Asheville Recovery: Day 12
Wednesday, October 9th
Dear Friends,
I have witnessed so much since my first email, and continue to hear of your heartfelt inquiries as to our well-being and the overall recovery efforts in the Asheville area. I have also received some texts - thank you! They come in and here and there but it is hard to get a text back out, and I am always cognizant of how much/little battery I have left on my phone.
Update #2
Day 12
Status: No power, no water, no data, etc.
I wake up to the sounds of helicopters and generators; I go to sleep to the sounds of helicopters and generators.
The basement now “dry” but mold and mildew are quickly taking over and coming up through the vents. Smells are getting harder to deal with but it’s been sunny and that’s incredibly helpful. Some friends have generators but need them for situations much worse than ours and there is only one place to fuel up in town that we known of, so it’s hard to prioritize fuel needs. Even the big generators at Jesse’s work went down yesterday for a while and as they are the support for children’s clinics, hospitals, and emergency services, they must remain the priority.
Most of West Asheville (we are in East AVL; hit much harder) now has power, but none of Asheville/Buncombe County has water. The original assessment of our water system was optimistic. All three water treatment plants at North Fork were devastated, which served over 80% of the community. Herculean efforts are focused on rebuilding the 36 inch bypass line that Helene destroyed. Full system operations are absolutely weeks away.
Personal Complaints:
Washing clothes by hand is the worst, trying to use the smallest amount of water and not waste a drop. My hands hurt. I swear I’m going to wear every piece of clothing I own before I do it again.
Washing dishes is no small feat. Same water conservation. Usually in the dark. Not digging it.
We are amongst the fortunate ones having found two showers in 12 days. I remember being in Jamaica with T, asking about a shower and rolling my eyes when he pointed to the river. What I wouldn’t do to jump in that clean river now! Ah, timing & perspective, you saucy wenches.
On to more updates!
Over the weekend, I joined the rag-tag volunteer team of Chef Michelle Bailey and we hit the streets to feed the masses. Chef Bailey is deeply networked here and was able to tap the many chefs whose restaurants are no longer. What an honor to be amongst (aka doing whatever they tell me to do) the most talented chefs in the county and watch the magic behind the scenes.
I bet most of you have seen cooking shows like “Top Chef” where you get mystery ingredients and have to prepare a cohesive dish. Try receiving trucks of unknown donations, and as items come off the truck hearing various radio updates like, “Chef, we have 65 hungry ppl sheltering in a hard to reach site; what can you do?” I turn and see Chef Bailey noting the meats or produce coming off the truck as she replies, “Ok we’re pivoting! I need everyone on the line! Fire Summer squash! Blister the peppers! Dice 5 crates of garden tomatoes and prep fresh salsa. I want 65 to-go containers piping hot and ready for pick up in 25 minutes!”
Shoot. Now I’m crying all over again, but I have never been prouder in my life to yell, “Yes, Chef!”
That day and the next, we served hundreds and hundreds of people. People who hadn’t eaten at all. People who are unsheltered, many of whom just lost their homes. People who needed a hug. People with disabilities. People with hungry children. People who are doing essential work.
Did you know that when a call goes out for volunteers such as fire fighters, EMTs, and emergency crews, they, too, have to meet their own needs? In other words, they are doing unbelievable work, dangerous work, and they are sleeping in tents on the side of the road, also trying to figure out something to eat. We feed them, too. It’s a privilege to be in-service of others, and this team is going to go til donations run out; currently, we can fund about 5 more days.
My battery is about to die. From this point forward, I will post to a blog so you can find updates and possibly photography in a central location. Please visit: www.aplombperspective.com/ashevillerecovery
Next post will document the pictures I took on Monday volunteering with Chef Bailey & team in Swanannoa. It was a tough day but it was critical work.
Thank you for caring. Thank you for the Love. We feel it.