Beech Mountain, NC Welcomes Winter Travelers After Hurricane Helene

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Everyone has a story to tell.

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We connect and relate to one another when we share our stories.

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My name is Amelia Old and I am your host of Voices of Inspiration.

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Join me as I share stories of friends, family and strangers from my everyday life and travels.

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You will laugh, possibly cry or walk away, feeling connected more than ever to those around you and ready to be the change our world needs.

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Everyone has a story to tell.

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What's yours?

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First of all, thank you so much for being with me today.

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I'm so grateful.

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I know things are super busy for you.

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You're about to head into a busy tourism season and there's a lot been going on in your community, the communities around you, so I'm really grateful that you took time out of your day to be with me.

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And hi, how are you?

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And on our end, I'm really grateful to have an opportunity to share with your audience our experiences and have a voice for our community.

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So it's my pleasure to be here and kind of chat with you a bit about what's been happening on Beach and our surrounding communities.

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Can you share a bit about your role at Beach Mountain and what you love most about being part of that community?

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So I am the tourism and marketing director for the town of Beach Mountain.

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I've been visiting Beach Mountain.

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I've lived in South Florida for a long time and visited Beach Mountain in the summers because my father-in-law had a place here and I fell in love with the really small town, true sense of community and nature of Beach Mountain, as compared to a big city like Miami.

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So that's one thing, and then, from my role, there's the marketing aspect.

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But one of the things that I enjoy the most is I also run the visitor center and having people come in and talking to them and letting them know oh, this is a great trail or your kids are going to enjoy this.

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I really that is one of the most satisfying things, rather than the more you know, the more marketing aspect of it.

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So unfortunately, over a month ago Hurricane Helene came through Western North Carolina and caused great devastation.

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Can you just talk a little bit about your experience in Beach Mountain with the storm and how you fared, and then also a little bit about your immediate surrounding areas?

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So immediately after the storm in the particular neighborhood area that I'm in, there really wasn't a whole lot of damage and in fact that day, yes, our driveway washed out and we had to fill it out before we can leave, but standing outside I thought, okay, we fared pretty well.

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And then the next morning I went over to Town Hall and I saw a whole lot more damage and at the time it seemed like quite a bit of damage.

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A lot of was, oh goodness, because that's when I first found out that both roads in and out of the mountain were washed out with significant damage, and that we didn't know when our residents or visitors were able to leave the mountain and communications were completely down.

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So that first couple of days was a bit harrowing just in terms of the uncertainty and we didn't even know the kind of damage that the storm had caused in the surrounding communities in the beginning because we were so isolated at first.

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So I think that was kind of one of the most I don't want to say traumatic, but one of the experiences that affected me personally most was that wanting to help the people that were walking into Town Hall looking for answers and for help and not really knowing how to guide them and how to help them in the immediate aftermath.

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Afterwards we found out, of course, that neighboring communities like Banner Elk sustain a whole lot more structural damage, and other communities immediately in the high country Elk Park.

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Many of the homes there washed away, which residents still there?

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And then, as the stories of the true effects of the storm and community, it really became very emotional for all of us up here.

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So I'm only about two and a half to three hours away from Beach Mountain and have been heavily involved with disaster relief efforts and I've personally seen, just from my end, the various people from across the country that have come together and to help and assist Western North Carolina.

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I know me personally.

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I was collecting donations with another woman in my community and we had an Amazon list and we ended up being able to deliver 18 trucks of supplies to Banner Oak and some of those supplies came from as far away as the UK and people were just really joining together to wanting to help.

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How did you see it from your end and being so close to some of these communities of the people that were really just jumping in, locals and those from far away?

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It was really interesting that you mentioned that because, like I said, I lived in Miami for many years and I've gone through several hurricanes down in South Florida and, while you do get that sense of help and in this instant being perhaps a smaller community, that sense of people coming in to help us was augmented by 100%.

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You mentioned how you got donations and help from all over.

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We had people physically come from Kentucky, from Texas, just show up in their own trucks with supplies.

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The truth is that it was very inspiring to see the reaction of other people wanting to immediately help.

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We received so many supplies ourselves that at some point our own employees started getting those supplies in their trucks and taking them down to Asheville or down to Spruce Pine or to other communities that were even more affected than us, just because we were receiving more than we needed, because the kind of generosity that I saw was amazing.

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I had a mom and her teenage kids came from Ohio and she wasn't even familiar with mountain roads.

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She was afraid to drive them, but there was no deterring her from getting to the backside of the mountain, to that community that had been severely damaged, and she was lost.

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She didn't know how to get there and still she was committed to going over there and delivering supply.

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So it really was not a silver lining but a shining light in such a moment of distress for the high country.

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Absolutely.

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I think that even in those first couple of weeks, two or three weeks especially from from my viewpoint it was it gave such hope for the human race and and to see people just coming together and not thinking twice about jumping in to help their fellow neighbor, and I thought that that was something that was so amazing and so incredible.

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And even still today, even this morning, I was still receiving messages about people looking for ways to still be able to assist the areas around you.

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You're about to head into one of your busiest seasons, with winter just around the corner.

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What can visitors expect when they come to Beach Mountain this winter?

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So, like I said, most of the mountain did not suffer significant damage.

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A lot of our roads did have erosions with the side of the roads as well have erosions with the side of the roads as well.

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The North Carolina DOT is working diligently to correct those fixes for winter season and kind of what I've been saying in my counterparts.

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Obviously, I've been talking to some other area communities and we are all kind of feeling the same way that, for people are returning on Beach Mountain, the landscape has changed.

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What hasn't changed is the welcoming spirit of the high country and its people.

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I think our residents feel so much more grateful for the reaction that we've received that they can definitely expect that.

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And then, in more practical terms, I would say, for people can expect that the roads may not be as smooth as they were or the route that they're used to taking to come over here might not be open.

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So those kinds of things I think visitors can expect.

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At the same time, they can also expect that they are going to have a great time and a quality experience during winter.

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Our resort is ready to open and we are once again ready to share what we consider this beautiful mountain with all the visitors.

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It's by far one of my favorite places.

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I love that area.

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Can you talk about just some of the activities that are in Beach Mountain?

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and tubing and that is a huge attraction.

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Many of our visitors come from Florida, for example, where they haven't seen snow, so for families it's great to come up here and see kind of snow for the first time and enjoy those kinds of activities.

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Another huge attraction for us is we have the only free sledding hill for kids 12 and under in the high country, and that's something it's like a park that the town provides to citizens and visitors.

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Like I said, it's free to use and you cannot imagine how many families come up here just for the sledding hill and to have the kids play and have fun and something that doesn't break the wallet for families, so that I think it's one of our key attractions and is loved from near and far, if you will.

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I think that I need to come do that.

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I've actually never done that.

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I've never been skiing as close as I live to you.

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Oh it's a lot of fun.

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So how can visitors make a positive impact and support local businesses when they're in Beach Mountain impact and support local businesses when they're in Beach Mountain.

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So for sure for Beach Mountain and for the entire high country area, because we're all very close-knit, if you will.

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But I think that if you're coming, stay here, spend a couple of days.

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Helping lodging businesses and bringing in those needed funds is very important.

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Eat locally, maybe buy a gift card to a restaurant or a shop.

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I think that supporting the businesses at this time is going to extremely help in ensuring that the whole area prospers.

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Usually, one of our second biggest in terms of tourism and prosperity for the area is leaf peeping season.

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We have a lot of visitors during that time and we kind of lost that with Helene.

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Helene came right in time to take our leaves away.

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So I think that whatever anyone that wants to help can do to spend time here and spend money and resources in local businesses will be a great, great help to ensure the prosperity of the area great, great help to ensure the prosperity of the area For travelers who are coming.

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You know there are, as we've talked about, communities around you that weren't as fortunate and that are still very much in the midst of picking up the pieces.

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So how can travelers be considerate of the nearby communities while also feeling comfortable in taking a trip?

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At the moment, I know some people are afraid to take a trip or they don't think that anything's happening.

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So what would you say to encourage them that it is a good thing to come and support you guys.

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But there are ways you could still be considerate to the nearby communities.

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I think the most important thing in those terms is to plan ahead.

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Go ahead and find out what communities are open, what attractions are open, and make sure that you're respectful of those.

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They are devastated.

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I'll give you an example that I found very inspiring as well.

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Right here on Beach Mountain, one of our dispatchers on the day of the storm found out that her home had been destroyed.

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Her family was fine, but her home was destroyed, and this woman decided that, since her family was fine, she was going to stay at work and help people in the community that need it and were trying to reach 911.

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And I just thought, number one, that was an amazing show of character and, number two, the people walking in weren't aware that her situation was even more dire than what they knew about.

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So I think that just being respectful of people, having a little more patience than you would normally, if you will, and understanding what communities are open and what communities are ready to welcome you, that would be very helpful in planning a trip, while still being respectful of communities that might be still struggling a little bit more that might be still struggling a little bit more.

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Absolutely, I think the saying of you know you never know what someone is going through in any given moment and being able to treat them with kindness and patience, and that's a really great example.

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If you don't know, you know someone might not share what they have going on behind closed doors or at home.

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They may want to work, might be their escape at the moment to get away from the devastations that they have faced at home.

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So I think that that's really important to be patient and kind with those that are helping you in various areas of Beach Mountain and also the other communities.

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How has Beach Mountain adjusted its approach to welcoming visitors to make sure they feel at ease during this time?

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We have both our town leadership and DOT.

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It's working diligently to make sure that the roads are safe.

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That we know, especially with winter coming and many of our visitors not used to driving in the snow and to the curvy roads.

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First and foremost, we want to make sure that our roads are taken care of and are safe.

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And another thing, I think, is communications.

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We have an update page on our website.

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We're doing big communication campaigns in both social media and through newsletters from previous visitors newsletters from previous visitors just to kind of let them know what to expect, what there might be as a challenge, what might be different, and make sure that they feel comfortable and at ease, that when they do come, the experience is going to be a positive one.

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I think that that is one of the big keys to making sure we want to ensure that our visitors that do come not only enjoy the experience but leave with the understanding that the town and the communities thought about their well-being and made sure that things were in place for their safety.

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Absolutely so.

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You've mentioned a couple, but I just am curious do you have any other moments during this time that really just you know?

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like you said, you moved from South Florida and now you're in this different community Is there a specific moment that just really just stopped you in your tracks and you felt overwhelmingly inspired and had hope and appreciation for those in your community.

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There are several instances.

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One that I found very amazing was, as I mentioned, the first two or three days there was no way to come up or down the mountain and we were in Town Hall and suddenly this young man appeared and he had actually come from Boone to make sure people were safe on Beach Mountain because there was no way of reaching us and communicating.

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And he actually I'm not even sure what kind of vehicle he came up, but there was no road.

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He just came up through the side of the mountain, through rocks, through giant potholes, through land, just to appear to say I'm a first responder, how can I help?

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Just to appear to say I'm a first responder, how can I help?

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And I thought that was amazing, not just in his desire to help but in the fact that it could have been very dangerous for him.

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Another incident that I found was amazing we got a call from a family member in Washington State when we were finally able to get phones a couple of days after, and they talked to one of the town employees.

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Their parents were 85-year-olds and they hadn't heard from them.

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And our police department, of course, was doing wellness check.

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And this particular couple was in an area where the roads were blocked by trees.

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They were in their 80s.

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Where the roads were blocked by trees, they were in their 80s and this town employee made it his personal mission to make sure that this couple was taken care of and was able to leave the mountain as quickly as possible.

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He got tree cutters, volunteers to come and clear their road.

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He went and took them food on more than one occasion.

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He would drive to the far end of the mountain the only place where there was cell service, to make sure that the family knew their family members were safe and kind of coordinated with the family to make sure that they were out to safety as quickly as possible.

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So, and I'm proud of all of our employees, but I thought that in this particular instance that was a true sense of going above and beyond to make sure that residents were safe.

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That's amazing Okay, we goosebumps.

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Save that's amazing Okay, we goosebumps.

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For those who want to help out when they are in the area or if they're from afar.

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Are there any local initiatives tied to Beach Mountain where they can volunteer or donate?

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Yes, there is actually.

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Beach Mountain.

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Cares is a non-profit here on the mountain.

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There's information on it on our website and then Feeding Avery Families.

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It's another excellent resource and another way to help that's county-wise, so that's not just Beach Mountain, but it helps all the communities within the county.

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It helps all the communities within the county and, like I mentioned, we do have on our website a Helene page and we have several links for other opportunities where people can donate either good money or even their time and services.

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So that would be a good resource for listeners.

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What's your favorite thing to do in Beach Mountain?

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So, even though we're known for winter, my favorite thing to do on Beach Mountain is hiking over 27 miles of hiking trails, with all sorts of adventures, from going along beautiful creeks and small waterfalls to going to the summit and having spectacular surrounding views of even up to three states so that's one of my favorite things to do.

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Unfortunately, some of our trails did have substantial damage and it's going to be a while before they're open to the public again.

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We've talked to our Park and Recreation Department and they're confident that by spring they will be able to open all the trails once again.

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But as of now we have about 12 open trails, out of our normal we have about 22.

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And the Emerald Outback Trail Park, which is at the summit.

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Thankfully that was intact and that's one of the ones where you get those spectacular overviews and looks, where you can just see the entire beauty of the mountain and its surrounding area from there.

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So I thought it was magnificent that that is still intact and open to the public so that they can experience it when they come to the public so that they can experience it when they come.

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So if any of our listeners or viewers want to find you guys online, can you share your?

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website or any of your social media, Sure.

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So our website is beachmtncom and our social media is Beach Mountain NC.

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At Beach Mountain NC on Instagram.

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Right now, we have been focusing not just on letting visitors know that we are open and we are ready to welcome them, especially in ski season, but we are still posting a lot of resources where people can help the area.

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So I have one more question.

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I ask everyone that comes on this do you have a favorite quote or a piece of wisdom or advice that you would like to leave behind?

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encompasses for me what it is to be on Beach Mountain and to live on Beach Mountain.

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It would be that being surrounded and feeling the strength and the power of nature, it's really a healing source that can help you with any stress and any sorrow kind of seems to vanish a bit when I pull into my house and there is a deer on my driveway trying to see if I have something to feed it.

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They actually Beach Mountain is famous for the deer population and they even come into the garage.

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They're not afraid of people at all, into the garage, they're not afraid of people at all.

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But I think that having that interaction with the beauty of natural resources and of other living things that we share the planet with, that to me is such a strong sense of healing that I think that's what I would leave your listeners with.

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Make sure you experience that in your life.

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Thank you so much.

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I love that.

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I really appreciate you being with me today.

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I think that it is so important to share what you guys have been through and to also let people know that you need them and you need for them to still come and experience Beach Mountain and that they can do so, and they can do so safely and they can do so while still being sensitive to everyone else around them.

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Absolutely.

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And again, thank you so much for giving us a forum and an opportunity to share those very thoughts with your listeners.