Help a cause close to my heart: EPCAMR

I'm a longtime fan of the nonprofit Eastern Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation (EPCAMR). It's a small but impactful organization that for 30 years has been doing projects in our region's coal communities to improve landscapes and lives.

This photo shows a recent project spearheaded by EPCAMR to reclaim an abandoned mine property in Swoyersville borough for reuse as recreation/athletic fields. Pretty awesome, huh?

And that's only one of many things EPCAMR's team does to uplift our communities and help the Anthracite Region recover from the scars of its industrial past.

They also work to prevent polluted mine water that flows out of old coal mines from ruining our creeks and rivers. They partner with groups like Trout Unlimited to restore stream habitats for our native trout and other aquatic life. They scan and digitize paper mine maps to assist the state in fine-tuning its Mine Subsidence Insurance Program. They offer watershed tours and environmental lessons to school groups and others, so children can understand the importance of safeguarding our state's water and other natural resources.

And they even promote art! EPCAMR's team removes a polluted sludge (iron oxide) from streams and processes into a pigment that people can use in paints, ceramic glazes, jewelry and other artistic expressions. The pigment is perfect for making tie-dyed T-shirts.

This little-known group does so much great stuff, I can't write about it all here. But its work has a positive influence on people and places not only in the 16 counties it serves, but also on communities far downstream -- all the way to the Chesapeake Bay.

Donations of any amount (even $5 or $10) are appreciated. And during the NEPA Gives fundraising campaign, even small amounts can help to unlock matching grants and win additional cash prizes for EPCAMR.

Please donate before this fundraising campaign ends at 7 p.m. on Friday, June 5. 

Thank you for caring!