Friends of Coal

Friends of Coal is a West Virginia-based political advocacy group funded by the West Virginia Coal Association, a trade organization. The group offers free membership and has asserted its reach spans 37 states, three provinces in Canada and nine other countries. [ [http://www.dailymail.com/Business/200801280177 "Friends of Coal drive starts this week," Charleston Daily Mail, January 28, 2008] ]

Friends of Coal has been active in improving the image of the coal industry, and its activities have included hiring public relations and marketing specialists [ [http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-7942476_ITM "West Virginia Coal Operators Plan Comprehensive Public Relations Campaign," The Charleston Gazette, January 10, 2003 (library card access required)] ] , sponsoring an annual automobile fair [ [http://www.wtrf.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=33872 "Taylor Made Record Deal, January 22, 2008, WTRF.com] ] , financing the creation of a West Virginia soccer field [ [http://www.wvnstv.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=14856 "Friends of Coal soccer fields open for play," October 28, 2006] ] , and sponsoring both the college football Friends of Coal Bowl between West Virginia University and Marshall University as well as scholarships at both schools. [ [http://www.wvnstv.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=11767 "WVU Marshall Football Series Gets a Nickname," WVNS.com, June 21, 2006] ] The group has also targeted corporations and environmental groups that it believes are in opposition to the West Virginia coal industry. [ [http://www.herald-dispatch.com/homepage/x808407826 "Kroger ties to environmental group upset mining industry," Associated Press, January 12, 2008] ]

References

External link

* [http://www.friendsofcoal.org/ Friends of Coal web site]