The extent of the tragedy to come was not known, Sept. 27, 2024, when thousands of people across Western N.C. sheltered from the fury of what came ashore on the north coast of the Gulf of Mexico as a hurricane, before arriving to the mountains under the deceptively less threatening classification of a tropical storm.
As the Swannanoa Valley reflects on the year since Helene claimed lives, displaced residents, altered the landscape and devastated the community, a series of events events and observances will culminate with a mournful anniversary of the unprecedented natural disaster.
The Swannanoa Community Altar, which invites area residents to bring items memorializing the loss suffered during Helene. From Sept. 20, through Monday, Sept. 29, community members are asked to leave objects or messages representing remembrance, loss or resilience at the flag pole outside of the Swannanoa Fire Department at 103 South Street, in Beacon Village…