Help Miss Augusta Save Her Historic Home After Helene

Miss Augusta’s property suffered a landslide during Helene’s catastrophic impact on Western North Carolina in late September — and now she’s in danger of losing her historic family home. The ground was saturated and several large trees fell in her backyard, causing her hillside yard to cliff almost 30’ during the storm, leaving her yard unsafe and her home in danger of a landslide if land retention and anti-erosion measures aren’t taken. Her grandparents ordered this home from a Sears & Roebuck and built it in 1930, in a historically black neighborhood in Burke County, North Carolina. This is Miss Augusta’s home, where she lives with her dog, Roxanne, and two cats, Porsha and Gidget.

Miss Augusta is a Veteran of the Army and has taken creative writing classes I teach to Veterans in the Asheville area since the Spring of 2021. She’s one of the most captivating storytellers I know, and we know when she shares her writing, it’s time to buckle up. She either leaves us keeling over in laughter or wanting more. But she’s more than a student, a writer, and a Veteran. Miss Augusta has become a friend I could sit with all day and night swapping stories and cutting up. I’ll go to the ends of the Earth for this woman.

Miss Augusta’s currently in FEMA limbo after being told by an inspector her home was unsafe, she needed to vacate, and that she should sell her home. From an inspector’s assessment last weekend, it doesn’t seem likely she’ll be given any funds from FEMA to shore up the landslide since it didn’t directly impact her home. But it surely will impact her home if the landslide continues to erode. It’s a good 30’ drop into a creek.

When I initially saw the landslide, it didn’t strike me as being as severe as she was told. So, I brought an expert by who has fifteen years of experience as a builder of homes and roads in the mountains where I live, two hours west in more Western North Carolina.

From the expert’s advice, Miss Augusta’s property is completely salvageable and doesn’t need much to keep her safely in her home.

What we need to help Miss Augusta stay in her family’s home:

If we have any leftover funds, we’d love to repaint Miss Augusta’s house for her. She paid someone to paint her house, bought the best paint she could, and then he thinned out her paint and kept the rest of her paint without telling her. Her house is so charming and a proper paint job would go a long way. I have a pressure washer and professional paint sprayer that can knock it out quickly. We’d just need paint, plastic painter’s tarp, some brushes, and help with labor.

All donations go directly to Miss Augusta.

All donations will be used for the restoration of her property.

All labor is being donated.

Please keep in mind that GoFundMe does take a small percentage.

We understand times are tough — particularly for those of us in Western North Carolina who’re still recovering from Helene.

Every $1, every share, is very much appreciated.

Grateful for your help in allowing Miss Augusta to stay in her family home!

Kerry Garvin