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The
campaign
to
create
a
commemorative
National
Miner's
Day
is
a
grassroots
endeavor,
and
will
be
successful
through
the
efforts
of
the
good
folks
who
support
this
idea.
Please
encourage
your
family,
friends
and
colleagues
to
visit
this
web
site,
learn
more
about
our
project,
and
of
course,
sign
the
petition,
the
link
to
which
is
below.
Thank
you
kindly
for
your
support!
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National
Miner's
Day
An
old
mining
song
contains
this
powerful,
but
truthful
verse:
A
miner's
life
is
like
a
sailor,
aboard
a
ship
to
cross
the
waves,
Every
day
his
life's
in
danger,
still
he
ventures,
being
brave,
Unlike
you
or
me,
a
miner
goes
to
work
every
day,
Knowing
that
he
is
placing
his
life
in
grave
danger.
Throughout
our
Nation’s
history,
the
American
miner
has
risked
life
and
limb
in
order
to
produce
the
raw
materials
that
fuel
our
economy,
the
energy
that
heats
our
homes,
and
the
resources
that
ensure
our
security.
Without
these
selfless
and
dedicated
miners,
American
society
would
never
have
flourished,
nor
would
it
continue
to
function.
It
is
fitting,
therefore,
that
we
recognize
and
honor
these
brave
workers
who
have
served
our
Nation
quietly
and
faithfully
for
so
many
years.
As
a
lifelong
advocate
for
America’s
miners,
I
recently
introduced
a
resolution,
H.
Res.
1006,
in
the
U.S.
House
of
Representatives
supporting
the
goals
and
ideals
of
a
“National
Miner’s
Day”
to
celebrate
and
honor
the
contributions
that
miners
have
made
to
America
throughout
our
history.
I
am
grateful
to
have
been
joined
by
Representative
Alan
Mollohan
(D-WV)
as
an
original
cosponsor
of
the
resolution.
I
also
commend
Homer
Hickam,
one
of
West
Virginia’s
inspirational
figures,
a
best-selling
author
who
grew
up
on
the
coal
fields
and
went
on
to
a
successful
career
at
NASA,
for
being
a
leading
proponent
of
establishing
a
national
day
of
recognition.
In
southern
West
Virginia,
the
very
heart
of
our
Nation’s
coal
country,
we
know
that
generations
of
hardworking,
God-fearing
miners
and
their
families
have
helped
to
forge
our
Nation’s
proud
history
and
the
set
of
values
Americans
hold
dear.
In
southern
West
Virginia,
we
also
know
that
every
minute
a
miner
is
at
work,
he
faces
gas
explosions,
equipment
failure,
roof
falls,
and
fires.
He
knows
that
he
is
a
spark
or
a
slip
of
a
tool
away
from
never
seeing
his
family
again.
Still,
as
the
song
says,
he
“ventures
being
brave.”
He
must.
Fatality
rates
in
our
Nation’s
coal
fields
once
resembled
the
casualty
lists
from
the
battlefields
when
our
Nation
was
at
war.
December
1907
is
remembered
in
the
coal
fields
as
“bloody
December.”
On
December
1st,
a
gas
explosion
killed
all
34
men
in
a
mine
in
Fayette
City,
Pennsylvania.
Five
days
later,
362
miners
perished
in
the
Monongah
disaster
in
West
Virginia—the
worst
industrial
accident
in
American
history.
Ten
days
later,
an
explosion
in
Yolande,
Alabama,
killed
57
men.
On
December
19th,
in
Jacobs
Creek,
Pennsylvania,
an
explosion
killed
239
miners.
Laws,
safety
inspections,
and
better,
safer
equipment,
thankfully,
have
helped
to
reduce
the
casualty
rates
among
our
Nation’s
miners.
The
tragedies
in
2006
at
Sago
and
Aracoma
in
West
Virginia,
however,
reminded
Americans
that
mining
is
still
very
much
a
dangerous
profession—that,
“every
day
his
life's
in
danger,
still
he
ventures,
being
brave.”
Today
the
battle
cry
of
Mother
Jones
continues
to
ring
throughout
the
hills
and
hollows
of
West
Virginia
and
in
all
the
mines
across
this
land:
"Pray
for
the
dead
and
fight
like
hell
for
the
living."
I
am
proud
to
be
a
part
of
this
historic
resolution—sought
by
many
West
Virginians,
including
Homer
Hickam
and
the
History
and
Culture
Institute
of
Mining—that
pays
tribute
to
the
contributions
that
miners
have
made
to
America
throughout
our
history.
The
role
of
the
miner
is
just
as
important
today
as
it
was
100
years
ago
to
our
State
and
to
our
Nation.
Celebrating
a
National
Miner’s
Day
is
a
simple,
yet
very
important,
way
a
grateful
Nation
can
acknowledge
these
men
and
women
who
have
done
so
much
for
us
and
will
continue
to
do
even
more
throughout
our
future.
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West
Virginia
University’s
Mountaineer
mascot,
Michael
Squires,
kicked
off
this
year’s
Miner’s
Day
singing
“Country
Roads,”
which
soon
turned
the
Gluck
Theatre
into
a
sing-along
with
the
entire
room
pitching
in.
The
event
was
sponsored
by
WVU’s
Division
of
Student
Affairs
and
the
student
chapter
of
the
Society
of
Mining
Engineering
in
honor
of
Miner’s
Day
on
Dec.
6.
Miner’s
Day
is
the
day
“honoring
each
and
every
miner;
past,
present
and
future,”
according
to
its
Web
site,
http://www.minersday.org.
Dec.
6
was
chosen
because
of
the
Monongah
mine
catastrophe,
the
worst
mining
disaster
in
American
history.
Official
records
say
that
362
men
died,
but
some
estimate
the
number
is
closer
to
500.
Last
year
marked
its
100th
anniversary.
Senior
public
relations
major
Tricia
Cesarino
and
senior
broadcast
news
major
David
Slusarick
hosted
the
event,
held
Thursday
evening
at
the
Gluck
Theatre.
The
WVU
Press
had
books
about
mining
and
railroads
available
to
buy
while
others
were
raffled
off.
Professor
Gina
Martino
Dahlia,
acting
chairman
of
the
Perley
Isaac
Reed
School
of
Journalism’s
broadcast
news
program,
donated
five
autographed
copies
of
her
award-winning
documentary
“The
Monongah
Heroine.”
The
documentary,
which
was
produced,
narrated
and
filmed
by
Dahlia,
will
be
publicly
broadcast
Dec.
10
at
10:30
p.m.
on
PBS.
Keynote
speaker
Roy
Lee
Cooke
spoke
of
the
importance
of
Miner’s
Day
in
West
Virginia.
Cooke,
a
Coalwood,
W.Va.,
native,
was
one
of
the
original
“Rocket
Boys”
in
the
movie
“October
Sky.”
“Miner’s
Day
is
a
day
to
support
those
who
do
one
of
the
most
dangerous
jobs
in
the
world,”
Cooke
said.
Professors
Chris
Haddox
and
Ray
Hicks
were
musicians
for
the
event.
They
performed
songs
highlighting
the
impact
of
coal
mining
on
West
Virginia.
Currently,
Miner’s
Day
is
trying
to
become
a
national
holiday.
The
Web
site
currently
contains
a
petition
for
an
annual
commemorative
National
Miner’s
Day
throughout
the
United
States.
“As
important
as
Miner’s
Day
is,
there
are
other
things
going
on
in
the
world
that
take
priority,”
Cooke
said
referring
to
the
reasons
why
Miner’s
Day
is
being
overlooked.
“The
best
we
can
do
is
to
educate
the
public.”
Squires
added
that
the
Miner’s
Day
programs
at
WVU
are
not
as
well
attended
as
they
should
be.
“We
need
to
look
at
and
remember
the
heritage
of
West
Virginia
and
most
of
the
eastern
part
of
the
country,”
Squires
said.
Freshman
general
engineering
major
Kyle
Ring
attended
the
program
because
of
his
interest
in
entering
a
profession
dealing
with
mining
engineering.
“My
family
is
interested
in
mines,
so
attending
this
program
gave
me
the
greater
knowledge
of
West
Virginia
mining,”
Ring
said.
Sonja
Wilson,
the
Miner’s
Day
event
coordinator,
was
pleased
with
the
evening’s
turnout.
“People
are
already
coming
forward
to
volunteer
for
next
year,”
Wilson
said.
“My
father,
grandfather
and
husband
all
worked
in
the
mines,
so
it’s
near
and
dear
to
my
heart.”
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For
over
100
years,
coal
miners
have
been
the
backbone
 of
West
Virginia's
economy
and
they
remain
so
today.
Thousands
have
given
their
lives,
their
limbs,
their
health
to
build
the
industrial
might
of
our
state
and
our
nation
and
to
provide
the
energy
we
use
every
day.
Coal
miners
keep
our
lights
on
and
our
computers
running,
meeting
the
ever-expanding
energy
needs
of
our
increasingly
'wired'
society.
Without
miners
and
the
coal
they
produce,
America
would
be
a
very
different
and
less
hospitable
place.
Though
we
in
the
UMWA
celebrate
miners
every
day,
we
join
with
our
friends
and
neighbors
in
West
Virginia
on
Dec.
6,
2008
in
celebrating
Miner's
Day.
~
Cecil
E.
Roberts,
Jr.
President,
United
Mine
Workers
of
America
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Jon
Vezner,
Kathy
Mattea,
Don
London,
and
Bill
Cooley
prepare
to
go
on
their
underground
coal
mine
tour
in
West
Virginia.
Kathy's 17th
album,
COAL,
is
being
released
on
April
1,
2008.
WBOY
TV
report
by
Karen
Kiley
@
http://www.wboy.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=36522
Kathy,
Linda
Terry
Hickam,
and
Homer
Hickam
share
a
happy
moment
after
reaching
the
face
of
the
longwall.
While
not
all
of
us
can
mine
the
coal
the
powers
the
nation,
we
are
honored
to
be
able
to
spend
some
time
with
those
that
do.
Kneeling
Front
Row:
Creed
Holden;
Jimmy
Brock,
Kathy
Mattea,
Michael
Smith
Standing
Back
Row:
Don
London,
Linda
Terry
Hickam,
Bill
Cooley,
Homer
Hickam,
Ray
Lieving,
Marvin
McBribe,
Jon
Vezner
Photos
by
Creed
Holden,
and
Mike
Rohaly
Thanks
to
CONSOL
Energy
and
it's
Mine
Workers
for
their
kind
generosity.
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Tuesday,
March
4,
2008
An
Open
Letter
to
the
Members
of
the
Delegations
to
the
UN
General
Assembly
Regarding
Miners
Fairmont,
West
Virginia
March
4,
2008
To
Secretary
General
Ban
Ki-moon,
and
Members
of
the
Delegations
to
the
UN
General
Assembly,
The
Miner's
Day
Memorial
Association
of
West
Virginia,
in
respect
to
the
contributions
of
miners
to
the
development
and
sustenance
of
world
civilizations,
requests
the
United
Nations
to
consider
hosting
an
"International
Year
of
the
Miner",
and
to
do
so
at
it's
earliest
possible
convenience.
Sincerely,
Roy
Lee
Cooke
President
Miner's
Day
Memorial
Association
of
West
Virginia
Fairmont,
West
Virginia,
USA
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HRES
1006
IH
110th
CONGRESS
2d
Session
H.
RES.
1006
Supporting
the
goals
and
ideals
of
a
National
Miner's
Day
to
celebrate
and
honor
the
contributions
of
miners
and
encouraging
the
people
of
the
United
States
to
participate
in
local
and
National
activities
celebrating
and
honoring
the
contributions
of
miners.
IN
THE
HOUSE
OF
REPRESENTATIVES
February
28,
2008
Mr.
RAHALL
(for
himself
and
Mr.
MOLLOHAN)
submitted
the
following
resolution;
which
was
referred
to
the
Committee
on
Education
and
Labor
RESOLUTION
Supporting
the
goals
and
ideals
of
a
National
Miner's
Day
to
celebrate
and
honor
the
contributions
of
miners
and
encouraging
the
people
of
the
United
States
to
participate
in
local
and
National
activities
celebrating
and
honoring
the
contributions
of
miners.
Whereas
miners
daily
risk
life
and
limb
in
their
labors;
Whereas
the
foundations
of
civilization
are
constructed
from,
advanced
by,
and
sustained
with,
the
materials
procured
with
miner's
sweat
and
blood;
Whereas
without
these
selfless
and
dedicated
miners,
human
society
could
never
have
progressed,
nor
continue
to
function;
Whereas
the
miners
of
the
United
States
have
labored
long
and
hard
over
the
more
than
231
years
of
our
great
country's
existence;
Whereas
miners
and
their
families
have
achieved,
provided,
and
sacrificed
so
much
in
those
2
centuries;
Whereas
the
great
mining
tragedy
at
Monongah,
West
Virginia,
that
occurred
on
December
6,
1907,
is
recognized
to
this
day
for
causing
the
greatest
loss
of
lives
in
American
industrial
history;
Whereas
that
tragedy
helped
to
launch
the
National
effort
to
secure
the
safety
and
health
of
our
miners;
Whereas
the
year
2006,
99
years
after
that
tragic
event,
was
marked
by
a
series
of
mine
tragedies
that
demonstrated
the
Nation's
continued
need
for
vigilance
in
our
mines
and
resulted
in
a
new
law
to
increase
protection
of
our
miners;
Whereas
the
contributions
of
miners
are
so
vital
to
our
Nation's
well-being
yet
so
often
taken
for
granted;
and
Whereas
December
6
would
be
an
appropriate
date
to
observe
a
National
Miner's
Day:
Now,
therefore,
be
it
Resolved,
That
the
House
of
Representatives--
(1)
supports
the
goals
and
ideals
of
a
National
Miner's
Day
to
celebrate
and
honor
the
contributions
of
miners;
and
(2)
encourages
the
people
of
the
United
States
to
participate
in
local
and
National
activities
celebrating
and
honoring
the
contributions
of
miners.
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Roy
Lee
Cook,
and
Billy
"Willy"
Rose,
listen
intently
during
part
of
their
tour
Of
CONSOL
Energy's
Robinson
Run
mine,
in
Marion
County,
West
Virginia.
Roy
Lee
and
Billy
are
both
sons
of
West
Virginia
and
two
of
the
"Rocket
Boys"
of
Coalwood,
WV.
Roy
is
also
the
President
of
the
Miner's
Day
Memorial
Association
of
West
Virginia;
and
Founder
and
President
of
the
History
&
Culture
Institute
of
Mining.
Billy
is
a
retired
electrical
engineer
who
worked
in
the
mining
industry,
and
a
few
other
exciting
occupations,
as
well.
Creed
Holden,
Homer
Hickam,
Roy
Lee
Cook,
and
one
of
our
Coal
Miner
guides,
prepare
to
go
on
the
mine
tour.
Homer
is
a
native
West
Virginian
and
a
former
coal
miner,
he
is
also
a
leading
proponent
for
establishing
a
National
Miner's
Day.
His
latest
book
is
a
romantic
thriller
titled
"Red
Helmet",
and
revolves
around
a
modern
day
coal
mine.
Creed
is
Administrative
Assistant
for
the
MDMAWV;
and
Vice
President
and
Secretary
of
the
History
&
Culture
Institure
of
Mining.
Song
writer
Joe
Cerisano
and
Homer
pose
for
the
photographer
after
their
tour
of
the
mine.
Joe
is
a
member
of
the
Board
of
Advisors
for
the
Miner's
Day
Memorial
Association
of
West
Virginia;
and
also
on
the
Board
of
Directors
for
the
History
&
Culture
Institute
of
Mining.
Photos
by
Creed
Holden,
and
Linda
Terry
Hickam
Thanks
to
CONSOL
Energy
and
it's
Mine
Workers
for
their
kind
generosity.
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WEST
VIRGINIA
LEGISLATURE
SENATE
JOURNAL
SEVENTY-EIGHTH
LEGISLATURE
REGULAR
SESSION,
2008
THIRTY-SEVENTH
DAY
Charleston,
W.
Va.,
Thursday,
February
14,
2008
Senators
Unger,
Oliverio,
Stollings,
Foster,
Hunter
and
Kessler
offered
the
following
resolution:
Senate
Concurrent
Resolution
No.
51--
Urging
the
United
States
Congress
declare
an
annual
commemorative
National
Miner's
Day.
Whereas,
Around
the
clock,
second
by
second,
miners
risk
life
and
limb
during
their
labors;
and
Whereas,
The
foundations
and
trappings
of
civilization
are
constructed
from,
and
sustained
with,
the
materials
procured
with
their
sweat
and
blood;
and
Whereas,
Without
these
selfless
and
dedicated
miners
human
society
could
never
have
progressed,
nor
continued
to
function;
and
Whereas,
Miners
in
the
United
States
have
labored
long
and
hard
over
the
231
years
of
our
great
country's
existence
and
have
achieved,
provided
and
sacrificed
much
in
those
two
centuries;
and
Whereas,
On
December
6,
2007,
Miner's
Day
was
observed
in
West
Virginia
for
the
second
time
since
its
creation
by
the
West
Virginia
Legislature;
therefore,
be
it
Resolved
by
the
Legislature
of
West
Virginia:
That
the
Legislature
hereby
urges
the
United
States
Congress
to
declare
an
annual
commemorative
National
Miner's
Day;
and,
be
it
Further
Resolved,
That
the
Legislature
expresses
great
thanks
to
the
miners
that
risk
their
lives
everyday
for
the
betterment
of
our
great
state
and
country;
and,
be
it
Further
Resolved,
That
the
Clerk
of
the
Senate
is
hereby
directed
to
forward
a
copy
of
this
resolution
to
the
members
of
the
West
Virginia
delegation
to
the
United
States
Congress.
Which,
under
the
rules,
lies
over
one
day.
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|
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Monday
November
26,
2007
2:00
pm
Technology Park
Research Center
1000 Galliher Drive
I-79 Technology Park
Fairmont,
WV
|
MDMAWV
President
Roy
L.
Cooke
|
|
MDMAWV Board of Advisors
If
you
would
like
to
see
the
original
Miner's
Day
web
page,
please
click
here.
LINKS
Site
hosting
provided
by
FusionCreek
Updated
December
8,
2008
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