Help the Hicks Family Rebuild After Hurricane Helene

Hello, my name is Shannon Pragosa, and I am raising money to help the Hicks family recover from the devastation of Hurricane Helene. While I currently reside outside of Charleston, SC, as an Asheville native who spent much of my childhood in Mitchell and Avery County, I can attest to how hard this area has been hit.

I first met Alicia Hicks during my first summer of college. She was my supervisor at the Avery County 4-H Summer WOW program. We have stayed in touch through the years after working for three summers as a camp counselor in the WOW program. While we do not get to see each other often, we have remained close through Facebook. When I lost my house due to a fire, she offered emotional support during a challenging time. Now, it is time for others to do something for her family.

These funds will help the family rebuild their homes, replace their totaled vehicles, and replace their lost possessions.

The Hicks family has been a staple in the Avery County community for generations. Alicia Hicks worked for Avery Co Cooperative Extension Center, focusing on the 4-H program that benefited the children of this rural town.

Her husband, John, recently retired after 30 years of service from the Avery County Sheriff's Office. John and Alicia's sons, Caleb and Cyle, followed in their father's footsteps and have tirelessly been working with their fellow first responders, helping their community with the devastation of Hurricane Helene. Their daughter, Courtney, has been an asset to the 4-H program and has worked selflessly to instill love and kindness in her two small children.

Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc on the Hicks family. Alicia and John lost their home, possessions, vehicles, barn, and storage building. Cyle and his fiancée lost their road and driveway, leading to their new home, which also sustained flood damage. Unfortunately, Caleb lost his home and all his possessions, including his truck.

Avery County is located on the NC-TN border and is considered a rural, isolated area of WNC with a population of less than 18,000. Due to its location, resources were extremely limited after Helene hit, and it will take much longer for this area of WNC to recover than more populated areas such as Asheville.

While the people of Avery Co are used to looking after each other, in this time when family members are still missing, and everyone has lost so much, the Hicks family must receive help from outside of their immediate small-town neighbors.

The funds raised for this family will help them cover part of the cost of restoring their lives. Unfortunately, their homeowner's insurance is not covering most (if any) of the destruction their homes have sustained. FEMA resources are limited and only contributing $11,000. They do not cover barns, vehicles, or buildings other than homes.