Celebrating Larry Gibson: The Life and Legacy of the Keeper of the Mountains

Photo Credit: Earthjustice

Friends and family of Larry Gibson, the “Keeper of the Mountains,” will celebrate his life and legacy on Sunday, October 14 from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Charleston Municipal Auditorium, located on the corner of Virginia and Truslow Streets, across from the Charleston Town Center Mall. 

The public is encouraged to attend to help celebrate Larry’s life and legacy.  You are encouraged to RSVP and invite friends to  this facebook event.

Larry died of a heart attack on Sunday, September 9, while working on his family’s land on Kayford Mountain, which he spent the last decades of his life protecting from mountaintop removal.  Larry successfully protected fifty acres of his homeplace on Kayford Mountain and he inspired people nationwide to take action to stop mountaintop removal coal mining.  

The program for “Celebrating Larry Gibson: The Life and Legacy of the Keeper of the Mountains” will feature family, friends, prominent activists, West Virginia residents, musicians and preachers.  This event will be preceded by the annual Changing of the Leaves Music Festival that starts at 1:00 PM on Saturday, October 13th on Kayford Mountain.

On September 13, in a private funeral, Larry was laid to rest on the mountain that he loved.  Larry’s family has requested that persons wishing to express condolences make donations to Keeper of the Mountains Foundation through our website or a mailed check.  Cards and letters to family can be mailed to the Keeper of the Mountains Foundation office at 179 Summers St, Ste 234, Charleston, WV, 25301. 

Larry is survived by his wife, Carol, two sons Cameron and Larry, Jr. and his daughter, Victoria.  He was sixty-six years old. 

The public is encouraged to attend to help celebrate Larry’s life and legacy.  You are encouraged to RSVP and invite friends to this facebook event.

For more information on this event and donating or volunteering to help make it happen contact Danny Chiotos  with the Keeper of the Mountains Foundation at Danny@Mountainkeeper.org or (304) 205-0920.

Remembering Larry Gibson

Photo Credit: Earthjustice

We have received numerous requests from those who knew and loved Larry Gibson for a way to share their memories with his family.  He touched thousands upon thousands of lives and we've been overwhelmed by the notes people are leaving on his facebook profile, photos of people with him, and notes that we're getting from people.   We are setting up this form as a way that you can tell your favorite story or memory of Larry (or more than one if you'd be inclined to share them) that we can collect and give to his family.

It might be good to first type your memory in a place where it can be saved or is more "viewable" than in the form below, so you can avoid it being lost and be more comfortable writing, and then copy and paste it into the form to be submitted.

We are looking forward to reading all of the amazing stories that people have of Larry.  One thing he loved was telling a good story.

Larry Gibson 1946-2012

Photo: Mark Schmerling

Larry Gibson, long-time environmental activist, died of a heart attack Sunday, September 9, while working on Kayford Mountain, the family home in Raleigh County which he spent the last decades of his life protecting from the coal mining practice known as mountaintop removal.

Kayford was the site of Larry's birth, the final resting place of 300 ancestors stretching back to the 18th century, and the site of Larry's annual 4th of July festival celebrating life in the mountains. As part of his effort to preserve the mountains, Larry traveled across the country, to schools, churches and a wide range of public gatherings where he spread his simple gospel about the mountains:  "Love em or leave em; just don't destroy em."

A private funeral is planned, and Larry's family has requested that persons wishing to express condolences make donations to Keeper of the Mountains Foundation, which Larry founded in 2004 to support mountain communities.  A public memorial service will be announced at a later time.  Larry is survived by his wife, Carol, two sons Cameron and Larry, Jr. and his daughter, Victoria.  He was sixty-six years old. 

*Job Announcement* Fundraising Director, Apply Today!

Keeper of the Mountains Foundation

Fundraising Director

Job Announcement

Application Due Date: Please send applications as soon as possible, there is currently no cutoff date for applying (although this may change).

Compensation: Compensation Package to Be Discussed During Hiring Process and Interviews

Hours / Week: 40 hours / week (additional hours to be discussed during the hiring and orientation process)

Reporting Relationship: Reports to the Operations Director  

Mission of the Keeper of the Mountains Foundation: 

The Keeper of the Mountain Foundation (Keepers) aims to educate and inspire people to work for healthier, more sustainable mountain communities and to end Mountaintop Removal. We believe a better future requires everyday people to come together and recognize their power to make long-term, lasting change. We envision an organization, led by West Virginians, with real power to move beyond an extraction based economy and put in its place an economy that values people, land, and mountain heritage. 

Importance of This Position:

The Keeper of the Mountains Foundation a growing organization with an effective strategy and amazing leaders.  This organization has seen income and expenses rise as the organization is doing more work and having more success.  This position is important to ensure that Keepers has the funding necessary to put our strategy into action.  This position is also important to ensure that Keepers is tracking income and expenses correctly to ensure financial transparency and completing governmental forms accurately. 

Current Situation and Objectives: 

The Keeper of the Mountains Foundation is experiencing strong growth. Keepers is scheduling more speaking events, working with more Southern WV residents, and successfully fundraising. Keepers is committed to fundraising from diverse sources which are focused on grant-writing (large, medium, and small grants), individual donations, fundraising events, and other creative means. KotM is planning to immediately implement a well-organized, year-end fundraising drive through phone banks to outreach to our supporters and raise grassroots money as well as immediately continue our grant-writing and fundraising event planning. 

The Fundraising Director would be responsible for overseeing the implementation of these immediate plans to continue our fundraising work as well as working with the Operations Director to plan for long term fundraising efforts.

Goals of this Position:

- Coordinate, Monitor, and Grow the House Party Fundraising Program

- Design and Implement a Year End Grassroots Fundraising Drive and a Mid-Year Fundraising Drive

- Ensure Fundraising is an Active Part of the Strategic Growth of the Organization

- Maintain Sound Financial Organization Within Keepers' Office

- Submit and Secure Large, Medium, and Small Grants to Fund Keepers' Work

Prioritized Specific Responsibilities:

Accounting

- Ensure that all expenses and income are properly tracked through Quickbooks (daily) and our Donor Spreadsheet

House Party Fundraising Program

- Coordinate, Monitor, and Grow the Fundraising House Party Program for Keepers

- Support on the ground volunteers across the country in planning effective fundraising house parties

- Ensure Web Presence & Recruitment for The House Party Program is Effective

Grantwriting

- Submit Grants in Consultation with Operations Director and Communication with Board Treasurer

- Build Relationships with Supportive Foundation Program Officers

Major Donor Fundraising

-  Coordinate, Monitor, and Grow Efforts Towards Fundraising from Major Donors (either through individual asks or fundraising events) 

Miscellaneous Tasks

- Ensure All Donors are Included in the KOTM Online and Offline Database

- Work With the Board, Operations Director, and Relevant Volunteers to Develop and Implement Effective Organizational Budgets

- Develop and publish a quarterly newsletter for distribution to all email contacts within the Keepers’ database

- Develop and Implement Creative Fundraising Tactics such as Bowling for the MountainsFundraising Events

Non Profit Fundraising 

- Submit funding requests from any Non Profit Organizations with similar missions and programs

Office Financial Organization

- Work with the Operations Director to Ensure all Financial Paperwork Are Well Organized in the Office

Location: 

This position will be based out of the Keepers Office in Downtown Charleston, West Virginia 

To Apply: 

Please send a Letter of Interest, Resume, and Three References to the Keeper of the Mountains Foundation at kotm.apply@gmail.com

For Questions:

Daniel Chiotos, Operations Director, at 304-205-0920 and/or Danny@MountainKeeper.org to ask questions about this position