfare of West Virginia, shirt, and a limited edition Blackwater Poster. today and in the future. When entering, be sure to specify which Yours truly, (Name) (Address) prize package you prefer. All online (City, State, Zip) contributions made at our website, (Phone) www.saveblackwater.org will be eligible for ( E-mail) the prizes, as well. Your information will be kept confidential by Friends of Blackwater. An e-mail address will allow us to send you updates at a low cost to us and the environ- ment. Judy Rodd, President Board Member Highlight: Linda Cooper Paul Hill, Vice President Jeannie Dalporto, Sec. Linda Cooper grew up in Canaan Valley, with Linda Cooper, Treasurer six brothers and sisters. Linda recalls the long Sandy Fisher winters in the Valley, and the remoteness and ex- Board of Directors Sheila McEntee treme quiet of their home. Her grandmother and aunt were bought out by Canaan Valley State Annie Dillard Park, but Linda managed to save her grandmoth- Larry Groce er’s house. She moved it onto property that her Jason Halbert family still owns, and converted it into a second David Hammer, Esq. home where she can continue to enjoy the area. Alan Karlin, Esq. Linda remembers her father's stories about Patrick McGinley, Esq. the Blackwater Canyon. "He told me if I ever Deborah McHenry, Esq. had a chance to ride the railroad through the Leff Moore Canyon that I had better do it. He was not a poetic man, and I think that was one of the few volved in efforts to protect mountain lands from Advisory Board J. Lawrence Smith Rafe Pomerance times I heard him talk about a place with such destruction. During her first summer back home Joe Rieffenberger warmth. I took it as one of his highest recom- in West Virginia, 1970, the Davis Power Project Steve White, Esq. mendations. He rode that railroad line as a child, was proposed. Linda became a leader in oppos- Christopher Wood and it was such a fond memory for him." ing plans to flood the Canaan Valley to create a While Linda was at Berea College in Ken- hydro-electric dam in Davis. Linda is one of the Judy Rodd, Director tucky, she became concerned about the damage founding members of Friends of Blackwater. John M. Brown caused by strip mining practices. She became in- Staff Valerie Little Emily Samargo Blackwater Merchandise Timothy Sweet. Illustrated by David Hunter Garrett, Sam McCormick, Strother. Stephen Shaluta, and David West Virginia Adventure Guide - Black- Smith. water Falls State Park by Emily Grafton, West Speak to the Past: A Virginia botanist. Beautiful drawings and detailed Memoir Fat With Words botanical, activity and wildlife information on the by Margaret Calwell, 226 Blackwater Canyon. A must for nature lovers. pages, Paperback. Margaret Limited Edition Blackwater Poster, (23'' remembers her childhood near Blackwa- x 35''). This full-color poster combines images ter Canyon. The book includes photos of people The Flying Squirrel and of well known West Virginia photographers Ken and buildings in Davis, West Virginia. Kayaking Squirrel T-shirts (100% preshrunk cotton) were created by artist Brad Basil of the Art Medium Qty. Price Size Total The Blackwater Chronicle 27.50 hard cover in Elkins, West Virginia. Flying The Blackwater Chronicle 18.00 paperback Squirrel: kids M, L; adult S, M, L, Adventure Guide 10.00 XL, XXL.