West Asheville, NC – Jan. 29- Feb. 7, 2026

Long term volunteers arrived in Asheville from Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kansas, Virginia, and Manitoba.  We arrived as cold and snow invaded this area.  Saturday we were secluded in the hotel since the restaurants were closed and we could not access the RSAA building.  Sunday, we ventured out to church and then went to see one of the homes the group would be working on during the week.  After lunch we went to Bat Cave to see several of the bridges and viewed some of the devastation from Helene.  We enjoyed popcorn and apples with the bridge long term group. 

Because of the uncertainty of the weather the 12 weekly volunteers from PA decided to delay their arrival until Monday.  The construction supervisor chose words for the day: drywall, sheetrock, mudding.  It was clear what the tasks at hand were for the week.  Not only did they hang drywall; they also had to unload it and carry it into the house—even upstairs in the two-story house.  Two crews worked at the McAnally house and quite a lot was accomplished.  Another crew worked at several houses in Beacon Village.  Drywall was hung at the Walls and Culler houses, cracks were filled, and walls were taped and mudded.  The director from Hope in the Valley came to see the houses and was very impressed with the quality of the work that had been done.  For several, drywall mudding was a new adventure.  The fruits of everyone’s labors produced good work. 

Lou Erb, project coordinator for NC, was in and out all week helping to answer questions and search for other accommodations and job referrals.  On Wednesday four MDS staff members visited.  Several of us joined them for a tour of the area led by a local tour guide, Tom Burnett.  We couldn’t fathom the area covered with 30 FEET of water.  His experience of living through the storm helped us to understand a bit more clearly what the residents experienced and how they were impacted in so many ways.   

On Friday everyone went to see the bridge project at Bat Cave.  Both groups enjoyed supper and visiting together.  Eight people from the same PA group had worked on the bridges during the week.  

From Asheville,  

Edith, Bruce, Mel, Carol, Ron, Char, Brenten, Caleb and Tom