A Message From A Garden Center in Asheville, NC

Years ago, I was fortunate enough to travel to Asheville, NC, with a group from Behnke’s to attend the Garden Center Group’s annual event. Asheville was such a beautiful place, and I know it will be again. While there, we toured a wonderful independent garden center called B.B. Barns Garden Center. Like many of you, I’ve been heartbroken watching the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. Today, as I write this on Wednesday, I have the Weather Channel on and am praying for Florida as Hurricane Milton is about to hit. Last night, I read a message from B.B. Barns Garden Center and wanted to share it with you. There are so many ways we can help our neighbors during these disasters. ~Stephanie Fleming

This is a message from Thomas Gibbs from B.B. Barns Garden Center in Asheville NC.

We are doing OK and have so much to be thankful for. All of our employees are accounted for and many are back to work. Our Garden Center is OPEN, but with basically no customer traffic. Our landscape operation is back running and is overwhelmed with demand for cleanups. Our well is working at the garden center so we are able to water plants, Praise God! Cell service is still very spotty and much of our county does not have power or water. Power for most hopefully will be back on by the weekend, but city water will likely not be flowing for another month. The damage everywhere is incredible, especially on the east side of Buncombe County. Swannanoa, where we live, looks like Haiti. FEMA finally arrived yesterday and is performing search and body recovery efforts with search dogs. Our church is located in Swannanoa at basically ground zero and we are providing hot food and supplies for people daily. It’s overwhelming and all of us here are physically and mentally exhausted. I want to cry everyday, but honestly don’t have the energy to. What is amazing to see is the outside support. Power line crews from Canada, tree companies from Oklahoma, search and rescue from Nebraska, neighbors helping neighbors…just amazing. In terms of help, I think financial donations will be the most helpful at this point…we are good on water and supplies donations. In a few weeks, physical help in the way of work crews will be helpful. There is so much clean up and rebuilding to be done long term, but for now though, the priorities are too big for the average person to help with (restoring utilities/building roads/finding missing people). Personally, me and my family are safe and staying at mom and dad’s. A tree fell on our house and our van, but we have insurance, so we are better off than many. Schools are closed indefinitely, so likely the kids will be out for another month, but they are here with us serving food to neighbors and taking supplies to classmates who lost their homes. I have many friends who lost their businesses in the flood and have to start over. Can you imagine?? Thanks for checking in. Please be praying for us! If anyone would like to donate financially to relief efforts through our church they can via this link…

https://www.valleyhope.church/helene

There is also a helpful video in the link talking about recovery efforts.