10.20.24
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Tee up Carolina in My Mind - James Taylor
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Last week I flew to North Carolina to help my friends Will and Kyle in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. It was intense, inspiring, chaotic, sad, and emotional.
My biggest learning, and top line for all of you reading this:
When natural disasters happen, the best way to help is to donate money on GoFundMe.
Whether you want to support relief efforts from grassroots organizations, small businesses, or individual families — GoFundMe is the best destination for impact, ensuring that the money goes directly to the source. I also think it’s a great way to learn about what’s happening from the people that are going through it, and break away from the (mostly toxic) national narrative.
Will is leading a grassroots effort for emergency response across the rural parts of Western North Carolina. Here’s a video of Will talking about the work of West Carolina Emergency Network, and you can donate on their GoFundMe page.
Kyle is the founder of North Cove Disc Golf. His property was devastated by flooding. I’m working closely with Kyle in launching a fundraising campaign in the coming weeks to support the rebuilding process. Here’s the crowdfunding video we filmed, and you can follow North Cove on Instagram for updates.
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"The abundance when we all lack something and are willing to give what we have to a stranger is so sweet and valuable. This thing we have between us, is worth more than anything money could buy." -- this article from my friend Kevin Jones, CEO of Neighborhood Economics, who I met in his home town of Swannanoa.
The community I experienced in North Carolina was special. At every turn there was an authentically felt desire to support one another. A true sense of neighbors being there for one another. Everyone in the headspace of service, compassion, and support.
In the aftermath of a terrible disaster, the big picture becomes so much more clear. It’s a fresh and welcomed reminder of what matters in life.
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— One of my more emotional moments of the trip was sitting in the warehouse up in Elk River. It was really, really, cold. The collective focus of the day centered on the concerns of warmth (fuel, heaters, generators, and sleeping bags). Thousands, potentially tens of thousands of people, scattered across the rural valley, without roofs and without heat.
— One of my more inspirational moments of the trip was taking a detour on our road trip to help facilitate a caravan of 50 trailers and 100 farmers from Marion Ohio that drove 10 hours to provide hay to the farmers in Northern North Carolina. It was cool to see how this mission brought their community together. They felt joy in banding together to be in service. Check out this post.
— I enjoyed the chaos. It embodied the entrepreneurial spirit. The speed and coordination of people and priorities changed by the hour. It was cool to see, and be a part of.
— I had the great luck of meeting a wonderful woman named Ann. She took me under her wing for the day and showed me little gems of rural North Carolina that you can only experience with a local. The culture and pace of the South is different, and I love it.
— We took a 4x4 adventure deep into the mountains. Holes that were hundreds of feet wide and deep -- the earth completely uprooted. I couldn’t help but think of the many times I’ve sat in big epic nature thinking “How did this come to be”. The power of nature in full display.
— Late in the night we decided to go throw a few holes under the moonlight. Three holes in, Kyle hit an ace, in all the glory of the night, full moon, and moment. It was one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. Let's. Fucking. Go. If there was ever a sign from the universe, this had to be that. North Cove will rebuild, and come back stronger.
— If you know me, you know I have a lot of love for my homies. Nothing better than picking up a couple OGs. Kyle, Ashley, Will, JT, Wes, and Ann are friends for life. That was the best thing I could have ever gotten from this trip and I’m deeply grateful for it.