Dear Family and Friends,

Western North Carolina Needs Our Help!

On September 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene devastated communities across Western North Carolina, causing catastrophic flooding and widespread damage. From downtown Marshall, where the French Broad River surged to 17 feet, to the towns of Black Mountain and Swannanoa along the Swannanoa River, from Barnardsville along the Ivy Creek to downtown Asheville, the destruction has damaged countless homes, businesses, and has affected the entire community.

Karl and Shawn recently traveled to the region (November 7-9) to assess the damage firsthand and connect with local organizations leading the recovery efforts. The devastation we witnessed was heartbreaking, but the community's resilience and camaraderie is inspiring.

This Thanksgiving week, our two families will be working alongside several local organizations:

• Wild Abundance: Assisting with tiny house construction for displaced residents

• Hammers & Heart: Helping winterize trailer homes before cold weather sets in

• Barnardsville Mutual Aid Hub: Supporting their community relief efforts

• Nanostead Foundation: Participating in rebuilding projects in downtown Marshall

While local volunteers have worked tirelessly on initial cleanup, trash removal, and demolition, the road to recovery is just getting started. These communities need continued support to rebuild. Every donation, no matter the size, will help us:

• Purchase building materials

• Provide relief supplies

• Support local rebuilding efforts

• Help families prepare for winter

Over the last twenty years, we have participated in various disaster relief projects all around the world. Now that our kids are getting older, the time has come for them to see for themselves the devastating impact of natural disasters and the awesome power of communities coming together to provide relief and support to one another. These situations create powerful experiences with real people, doing incredible work, and selflessly participating in something bigger than themselves. We are excited to share our passion with our kids and teach them the importance of work ethic, construction skills, relationship building, local coordination with boots-on-the-ground organizations, and compassion for others. Our mission is to bring hope and support to these communities.

Your support can make a real difference in helping Western North Carolina communities rebuild and recover. Thank you for any assistance you can provide. 100% of your donation will go towards purchasing building materials & supplies and together, we can help these mountain communities rise again.

For more information about local organizations and ongoing relief efforts, visit: www.helpmarshall.org

Thank you,

Shawn, Karl, Lillee, Shelly, Jake, Rebecca, Keaton & Leena

PS. If you would like to join us in Asheville please reach out. We will be there between Nov 23-30.