Third Annual I Love Mountains Old Time Music Showcase!!!!

February 6, 2010, All Ages
$10 (sliding scale, no one will be turned away) to benefit the work of Kentuckians For The Commonwealth

Al's Bar, Sixth Street and North Limestone in Lexington

Music Starts at 9 p.m.
Clack Mountain String Band
Red State Ramblers
Rich and the Po Folks
The Wild Boogers

Special Guests, Kentucky Authors Erik Reece and Eric Sutherland

*** The beautiful poster designed and printed by Cricket Press will be available at the show for sale***

The Central Kentucky Chapter held a fundraiser for KFTC last Saturday at Al's Bar in Lexington. This wasn't just any old fundraiser though, it was a punk rock show! Organized by KFTC member Jack Cofer, the show featured three great bands from Lexington; the Butchers, J. Marinelli, and the Tense Kids. Also joining everyone was the all female punk trio from Chicago, 8" Betsy.

Over 60 people attended the show and raised $260 for KFTC. Jack Cofer and Katie Meyer spoke from the stage about the importance of grassroots organizing, and why people should be involved in making their communities a better place.

Don't forget to come out for the next Al's Bar KFTC fundraiser, our old-time music showcase on Saturday, February 6. Doors open at 8 p.m., and the cover is $10.

Madison County Premier of Coal Country 

This film by Mari-Lynn Evans and Phylis Geller is a dramatic look at modern coal mining. We get to know working miners along with activists who are battling coal companies in Appalachia. Both sides in this conflict claim that history is on their side. Come and find out for yourself!  This film has been drawing sell-out crowds inother cities.

The Madison County Chapter is screening the film at the Madison County Public Library of Berea (319 Chestnut St.) at 6:30 p.m. on November 19th and also in Room 108 of EKU's library in Richmond at 6 p.m. on November 9th.  The event is open to the public.  Admission is free but donations to KFTC are appreciated.  We hope you can join us!

Almost 100 KFTC members and friends turned out on a rainy Saturday for the Madison County SpringFest. 

The event start off with a reading of the brand new book "Something's Rising:  Applachians Fighting Mountaintop Removal"  from authors Silas House and Jason Howard. 

Folks also enjoyed a delicious potluck dinner that featured locally raised meat and music from loved local band Mudpi. 

A friendly Derby pool and silent auction helped raise fun – and funds -- for KFTC.

"I enjoy having the chance to socialize with members and prospective members in a party atmosphere where there is a minimum of business to discuss.  I think that kind of outreach is as important as all the tabling, phone banking and chapter and committee meetings that we members do throughout the year."  -- Toby Wilcher, Berea.

The event was a great celebration of the strength and work of the nearly 500-member strong Madison County chapter.  Thanks to all who volunteered and helped make the event a success!

8:00am (the next morning, April 18th)

The Festival wrapped up last night around 10pm. All told, we had about 400 people attending at our peak and another 200 people filtering through over the day. The crowd shifted in the morning from a family atmosphere with kids everywhere to a great outdoor bluegrass music festival.

Big thanks to all of the artists who played for free on a Friday, Ramsi's Cafe, Bluegrass Brewing Company, Cherry Bomb, Summer and Star Auerbach and Rainbow Blossom Natural Foods Stores, Ben Evans and YERT, Sustain, George Parker and the Louisville Film Society, Augusta and Gill Holland and the Green Building, Ballou's Rental, RegenEn Solar, Duncan Cherry and MOM's music, and especially to Heine Brother's Coffee and Carmichael's Bookstore. We couldn't have done this without help from our sponsors. If you were among those who bought a t-shirt or are a new member as a result of this festival, you'll join us in thanking the amazing members who worked this festival. It was a great event and we met a lot of new people yesterday. Thank you to all of our members that made it happen. After it is all done with, we stand to make nearly $4,000 through a mix of merchandise sales, raffle sales, new memberships and a percentage of sales Carmichael's Bookstore and Heine Brother's Coffee.

7:30pm

Silas and Jason Howard just finished and were both amazing. They are signing books right now. 

We're up to about 350 people here, it's an amazing crowd. Lots of kids, so bring 'em over if you're not here already.

CSPAN is here to filming the author's readings to air on  Book TV.

6:20pm

Appalatin and Cari Norris have finished their sets. Say Darlin Say is on now.

The program looks like this:

6- 6:30pm- Say Darlin Say

6:30-7pm- Kate Larken (you might have seen her on the CW Louisville today)

7pm- Silas House

7:20- Jason Howard

7:30- Erik Reece

7:50- Supertruck

8:25- Thomas A Minor and the Pickett Line

9pm- Raffle

9:15- Arnett Hollow

Come down and get your raffle ticket. They're $5 and you could win $100 gift certificate to Heine Brother's Coffee, $100 to Carmichael's Bookstore, $50 to Ramsi's, a day at the Races from Rainbow Blossom or a $25 gift certificate to Cherry Bomb.

We're up to about 250 people here, but there is still room for about 400 more. The sun is shining and the beer is cold.

 4:50pm

If you can't make it to Louisville Loves Mountains Festival today/tonight, we'll miss you. For you, we are live blogging the event so even if you can't be with us, you don't have to miss a single detail. 

The day has shaped up to be perfect festival weather, low 70s and nothing but sun. 

If you're driving past, you can't miss the festival because we have the Mountaintop Removal Banner project surrounding the entire block. This project, started by member Whit Forrester, was kicked off with the 2008 5th grade class of Crestwood Elementary. Since then it has multiplied with people adding their piece to the banner at different events.

So far the merchandise table is set up with all kinds of things including bumperstickers, CDs and the specially made "Louisville Loves Mountains" t-shirt. We're pretty stocked and we're ready to fill your order.

More soon.

*If you're coming, public transportation and bikes are the best option.  There is still parking on Rosewood Ave, but I'm not sure about Cherokee Road. If you aren't patronizing Mid City Mall, don't park there, they tow.

KFTC members participated in a number of Martin Luther King Jr. Day events across the state earlier this week, often making connections between King's legacy and the campaign to restore voting rights to former felons in Kentucky, a practice that takes voting rights away from 1 in 4 voting age African Americans in Kentucky.  

Members passed out information, had conversations with people, and otherwise celebrated the spirit of King's life in solidarity with ally organizations

In Lexington, Doug Rigsby, Tayna Fogle, and others got Restoration postcard to legislators signed after the Unity Breakfast at Heritage Hall and before the MLK March.  Afterwards, members had a powerful Open Mic Night at Al's Bar in honor of MLK Day.

Members in Perry County, Louisville, and Springfield, and in many other communities had other events honoring King's memory. 

   

   

This past Thursday, Central KY KFTC members gathered to celebrate another great year, to enjoy some music and good food, and unwind.

    

This is event is part of a proud tradition of rightly-earned relaxation and celebration going including last year, but going back 10 years or more in the chapter's history.

The Berea neighborhood of West Ridges was built in the 1940s and '50s.  Over the last several years a new generation of families and children have moved into the neighborhood and are now sharing it with many of the original homeowners.

This second generation, including almost two dozen KFTC members, has revived the neighborhood association to create a sense of community and to address neighborhood concerns.

 On Sunday the neighborhood had its first KFTC Friendraiser, hosted by Carol and Tim Lamm and by Cait McClanahan and Martin Richards.  Existing KFTC members invited neighbors to learn more about KFTC and how KFTC supports communities all across Kentucky.

 There was several hours of great conversation, including a wonderful introduction by Carol Lamm of why KFTC is important to her. There also was plenty of food including Carol's much complimented chocolate mousse cake and Cait McClanahan's Walnut Feta dip.

 All in all, a great evening was had by everyone, including the children, with KFTC gaining new members, existing members renewing and the neighborhood creating deeper bonds.

We had a great post-election Poetry Slam in Louisville this Thursday in cooperation with our allies at Jobs With Justice.  Restoration of voting rights for former felons was one of the focuses of the event and it was a lot of fun. 

Here are some beautiful pictures.

The fourth of a series of  KFTC house parties occured last Thursday in Jefferson County. Members Summer Auerbach, Sarah Jane Poindexter,  Green Sancturary of Thomas Jefferson Unitarian Church, and Zach Fry all hosted house parties for KFTC in October and November. In addition, members Amar Shah and Aramie Bloom also assisted in planning and helping out with a house party. 

All four parties had good turn out and were a great success.  Both attendees and hosts enjoyed connecting and talking about important issues in a casual setting, eating good food, and relaxing.

Member Summer Auerbach stated, "After the house party, I had a lot of conversations with people who couldn't make it to the event.  Many would ask me questions about KFTC using language like, 'you guys' or 'do you..' in reference to KFTC's work. I felt a transition from just knowing about the organization into a role with KFTC with some ownership over the work.  I really enjoyed the process of doing the house party, making connections, getting more involved, educating, and making a 'pitch' for the organization. It was a less intimidating situation for people to connect with the work." Around 35 attended, member Mary Love gave a thorough but brief program around KFTC's issue campaigns.

Sarah Jane's house party featured appetizers prepared by the Salvation Army Culinary Training Program The program, created by Chef Timothy Tucker, provides training to homeless men and women in culinary arts who during the training are given housing and food and upon completion of the training are placed in jobs in the community. Almost 40 people attended and listened to testimonial by Retha Justice and Becki Winchel on KFTC's work.

At Thomas Jefferson Unitarian Church, a luncheon was served after services and members Becki Winchel and Whit Forrester gave a presentation on KFTC issue campaigns, discussed 2008 triumphs, and talked about the upcoming legislative session. "We were very well received!" said member Becki Winchel.

At Zach Fry's house party, almost everyone who attended donated and became new members of KFTC. Member Jason Flickner gave a brief speech on KFTC followed by host Zach Fry who encouraged his guests to give by being the first to write a check and give at his party.

 Host Zach Fry and staff member Jessica George chat with a potential new member at Thursday's House Party

Interested in hosting a house party? Call your local KFTC organizer. It can be as simple as coffee and cake or as fun as a backyard BBQ. It's a great way to plug in and share you love of KFTC's work with your friends, coworkers, and family!