IN THE AFTERMATH OF HURRICANE HELENE
As I sit here this morning typing this note, I am reminded of just how fortunate most of our WNCW family has been to have survived this storm with our lives, and for my family personally, what only amounted to the minor inconvenience, of a few hours without power and internet connectivity. Many of our staff at WNCW are still without power and water. Some of them still haven't even been able to make it out of their neighborhoods, or towns, due to impassable roads, but we are all thankfully all alive and well. All of us at WNCW are very aware of the fact that thousands of our family members, friends, and neighbors weren't so fortunate. This is truly one of the most devastating natural disasters to ever hit Western North Carolina, SC, TN, and across our region of the southeast. Our hearts are breaking for our friends and neighbors across the region. We've seen entire towns, and communities that we live in, grew up in, or loved to visit, completely washed away. Our friends and neighbors are hurting. Many have lost everything. Rest assured that we are here for you. WNCW will continue to provide updated info as it is available so that those in need can find the help and resources they need to begin the recovery process. It's also our goal to keep hope alive and spirits up by continuing to bring you uplifting music along with that important information.
WNCW's Fall On Air Pledge Drive was scheduled to begin this coming Saturday, October 5th. In fact, many of you may have already received pre-drive emails asking for your support. In light of the current circumstances facing our region, we are postponing our fall fund drive and will revisit it a few months down the road. If you've already donated or would like to do so anyway, that's fine, and we appreciate your generosity, but our friends and neighbors in Western North Carolina are in dire need at the moment. We at WNCW would encourage you to give generously to help the survivors of Hurricane Helene get the supplies, resources, and help that they need so desperately at this time, and begin the process of rebuilding their lives. There will be time to support your favorite public radio station later. If you weren't really affected by Hurricane Helene at all, and you are living your daily life as normal, I personally would ask you to stop and consider how blessed you truly are. Think about that fact, and if you're financially capable, give to one of the charities that are already on the ground in our region, working to help those affected by Hurricane Helene. If you can't give financially, but you are capable of volunteering your time, or skills to help, then do that.
We've already had discussions about what we can do here at WNCW to help. At the moment, the most important thing is to get the vital information out to those affected. In the coming months we will look at a possible benefit concert to raise money for relief efforts, once people have time to get back on their feet, and their lives get back to something that relatively resembles a normal existence. We've already been contacted by NC musicians ready and willing to help, but we all agreed that the time for such an event is still quite a while off.
Make no mistake about it, the amount of devastation done to our region by Hurrican Helene is unprecedented. Due to the inability to reach some areas, the full effects likely won't be known for quite some time. The recovery will be a long process. Just know that we are in this together, all of us. It's our intent at WNCW to be here for you. We are thinking of you and praying for you all daily.