“If You Have the Means, Please Evacuate!” Asheville Gets Hit By Hurricane.

If you are a regular reader of this weekly newsletter you may have noticed that last week, you did not receive one. This was the first Mind Muscle Monday that I didn't post in well over a year!

What many of you may not realize is that I live in Asheville, NC which was hit by hurricane Helene just over a week ago.

What was supposed to be "strong winds and rain" turned into over 24 hours straight of rain, 50-130mpg winds, flash flooding, and hundreds and hundreds of trees down. As of this count there are over 40 people dead and over 600 people unaccounted for in our area.

This wasn't a once in a lifetime storm. This was unprecedented. This was unthinkable. This was unfathomable. 

To think that a mountain town, at elevation, 5 hours OFF THE COAST could be hit so hard wasn't on anybody's radar.

But it happened.

We were personally left without power, water, internet. When an internet signal did come back on the 3rd day, it was spotty and unreliable. 

We were basically cut off from friends and family who were concerned. 

Long story short we were finally able to find gas (all gas stations were closed because of the power outage except a few in the surrounding area) and a reliable and safe route out of town (the major roads leading out of NC in the direction back to family were either washed away, crumbled or not passable.)

We made it back to Illinois and are staying with family while our beloved city recovers.

In the last 30 days, we've had a baby, evacuated a hurricane, drove 11hours with a newborn and are now figuring out what's next. 

I am grateful to be here and to have been able to take care of my new little family.

But there are many back in Asheville who are not as lucky.

Families will never be the same. Businesses are gone overnight with no ability or means to rebuild. 

Many in our immediate community have lost jobs overnight. In a city that relies on tourism through the fall months to take care of them into the winter, this is a complete nightmare.

I don't have the manual labor skills to help in the ways that others have been. I don't have a chainsaw, I don't have a truck to help clear debris. The best way I can help is by spreading awareness of what is happening.

My whole life and business center around helping others when they are stuck or need assistance going from point A to point B in their life. I believe if you are a regular reader of this newsletter that somewhere in your heart you are the same as I in that regard.

If you feel inclined, there are a few ways to help out to those in need. 

Beloved Asheville is a non-profit group dedicated to bringing community together. You can learn more about their cause at www.belovedasheville.com

Donate to help their cause below
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/belovedasheville


Hearts with hands is a traditional charitable organization providing physical, spiritual, medical, economic and other necessary aid to victims of poverty, natural disaster, or famine.
https://www.heartswithhands.org/

Any help is deeply appreciated!

It will be some time before the affected areas have power and water again. 

For some families things will never be the same.
For some business, they will just be a memory of a first date, a great meal, a cool vibe or whatever other impression it may have left.

But never to return.

Any help goes a long way in helping the community heal and start again.

Thanks again for reading, and thank you for supporting.