BRISTOL, Va., July 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Alpha Natural Resources, Inc. (NYSE: ANR), congratulates Elk Run Coal and its miners for being selected to receive the U.S. Office of Surfacing Mining Reclamation and Enforcement's 2014 Excellence in Surfacing Coal Mining Good Neighbor Award for community outreach.

Elk Run was selected for the Good Neighbor award for working to better the local community. Employees gave both their time and resources to help their neighbors. They helped Sherman High School, in Boone County, West Virginia, put up a new scoreboard for the football field and they helped update classrooms for the disabled at Sherman High and Elementary Schools. Elk Run also donated labor, equipment and materials to repair the softball field at Sherman High, and they provided equipment, labor and materials to build a press box and concession stand for the football field.

Elk Run's impact on its community has included partnering to provide more than 5,700 weekend food bags to community school children, along with more than 30 travel bags containing hygiene items, and 400 smile bags that included needed items of clothing.

Elk Run Coal and its employees also:


    --  hosted a community Christmas party for underprivileged children
    --  gave away hams for the holidays
    --  participated in "Read to Me" days at local schools
    --  purchased 10 Kindle Fires for an awards ceremony at Sherman High
    --  participated in judging science fairs and reading fairs
    --  provided catering services for Sherman Junior High's Honor Society
        dinner

In addition, Elk Run helped finance a project to provide city water to the community of Blue Point, near Whitesville. Elk Run's investment helped cover the installation of water lines from Route 3 to all Blue Point residents.

Elk Run's most extensive contribution and ongoing project has been to assist in tearing down the old Sylvester Elementary School and gymnasium and turning the space into a covered community shelter. Future plans include turning the grounds into a community park. Elk Run Coal Company employs 530 people in five deep mines, two belt mines, and a preparation plant, all located in the Sylvester and Whitesville communities of Boone County, W Va.

About Alpha Natural Resources

Alpha Natural Resources is one of the largest and most regionally diversified coal suppliers in the United States. With affiliate mining operations in Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Wyoming, Alpha supplies metallurgical coal to the steel industry and thermal coal to generate power to customers on five continents. Alpha is committed to being a leader in mine safety with our Running Right safety process, and an environmental steward in the communities where its affiliates operate. For more information, visit Alpha's website (www.alphanr.com) or like Alpha's Facebook page (www.facebook.com/AlphaNaturalResources).

SOURCE Alpha Natural Resources, Inc.