PEARISBURG, Va. – This week marks one year since Hurricane Helene struck the United States and changed lives in Virginia.
Giles County experienced some of the worst flooding and damage in the region. Dozens of families were displaced, and businesses were forced to close for months.
“That time is a blur in history in the way that the storm hit. It was a historic storm for Giles County,” said Jon Butler, emergency services coordinator for the county.
But the community and local leaders rallied to help those impacted by the storm. Volunteers, including the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets, swarmed the county, picking up debris and helping people rebuild.
“The way this community loves the river, the way this community loves each other has been quite the sight to see over the past year. It’s been very humbling to be a part of,” Butler said.
Now the focus is on long-term recovery. Businesses devastated by the storm, like Riverview Campground in Narrows, are making their way toward normalcy.
“We’re a little over 50% capacity … We’ve had a lot of folks come down and help,” said Justin Harman, manager at the campground. “We are pushing through it and hope to be as close to fully open next season as possible.”
While everyone who was displaced has found new housing, relief is still available through the new Virginia Disaster Assistance Fund, which allocates $50 million to people impacted by Helene and February’s storms.