There’s a long list of people who went above and beyond in the hours and days after Tropical Storm Helene smashed into the Blue Ridge Mountains. For some communities in Polk County, that list is dominated — not by first responders and other government employees who are paid to help when disaster strikes, because so many of them were trapped at home by blocked or washed out roads — but by those who could get out and those who had the rescue skills and the equipment the rest of us needed.
Among that list are a group of white-water paddlers who quickly recognized just how devastating the storm had been for both the people who live along the Green River, and the river itself. The new MountainTrue office in Saluda became a crucial staging ground for dozens of volunteer relief teams. That response, by people whose primary relevant qualification was their knowledge of the river, seemed astonishing to me. At least it did until I talked with Chris Wing, founder of the H2O Dreams paddling school, and one of the leaders of those relief efforts.
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Helene caused severe damage at Tuxedo power plant, Hendersonville Lightning, Dec. 12, 2024
