Sallie’s Ashes on screen May 15 at G.C. Eco Center

Sallie’s Ashes on screen May 15 at G.C. Eco Center

Fairhope woman led crusade to remove toxic coal ash from Mobile

A free screening of the locally produced award winning documentary Sallie’s Ashes will be held at the Gulf Coast Eco Center in Gulf Shores on May 15 from 6-7:30 p.m. in the facility’s Palmetto Room. There will be a Q&A session held afterwards. This is a free event, but registration is required due to limited seating. The documentary honoring a Fairhope environmentalist’s final fight for the Tensaw Delta won the Best Short on Sustainability award at the 2026 Environmental Film Festival.
It chronicles the late Sarah “Sallie” Smith’s final crusade to protect Mobile Bay from toxic coal ash at Plant Barry. The 80-year Smith battles terminal lung cancer while rallying fellow retirees, Diane Thomas and Savan Wilson as they launched the Coal Ash Action Group. Known affectionately as the “Coal Ash Grannies,” this group of three has grown to over 1,450 subscribers and is attracting interest in the need for awareness.