The Center for Cultural Preservation, WNC’s local Documentary and History Center, was presented with an award from New York Festivals (NYF) at its annual Storytellers Gala last week for the Center’s radio documentary, From Helen and Back – Nature’s Wakeup Call.
NY Festivals is an almost 70-year-old institution that recognizes the best of radio programming each year. Their 2026 Storytellers Gala Radio Awards celebrates the achievements of global creators in radio and podcasting.
According to the festival, “This year’s winners reflect the impressive range of the medium, spanning audiobooks, podcasts, drama, documentaries, breaking news entertainment and music, and showcasing work from global networks, production companies, and independent storytellers.”
David Weintraub, the program’s producer and the Center’s director asserted, “We wanted to tell the Helene story as a cautionary tale instead of merely mourning a weather event. The impact of Helene and its aftermath was filled with lessons for the entire country about how to live with nature and how communities can come together and help each other, like they always had before the digital age. We hope that with this recognition, our community will answer the call and work to rebuild a more resilient community that can overcome any challenges it faces.”
Listen to the radio doc here: https://saveculture.org/project/helene-radio-doc/
The Center’s main radio partner for this project was WNCW and its Program Manager, Joe Kendrick.
The Center for Cultural Preservation's mission is to preserve the living history of the Southern Appalachians through documentaries, a region-wide oral history project, and public programs. Find out more at SaveCulture.org.