It’s been almost a month since Hurricane Helene hit, and top of mind for many of our community’s residents and business owners is whether to rebuild in the wake of Helene’s destruction.
The realities of your business being closed for weeks, having your home washed away or damaged beyond repair by flood waters, and not knowing what to do next is frightening; but if I can insert my two cents, here’s what I would say: This is home.
It would probably be easier for many of you to relocate elsewhere and forget about the rubble left behind, but anywhere else in the country isn’t the same as the mountains of Western North Carolina. Our communities are special.
So, as you make the difficult decision to stay or go, to close shop or rebuild, I encourage you to lean on your neighbors and remember that this place, these mountains, are home. We want you to stay, and we want to see you succeed.
Rebuilding our mountains isn’t just about repairing our infrastructure and buildings. It’s about building back up the businesses and families that were hit hardest by the storm. It’s about letting folks know that their community is backing them, and that we will support them every step of the way through their recovery.
The mountains are special because of the tight-knit, neighbor-help-neighbor communities that we have built. As folks make lifelong decisions to stay in Western NC or go, let’s remind them why they chose to come to the mountains in the first place. Because we are a community, and we are home.
This edition includes an update on French Broad Electric’s repair efforts and restoration of communication in Chimney Rock for the first time since Helene hit.
Today is update number 25, with more information to follow in the coming days. Please make sure to read everything and share it with your friends and family.
