CHARLESTON -- The Friends of Coal is continuing its outreach efforts in print, broadcast and web media, as well as maintaining a presence at various events in the state:
PRINT:
· A recent special section on the importance of coal was printed by the Charleston Newspapers. The section was published in the Sunday edition of the Charleston Gazette-Mail and featured stories on the benefits of coal to the state and nation.
· Another print project will be a section in the May 2011 edition of West Virginia Executive Magazine, which will feature stories about the economics of coal, the process of surface mining and improvements in mine safety as well as the current problems with permitting stemming from the radicalization of the federal regulatory bureaucracy under the Obama Administration.
· The Times-West Virginian will also be publishing a special section this month featuring contributions from the Friends of Coal.
· In addition, planning is beginning for the upcoming July printing of the State Journal’s annual coal mining insert.
BROADCAST:
INTERNET:
The Friends of Coal and West Virginia Coal Association websites continue to see heavy traffic.
· WVCA: The Association website saw over 4400 visitors for the month of February. The site also saw over 11,000 page views with 2.55 pages per visit per user. The total percentage of visitors that came from search engines was over 78% as well as visitors from over 69 countries and territories.
· Friends of Coal: The Friends of Coal website saw over 1800 visitors from 32 countries and territories. The site saw over 5100 page views with 75% of visitors coming to the website for the very first time. Nearly half of all visitors found the web site via search engines.
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS AND TOURS:
· The Friends of Coal met with a group of New York college students last month as part of the Wheeling Jesuit University tour program. This is a continuation of a highly successful outreach effort aimed at educating college students from non-coal producing states. This is the second group hosted so far this year.
· The Friends of Coal made a presentation to the students at Nitro High School on March 21, 2011.
· The Friends of Coal had an informational booth at the West Virginia Construction & Design Expo in Charleston in March.
In addition, the West Virginia Coal Association madepresentations at the following events:
· The Southern Coals Conference in Cincinnati on March 24th.
· The Holmes Safety Association Coal River Council’s annual meeting at Chief Logan Conference Center on April 2nd.
· Kanawha Valley Mining Institute on April 7th.
· Jackson Kelly’s Coal Summit in Lexington, KY on April 15th.