Ryerson Station State Park is in Graysville, Pennsylvania and offers hiking trails, parks, and fun for the whole family. However, back in 2005 the lake that ran through the park’s center had to be drained due to the result of mining in the area. The Center for Coalfield Justice (CCJ) knew something had to be done and that same year held a “funeral” for the lake and had a group of 15-20 people talking about what they can do to prevent incidents like this in the future.
For 17 years, CCJ has continued this tradition annually with the Dryerson Festival located in the state park. This year’s event was held on Saturday, June 25 and featured activities for the whole family while raising awareness of the mining damage that caused the demise of the lake.
“The Dryerson Festival is the longest standing affiliated event for the Center for Coalfield Justice, and we have this festival to make sure that day is never forgotten,” says Center for Coalfield Justice Executive Director Veronica Coptis. “It is one of our big anchor events of the year as we remain invested in making sure that no harm happens to the park. If we don’t apply pressure, Harrisburg tends to forget about it and we want them to remember what happened here.”
From that first Dryerson Festival in 2006, the event has undergone several changes and has grown exponentially throughout the years. At first, it was more of an informational and gathering session for 15-20 people but has grown to a more family-friendly event that is open to all visitors of Ryerson Station State Park. They have added more activities for kids and families and are making it more accessible for anyone who wants to come and learn about what happened to Ryerson and Duke Lake and how to engage in the planning to improve the park.
This year’s event was the biggest showing yet and Coptis noted how lovely the park is overall.
“This year’s event was one of our most well-attended with about 70-80 people coming out,” says Coptis. “We had free music and a fun picnic, and it was a great day for everyone. Some of these people have been coming to the event as long as I have, and everyone noted how alive the park was. Not just with people at the festival, but people just walking around and enjoying the park. It is a sensation that we haven’t felt in a while, and we are glad to see the park thriving.”
The Center for Coalfield Justice began as Tri-State Citizens Mining Network in 1994 and was formed by a coalition of grassroots groups and individuals concerned about the effects coal mining had on communities and the environment. The organization advocated for better protections from longwall coal mining at the state level.
Today, they have grown into a larger nonprofit that helps people learn about their rights around mining and oil and gas leases, gain access to democracy, and talk about what they would like to see in terms of economic justice in Greene County. The organization works to protect our health and economy by ensuring that those in power are accountable to the people rather than to CEOs and shareholders. Many of their employees and volunteers live in the area and are here to help residents; they believe that if we all work together, we can have thriving rural communities. Part of the way they do this is by holding events throughout the year to help educate people in fun ways. “For updates on all events you can follow our Facebook page, just search Center for Coalfield Justice, ” says Coptis. “You can also sign up for our mailing list on our website at centerforcoalfieldjustice.org. We only send emails about events to people who live in that area, so we don’t bombard you. You can also sign-up for our text alerts and receive event updates that way.”
The next event is their Know Your Rights Training on July 26 at the Graysville Firehall. You can learn more by visiting centerforcoalfieldjustice.org.
