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Five months ago on September 27, 2024 Hurricane Helene brought devastating flood waters to Rutherford County, adjoining counties and Western North Carolina. Lake Lure and Chimney Rock, as well as other areas in Rutherford and Polk counties, are forever changed.
During the past five months stories have been told about the magnitude of help that has come to the county and WNC from across the country. Municipal and county leaders believe it will be years before full restoration to the areas is completed, but as Chimney Rock Mayor Peter O'Leary said, "2025 is the year of recovery. Chimney Rock Village will never be the same, but it will reopen," he said of the tourist destination drawing thousands to the area each year.
Church groups, civic groups, coon clubs, individuals and hundreds of other mission minded people have shown up in this part of the country to help with the recovery. In the early days of the flooding, several places were designated as supply distribution centers for people all over the county.
Among those supportive is Providence Global Methodist Church in the Chase community.
Shortly after the storm, the church began receiving questions from the church and community about how to help. Looking back over the past five months since the storm hit, with a short break for Christmas, Providence has opened its doors and hearts to volunteers from across the United States who wanted to help.
The Family Life Center (FLC) at Providence is "open" to all who need a place to stay and to eat while volunteering in Western North Carolina, helping to restore the lives of those who lost everything - homes, possessions, jobs and hope.
Volunteers have come from New York, New Jersey, Texas, Michigan, the Carolinas, West Virginia, Virginia and Ohio.
In the past week, 13 men and women from Ohio and North Carolina were housed at Providence while continuing to build 12 tiny homes that will be taken to Banner Elk.
Ed and Cindy Bennett of Lewisville, who have been volunteering about two weeks each month since the storm, were back to help lead the volunteers in the construction project last week.
Cindy helps prepare the meals in the FLC, she washes and folds clothes, is the "gofer" for the team and she hauls trash. She also does construction, so she's flexible to do whatever is needed.
"There is a job for everyone," she said.
The couple moved to Lewisville about seven years ago from New Jersey and are heavily involved in the Global Methodist Church mission projects.
"Oh, we want to do the Lord's work," Ed replied when asked why he travels twice a month to Providence to volunteer. He serves as one of the construction coordinators on site here.
Pam Cochran, the mission coordinator at Providence, works with volunteers. "It's amazing here," she said looking around the FLC. It is a place not only for volunteers working in flood-devastated areas, but for anyone in the community that needs a place to stay in case of emergencies and power outages.
In addition to the volunteers from across the country, Pastor Michael Harrill says there has been an incredible outpouring of donations and supplies to help with the projects.
A church in Texas donated a van to Providence.
"God sent us that van," Harrill said. The van has been used to help transport supplies to other places, such as the Children's Home in Black Mountain.
A group from New Jersey donated money and supplies to repair a door on a mobile home damaged due to the storm.
Another group from New York brought a 26 foot moving van and a 20 foot enclosed trailer with supplies.
Donations have also come from New Hope and Lebanon churches.
The first people to begin working with Providence arrived from Michigan right after the hurricane.
"It was a family of six who stayed two nights," said Cochran. While here they sorted supplies and took supplies to a collection site in Forest City. They also volunteered at a riding stable near Bill's Creek. They arrived without any lodging plans and were the first to be housed at Providence's FLC during the aftermath of the storm.
Quoting Romans 8:28, "And we know that all things work together for good to them who love God and are called according to His purpose," Harrill said. The van, later a generator and other supplies have come to the church for a purpose from the Lord.
The Family Life Center was completed in 2002, after leadership from church member/contractor Sheldon Walker and then pastor Rev. Morris Byers.
"They helped bring this all together...We are very blessed to have Sheldon Walker here," said Harrill.
Building tiny homes in 11 degree weather was harsh for volunteers in January, so Sheldon offered his construction warehouse as a building center for the volunteers.
At Walker Construction's warehouses last Tuesday afternoon, 84-year-old John Stepto of Winston-Salem and Roy Mendenhall, 82, also of Winston-Salem, were sawing and measuring boards for a tiny house they were building.
John's been on 250 mission trips in his life and has no plans to stop now.
"The Lord called me to do this. You know, if you've been living in a tent this winter, this will be a palace for some," John said of the tiny house he was helping build.
If interested in volunteering, contact Greg Grabbs, the NC Global Methodist Church, at 336-583-5557 or ggrabbs@gmail.com or a member of Providence can also help.
Monetary donations may be sent to Pam Cochran at 151 Price Street, Forest City, NC 28043 and indicate Mission Fund.
