Marino Spencer

KIVA Club provides relief for mine spill victims

UNM KIVA club members distributed about 1,100 gallons of water and 100 cases of bottled water donations to Navajo Nation communities near the Four Corners area in an effort to ease the burden of an area affected by the Gold King Mine spill in August. Residents near Shiprock, NM affected by the spill, a disaster releasing three million gallons of contaminated water into the Animas River, face the decision of keeping off their irrigation systems, which could lead to crop failure, or turning them on, resulting in possible crop contamination. KIVA President Demetrius Johnson said the association collected water from several donors, exceeded their goal and needed at least four vehicles to haul the donations from Albuquerque to Shiprock on Sept. 5. Cody Artis, the public relations officer for the KIVA club, said they distributed donations to five families in the Shiprock and Aneth, Utah communities. Both towns are located near the Four Corners area, along the San Juan River.