40 Years, 40 Faces: Ernie

Big Stone Gap, Virginia

Originally a Mississippi man with a long career as a golf course groundskeeper, Ernie now lives in Big Stone Gap with his wife. He’s a bass fisherman, an avid amateur historian, and an expert whittler of beautiful wooden craft pieces, including Celtic spoons. Ernie sells his Celtic wood designs at Renaissance Fairs and online. He and his wife attended the Rapid Access to Medical Clinic (RAM) in Wise to visit an optometrist because they didn’t have health insurance.

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“40 Years, 40 Faces” was a 2018 photography and storytelling project marking VPLC’s 40th anniversary. Photographer Glen McClure and writer Marshall McClure documented Virginians impacted by VPLC’s work, using portraits and interviews to highlight resilience, dignity, and the ongoing fight for justice.