By Debbie Hall and Keely Wood
For the past six years, ELEE has been involved with the
battle to keep coal ash out of Lee and Chatham Counties, North Carolina. Part of our effort to achieve that goal sent
us into the Colon Community, canvassing the residents, gleaning information
that would help us understand the people and what was important to them. We learned that the clay holes Duke
Energy/Charah proposed to “reclaim” were used for the fishing and hunting that
supplemented food resources. When Mt. Calvary Baptist Church opened its doors
as a meeting place for us, we engaged with the concerned community
residents. We held many fundraisers, ate
cornbread and pintos, attended gospel sings, and even looked for Big Foot. We
talked, we listened, and under the leadership of BREDL Community Organizer,
Therese Vick, we planned actions. We learned of possible legacy contamination
that had already claimed some wells in a disenfranchised community. That
contamination made it impossible for some residents to drink or use their water
in any way.
We attended Lee County Commissioners’ meeting with Colon residents, provided bottled water donated by many churches in the area, and purchased water filters for the affected households. We rejoiced as Lee County Commissioners extended county water to the community. We heard stories of past industry “sharing” coal cinders to pave driveways, and an unusually large number of people who suffered from illness. The Colon Community became more to us than another community faced with industrial abuse -- they became our neighbors and friends. Their backyards became our own.
We are grateful for the reversal of decision from Judge
Owens Lassiter. It was the right
thing. It was proof that our voices and
a community’s justifiable concerns matter.
We are grateful to Therese Vick, John Runkle, and Cathy Cralle-Jones for
their untiring leadership and work. We remember those faithful activists who
left us way too soon. We are thankful and proud to be a BREDL Chapter. There
are so many thanks to be given, hugs to be hugged, pats on the back, and of
course, food to be shared. But that will have to wait.
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