Upcoming Events: Connect, Celebrate, and Take Action

May 7: Green Drinks

• Location: Charleston Nano Brewery, Charleston, WV, at 5:30 pm 
• Hey Charleston! Join us for our third Green Drinks for a happy hour networking event. There will be a brief presentation with a guest speaker and then time for networking. Come for the craft brews and stay for the conversation! Whether you work in the environmental field, strive to live a low-impact lifestyle, or just curious – Green Drinks is a space where all are welcome to connect, discuss and learn. Visit and share the Facebook event here. 

May 8: Holler from the Hollers

• Location: Zoom at Noon 
• The federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps qualifying households lower their energy costs through weatherization updates to windows, doors and insulation. But Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency has cut all the staff positions running the program, and a leaked draft budget document shows that some members of Congress want to cut funding for LIHEAP entirely. 

Join Appalachian Voices on Zoom for a short lunchtime “Holler from the Hollers” event to learn more about the program, what’s at risk, and how you can help by calling your legislators’ offices. We’ll then make phone calls together — and we know these phone calls make a difference! Register here.

May 14: WV Citizen Action Group’s Climate Committee Update

• Location: Zoom at 7 pm 
• Join CAG for their monthly Community Climate Update. During this virtual meeting, they’ll share a legislative wrap-up and provide updates on their climate and energy work, including air monitoring, utility justice, and more. Is there something you are concerned about or want to work on? Bring it to the meeting! Let’s talk about it! Please note this is later than our usual time! Register here.

May 17: WV Citizen Action Group’s 50th Anniversary Celebration

• Location: West Virginia Culture Center, Charleston, WV, at 6 pm 
• This is WV Citizen Action Group’s 50th year, and they’re going stronger than ever. That’s five decades of grassroots power, bold advocacy, and real change — all made possible by people like YOU! The year’s first arctic blast thwarted their original plan to celebrate their 50th Anniversary Celebration in January. All previously purchased tickets will be honored for the rescheduled date: May 17. 

Join them for a happy hour reception and an anniversary concert featuring amazing local musicians like Kindred Valley, Corduroy Brown, and Steve Himes & Joey Lafferty.Enjoy gourmet hors d’oeuvres from Rowan’s Catering paired with wine or local craft brews from Fife Street Brewing. Learn more and purchase your tickets here!

May 18: New River Gorge Clean Up: Thayer to Stonecliff

• Location: Thayer, WV, at 8 am (A more detailed meeting place and time TBA)
• This New River cleanup is co-sponsored by New River Conservancy and ACE Adventure Resort. ACE will provide shuttle, lunch, pfd’s, guided rafts for up to 25 participants. New River Conservancy will provide trash bags, gloves, litter pickers and tire pullers. Learn more and register here.

May 24: New River Gorge Clean Up: Hinton to Camp Brookside

• Location: Hinton, WV, at 10 am (A more detailed meeting place and time TBA)
• This New River cleanup is co-sponsored by New River Conservancy and ACE Adventure Resort. Bring your own boat if you have the skills to maneuver this river stretch. Your craft does NOT need to hold trash. That’s what the rafts are for. They have several guided rafts and some shuttle assistance from New River Gorge Outfitters. Learn more and register here.

September 20: WVEC’s Annual Meeting

• Location: Cedar Lakes Conference Center in Ripley, WV, at 10 am
• The Annual Meeting is open to everyone. It’s our yearly in-person gathering to learn about and discuss our positions on environmental issues we anticipate the WV state legislature will address in the 2026 session. We’ll hear from experts, advocates, students and WVEC members, decide on our positions and identify our legislative priorities. We can then go to the legislature with a unified voice representing West Virginians’ interests across the state. Watch for more information in the coming weeks.