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    • Communities Influenced by Helen and Milton Celebrate Halloween
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    Communities Influenced by Helen and Milton Celebrate Halloween

    Harry Posted on

    Monte Vista Hotel, in collaboration with a local restaurant, held a fall festival in Black Mountain, North Carolina on October 26, 2024. Credit – Courtesy of Kelley Floyd

    kRista Gamble and her family love Halloween. But this year, as his community in Asheville, North Carolina, was still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, a category 4 storm that devastated the city last month, he wanted to make sure area families could enjoy the fun. holiday.

    Gamble says about Helene: “Many of the things some of these children see or learn are traumatizing.” “It’s important to let these kids still be kids; “They had a tough month.”

    Helen has reached Florida on September 26 and tore apart the Southeast. Storm ruined western North Carolina– Nearly half of the deaths from Helene were in North Carolina, with 42 in Buncombe County, where Asheville is located. Associated Press. Hurricane Milton in less than two weeks went ashore It emerged as a Category 3 hurricane in Florida, wreaking havoc on communities just beginning to recover from Helene. Officials are still tallying the damage caused by the two storms, but estimated It will cost tens of billions of dollars.

    Gamble says he and his family were lucky to have had very little flooding in their basement, but they were without power and running water for several weeks after Helene hit. Gamble says most of Asheville still under surveillance boil water notice As of Tuesday. But as the community embarks on rebuilding and cleanup efforts, people like Gamble are also coming together to help each other find moments of joy, like celebrating Halloween.

    North Carolina celebrates Halloween despite Helene

    After Helene, Gamble began fundraising for Halloween costumes, bringing about 150 of them to a local community space in Asheville. afflicted A freefall festival on October 27 that includes face painting, candy, and a costume drive. Gamble was one of several people who organized costume donations or Halloween events for children and families.

    Nearby Monte Vista Hotel and Goldfinch, a local restaurant, hosted their first fall festival on Oct. 26, which included Trunk or Treat, rides and even therapy horses, among other events. There were also nearly 400 costume donations for people to choose from. Everything served at the event was donated from within and outside the state. The hotel, located in Black Mountain, was providing free meals to people in the days after Helene was shot and housing People whose property was damaged in the storm are considered survivors by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA provide assistance and coordinate relief efforts To states like North Carolina affected by Helene.

    A child visits a woman dressed as a fortune teller at the Monte Vista Hotel and Goldfinch's Trunk or Treat event in Black Mountain, North Carolina, on October 26, 2024."copyright">Courtesy of Stephanie Wessling</span>” data-src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/.Vel7xDZXcBLjLtEezsChQ–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xNjU2/https://media.zenfs.com/en/aol_time_773/9ead7b150330199fcf74ad2c9 50d6de9″/><img alt=
    A child visits a woman dressed as a fortune teller at the Monte Vista Hotel and Goldfinch’s Trunk or Treat event in Black Mountain, North Carolina, on October 26, 2024.Courtesy of Stephanie Wessling

    But still the hotel staff wanted to do more.

    Chloe Greene, the hotel’s assistant general manager, said: “I guess none of us thought it would last this long in our little town” he says. like Black Mountain Ashevillewas one of many communities ruined by Helene — brought by the storm severe flood It damaged a lot of property in the area. Black Mountain is also still under control boil water notice As of Tuesday, according to Greene..

    Ken Floyd, general manager of the hotel, said: “We just wanted to reassure parents who are so worried” he says. He said about 1,500 people attended the event.

    “We distributed over approximately 200 kilos of candy. And seeing the kids’ faces light up when they got to choose their costumes…” Floyd adds. “People should sit down, relax, have some food, and watch their kids have a great time, and that’s really… that’s what it’s all about.”

    Read more: How Can You Help Hurricane Helene Victims?

    Like Gamble, Morgen Stanzler wanted to raise costume donations to help the Black Mountain community, where he and his family own a second home. After Helene, she began collecting decorating kits for the Monte Vista Hotel’s Trunk or Treat and costumes for the festival’s costume campaign.

    Stanzler, “I love this place so much” he says. “I can’t rebuild the roads after a tragedy like this, there’s not much I can do. … (But I wanted to help) the community to find some joy in the midst of something truly devastating.”

    Floridians gather together after back-to-back storms

    Shortly after Helene ripped through Florida, residents had to start preparing for another storm: Hurricane Milton. Authorities Issue Evacuation orders have been issued for millions of people in the Tampa area. While it wasn’t as severe as meteorologists expected, Milton brought more. demolition to the state — hurricanes hit In some parts of the state, the storm flooded neighborhoods and downed trees.

    Following Milton is Karen Aucoin, owner of an event and wedding venue. LargoHe decided to keep his business’s annual Halloween event — in Florida’s Tampa Bay area. Studio 131 has hosted it for the past few years, and this year’s event featured a Trunk or Treat on October 13, a vendor market, and a haunted mansion at the event venue. Most of the event was free; The haunted mansion had a $5 fee, but Aucoin says they waive that fee for those who don’t have one. Aucoin estimates that between 100-200 people came to the event. Studio 131 is also working with local organizations to raise funds for people affected by the hurricanes.

    Aucoin, “I knew we had to do something really good for the community no matter what; We need to give everyone a sense of normalcy.” says.

    Read more: How to Help Hurricane Milton Victims?

    People dress up in costumes at Studio 131's Halloween event in Largo, Florida, on October 13, 2024."copyright">Courtesy of Studio 131</span>” data-src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/_rKHHiu.iOabYrfBc1p8KQ–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xNjU2/https://media.zenfs.com/en/aol_time_773/0800ebe49bc5da779124394 601dc7e51″/><img alt=
    People wear costumes at Studio 131’s Halloween event on October 13, 2024 in Largo, Florida.Courtesy Studio 131

    Some Halloween-themed events in the area helped raise money for storm victims. Gerry Cachia in Seminole, Florida – some experience significant storm damage From Helene and Milton – organized the Lake Seminole Haunted Cemetery Rotary Club event this year. In the past, proceeds from the event have gone to helping foster children in the area, but this year the club decided to donate half to hurricane relief efforts.

    The Oct. 26 event included a haunted graveyard set up in the parking lot of a local mall, candy booths and a costume contest. Cachia, wearing a suit with pumpkin prints all over it and a pumpkin mask “Pumpkin Master” disguised himself. He hoped the event would help take people’s minds off the fallout from the storms and give them a break. And he says he thinks he did just that. About 1,200 people showed up and the club raised about $6,000.

    People say the efforts of friends and neighbors to make sure children and families can enjoy Halloween are consistent with the way communities have come together in the wake of two brutal natural disasters.

    Cachia, “Neighbors who didn’t know each other before are now best friends” he says. “You’ll walk around and there are people set up water stations who just want to help. There are people walking around neighborhoods with ice and garbage bags and handing them out to people. When you encounter a disaster like that, it really brings out – it sounds corny to say this – but it also brings out the good in people.

    Contact us at [email protected].

    Harry
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