LAKE LURE, NORTH CAROLINA – SEPTEMBER 28: The Rocky Broad River flows into Lake Lure and overflows the town with debris from Chimney Rock, North Carolina after heavy rains from Hurricane Helene on September 28, 2024, in Lake Lure, North Carolina. Approximately six feet of debris piled on the bridge from Lake Lure to Chimney Rock, blocking access. (Photo by Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images)
Hurricane Helene has carved a 500-mile path of destruction throughout the Southeastern United States. With this region being a hub for paddlers, a great part of the ACA community including members, volunteers, instructors, staff, and board are greatly affected by the hurricane.
Search and rescue operations are still underway in Western North Carolina, an area hit particularly hard by Hurricane Helene. Many small mountain towns are cut off from resources and communication and are in need of aid.
So much of the ACA community is connected to areas devastated by the hurricane. Evy Leibfarth, Olympic paddler and North Carolina resident shared, “It’s heartbreaking to see my hometown and the beautiful rivers that I grew up paddling on so devastated by Hurricane Helene. The flooding is really bad in so many small mountain towns, leaving many people unable to contact family or get help. These communities need all the love and support we can give right now. Please keep them in your thoughts and, if you’re able, lend a hand to help them recover from this devastation.”
Local paddlers have banded together to offer support to their communities. If you are able to support, below is a working list of ways that you can help. We ask that you please do not put yourself in danger as you attempt to aid others.
Ways you can support:
- FBRA Salamander Fund – All Funds Going to Hurricane Relief Efforts
- The French Broad River Academy, a transformative middle school experience that employs ACA instructors, is directing all donations to their Salamander Fund to Hurricane Helene Western North Carolina, which is providing resources and support to small communities in Western North Carolina.
- Hurricane Helene Western North Carolina relief efforts include opportunities to request aid (including supplies, wellness checks, etc.), to volunteer, to donate supplies or funds to support the people and small communities in Western North Carolina that haven’t received aid.
- Donate to the FBRA Salamander Fund or directly to Hurricane Helene Western North Carolina
- Riverfolk Rescue
- When Hurricane Helene began to drop massive amounts of water in Appalachia, the whitewater paddling community was one of the first to realize that the scale of this disaster would exceed expectations. Riverfolk Rescue has committed themselves to providing lasting relief, rescue, and recovery for areas of Appalachia that are not already served by the folks at hurricanehelenewnc.com
- Request help, give help, and donate at https://riverfolkrescue.com/