Russell Fork group gets grant to set up office
Friends of the Russell Fork has received a $10,000 grant to set up an office in Haysi and help fund some of its community programs.
The grant comes from the EREX Foundation, part of Equitable Resources. A check was presented by company representative Maurice Royster to the Russell Fork group Friday.
Friends of the Russell Fork is a group aimed at improving the condition of the Russell Fork watershed. Gene Counts, of Haysi, heads the volunteer organization.
Assigned to the project through the Lonesome Pine Soil and Water Conservation District, which has a local office in Clintwood, is Chris Eberly. Eberly works through the Office of Surface Mining and Americorps Volunteers in Service to America program. He arrived in Haysi just last week, on Feb. 12, and will spend a year working on the project.
The Russell Fork group hopes to raise community awareness of the need for improved water quality and for expanding water quality programs in local high schools.
Eberly said the organization will also apply for grants to improve septic facilities, decrease sedimentation and treat acid mine drainage in the watershed.
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