When Hurricane Helene hit Western North Carolina on Sept. 27, several trees fell on Fletcher resident Amy McEntire’s house, destroying it, as well as her and her son’s car. One tree took out her son’s room - as luck would have it, the wind scared him so he was sleeping in another room when the tree fell.

Since then, Amy and her two sons have been staying with a neighbor (my good friend) and using the neighbor’s car. Her elderly father was also living with her, but is now staying with her sibling. They have been looking for a permanent rental while insurance adjusters figure out whether her home can be saved or if it needs to be demolished, but all the rentals available in our area - so she can be close to work and so her boys don’t have to change schools - are costly for a lifelong public school teacher.

Please consider donating to help them get back on their feet and have a home again and some semblance of normalcy amidst all the grief and devastation around us.