Sowers of Justice Environmental Network's

St. Francis Ecological Award Winners
2004

 

Barney and Vina Reilly are recipients of the 2004 St. Francis Ecological Award. In 1979 the Reillys thought they were retiring to Vina’s birthplace in Dickenson County.  Their retirement ended soon when energy companies, exploring for natural gas, disturbed the peace and tranquility of the county. Barney and Vina, along with other citizens formed the Dickenson County Citizens Committee to deal more effectively with the gas companies in the reclamation of disturbed land and in addressing other citizens’ issues.
The Reillys had to deal with coal companies that have caused extensive damage to neighbors’ homes and property. Coal companies frequently refuse to take responsibility for the damages. Getting justice and equitable treatment from coal companies is an on-going work of the Reillys and their citizens’ group. They continue to work for better enforcement of Federal and State coal mining laws and regulations.

The Dickenson County Citizens Committee reached out and joined other grass-root groups in coal mining states to form the Citizens Coal Council. The Council is a national group with members in 26 coal mining states and three Indian nations. Together, they keep an eye on the regulators, the companies, and legislators to insure coal mining doesn't destroy life as we know it in the nation's coalfields.

During school breaks and the summer months, Barney and Vina talk to volunteer students about life in Dickenson County. The social and environmental problems faced by local folks are real eye openers for the students and something they themselves will face in years to come.

Barney and Vina are great models of and concern for our Earthly home. They can be reached at bvreilly@mounet.com.
 

Genevieve Goss is the recipient of the 2004 St. Francis Ecological Award given to an individual who does outstanding work to care for creation. Genevieve is a native of Indiana, but has resided in Botetourt County for the past nine years on a small acreage that has been certified as a wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. As a board member of the Valley Conservation Council for five years, she has worked to preserve the scenic beauty and natural heritage of Virginia. Genevieve has also chaired the VCC Botetourt Community Partnership which has presented workshops in Better Models for Development, Wildlife Preservation, and a 3-part series on water quantity, quality and storm water management.
An active recycler, she is the Conservation Committee Chair for the Botetourt Town & Country Women's Club and serves as their recycling coordinator. She also leads an Adopt-a-Highway team in Botetourt County, volunteers at Woodpecker Ridge Nature Center, coordinates team efforts for Clean Valley Council and serves as Transfiguration Parish contact for the diocesan Ecological Network of Sowers of Justice. She is an active participant in local government, contributing to the lighting ordinance of the Botetourt Zoning Ordinance and adding conservation wording to the Comprehensive Plan.

She is married to John Goss, an engineer and astronomer, and they are the parents of three grown daughters. A foreign language professor by trade, Genevieve, enjoys living, working, hiking and exploring in nature.
 

Team Estonoa is the youth recipient of the 2004 St. Francis Ecological Award.  These high school students in St. Paul, Virginia, started investigating a forgotten lake behind their school.  With the help of the Army Corp of Engineers, they identified the lake as a wetlands and set out to restore the area.  In their efforts to restore the wetlands, these students learned a lot of science, spoke to local, state and regional organizations on behalf of their project, and developed skills in writing grants to support the project.
Lake Estonoa is now well along toward restoration.  Every aspect of the project emphasized its use as a learning tool for the students and the community.  The lake is now clean and has a walking path around it with various signs giving information on the wetlands.

The Ecological Network of Sowers of Justice is pleased to give this award to such an outstanding project that has done so much to involve students in the improvement of the ecological health of this wetland.  It is a project honored far and wide for its achievements.

For more information on Team Estoana check their web site http://www.estonoa.org.
 

 
For information about the Sowers of Justice Environmental Network,
contact Clare McBrien at (276) 686-5039 or <cmcbrien@richmonddiocese.org>.