Stay up to date with Friends of the Cheat by reading our State of the Cheat River Watershed Trifold.
2017 was a rollercoaster year for Friends of the Cheat. Our most successful Whitewater Access campaign to date was followed by the coldest, wettest Cheat River Festival ever, with unbelievable mud and low attendance.
Two Meet the Cheat events put record numbers of paddlers on the Cheat River.
While HB 2506, WV drinking water policy changes, gave us nightmares.
Through these ups and downs, you, our incredible core of supporters, have remained steady. Your support empowers us to fight for clean water and continue our mission: to restore, preserve, and promote the outstanding natural qualities of the Cheat River watershed. Your financial donations are integral to our organization; they literally keep our boots on the ground, and our lights on.
Without your sustaining support, Friends of the Cheat could never have grown into the multifaceted, successful nonprofit it is now. Without you, many of our efforts wouldn’t get off the ground. Here’s a glimpse of what your financial contributions supported in just the last year:
FOC has great things planned for 2018! We are adopting the northernmost 28 miles of the Allegheny Trail, West Virginia’s longest foot trail, which runs 330 miles from the Mason-Dixon Line in Bruceton Mills south to the WV-VA border. FOC will be responsible for the maintenance and improvement of our portion – including 12 miles of true hiking trail along the Cheat Canyon. To do this, we will be expanding our Outreach and Education program even more by leading over 600 Adventure WV students in trail-work and community service over the coming summer! Your donations will help purchase the equipment we need to perform the work, and the staff time needed to organize and lead it.
Join FOC in our dedication to safe, healthy water by becoming a sustaining member of Friends of the Cheat. And please ask what we can do for you! We would be happy to present at your local church, your child’s classroom, your clubs and associations. A watershed includes everything within its boundaries, including the people that live and recreate there and we strive to support you too! Together, we can continue to improve this beloved water source that means so much to all of us.
In spirit of Giving Tuesday, make a tribute* in honor of someone special or an entire family on your holiday shopping list. Forego a traditional gift and support FOC’s work to protect the future of the Cheat for generations to come.
*Tributes received by December 18th will receive a special gift!
It is that time of year again. Hunters are deep in the woods. Families are planning Holiday festivities. Kids are refining their Christmas lists–and so are we! What’s on our list? Donations in support of our work!
Our new online membership form makes it easy to donate to FOC (and saves a tree or two and the cost of paper, printing, and postage). An annual membership is $30 and only $20 for students and seniors.
If you have never donated to FOC before, we have a special offer for you! Donate today and earn yourself a classic FOC map tee valued at $25! This offer is only good until we run out of tees–so join the ranks of our membership rolls today! Use the online form and include your t-shirt size in the comment line.
The back of FOC’s classic map tee illustrating acid mine drainage-impacted streams–free to new members while supplies last!
