Yet Another Amish Group Is Helping Rebuild Western NC

In Chimney Rock, North Carolina, the Amish have become a regular part of the scenery, so to speak. So much so that we may need to start calling it at least a “temporary” Amish settlement 🙂

The outpouring of support from the Plain community (and of course, not only from them) for those in the region recovering from Hurricane Helene has been remarkable.

WSOC reports (link below) on another Amish group working in the area to help put things right after massive flooding caused by Hurricane Helene.

Of course this is just the latest in a line of stories about Amish people (typically younger folks, but not only) helping clean up and rebuild damaged buildings in western North Carolina.

Just a month ago we learned of an Amish group from a Lancaster County organization called Great Needs Trust doing work in Chimney Rock.

Prior to that, it was a story of another Amish group from Indiana doing repair and cleanup in nearby Bat Cave, NC.

Last autumn there was a story on the efforts of MDS (Mennonite Disaster Service) in the area, including people from Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Not to mention the report of volunteers building tiny homes for people needing temporary housing.

This latest group is from a different organization, this one called Spokes of Hope, which has had a whopping 2,000+ volunteers in the area helping since the floods of last September.

I hadn’t realized that there had been that many people involved. But when these things happen, Amish tend to be eager to help.

For an Amish young person – young man or lady – it’s not only an opportunity to put a faith tenet into practice, but it’s also a chance to travel and see another part of the country.

The fact that many of them have excellent carpentry and related skills, honed starting in their teenage years, makes volunteering on these types of projects a great fit.

Chimney Rock will be back

There’s not a ton to the report by WSOC-TV, but we do learn a few details. For one, Chimney Rock Mayor Peter O’Leary’s hoped-for reopening of downtown by Memorial Day Weekend unfortunately did not come to pass.

Prior to Hurricane Helene (and no doubt after recovery), Chimney Rock was one of the more famous towns in western North Carolina’s beautiful mountain region. The town is named for a breathtaking outcrop located above the village, popular with sightseers.

As for the Amish part of the story, we did not get Amish speaking on camera as in the last story – just some video footage and this detail: “Some of the Amish were spotted helping build a new foundation for the Broad River Inn.”

The Broad River, which surged after Helene dropped one to two feet of rain, can be seen in the background of this photo:

Without a doubt, Chimney Rock and other towns in the region will be “back” – thanks both to the spirit and efforts of community members, with a big helping hand from the Amish and others like them.

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