I can still vividly recall those early morning maintenance runs with my dad in Parkersburg. We’d hop in his station wagon, packed with his tools, and we’d make a quick stop at JR’s Donut Castle before heading towards the Ohio River.

We’d drive across the Mid-Ohio Valley, from one small town to the next, checking pumps, listening to the hum of control panels, and making sure every water system was running smoothly. It all seemed so simple back then; clean water just flowed endlessly from the tap, as if it always would.

It wasn’t until years later that I discovered just how fragile trust in water can be.

That realization came in 2015, when a close friend was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Soon after, I started hearing story after story, from classmates and neighbors, of people suffering from ulcerative colitis, renal cancer, and other illnesses linked to PFAS contamination. Invisible, odorless, tasteless, and unrelenting, these ‘forever chemicals’ seeped into every aspect of my life.

The water I grew up trusting suddenly became something I feared.

As I began to ask more questions, I began to uncover more stories that were heartbreakingly familiar. Everywhere I turned, I met people whose experiences echoed my own. Communities across West Virginia, all left wondering about the same things I was: Is my water safe? Who will advocate for my family? Who will help us be heard?

That’s when I found West Virginia Rivers Coalition (WV Rivers) and the people who refuse to let those questions go unanswered.

Because WV Rivers doesn’t just advocate for clean and healthy water,

WV Rivers advocates for the communities that depend on it.

Whether it’s the challenge of chemical contamination, the strain on our water infrastructure, or the growing risks of flooding, WV Rivers approaches every issue with empathy, understanding, and a commitment to finding common ground. WV Rivers turns divides into bridges, always keeping one principle at the heart of their work: protecting water means protecting people.

And WV Rivers backs that compassion with action:

• Working alongside communities and the WV Department of Environmental Protection to make sure local voices are heard in PFAS action planning.
• Partnering with local and national groups to test private wells and sample water on and along the Ohio River.
• Advocating for federal investments that can restore and protect our region’s most vital waterways.
• Holding polluters accountable and standing firm against rollbacks that weaken our clean water protections.

But our work only happens because of people like you, who turn care into action.

As WV Rivers closes our 35th anniversary year, I can’t help but think about how much your generosity has made possible. And with you by our side, we will continue to give future generations a better chance of inheriting rivers as wild and wonderful as the state we love. But we have more work to do.

To help fuel this work, $18,000 in gifts is still being matched, thanks to a generous group of supporters, doubling your year-end gift for clean water and bringing us closer to our $350,000 Annual Fund Goal – a bold investment in the next 35 years of water advocacy.

Clean water is the foundation of our health, our communities, and our future.

Will you stand with us once more this year by making a gift of $25, $50, or $100 to help WV Rivers advocate for every waterway and every person in our state?

Thank you for everything you do to protect the people and places that define West Virginia. Together, we’ll continue to advocate for all waters – from the headwaters to the mighty Ohio River – for generations to come.

With immense gratitude and appreciation,

Ben Hawkins
Board Member
West Virginia Rivers Coalition