The work so far.

Helene damaged homes across Hot Springs and Spring Creek. Funds went directly to homeowners for building materials and necessities, and to reimburse services. We paid for major repairs, full home replacements for families who lost everything, and utility repairs, and we are finishing the last few now.

Much of this funding came with eligibility requirements, such as the severity of damage or whether the home is a primary residence. We review every request against them.

Between November 15 and December 6, 2024, we collected applications from residents, workers, and businesses affected by the storm of September 27, 2024. They showed that over 150 community members had lost their jobs. We made a payment to each, and a second round followed in April 2025.

Based on self-reported data from our first round of Helene assistance applications. It may not reflect everyone affected.

Silvermine is home to residents who were among the hardest hit by Helene. It holds public river access on the French Broad, where paddlers take out on Section 9 and put in to Section 10, and it is where the Appalachian Trail begins the Lover’s Leap Loop.

Volunteers funded dumpsters, brought in heavy equipment to clear large debris, and coordinated beautification projects.

Our businesses employ our neighbors and give the town a place to gather. Helene flooded many of them.

Funds went directly to business owners for building materials and equipment, and to reimburse services. Criteria set by donors and grantors, such as the number of employees or the scale of damage, applied to every decision.

We funded dumpsters in the downtown commercial district so businesses could clear debris during demolition, cleanup, and rebuilding.

Many of our volunteer firefighters lost things of their own in the flood and kept answering calls anyway. We paid to repair two fire trucks, and both are back in service, ready to answer the next call.

We gave $10,000 in proceeds from Through Our Eyes to the Hot Springs Volunteer Fire Department to buy supplies for its members.

In 2026, we bought the Hot Springs Police Department a VHF/UHF radio. It works with the county’s current analog system, and it is ready for the switch to digital when that comes. It also connects the department to VIPER, North Carolina’s statewide emergency radio network, so our officers can talk with other agencies during complicated emergencies like search and rescue.

We are talking with emergency service officials to assess their needs and better prepare our community for future events.

We fund porta-potties to keep sanitation available while the town rebuilds its sewer system, supported in part by the Partnership for Appalachian Girls’ Education.

When an emergency hits, the town has to work through its own process before it can spend money. We can move faster. In January 2026, during a winter storm, we bought a fuel tank so town trucks could carry fuel to generators. We buy equipment and software for the Town of Hot Springs whenever the need comes up.

The cleanup after Helene was the start. With the U.S. Forest Service, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, MountainTrue, Carolina Mountain Club, and Nantahala Outdoor Center, we keep Silvermine in good shape: we pick up trash, do grading work, and look after the parking lot.

In spring 2026, with the Hot Springs Tourism Association and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s Wild East Action Fund, we replaced the water fountain at the Welcome Center and put waste bins downtown.