Help us fight strip mining : AZ IMC

We have found a great location for our fourth annual Mountain Justice Summer Camp: Camp Blanton at Blanton Forest, Harlan County, Kentucky, in the heart of the eastern Kentucky coalfields.
Blanton Forest on Pine Mountain is an old growth forest that has never been logged and features spectacular mountain views and an awesome forest for hiking and exploring. Blanton Forest is a Kentucky State Nature Preserve.

Camp Blanton features a comfortable newly remodeled meeting and dining lodge, a beautiful lake, a wooded amphitheater, and rustic cabins with bunk beds (camping is also available).

View Camp Blanton's website: http://www.campblantontrust.com/

With an emphasis on education, strategy, non-violence and cultural sensitivity the MJS training camp will provide participants with comprehensive workshops covering the impacts and politics behind mountain top removal mining and the hands-on tactical training to take to the mountains and do something about it. Take this opportunity to share strategies and build relationships that will create an even stronger network of allies and coalitions organizing resistance to MTR this summer and beyond!

Folks attending training camp are asked to contribute a minimum of $20 plus $10/night at time of registration ($100 for the week). This will help tremendously in planning and purchasing food and supplies and paying for the cost of renting the facilities for the week. Any additional contributions will allow us to offer scholarships for those without the funds to attend camp. If there are any funds remaining after camp they will be used for ongoing campaigns to fight the destruction of our mountains and communities. Your registration contribution includes camping, parking, delicious free food and all workshops.

Mountain Top Removal is no joke. This is an important time in a very serious campaign. Mountain Justice Camp is open to all activists who want to see all forms of mountaintop removal coal mining and valley fills abolished and who are willing to abide by our Mountain Justice policies of non-violent direct action. Although we often joke that we will "win" because we have more fun (and we will!) many fruits will be born of our hard labor, our ability to focus, and our tendency to come together as community to get things done. Please know that as we hope there will be much music/merry making and you will be fed for the duration of the camp, opportunities to learn and share skills will be abundant and we expect each participant to be just that - a participant, with an emphasis on fully participating in workshops, discussions, and at least two community volunteer shifts (kitchen, clean up, etc.). We rock because we work and play together.

View photos from the MJS organizers' meeting at Camp Blanton (1/18 - 1/20/2008)...

We are currently in the planning stage for the week's workshops, skill sharing and entertainment events. If you have any questions or ideas for a workshop or would like to lead a workshop, please contact Dave Cooper at davecooper928 at yahoo.com.