10/05/2024
Dearest community,
We write to share information and opportunities for support during this aftermath of Hurricane Helene. We are safe, and Seven Springs and our area in East Tennessee miraculously missed the worst of the storm. Our neighbor measured 9 inches of rain in four days here. Yet still, we did not sustain any damage from the storm, and our retreat center is open and vibrant. All of our upcoming retreats are running as planned, as well as openings for Personal Retreats or nightly stays. Likewise transportation in and around the area is unaffected.
Yet, just on the other side of our mountains, people experienced over two feet of rain which caused rivers to swell over 20-30 feet from their normal levels. An estimated 40 trillion gallons of water fell, enough to cover the entire state of NC with 3.5 feet of water.
In Greenville, TN, the Nolichucky damn took on 1.2 million gallons per second at the peak of the flooding, that's nearly double what Niagara Falls sees during its highest peak (700,000 gallons per second).
Whole neighborhoods and entire towns have been washed away. Literally nothing left standing. Those that are emerged covered in mud and destruction. Over a million people across four states were out of power for over a week after the storm. Cell phone service was also non existent for days, leaving so many people cut off from communication and even their neighbors. I-40, one of the most travelled interstates on the country, which ties NC to TN is closed until Sept 2025.
The land and people that are hundreds of miles inland and up in the mountains were never expecting a hurricane. Especially in Western North Carolina, these small mountain towns are full of small local businesses, artists and farms. These people aren’t going to be able to rebuild easily. Most have lost everything.
Everything is covered in mud now, mud that is toxic with waste and decay. Now even the clean up becomes dangerous. It will be weeks before water returns to many areas and tens of thousands of people. On our side of the Smokies, it was like nothing happened. We have experienced the confluence of relief and guilt. Mostly, we are humbled.
We have sent donations and ask you also to donate to organizations on the ground. We are sharing this so we can speak for those who cannot. Pass this along to your networks, write your own, listen to the stories. Don't forget about Appalachia. Please find below a list of links of trusted organizations to donate to. Thank you.
The Appalachian Mountains are the oldest in the world. And the one word that characterizes this land and people is *Resilience*.
> > Seven Springs will also donate 10% of all Personal Retreat bookings for the month of October to these organizations:
+++ Donate: +++
Beloved Asheville : belovedasheville.com/get-involved/. Venmo: -Asheville
Manna Asheville Food Bank : mannafoodbank.org/how-you-can-help/donate/
Grassroots Aid Partnership (Asheville) : grassrootsaidpartnership.org
Appalchia Funders : appalachiafunders.org/
Mandala Springs : gofundme.com/f/help-us-deliver-lifesaving-water-to-those-in-need
April Stolarz (friend and organizer): PayPal: aprilstolarz@yahoo.com
Black Mountain organizer Lauren Nicole : Venmo:
Knoxville First Aid Collective : Venmo:
Mountain Access Brigade (TN Women's Health & Doula fund) : givebutter.com/givemab
