[1]RALEIGH, N.C. — In conjunction with the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene, nearly 100 guests gathered on Friday, Sept. 26, in a spirit of hope, healing and service at a special fundraising event sponsored by the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina to support ongoing rebuild and ministry efforts in western North Carolina.
The event was a reminder of how faith and compassion continue to fuel recovery through the dedicated work of N.C. Baptists on Mission, whose volunteers have served throughout the mountains of North Carolina since the storm moved through the region on Sept. 27, 2024.
The evening brought together civic officials, community members, business executives, church leaders and others from across the state for a night of inspiration and giving. The event raised funds to help those in western North Carolina impacted by Helene through ServeNC [2], a special initiative of N.C. Baptists that helps fund and support service projects for those in need throughout the year. Proceeds from the event will support long-term rebuilding in the areas hit hardest by Helene and providing respite care to pastors in affected areas.
Richard Brunson, executive director of N.C. Baptists on Mission, shared how volunteers with the organization have been serving in western North Carolina since Helene’s arrival. Initial disaster relief work has shifted to rebuilding homes for those impacted throughout the region. Brunson said the work will continue for years to come.
“The rebuild effort is going to be a marathon, not a sprint,” Brunson said. “We know we’ll be there for at least five years.”
Baptists on Mission is an auxiliary of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. Volunteers serving with Baptists on Mission have rebuilt more than 500 homes to date with hundreds more in progress and even more in the pipeline.
North Carolina native George Shinn, a businessman and philanthropist who is known for bringing professional basketball to Charlotte in the 1980s, shared remarks with attendees that highlighted aspects of his own faith journey with an emphasis on giving back and helping others. Those values have compelled Shinn and his wife, Megan, to financially support N.C. Baptists’ work in western North Carolina while encouraging others to do the same.
“There’s a lot of people who are suffering and not back in their homes yet,” Shinn said. “We’ve got to help them.”
In addition to making a financial pledge during the event, the Shinns partnered with N.C. Baptists in February to auction a special edition Ford Mustang to support disaster response efforts in western North Carolina. The car auctioned for $200,000 and additional donations in varying amounts brought the total contributed to ServeNC to almost $700,000.
In recognition of their generosity and commitment to help garner additional support for the ongoing rebuild work in western North Carolina, the Shinns were presented with a ServeNC Award for their philanthropic efforts.
An emotional highlight of the evening came when Pastor Jeff Dowdy and his wife, Melody, shared a personal testimony about ministering to their storm-ravaged community of Swannanoa in the aftermath of Helene. Although the church Dowdy pastored — First Baptist Church of Swannanoa — was surrounded by catastrophic flooding, the church was spared from major damage and quickly became a hub for relief in the area.
After Dowdy chainsawed his way out of his neighborhood and made it to the church, First Baptist Swannanoa distributed food, clean water and essential supplies to those in need. The Dowdys’ work at the church went beyond meeting physical needs, but emotional and spiritual needs, as well. Through counseling and prayer, the Dowdys helped residents process grief, loss and uncertainty. But as supplies and volunteers came pouring in, the church became a shelter, a command center for coordinated relief efforts, and a symbol of hope and restoration for Swannanoa.
“We just happened to be in that place to be used by God at First Baptist Church of Swannanoa to provide what those individuals needed,” Jeff Dowdy said. “We were merely servants of God as we provided what they needed and what God knew they needed. God’s provision was in abundance and it was timely.”
In recognition of their ministry and service, the Dowdys were also presented with a ServeNC Award for their tireless efforts during the crisis following Helene.
The night also featured uplifting musical performances by singer and songwriter Jake Hoot, winner of season 17 of the NBC show “The Voice” who also spent a significant part of his childhood in the Dominican Republic where his parents served as missionaries. Hoot’s music underscored the evening’s themes of hope, healing and faith in action.
Attendees received a handcrafted fountain pen made with wood from trees that fell during Helene. One attendee won a signed photo of Jaccob Slavin, a defenseman with the Carolina Hurricanes professional hockey team, one of the event’s sponsors.
Other sponsors for the event included Emerald City Associates, North State Bank and Provision Financial Resources.
Todd Unzicker, executive director-treasurer for N.C. Baptists, thanked guests for their attendance and for supporting the ongoing work in western North Carolina. He encouraged them to spread the word about ServeNC and consider ways to get involved with the rebuild efforts by praying for the work, giving financially or going to serve in the region.
“This is just a sample of what God has been doing since one year ago tonight,” Unzicker said. “God is at work in North Carolina and around the world. ServeNC seeks to touch the lives of people today and for all of eternity.”
This article originally appeared in the Biblical Recorder.
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