French Broad Adventures

11/01/2024

We received a heartfelt card from one of the incredible teams that came to support our community after Hurricane Helene devastated the area. Their team, including their remarkable search dogs, made a lasting impact on us. A big thank you to the NC Trooper's Association K-9 Search and Recovery for the beautiful card and photo—it means so much to us!

10/30/2024

Our staff have worked incredibly hard up to and following Hurricane Helene. We are so proud of all that they have done for their community.

As floodwaters roared through remote mountain communities of Western North Carolina, locals raced against time to save each other.

10/16/2024

The French Broad Adventures family needs your support. The recent storm devastated our area, and while we're working hard to rebuild, our amazing team – the guides who ensure your safety on your adventures, the friendly faces at the outpost, the team that keeps our company running smoothly – have been hit hard. Many have lost employment and belongings, yet they've been volunteering tirelessly to help with the recovery efforts.

We're asking for your help to support our staff through the difficult months ahead. Your donations will go directly towards covering lost wages as they get back on their feet.

Please donate today to help our team rebuild: https://gofund.me/e0951aad

Every dollar counts, and your contribution, no matter the size, will make a real difference. Thank you for your generosity.

With gratitude,
The FBA Team

10/14/2024

HURRICANE HELENE UPDATE

We deeply appreciate the outpouring of support and concern from our community. We are relieved to share that our team is safe; however, it is with heavy hearts that we must announce the cancellation of the remainder of our 2024 adventure season due to the significant impact of the storm.

For those with existing reservations, please rest assured that we will be issuing full refunds. Our team is working diligently to process these, and we will reach out to each of you directly in the coming days.

Right now, our primary focus is on supporting those affected and contributing to recovery efforts in our region. Adventure can wait, but the spirit of community and resilience comes first.

We look forward to welcoming you back for new adventures in 2025 as our region heals and rebuilds. Thank you for your understanding and continued support.

FBA Hurricane Helene Resources - https://www.frenchbroadrafting.com/blog/hurricane-helene-resources-for-wnc

– The FBA Family

10/12/2024

10/08/2024

Coverage of local rescue and recovery efforts on the national stage. Many FBA family and local volunteers helping with these efforts. Keep supporting the local efforts in Madison County and beyond.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/10/07/helene-flooding-rescue-recovery-north-carolina/75545453007/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1TndKadI4Q_DukMTFn-hRI6xVnvr655sQ8S61asqG9-yXa38tJnofuVt4_aem_--TFD7apwxZDcsUDUEIU8w

10/06/2024

Many of our FBA Staff and family have been working with and out of the Walnut Fire Department in Marshall.

Donations to them are appreciated for their tireless work.

Thank you.

Help Walnut Community Volunteer Fire Department reach their goal by donating or sharing with your friends.

10/06/2024

Madison County residents, Walnut Fire Department will be open for supplies today.

Walnut Fire Department supply distribution will remain open from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. for Madison County Residents.

10/05/2024

FBA STAFF and team members have been hard at work behind the scenes over the last week. All our STAFF are safe, and have been contributing in numerous ways locally. Thank you to Walnut Fire Department for the staging area, West Stanly Fire Department for the support and to all volunteers that are out there!

Here are a couple of photos of our folks in action.

* FBA family, Amy Beck, Lindsay Montgomery Tasia Hampton, Ellie Sandow, and Shelby Hampton preparing breakfast and lunches for FBA staff that are with the North Carolina SBI doing searches on the river and tributaries in the area.

* FBA Guides John Fulmer and Rocky Kyzer working with the West Stanley Swift Water team.

10/05/2024

Help the Madison County business community…

10/02/2024

If you'd like to help our local communities, please consider donating to the Madison County Relief Fund. This will be spent in our Rural County. Thank you for all the support and help.

The county is now able to accept donations to the Madison County Hurricane Helene Relief Fund, which will keep these funds in the county. You can find the link on the county homepage or go directly to https://payments.municipay.com/nc_madisonfinance/search/26f829c2

10/02/2024

Madison County WiFi services.

𝗜𝗻 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗪𝗶-𝗙𝗶 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗧𝗼𝘄𝗻.

𝗔𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝟭,𝟲𝟬𝟬 𝗵𝗼𝘁𝘀𝗽𝗼𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗮. 𝗔𝗻𝘆𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗶-𝗙𝗶 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 "𝗙𝗕𝗙𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗿-𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆", 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲. 𝗡𝗼 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗱 – 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲. 𝗛𝗼𝘄𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿, 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗮 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗪𝗶-𝗙𝗶 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲, 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀.

𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗽 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘁𝘀𝗽𝗼𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗱. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗽 𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘁𝘀𝗽𝗼𝘁𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀.

10/02/2024

Madison County Services Update…

Please share - Updated information from the County about available resources:

Schools have been closed until further notice.

Food Distribution:
Food and water supplies are being routed to area volunteer fire department to move them closer to each community. Residents can pick up there.
• Marshall VFD – operating at AB Tech – 4646 US 25/70 Hwy
• Walnut VFD – 10025 US 25/70 Hwy
• Big Pine VFD - 7909 Big Pine Rd
• Laurel VFD - 4949 NC 212 Hwy, Marshall (they are also accepting donations)
• Ebbs Chapel Community Center - 281 Laurel Valley Rd, Mars Hill
• Mars Hill Fire Dept - 56 N Main St., Mars Hill
• Country VFD - 486 Church Rd., Hot Springs, NC
• Spring Creek VFD - 13131 NC 209 Hwy., Hot Springs
• Hot Springs VFD - 38 S Andrews Ave Hot Springs

Donations can be taken to Cooperative Extension – 258 Carolina Dr. – they are doing limited distribution at this site.
Resources also available at Beacon of Hope – waived income requirement – open 12-4 – 5111 US Hwy 25/70 and Little Ivy Baptist Church in Mars Hill (1053 Crossroads Parkway – 828-779-1991)

Groceries:
• Walmart in Weaverville (getting stocked every two weeks)
• Public in Weaverville (getting stocked every few days)
• Ingles (Marshall) – letting in 10 people at a time due to cashier shortage – cash only – limited stock available
• Ingles (Mars Hill) – Limited stock available
• Road to Newport is open – groceries and gas available – accepting credit cards
• Road to Greeneville TN is open - groceries and gas available – accepting credit cards

Gas:
• Mountain Energy on Monticello Rd. has fuel (10/1/2024)
• BP (exit 2 Mars Hill) has fuel (10/1/2024)
• Exxon in Marshall has fuel (10/1/2024)
• Ingles Marshall has fuel (10/1/2024)

Water:
Bottled water and bulk water (if you bring your own food container) at the Mars Hill Fire Dept. on Main St.
Water is available at all volunteer fire departments and at cooperative extension.

Shelter:
If you need shelter, the Madison Early College (5734 US 25-70 Hwy., Marshall) is the site for most of the county. They are not a food distribution site.

Clothing and Household Items (Non-food):
Accepting donations at the cafeteria of Madison High School
Residents who have been displaced or have lost their household goods are welcome to select what they need from the Madison High School cafeteria, open at 8am.

Trash:
• Mars Hill Trash collection will be Tuesday 10/1.
• County trash sites are open.

Medical:
• The Mashburn office of the Hot Springs Health Program will be open daily from 9-4. You do not need to be a patient to be seen by them. If you are out of important daily medication, please bring your empty container with dosage information, if possible, to Mashburn and they will work to help with refills.
• The Hot Springs branch of the HSHP is open 9-4.
• Mars Hill Medical Center open from 9-5
• The Health Department is open, including WIC services, during regular hours.
• Marshall Pharmacy & Gifts is open at 9am and can help with over the counter and prescription medicines. They can help with emergency and non-emergency prescriptions no matter where they were originally filled.

Community Gatherings:
• Hot Springs – 11am daily – Elementary School – Wendy Stancil
• Walnut Community Center – 6pm daily – Margery Misenheimer
• Spring Creek Community Center – 9:30am daily -Rebecca Gahagan and W Shane Poole

Welfare Checks:
• Resident Welfare checks, contact Madison County Emergency Operations Center at 828-649-1955 or email [email protected]
• Residents trying to connect with family members may call NC 211 (or 1-888-892-1162 if calling from out-of-state) to report missing loved ones.

Disaster Info:
North Carolina has officially received a Major Disaster Declaration, making individuals in Madison County eligible for Individual Assistance through the FEMA. Individual Assistance provides financial aid and services to eligible individuals and households that have been affected by a disaster to assist with the recovery process. Individuals can officially begin applying for Individual Assistance online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or by calling the application phone number at 1-800-621-3362 (TTY: 800-462-7585) between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. EST.

Open Roads per Highway Patrol (10/1/2024)
• 1 lane I-40E
• 26W to Exit 3 then US-19 to Erwin
• 26 to SC open
• 26 to US 74 to Charlotte
• NC 208 to Greeneville
• US 25/70 to Newport