By Eric Cravey, Times West Virginian
FAIRMONT, W.Va. — For the first time in two years, the Northern Appalachian Coal Mining Heritage Association is going to be able to host its largest fundraising event of the year.
The 8th Coal Miner Appreciation Day Swap Meet is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 10 at the Arts and Antiques Marketplace, 205 Adams St., Fairmont. As in previous years, NACMHA President Mike Rohaly said he wanted the event to take place in tandem with the Feast of the Seven Fishes.
“This is kind of our organization’s only fundraiser,” Rohaly said in a previous Times West Virginian interview. “I have wanted to have it the same day of the Feast of the Seven Fishes because I thought it would be mutually beneficial. Of course, the Feast of the Seven Fishes is an Italian-based feast, and especially the earlier coal miners in this community, I would say were more than 50 percent Italian.”
The swap meet offers NACMHA members, coal miners and others to gather together to display and view miner memorabilia. Some items swapped at previous meets have included tools that were used by miners, including oil wick lamps, carbine lights, mine scrip and even canary cages…
