Support Elin and Dale's Flood Recovery

Kristin Newby is organizing this fundraiser.

Donation protected

Elin and Dale have called the Nolichucky River in Unicoi County, TN their home for decades, and on Friday, September 27th, that home has forever changed.

Dale and Elin have been living on the campground by Red Banks, which was quickly overtaken by flood waters on 9/27. They spent that morning securing what they could and helping others who were trying to flee to higher ground. In the process, they gave away tools, their tow-hitch, and numerous supplies. If you know Dale or Elin, none of that surprises you.

Elin was interviewed by AP about her experiences on Friday. https://apnews.com/article/hurricane-helene-asheville-flooding-north-carolina-tennessee-078a298cdcaaf46749f3f6683a4e1057

Elin and Dale were able to escape the flooding with their camper, truck, van, and pets (dog, Willow and cat, Hawkeye). Everything else has been lost to the river, most notably, their 2 storage sheds. One shed stored the equipment from their FlowState SUP business (paddleboards, paddles, helmets, and gear). The other shed contained their hearts--photographs, family heirlooms--as well as tools, an eBike, and furniture. They had just started house-hunting in Erwin and were collecting things to stock their future home. All of that is now somewhere downstream in the Nolichucky.

Dale and Elin spent Saturday surveying the damage, reconnecting with their camper, and of course, helping others. As soon as they confirmed that their camper was safe, they headed to the Nolichucky Outpost to check on their River Family. They hiked in on Jones Branch Road with a 3-burner camp stove, bleach, toilet paper, and shelf-stable food for the friends who were at the Outpost. Dale detailed their weekend in a video uploaded to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDqnAn7iCxA

Elin and Dale are generous spirits. They live very simply and walk gently on the earth. They love Erwin and their Nolichucky River community. They are heartbroken and are still wrapping their heads around the devastation. Hopefully, through everyone's combined efforts, we can help them visualize a new start.