One year to the day after Hurricane Helene struck, the Ashe County town of Lansing welcomed nearly 2,000 visitors, including Gov. Josh Stein, for its first Lansing Day to reflect on the storm’s impact and celebrate the town’s remarkable recovery.

“It’s unbelievable what’s been accomplished in one year,” said Aimee Fink, executive director of Lansing’s Bridge to Recovery. “So many positives have come out of such a devastating storm, and the community really came together to make it happen.”

Boosted by grants from the North Carolina Community Foundation’s Disaster Relief Fund, local nonprofits and volunteers helped power the revival of Lansing, home to about 200 residents.

Lansing’s Bridge to Recovery was formed in the wake of Helene to help residents regain access to their homes, completing more than 100 projects, including repairing private bridges, roads and culverts across the town and surrounding areas.

The effort was supported in part by a $25,000 grant from NCCF’s Disaster Relief Fund, awarded at the recommendation of the advisory board of NCCF’s Ashe County affiliate. The funding directed by the Ashe County Community Foundation went toward replacing a private bridge so a recently widowed resident could safely access her home.

“That was one of the first bridges we completed with grant support, and it turned out to be a really beautiful bridge,” Fink said.

Greater Lansing Area Development, a nonprofit that revitalizes downtown Lansing, supports local businesses, and organizes community events and town beautification projects, also received a $25,000 grant from NCCF’s Disaster Relief Fund. The funding went into a dedicated recovery account, which GLAD used to support a mix of town projects, small businesses, and families in need.

GLAD’s president James Littlejohn believes the influx of support after Helene gave Lansing a story and momentum it might not otherwise have had.

“Those outside groups were critical in helping the town recover, because the locals just couldn’t do it on their own,” Littlejohn said. “Now that’s changed, and economically we’re much better. I feel the community is broader, with locals accepting the newcomers, and that’s made a real difference over the past year.”

“The community came together,” added Fink. “By the time of Lansing Day, you could really see the difference: stores reopening, neighbors reconnecting, and a renewed sense of hope across town.”