The evening of October 4th, Center for Coalfield Justice had the privilege of hosting our 11th annual Fall Fundraiser. The night was a coming together for friends, supporters new and old, and shared hope for the future of Washington and Greene counties. The lights were aglow but more importantly, so were the people who make our work possible.
Thanks to our generous community, guests had the opportunity to bid on 40+ donated raffle items including items like memberships to many local museums, a wonderful gift basket generously donated by our friends at Washington/Greene Central Labor Council, several pieces of art, artisan goods like a handcrafted quilt by Greene County’s own Alice Coptis, and more! In addition, we also had over a dozen unique and exciting silent auction items. In total we raised more than $4,000 and had over 125 attendees! These earnings will help fund crucial work in Washington and Greene to continue to help our communities thrive.
During the event, we reflected on how we can continue to carve out hope in uncertain times. Executive Director Sarah Martik shared reflections of many of our wins this year including the recent ruling by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in Center for Coalfield Justice’s favor to defend voter rights.
Following this powerful reflection on what we can do when we come together as a community, Community Organizer Jodi Borello shared the story of residents’ hope and resilience. She expressed how this story gives her the strength to continue and how we can all look to this story when we need the inspiration to continue this work.
Following these powerful words, CCJ Board Chair Rick Heinze presented awards to two community members who joined us in Harrisburg earlier this year for the first time. Congratulations Mary Bollinger and Stephanie Bova! The surprise and joy on their faces was absolutely contagious!
I also want to extend a special thank you to all the people who made this special night possible. Thank you to our sponsors Hughes Corporation, Evergreen Action, and Big Brother Big Sisters of Pittsburgh. Our tasty brews were generously provided by our dear friends over at Rusty Gold Brewing in Canonsburg. We were delighted with several soup offerings provided by Washington’s own Soup’d Up, bread generously donated by Breadworks, a delicious array of cookies from South Fork Kitchen and Fixins in Rogersville and beautifully decorated cookies by CCJ’s own Allison Greenlief. Kindred Flower Farm once again dazzled us with her beautiful blooms and longtime friend of CCJ Dianne’s Dishware made the night sustainable. We can’t forget the bluesy tunes that filled the air with the return of Aristotle Jones: The Appalachian Soul Man!
From the bottom of all our hearts here at CCJ, thank you for yet another memorable Fall Fundraiser! Our collective hope is powerful, and we are excited to see how together we can shape a future worth fighting for!
