Hands of Coal Across Bell County

On August 11, 2012 the mountains of Southeastern Kentucky are attempting to make a huge statement about the meaning and impact of coal. Joe Harris, a local businessman from Pineville, Kentucky came up with the idea to create “Hands of Coal Across Bell County”. The event idea came about because of the recent continued lay-offs by Coal Companies. The lay-offs, coal company shut- downs, all have a devastating impact. The mountain way of life has been associated with coal mining, coal production, coal hauling since black diamond was first carried out in buckets and wheelbarrows. Coal has been a source of heat for our homes and the power behind the lights coming on when we flip a switch in our homes. Coal has been the source of income that allowed banks to take deposits from customers for every product they provide. Coal income has provided for car dealerships to sell cars because of steady incomes. Coal dollars provide for medical insurance for individuals and families, that in-turn provide for those in the medical field to provide services and follow their dreams, provide for their families too. Coal production has helped build our schools, provide for new buses, roads, and all opportunity that comes along with those improvements and changes. Coal has filled the tables with food, cars with gas, families with trips, experiences and most importantly opportunity. Coal has built homes, impacting construction; churches have been established because of population locations and individual communities were born with each mining operation and today we identify places throughout the mountains by a single name all because of coal. There is a political debate about coal and there are many opinions on all sides. Folks who have worked directly in coal are staunch supporters of course. Flip the coal tag and there are those that are willing to form picket lines to protest coal production, they want nothing short of the death of coal and all her associations. Education, opinion, facts, and reality are all important in any discussion. Extremes on positions will never agree. Unwillingness to adjust, consider and appreciate is normally not a part of the mindset. Some individuals have dug into the ‘mountain side’ and buried their opinion deep without any room for compromise. I am a person of opinions, appreciations, and respect for individualism. I believe in personal and corporate responsibility. I welcome differing thought, I understand agreeing to disagree but yet I will fight for cooperation, unity and vision for common cause without any apology for position, statement or support. For any individual living in the mountains of Southeastern Kentucky you will be hard pressed to show your independence without the touch or impact of coal in our counties, the impact of coal on our region especially, not to mention the Commonwealth of Kentucky and our Nation. Citizens are forming lines of support on the Cumberland Gap Parkway (US 25E) from the Bell County/Knox County Line beginning in Flat Lick all the way to the Cumberland Gap Tunnel in Middlesboro. Individuals, groups, churches, companies, school organizations life football teams, bands, community groups are all gathering roadside at 2:00pm on Saturday, August 11th. Citizens from Knox and Harlan County have joined too, volunteering with Bell County residents for this historic moment of unity when we unite to say we care about families and that coal is important to our economy, our families, and our way of life. Hands of Coal Across Bell County is a chance to send a message to Frankfort and Washington, D.C. that coal is important and a tradition and way of life we appreciate, and support. Until then