Governor Glenn Youngkin has recommended that the Appalachian Regional Commission use $1.3 million to support the Hurricane Helene Outdoor Recreation Recovery Planning Project in Virginia’s Appalachian region.
A gubernatorial recommendation to ARC is typically tantamount to funding.
“Our outdoor recreation areas are the heart of Virginia’s Appalachian region, driving tourism, supporting local businesses, and offering residents a place to connect with nature,” Youngkin said in a statement. “This funding request to the Appalachian Regional Commission is a crucial step in rebuilding and strengthening these assets after Hurricane Helene, helping our communities recover swiftly and continue to thrive.”
The impacts of Hurricane Helene on Southwest Virginia’s outdoor recreation assets include damage to the Virginia Creeper Trail, the New River Trail, Claytor Lake, storm-related debris buildup, bank erosion and damage to boat ramps along the Clinch and New Rivers. Many recreational areas are also dealing with downed trees, washed-out trails, and hazardous conditions, creating significant challenges for restoration efforts and safe public access. (See Cardinal’s stories about damage to the Creeper Trail and debris at Claytor Lake.)
This project will target 17 counties and four independent cities in Virginia’s ARC region that were included in the Governor’s Virginia Disaster Declaration following Hurricane Helene. The project, led by Friends of Southwest Virginia, is designed to restore safe access to trails, parks and other outdoor resources that drive tourism in the region.
Youngkin’s news release said that Friends of Southwest Virginia “will work closely” with relevant Planning District Commissions “to conduct thorough assessments, provide precise cost analysis, and develop a comprehensive rebuild strategy, including preliminary construction drawings.”
Concert series planned to raise money for flood relief
FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge – in partnership with the Floyd Country Store, 5 Points Music Sanctuary, Jefferson Center and Grandin Theatre – will host “Blue Ridge Holler,” a 10-day concert series Nov. 21-30 to raise funds for Virginia and North Carolina communities impacted by Hurricane Helene. The series is being co-sponsored by Cardinal News.
Akin to Live Aid or Farm Aid, included in the Blue Ridge Holler series is a free benefit concert on Nov. 24 at the Jefferson Center in Roanoke. FRIENDS invites all musicians to share their talents on stage in a 20-minute set. FRIENDS is funding all production expenses and, if needed, musicians’ travel costs.
You can find performance info here.
Additional Blue Ridge Holler concerts in the series will be scheduled events at partner venues that have agreed to generously donate a portion of ticket sales to hurricane relief. Throughout the series, donations will be requested from audiences in attendance as well as those tuning into a free live stream for each event.
The schedule so far features:
- Thursday, Nov. 21, (Grandin Theatre): Caitlin Krisko & The Broadcast, with Florencia & The Feeling
- Sunday, Nov. 24, (Jefferson Center) FRIENDS benefit concert
- Friday, Nov. 29, (5 Points Music Sanctuary) Phat Laces
- Saturday, Nov. 30, (Floyd Country Store) Lonesome River Band with special guests Allen Mills, Jeff Midkiff, Junior Sisk and more
FRIENDS invites other venues and artists to be part of the 10-day Blue Ridge Holler series with performances either in-person or pre-recorded via livestream. All money raised will go to Blue Ridge communities in Virginia and North Carolina that have been impacted by Hurricane Helene. Specifically, funding will go towards rebuilding community assets aligned with FRIENDS’ mission of celebrating the region’s unique culture, natural beauty and quality of life.
“This might mean funds and volunteer support to rebuild recreational areas, parks, playgrounds, trails, artist studios and music venues,” said executive director Julie Whalen. “Thankfully, there are several organizations and federal agencies in place to help with health and human services, and we encourage folks to support them. We feel best equipped to help rebuild with direction from our volunteer chapters already in impacted Blue Ridge communities in ways that align our strengths and mission.”
Agriculture Recovery Resource Day to offer help after Helene
Federal, state and local officials will hold an “Agriculture Recovery Resource Day” in Grayson County on Tuesday to support farmers, private forest owners and agricultural businesses impacted by the remnants of Hurricane Helene.
Tuesday’s event will be held from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Mountain View Baptist Church, 112 Mountain View Road in Independence. Other such events are in the works for the week of Nov. 4 in Wythe and Washington counties, the governor’s office said Thursday.
The Agriculture Recovery Resource Day will bring together more than 17 government agencies as well as nonprofit organizations to help farmers and others with disaster assistance programs, grants and other recovery options.
“Our administration has worked closely with federal, state and local authorities to provide Virginia’s agricultural community with the tools and support needed to recover from the significant losses caused by Hurricane Helene in Southwest Virginia,” Gov. Glenn Youngkin said in a news release. “Farms are the backbone of Virginia’s economy and its communities, and we are committed to ensuring farmers have access to the resources necessary to get back on their feet.”
Among the organizations that will be represented are the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and the Virginia Farm Bureau.
When Helene hit Virginia on Sept. 27, it caused more than $159 million in damage to Virginia agriculture, according to the Virginia Cooperative Extension. Grayson County, where Tuesday’s event will be held, saw the largest losses of any one locality at $61 million, or 38 percent of the total.
For more information on Tuesday’s event, visit the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s website.
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