Not all of Asheville is destroyed. Grace Baptist Church in West Asheville, North Carolina, sits on high ground and was protected from the storm. That protection has allowed them to fill their building with donations that will be distributed to hurting individuals across the surrounding area.
“There are towns that don’t even exist anymore,” said Branton Burleson, lead pastor of Grace Baptist Church.
RELATED: To read more stories about Hurricane Helene, click here.
Burleson said there was devastation just a mile from the church, specifically in the River Arts District and surrounding the French Broad River. Though Grace Baptist Church experienced flooding in their basement, which will cost roughly $50,000 to repair, most of their large space was preserved.
“We’re on high ground, so this neighborhood was spared,” Burleson said.
Lay pastor Philip Priddy said, “We’re uniquely positioned to where we can really assist. We were not as heavily impacted as a lot of folks were.”
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EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by and originally published by Baptist Courier.
