December 12, 2025 • 18 mins
A simple flight home turned into a mission. When Hurricane Helene tore through the Gorge and border towns, our guest, volunteer organizer Shauna Toller, landed to a flood of messages and a community in need. What started with off-road friends checking on one another became a lifeline: scouting safe routes, organizing supply runs, sleeping in a Jeep, and building a rhythm that kept first responders supplied when access was cut and phones were dark.
We walk through the pivotal moments: setting up at Yancey County’s volunteer fire department, creating medical triage packs that freed nurses to focus on care, and transforming a damaged storefront in Bat Cave into a full-service relief hub with showers, staging, and a constantly updating map of who needed what. You’ll hear how a background in veterinary triage translated to human logistics, and why detailed checklists, morning briefings, and simple tools kept the effort moving when roads vanished and the river rose.
As headlines faded, the work shifted. Today the bottleneck isn’t willpower—it’s skilled trades. We talk framing, electrical, and plumbing that must meet code, guided by a licensed GC so families can return to safe, durable homes. Along the way, you’ll meet the true power of community-led recovery: neighbors who received help returning as volunteers, turning a pop-up camp into a locally owned, resilient network. If you have a trade, a truck, or time to coordinate, there’s a place for you in Bat Cave and throughout the Gorge.
If this story moves you, subscribe, share the episode with a friend who can lend a hand, and leave a review to help more people find these hometown heroes. Your skill—or your signal boost—might be the link someone is waiting for.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
The George Real Estate Group Radio broadcast is
celebrating 10 years on WHKP.
The George Real Estate Group iscelebrating 10 years on the
radio live every Thursdaymorning at 1005 on WHKP 107.7 FM
and AM 1450, and streamingonline at WHKP.com.
(00:24):
Each Friday morning at 845, theGeorge Real Estate Group
presents the Hometown Hero Awardto someone in our community who
goes above and beyond to makeour hometown a better place to
live.
Here's this week's Hometown HeroShow.
It's 8 45, and time now for ourGeorge Real Estate Group.
(00:45):
Hometown Heroes salute.
And it is always good to getaround the microphones on Friday
morning and uh tell some storiesabout real estate and about uh
recovery from Helene that goeson.
Shauna Toller is here thismorning, and we're gonna learn
more about uh recovery effortsin the Gorge.
SPEAKER_01 (01:08):
And but first, happy holidays, no happy holidays and
Merry Christmas.
I mean, we're just uh less thantwo weeks away from Christmas.
I know, I know.
SPEAKER_00 (01:18):
And you've got young kids in the house, I know
they're amped up.
SPEAKER_01 (01:22):
They're counting down for sure.
I think more importantly,they're counting down down till
school's out.
Today, right?
Well, for the year-round schoolprogram, and then the
traditional, I think, is out isout in uh next week.
SPEAKER_00 (01:35):
Next week, yeah.
Okay.
Well, as some of those kids aregetting out of school over the
year today.
Today, that's right.
SPEAKER_01 (01:43):
There's some in Henderson County that get out
today.
Yeah.
And I know they're thrilledabout that.
But um, we're we're so gratefulto be here sponsoring the
Hometown Hero series.
We love uh you know, hearing andsharing amazing stories every
Friday morning and honoring menand women, serving this
community, and it's it's aprivilege.
And and the amazing thing is weget to we love serving the
community every single day withhelping our clients with their
(02:04):
real estate needs.
It could be their personal home,it could be their their family
land that they've inherited oryour real estate investments, I
mean, whatever it might be.
And there's always a story.
We love hearing our clients'stories about how maybe they're
their third and fourthgeneration here, maybe they they
discovered this area after oneof the festivals and people
relocate here.
(02:25):
I mean, we hear so many reasonsand stories about how their
family uh first got here,discovered Hendersonville, and
and it's an honor to serve thecommunity through real estate.
SPEAKER_00 (02:35):
You uh you you hear those stories and and uh that's
why such uh a natural marriagehere with uh you sponsoring the
Hometown Hero series, uh,because you're on the front line
of a lot of seeing a lot ofpeople come here that that give
back to our community.
SPEAKER_01 (02:51):
We really do, and this is a contagious area for
volunteering.
We have so many people that loveto they move here, they re and
whether they're moving hereretired or they end up retiring
here and and they want to stayinvolved and get involved and
they and they give back to thecommunity.
So the volunteering community isincredible.
The generosity and thenonprofits that are here in this
area, it's a it's a very uhgenerous uh community.
SPEAKER_00 (03:15):
It really is, and uh at no other time, like after the
Hurricane Helene, did that uhfactor raise its head.
We saw so much communityinvolvement and we continue to
see it.
So the natural transition is nowto talk and welcome Shauna
Toller.
Good morning, Shauna.
SPEAKER_02 (03:35):
Morning, how y'all doing?
SPEAKER_00 (03:36):
We're doing great.
How are you?
SPEAKER_02 (03:38):
Good, great, waking up.
SPEAKER_00 (03:40):
Great way to wake up.
SPEAKER_02 (03:42):
I haven't had my coffee yet.
Had some tea, thank you, Lynn.
SPEAKER_00 (03:45):
Uh yeah, try that one, Noah.
Yeah.
Uh the uh you drove here from uhTennessee.
SPEAKER_02 (03:52):
Tennessee, yep.
SPEAKER_00 (03:53):
Scoot up a little closer to that mic there.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (03:55):
That better.
SPEAKER_00 (03:56):
It's better, yeah.
And uh so you've been on theroad this morning.
What part of Tennessee?
SPEAKER_02 (04:00):
Uh right now we're in we just moved to Robbins.
Right.
But during the whole uhhurricane, that whole stint,
we're over in Townsend,Tennessee for that year.
Okay, okay.
SPEAKER_00 (04:10):
We we just moved, so so well tell tell us about how
your home fared during thestorm.
SPEAKER_02 (04:18):
Over in uh Townsend, nothing really much happened.
SPEAKER_00 (04:21):
Okay.
SPEAKER_02 (04:22):
Um it was the border, the border cities,
Tennessee, North Carolina bordercities that really got hit hard.
A lot of farm country got hitand just ruined.
Um we were actually on vacation.
We were flying that day whenHelene hit, and we were coming
in from Santa Fe.
Family birthday out there inSanta Fe area, and we just
(04:47):
landed, saw all these, you know,the TV's monitors are on with
just storm damage and ragingwater and all.
And that's the first time Iactually got a ping on my phone
saying, Hey, are you guys okayout there?
And I hear so-and-so, you know,may need some help.
We can't get a hold of her.
We're we're in the off-roadingcommunity.
So we have people that weoff-road with all over the
(05:08):
place.
And it's a very strongcommunity, so we check on each
other a lot.
And those are the first peoplethat let us know what was
actually going on.
And so the next day, I wasmaking phone calls, we were all
kind of coordinating, and madeour way out to our friends, and
it just took off from there.
We had running supplies, andeventually it took us up to
(05:29):
Yancey County Volunteer FireDepartment for a few weeks,
helping them out.
SPEAKER_00 (05:32):
Yancey County was hit real hard.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (05:35):
Yeah, we were up there.
It was it was just me, myhusband couldn't make that
stint.
So I was up there sleeping in myJeep, along with the other
campers.
The whole volunteers are allcamping out in the back back
area.
The chief allowed that so hecould help out with whatever
recovery relief, um, supplyruns, you name it, search
rescue, it was just everything,all hands on deck.
(05:55):
Until um uh a couple guys nextto me that were camping, Dan
Lewis and uh Logan Campbell,they found out about Batcave and
were trying to get clear roadsand get into there.
SPEAKER_00 (06:08):
Okay.
SPEAKER_02 (06:08):
And they let me know what was going on.
And I said, you know, if youcan, we could use ya, but let's
see if it's safe first.
And then a couple days later,made the call and they said,
Yep, it's okay, it's safe hereto go, or you to help set up
another supply camp.
Mark and Lynn, Staten, you hadthem on here.
SPEAKER_00 (06:27):
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (06:28):
Yep, their little shop, and we just ended up
setting up shop over there, andI've been helping out them with
them ever since.
SPEAKER_01 (06:34):
You're still helping out.
SPEAKER_02 (06:36):
Oh, still helping out, yep.
SPEAKER_01 (06:37):
Did you have any background in disaster relief or
any of these experiences?
SPEAKER_02 (06:42):
Not boots on the ground per se.
I worked in veterinary medicinefor a while as a veterinary
nurse, and we would umcoordinate relief efforts in
regards to pet housing.
A natural disaster would hit andwe would get flooded with people
needing housing for their petsbecause they would have to be
housed.
You know, the familiesthemselves had to be housed in a
church or something, theycouldn't bring their pets.
(07:03):
So we had to do like fireseason, all the different uh
natural disaster seasons.
We'd we were prepared foremergencies and all that, even
for people, because our littlehospital was also uh a triage
area for people.
And because we're close enoughto uh a hospital, like a halfway
area.
So I had experience in thatrespect, just uh triaging,
(07:28):
getting supplies to where theyneed to go, ordering supplies,
making sure we had enough food,everything on hand for these
situations, because they happenquite frequently.
And so it just kind of fit rightin with especially with medical.
That's actually where I helpedout the most over in Yancey
County.
The nurses there, since I can'twork on people, I can work on
animals, I was able to free themup by um organizing all their
(07:50):
supplies, helping them withmaking supplies and triage packs
for the medics and the firstresponders going out into the
field.
If I couldn't get supplies outto them, I made sure we had
packs ready for them to go firstthing in the morning.
So it's just a constant.
I mean, it was uh we're up earlyin the morning with a morning
report and what we're gonna dotill like eight o'clock at
(08:10):
night.
They fed us, back to the Jeep tosleep, up in the morning again,
and whatever odd errands theyneeded me to run, like extra
supplies needed to go out forthe day.
If it wasn't scheduled, I couldgrab the stuff and and go
wherever they needed me to go.
So it was just it was like Isaid, I was looking at the
messages to kind of recall whathappened because it was such a
blur.
SPEAKER_00 (08:32):
It is, it sounds like it was.
SPEAKER_02 (08:34):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (08:35):
Well, you uh you wound up there at Mark and
Lynn's, and I and I think uh Irecall Mark saying that one of
the uh volunteer organizationsthat came first looked at their
place and said you look like agreat place for one of the
shower trailers.
SPEAKER_02 (08:52):
Yes.
SPEAKER_00 (08:53):
And that's how it kind of started there with the
Batcave uh disaster reliefgroup.
SPEAKER_02 (08:59):
Yeah, they have the they run the or they lease out
their building for the postoffice.
SPEAKER_00 (09:04):
Right, right.
SPEAKER_02 (09:05):
And that part was saved, and her hip and uniques
antique store was just totallywiped out.
So it left, unfortunately, anice spot for just a uh a camp,
uh a supply camp.
Okay.
It was central to that specificarea in Bat Cave because if you
go down the gorge, uh certainareas are cut off from each
(09:25):
other.
Like Middle Fork, we couldn'tget into there for a while.
Um the fire department had theirlittle section up there that
they could help, and then ourarea, the bridge, and up to
Chimney Rock, we kind of helpedthose people out.
And then after a while we justhelped everybody that we could.
Um but it was just kind of slowand going because like I said,
with the gorge split up the wayit is, with the way the
(09:46):
landslides came through, thetornado, the water, it really
isolated a lot of little pocketsand haulers in the in the gorge
that are just a stone's throwaway, you couldn't get to them
without you know, heavymachinery or walking through a
crick or mudslides and stuff.
It was just it was insane.
It was just like a war zone.
Without the war, it was justlike it got bombed.
SPEAKER_01 (10:07):
It's a lot to comprehend.
Yeah, and it's and pitchersdon't even do it justice.
Um I mean all volunteering isincredible and your initial uh
your initial um catalyst wasbecause of the community with
within the four by fourcommunity.
But what you've been doing isyou you didn't just stop.
(10:30):
You it you've gone above andbeyond and you continue to serve
the community.
What I mean what has inspiredyou to can just uh to I mean the
level that you're giving back isis remarkable and you're still
giving and I'm sure it's the Ican imagine, but you you were in
Yancy County and then now you'rethen you came to Batcave.
You continue to serve.
(10:51):
What what's that drive?
And what what's the what hasinspired you to go to that that
level?
SPEAKER_02 (10:57):
People need help.
I know I could fill whatevergaps they needed in order to
help others reach their you knowreach their full potential in
their volunteering efforts.
Because I mean I we do a lot ofbackpacking, off-roading,
camping, all that stuff.
I can help chop down trees.
We've done I've assisted withsearch and rescue training back
(11:19):
in the day because my husbandwas a first responder for a long
time, so I'm familiar.
So he did a lot of that kind ofstuff.
And I could either do that orfill the gap with uh making sure
camp is running, the suppliesare coming in.
They can go off because they'renot familiar with that, they can
go off and do what they do best,and I can fill these other gaps
with what I I can do.
(11:40):
Um and it just it was neededeverywhere.
The level of destruction just wwas so widespread.
And I could the efforts are arestill continuing probably for
another several years or sobecause of the damage, and
especially the little haulers.
They didn't get a lot of fundingbecause the bigger cities needed
more infrastructure repair andwhatnot.
(12:01):
So the little haulers they kindof got left behind, and it it's
just a level of help that theyneed and continue to need, it
was just how could I stop?
I mean, I spend at least a weeka month at Batcave helping out
wherever I can, boots on theground.
When I'm not there, I help outwith their website, all their
(12:21):
socials, or coordinating,logistics, all that kind of
stuff, whatever's needed.
So I'm always in contact withMark and Lynn.
They're like a second familynow.
I mean, I stay at their place,and whenever I come down and we
make sure we got our game plangoing, and whatever the help
they need, I we try andcoordinate efforts.
And it's just it's just neverstopped.
I mean, the level, like I said,the level of need is just it was
(12:42):
incredible.
So I couldn't really go home.
My husband, very supportive.
He gets to work from abroad.
He said, I got this, go do yourthing.
And at the time I wasn'tworking, so I had all the time.
I couldn't give money, but Icould give time and my exp
expertise.
So just if you if people needhelp, you you can't stop.
(13:05):
And then you get to learn thesepeople or know these people, and
you become exactly therelationships you create.
And it's nice to see you lookback and you see where you've
met them, where they're at, theconversations you've had, and
then I get to keep going backand helping and helping and
(13:25):
helping, and you just see thegradual progression of them
finally making it and andsucceeding.
And then they come in turn andthey help out with the volunteer
relief at Batcave.
So it's now more local run andand um assisted than outside
volunteers now, which is greatbecause we wanted to make a lot
of people.
Empower the community, yeah.
Exactly.
Locally, I don't think that's aword, but we like to have local
(13:47):
volunteers.
SPEAKER_01 (13:51):
Yeah, and again, the you guys uh people from outside
were just a shot in the arm thatjust made it possible to to to
do this.
To survive to survive, yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (14:01):
Yeah, it was it was hard getting into a lot of
areas.
Yeah.
So it took everybody that thatcould make it to actually get in
and help.
Because the first responders,police departments, fire
departments, they're alloverwhelmed.
And a lot of times they couldn'teven get into the area.
So it was just they neededeverybody they can get hold of
just to help out.
Right.
(14:21):
I mean, it was just so it's justa huge area to help and they
couldn't do it all themselves.
SPEAKER_01 (14:25):
I I know we don't have that much time left, but it
what what else is needed what'sneeded now and how can people
still volunteer and give?
SPEAKER_02 (14:33):
Um contact local organizations that are still
here um and see just just get ahold of them and see what they
need because the needs areconstantly changing.
Like right now with back heredisaster relief, I know we're
doing a lot of uh home rebuilds.
So it's a lot of we need a lotof skilled labor, not just
whoever can make it.
We need actual skilled tradesmento come out because it has to be
(14:56):
it has to follow code, has toyou know pass the inspections.
Um so Mark being licensedgeneral contractor, he's able to
get these people in and do thework correctly.
And so we're always looking forpeople to fill those gaps like
the framing, um, electricalplumbing, you name it, just like
building uh uh everyday helleveryday homes.
SPEAKER_00 (15:16):
Well, that's the Bad Cave Disaster Relief Group, and
you can find them on uh Facebookand and uh all around the the
social medias and they'll getright back to you, Mark and Lynn
and Lynn, especially.
Yep.
She's uh she's just a lifesaverand she couldn't say enough good
things about you.
SPEAKER_02 (15:36):
So they're incredible people too.
Yeah, they if you get to talk tothem, they're just uh
incredible.
SPEAKER_00 (15:41):
Yeah, there's a there's a whole bunch of
incredible people right downthere.
They sure are.
We we love mining in that uhthat gold mine down there.
We really do.
Noah, we've gotta go.
Uh Shauna, we've got acertificate for you that says
thank you.
It's it's all we can do, but wedo thank you from the bottom of
our hearts for everything thatyou do.
(16:02):
And uh and just thank you forcoming over to visit with us
this morning.
SPEAKER_02 (16:06):
We thank you for having me.
SPEAKER_00 (16:07):
We've got to run, Noah got about 10 seconds.
Remind us where you are.
SPEAKER_01 (16:10):
Find us online at realestatebygreg.com or call us
at 828-393-0134.
SPEAKER_00 (16:15):
Join us next week for Hometown Heroes.
The George Real Estate Group islocated in Flat Rock, North
Carolina, near Hendersonville inHenderson County.
You can find them online atrealestatebygreg.com.
The George Real Estate Group canbe reached at 828-3930134, or
stop by their office at 2720Greenville Highway, Flat Rock,
(16:39):
North Carolina.
Tune in live each week onThursdays at 1005 AM on WHKP
107.7 FM and 1450 AM, or streamonline at WHKP.com.
Or download these podcastswherever you get your podcasts.
The George Real Estate Groupbrings you the WHKP Hometown
(17:02):
Hero Series every Friday morningat 8.45.
SPEAKER_01 (17:06):
You've built a lifetime of strength, wisdom,
and independence.
And here's the best part (17:11):
you still have it.
Every decision, every step,every next chapter is yours to
choose.
Selling your home isn't aboutletting go, it's about opening
the door to more freedom, moretime for what you love, more
energy for the people andpassions that matter most.
(17:32):
At the George Real Estate Group,we believe independence isn't
behind you.
It's right here, right now.
Our team goes beyond buying andselling.
We're here to help you protectyour wealth, preserve your
legacy, and make sure Uncle Samdoesn't become your biggest
benefactor.
We'll guide you every step ofthe way towards your next
(17:54):
chapter, your next opportunity,and your freedom on your terms.
Call us at 828 393 0134.
Find us online atrealestatebygreg.com.
The George Real Estate Group Radio broadcast is
celebrating 10 years on WHKP.
The George Real Estate Group iscelebrating 10 years on the
radio live every Thursdaymorning at 1005 on WHKP 107.7 FM
and AM 1450, and streamingonline at WHKP.com.
(00:24):
Each Friday morning at 845, theGeorge Real Estate Group
presents the Hometown Hero Awardto someone in our community who
goes above and beyond to makeour hometown a better place to
live.
Here's this week's Hometown HeroShow.
It's 8 45, and time now for ourGeorge Real Estate Group.
(00:45):
Hometown Heroes salute.
And it is always good to getaround the microphones on Friday
morning and uh tell some storiesabout real estate and about uh
recovery from Helene that goeson.
Shauna Toller is here thismorning, and we're gonna learn
more about uh recovery effortsin the Gorge.
SPEAKER_01 (01:08):
And but first, happy holidays, no happy holidays and
Merry Christmas.
I mean, we're just uh less thantwo weeks away from Christmas.
I know, I know.
SPEAKER_00 (01:18):
And you've got young kids in the house, I know
they're amped up.
SPEAKER_01 (01:22):
They're counting down for sure.
I think more importantly,they're counting down down till
school's out.
Today, right?
Well, for the year-round schoolprogram, and then the
traditional, I think, is out isout in uh next week.
SPEAKER_00 (01:35):
Next week, yeah.
Okay.
Well, as some of those kids aregetting out of school over the
year today.
Today, that's right.
SPEAKER_01 (01:43):
There's some in Henderson County that get out
today.
Yeah.
And I know they're thrilledabout that.
But um, we're we're so gratefulto be here sponsoring the
Hometown Hero series.
We love uh you know, hearing andsharing amazing stories every
Friday morning and honoring menand women, serving this
community, and it's it's aprivilege.
And and the amazing thing is weget to we love serving the
community every single day withhelping our clients with their
(02:04):
real estate needs.
It could be their personal home,it could be their their family
land that they've inherited oryour real estate investments, I
mean, whatever it might be.
And there's always a story.
We love hearing our clients'stories about how maybe they're
their third and fourthgeneration here, maybe they they
discovered this area after oneof the festivals and people
relocate here.
(02:25):
I mean, we hear so many reasonsand stories about how their
family uh first got here,discovered Hendersonville, and
and it's an honor to serve thecommunity through real estate.
SPEAKER_00 (02:35):
You uh you you hear those stories and and uh that's
why such uh a natural marriagehere with uh you sponsoring the
Hometown Hero series, uh,because you're on the front line
of a lot of seeing a lot ofpeople come here that that give
back to our community.
SPEAKER_01 (02:51):
We really do, and this is a contagious area for
volunteering.
We have so many people that loveto they move here, they re and
whether they're moving hereretired or they end up retiring
here and and they want to stayinvolved and get involved and
they and they give back to thecommunity.
So the volunteering community isincredible.
The generosity and thenonprofits that are here in this
area, it's a it's a very uhgenerous uh community.
SPEAKER_00 (03:15):
It really is, and uh at no other time, like after the
Hurricane Helene, did that uhfactor raise its head.
We saw so much communityinvolvement and we continue to
see it.
So the natural transition is nowto talk and welcome Shauna
Toller.
Good morning, Shauna.
SPEAKER_02 (03:35):
Morning, how y'all doing?
SPEAKER_00 (03:36):
We're doing great.
How are you?
SPEAKER_02 (03:38):
Good, great, waking up.
SPEAKER_00 (03:40):
Great way to wake up.
SPEAKER_02 (03:42):
I haven't had my coffee yet.
Had some tea, thank you, Lynn.
SPEAKER_00 (03:45):
Uh yeah, try that one, Noah.
Yeah.
Uh the uh you drove here from uhTennessee.
SPEAKER_02 (03:52):
Tennessee, yep.
SPEAKER_00 (03:53):
Scoot up a little closer to that mic there.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (03:55):
That better.
SPEAKER_00 (03:56):
It's better, yeah.
And uh so you've been on theroad this morning.
What part of Tennessee?
SPEAKER_02 (04:00):
Uh right now we're in we just moved to Robbins.
Right.
But during the whole uhhurricane, that whole stint,
we're over in Townsend,Tennessee for that year.
Okay, okay.
SPEAKER_00 (04:10):
We we just moved, so so well tell tell us about how
your home fared during thestorm.
SPEAKER_02 (04:18):
Over in uh Townsend, nothing really much happened.
SPEAKER_00 (04:21):
Okay.
SPEAKER_02 (04:22):
Um it was the border, the border cities,
Tennessee, North Carolina bordercities that really got hit hard.
A lot of farm country got hitand just ruined.
Um we were actually on vacation.
We were flying that day whenHelene hit, and we were coming
in from Santa Fe.
Family birthday out there inSanta Fe area, and we just
(04:47):
landed, saw all these, you know,the TV's monitors are on with
just storm damage and ragingwater and all.
And that's the first time Iactually got a ping on my phone
saying, Hey, are you guys okayout there?
And I hear so-and-so, you know,may need some help.
We can't get a hold of her.
We're we're in the off-roadingcommunity.
So we have people that weoff-road with all over the
(05:08):
place.
And it's a very strongcommunity, so we check on each
other a lot.
And those are the first peoplethat let us know what was
actually going on.
And so the next day, I wasmaking phone calls, we were all
kind of coordinating, and madeour way out to our friends, and
it just took off from there.
We had running supplies, andeventually it took us up to
(05:29):
Yancey County Volunteer FireDepartment for a few weeks,
helping them out.
SPEAKER_00 (05:32):
Yancey County was hit real hard.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (05:35):
Yeah, we were up there.
It was it was just me, myhusband couldn't make that
stint.
So I was up there sleeping in myJeep, along with the other
campers.
The whole volunteers are allcamping out in the back back
area.
The chief allowed that so hecould help out with whatever
recovery relief, um, supplyruns, you name it, search
rescue, it was just everything,all hands on deck.
(05:55):
Until um uh a couple guys nextto me that were camping, Dan
Lewis and uh Logan Campbell,they found out about Batcave and
were trying to get clear roadsand get into there.
SPEAKER_00 (06:08):
Okay.
SPEAKER_02 (06:08):
And they let me know what was going on.
And I said, you know, if youcan, we could use ya, but let's
see if it's safe first.
And then a couple days later,made the call and they said,
Yep, it's okay, it's safe hereto go, or you to help set up
another supply camp.
Mark and Lynn, Staten, you hadthem on here.
SPEAKER_00 (06:27):
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (06:28):
Yep, their little shop, and we just ended up
setting up shop over there, andI've been helping out them with
them ever since.
SPEAKER_01 (06:34):
You're still helping out.
SPEAKER_02 (06:36):
Oh, still helping out, yep.
SPEAKER_01 (06:37):
Did you have any background in disaster relief or
any of these experiences?
SPEAKER_02 (06:42):
Not boots on the ground per se.
I worked in veterinary medicinefor a while as a veterinary
nurse, and we would umcoordinate relief efforts in
regards to pet housing.
A natural disaster would hit andwe would get flooded with people
needing housing for their petsbecause they would have to be
housed.
You know, the familiesthemselves had to be housed in a
church or something, theycouldn't bring their pets.
(07:03):
So we had to do like fireseason, all the different uh
natural disaster seasons.
We'd we were prepared foremergencies and all that, even
for people, because our littlehospital was also uh a triage
area for people.
And because we're close enoughto uh a hospital, like a halfway
area.
So I had experience in thatrespect, just uh triaging,
(07:28):
getting supplies to where theyneed to go, ordering supplies,
making sure we had enough food,everything on hand for these
situations, because they happenquite frequently.
And so it just kind of fit rightin with especially with medical.
That's actually where I helpedout the most over in Yancey
County.
The nurses there, since I can'twork on people, I can work on
animals, I was able to free themup by um organizing all their
(07:50):
supplies, helping them withmaking supplies and triage packs
for the medics and the firstresponders going out into the
field.
If I couldn't get supplies outto them, I made sure we had
packs ready for them to go firstthing in the morning.
So it's just a constant.
I mean, it was uh we're up earlyin the morning with a morning
report and what we're gonna dotill like eight o'clock at
(08:10):
night.
They fed us, back to the Jeep tosleep, up in the morning again,
and whatever odd errands theyneeded me to run, like extra
supplies needed to go out forthe day.
If it wasn't scheduled, I couldgrab the stuff and and go
wherever they needed me to go.
So it was just it was like Isaid, I was looking at the
messages to kind of recall whathappened because it was such a
blur.
SPEAKER_00 (08:32):
It is, it sounds like it was.
SPEAKER_02 (08:34):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (08:35):
Well, you uh you wound up there at Mark and
Lynn's, and I and I think uh Irecall Mark saying that one of
the uh volunteer organizationsthat came first looked at their
place and said you look like agreat place for one of the
shower trailers.
SPEAKER_02 (08:52):
Yes.
SPEAKER_00 (08:53):
And that's how it kind of started there with the
Batcave uh disaster reliefgroup.
SPEAKER_02 (08:59):
Yeah, they have the they run the or they lease out
their building for the postoffice.
SPEAKER_00 (09:04):
Right, right.
SPEAKER_02 (09:05):
And that part was saved, and her hip and uniques
antique store was just totallywiped out.
So it left, unfortunately, anice spot for just a uh a camp,
uh a supply camp.
Okay.
It was central to that specificarea in Bat Cave because if you
go down the gorge, uh certainareas are cut off from each
(09:25):
other.
Like Middle Fork, we couldn'tget into there for a while.
Um the fire department had theirlittle section up there that
they could help, and then ourarea, the bridge, and up to
Chimney Rock, we kind of helpedthose people out.
And then after a while we justhelped everybody that we could.
Um but it was just kind of slowand going because like I said,
with the gorge split up the wayit is, with the way the
(09:46):
landslides came through, thetornado, the water, it really
isolated a lot of little pocketsand haulers in the in the gorge
that are just a stone's throwaway, you couldn't get to them
without you know, heavymachinery or walking through a
crick or mudslides and stuff.
It was just it was insane.
It was just like a war zone.
Without the war, it was justlike it got bombed.
SPEAKER_01 (10:07):
It's a lot to comprehend.
Yeah, and it's and pitchersdon't even do it justice.
Um I mean all volunteering isincredible and your initial uh
your initial um catalyst wasbecause of the community with
within the four by fourcommunity.
But what you've been doing isyou you didn't just stop.
(10:30):
You it you've gone above andbeyond and you continue to serve
the community.
What I mean what has inspiredyou to can just uh to I mean the
level that you're giving back isis remarkable and you're still
giving and I'm sure it's the Ican imagine, but you you were in
Yancy County and then now you'rethen you came to Batcave.
You continue to serve.
(10:51):
What what's that drive?
And what what's the what hasinspired you to go to that that
level?
SPEAKER_02 (10:57):
People need help.
I know I could fill whatevergaps they needed in order to
help others reach their you knowreach their full potential in
their volunteering efforts.
Because I mean I we do a lot ofbackpacking, off-roading,
camping, all that stuff.
I can help chop down trees.
We've done I've assisted withsearch and rescue training back
(11:19):
in the day because my husbandwas a first responder for a long
time, so I'm familiar.
So he did a lot of that kind ofstuff.
And I could either do that orfill the gap with uh making sure
camp is running, the suppliesare coming in.
They can go off because they'renot familiar with that, they can
go off and do what they do best,and I can fill these other gaps
with what I I can do.
(11:40):
Um and it just it was neededeverywhere.
The level of destruction just wwas so widespread.
And I could the efforts are arestill continuing probably for
another several years or sobecause of the damage, and
especially the little haulers.
They didn't get a lot of fundingbecause the bigger cities needed
more infrastructure repair andwhatnot.
(12:01):
So the little haulers they kindof got left behind, and it it's
just a level of help that theyneed and continue to need, it
was just how could I stop?
I mean, I spend at least a weeka month at Batcave helping out
wherever I can, boots on theground.
When I'm not there, I help outwith their website, all their
(12:21):
socials, or coordinating,logistics, all that kind of
stuff, whatever's needed.
So I'm always in contact withMark and Lynn.
They're like a second familynow.
I mean, I stay at their place,and whenever I come down and we
make sure we got our game plangoing, and whatever the help
they need, I we try andcoordinate efforts.
And it's just it's just neverstopped.
I mean, the level, like I said,the level of need is just it was
(12:42):
incredible.
So I couldn't really go home.
My husband, very supportive.
He gets to work from abroad.
He said, I got this, go do yourthing.
And at the time I wasn'tworking, so I had all the time.
I couldn't give money, but Icould give time and my exp
expertise.
So just if you if people needhelp, you you can't stop.
(13:05):
And then you get to learn thesepeople or know these people, and
you become exactly therelationships you create.
And it's nice to see you lookback and you see where you've
met them, where they're at, theconversations you've had, and
then I get to keep going backand helping and helping and
(13:25):
helping, and you just see thegradual progression of them
finally making it and andsucceeding.
And then they come in turn andthey help out with the volunteer
relief at Batcave.
So it's now more local run andand um assisted than outside
volunteers now, which is greatbecause we wanted to make a lot
of people.
Empower the community, yeah.
Exactly.
Locally, I don't think that's aword, but we like to have local
(13:47):
volunteers.
SPEAKER_01 (13:51):
Yeah, and again, the you guys uh people from outside
were just a shot in the arm thatjust made it possible to to to
do this.
To survive to survive, yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (14:01):
Yeah, it was it was hard getting into a lot of
areas.
Yeah.
So it took everybody that thatcould make it to actually get in
and help.
Because the first responders,police departments, fire
departments, they're alloverwhelmed.
And a lot of times they couldn'teven get into the area.
So it was just they neededeverybody they can get hold of
just to help out.
Right.
(14:21):
I mean, it was just so it's justa huge area to help and they
couldn't do it all themselves.
SPEAKER_01 (14:25):
I I know we don't have that much time left, but it
what what else is needed what'sneeded now and how can people
still volunteer and give?
SPEAKER_02 (14:33):
Um contact local organizations that are still
here um and see just just get ahold of them and see what they
need because the needs areconstantly changing.
Like right now with back heredisaster relief, I know we're
doing a lot of uh home rebuilds.
So it's a lot of we need a lotof skilled labor, not just
whoever can make it.
We need actual skilled tradesmento come out because it has to be
(14:56):
it has to follow code, has toyou know pass the inspections.
Um so Mark being licensedgeneral contractor, he's able to
get these people in and do thework correctly.
And so we're always looking forpeople to fill those gaps like
the framing, um, electricalplumbing, you name it, just like
building uh uh everyday helleveryday homes.
SPEAKER_00 (15:16):
Well, that's the Bad Cave Disaster Relief Group, and
you can find them on uh Facebookand and uh all around the the
social medias and they'll getright back to you, Mark and Lynn
and Lynn, especially.
Yep.
She's uh she's just a lifesaverand she couldn't say enough good
things about you.
SPEAKER_02 (15:36):
So they're incredible people too.
Yeah, they if you get to talk tothem, they're just uh
incredible.
SPEAKER_00 (15:41):
Yeah, there's a there's a whole bunch of
incredible people right downthere.
They sure are.
We we love mining in that uhthat gold mine down there.
We really do.
Noah, we've gotta go.
Uh Shauna, we've got acertificate for you that says
thank you.
It's it's all we can do, but wedo thank you from the bottom of
our hearts for everything thatyou do.
(16:02):
And uh and just thank you forcoming over to visit with us
this morning.
SPEAKER_02 (16:06):
We thank you for having me.
SPEAKER_00 (16:07):
We've got to run, Noah got about 10 seconds.
Remind us where you are.
SPEAKER_01 (16:10):
Find us online at realestatebygreg.com or call us
at 828-393-0134.
SPEAKER_00 (16:15):
Join us next week for Hometown Heroes.
The George Real Estate Group islocated in Flat Rock, North
Carolina, near Hendersonville inHenderson County.
You can find them online atrealestatebygreg.com.
The George Real Estate Group canbe reached at 828-3930134, or
stop by their office at 2720Greenville Highway, Flat Rock,
(16:39):
North Carolina.
Tune in live each week onThursdays at 1005 AM on WHKP
107.7 FM and 1450 AM, or streamonline at WHKP.com.
Or download these podcastswherever you get your podcasts.
The George Real Estate Groupbrings you the WHKP Hometown
(17:02):
Hero Series every Friday morningat 8.45.
SPEAKER_01 (17:06):
You've built a lifetime of strength, wisdom,
and independence.
And here's the best part (17:11):
you still have it.
Every decision, every step,every next chapter is yours to
choose.
Selling your home isn't aboutletting go, it's about opening
the door to more freedom, moretime for what you love, more
energy for the people andpassions that matter most.
(17:32):
At the George Real Estate Group,we believe independence isn't
behind you.
It's right here, right now.
Our team goes beyond buying andselling.
We're here to help you protectyour wealth, preserve your
legacy, and make sure Uncle Samdoesn't become your biggest
benefactor.
We'll guide you every step ofthe way towards your next
(17:54):
chapter, your next opportunity,and your freedom on your terms.
Call us at 828 393 0134.
Find us online atrealestatebygreg.com.
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Bobby Bones Show
Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.