There is no place like the hills and mountains of Appalachia, and no people like the people who call those mountains home. I know. I grew up in those hills.

Some people may harbor unfortunate stereotypes about Appalachia, but they don’t know the real Appalachian people. The Biblical proverb admonishes us, “Remove not the ancient landmarks which thy farther have set” (Proverbs 22:28).

Too much of our country has lost sight of our “ancient landmarks” —the old truths and values that made ours a great country and still make the Appalachian region unique. Our people are among the bravest, most patriotic, God fearing, and freedom-loving people in the United States, and I hope and pray that these values will never disappear.

Religious faith, patriotism, sense of community, respect for the law, reverence for our elders, along with honesty, respect for others, loyalty and hard work, are values the people of the Appalachian region still hold dear. Some people scoff at these values, claiming they are old fashioned.

They may be old, but they are not old fashioned. They are universal values, and they are timeless. They are as true today and as essential as they ever have been. Without our values, without our compass, we would be lost.

The people of the Appalachian Mountains relish the simple truths of life and hold fast to tradition. We take time to listen to the robin welcoming the morning and to watch as the sun sets over the hills at night. We pass on to our children our culture, and we teach them to live by the Bible and the Golden Rule. We find ourselves strengthened by the sound of glorious hymns rising from the churches on Sunday mornings. These scenes, and the importance that the people of the region place in them, set us apart.

The Apostle Luke said that “where your treasure is there will your heart be also.” My heart is, and always will be, with the people of the Appalachian Mountains.

God bless you all

William Salser

Stuart