Fund set up for miners’ families

By Mannix Porterfield
Published: April 9, 2010, in the Register-Herald Reporter
http://www.register-herald.com/local/x993492424/Fund-set-up-for-miners-families

BECKLEY, WEST VIRGINIA - First Community Bank and the Beckley Kiwanis Club are joining hands to raise money to help the families of miners who perished in this week's tragic explosion at a Massey Energy subsidiary mine in rural Raleigh County.

"We're going to be a receiving place for donations," Kiwanis president Dan McClure explained Thursday.

Based in West Virginia, First Community operates out of 59 locations, including those in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, and has agreed to match donations on a basis yet to be agreed upon once the proposal is put before its board of directors, McClure said.

The fund has a promising potential as a means of assisting families, given the interest shown by Kiwanis members far and wide in giving families of miners killed in the horrific explosion some financial relief.

Beckley's club has been contacted by the state governor to ascertain what, if anything, is being done to come to the aid of the miners' families, McClure said.

"He has been getting e-mails from all over the United States, and as far away as Belgium, asking what is being done," McClure said.

Not only is the club capable of reaching out to its 600,000 members in this country, but there are almost 15,000 Kiwanians in more than 90 countries, he pointed out.

It will be known as the Montcoal West Virginia Coal Mine Disaster Victims Fund. Donations in care of that may be mailed to First Community Bank, 1220 Ritter Drive, Daniels, WV 25832. Any inquiries may be sent to two e-mail addresses, tjsween-ey@fcbinc.com and hrburroughs@fcbinc.com.

"We will be disbursing money at some point," McClure said. "This is kind of a learning as you go thing for us."

Before any money is released to a family, he said, two signatures each are required from both the Kiwanis Club and First Community.

"We're not in the disbursing business," he said. "We will, at some point in the near future, pick an organization we want to work with. I've got an idea, but I just don't know yet."

McClure said money generated by the fund will be shared equally by the families of the disaster victims and will be given to those of any workers who survived Monday's explosion.

At least two members of the work crew were removed alive from the blast and were hospitalized. One went home from the hospital Thursday, officials said.

A separate fund has been established by the West Virginia Council of Churches, prompting praise by Gov. Joe Manchin.

"The outpouring of support from fellow West Virginians, as well as citizens across the country, has been truly gratifying," he said.

"The mining families continue to endure in this very tough time and will need as much support in the future as possible.

"I appreciate the West Virginia Council of Churches and their efforts to assist these grieving families."

Additionally, gifts and other items are being accepted at Appalachian Bible College in Bradley. More details about the non-monetary donations are available at www.abc.edu.

- E-mail: mannix@register-herald.com