SALS Solidarity Festival 2009
On June 13, 2009, the Southern Appalachian Labor School (SALS) held its 18th Solidarity Festival to celebrate another year of good works, as well as to mark Juneteenth, slave emancipation day.
The audiences follows Jude Vinder along with a Polynesian folk dance.
The event was held at SALS’ Beards Fork Community Center where guests were treated to interactive, live entertainment as well as free hot dogs.
Jude Vinder led a Polynesian folk dance and then performed a piece as an old philosopher, with some help from audience members. John Lozier of “Harping for Harmony” passed harps out into the crowd and encouraged the audience to pluck certain strings as he played harp music from around the world. In the afternoon, the audience was treated to a wide range of music from Harold Allen and Terry Lively’s musical duo “2Blue.” This was followed by DJing by Gino LaCovera which resulted in an impromptu dance party involving the Electric Slide.
Before the day’s end, guests were able to tour a new facility being built to house volunteers, and a ribbon was cut to unveil a new walking track on the community center grounds. SALS Director John David explained that the track will enable people to get exercise in an area where there are few safe roads to walk on. The Beards Fork Community Center is only accessible by narrow, curvy roads.
SALS is a Step by Step partner that currently hosts two Step by Step VISTA positions. Ann Johnson works on youth development at the community center and Alisha Young is on her second year-long term working on volunteer coordination at the WVU Tech office in Montgomery, WV.
Step by Step VISTAs Tonya Huff (Bullying Prevention & Awareness) and Laura Herberg (Marketing) attended the festival with their families. These VISTAs brought with them a bike-powered blender for
festival attendees to peddle their own smoothies. Youth and adults alike experimented gleefully with the bike blender which had previously been a hit at Charleston’s Sustainability Fair on May 30, 2009.
Herberg’s mother, who attended the festival while visiting from Seattle, remarked later that the Solidarity Festival was one of the highlights of her trip.
SALS provides educational training, affordable housing, workers education, community service, and runs the Beards Fork Community Center, in Fayette County, WV. It is an award-winning organization that has received national press.
Scroll down for more photos from this event.
Andre'a Johnson loads bike blender with fruit.
Andre'a Johnson peddles her own smoothie as Step by Step VISTA Laura Herberg holds the lid down
VISTA Tonya Huff's daughter hops on the bike blender
Ann Johnson, a Step by Step VISTA who works for SALS at Beards Fork, gives the bike blender a go
Alisha Young, a Step by Step VISTA who works for SALS, dishes up some free hot dogs to a Festival attendee
SALS VISTAs and Staff present
Jude Vinder teachers the crowd how to do a traditional Fijiian folk dance involving paddling.
Jude Vinder as an old philosopher
John Lozier of Harping for Harmony gives Andre'a Johnson, Kiara Forgette and friend a hands on introduction to harp playing.
John Lozier plays harp music from around the world.
Musical entertainment provided by Harold Allen and Terry Lively of the group "2Blue"
Impromptu electric slide to the music of DJ Gino LaCovera
The dance party continues...
Step by Step VISTAs Ann Johnson, Alisha Young, and Laura Herberg
![Step by Step WV posted a photo: Bonner Scholars from Earlam College in Indiana listened to a panel discussion of long-term West Virginia activists arranged by Step by Step's Executive Director Michael Tierney in April 2009. Afterward, the students interviewed the panelists on tape so that their [the activist's] stories can be adapted to digital stories.](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2676/3808418455_07d468b4db_t.jpg "Step by Step WV posted a photo: Bonner Scholars from Earlam College in Indiana listened to a panel discussion of long-term West Virginia activists arranged by Step by Step's Executive Director Michael Tierney in April 2009. Afterward, the students interviewed the panelists on tape so that their [the activist's] stories can be adapted to digital stories.")
