Member Susan Tanner shares how her Walnut Cove community weathered Hurricane Helene with strength and compassion.
Hurricane Helene swept through North Carolina on September 27, 2024, leaving a dramatic and lasting impact on communities across the region.
In the days leading up to the storm, we heard that the “remnants” of Hurricane Helene were headed our way. We expected heavy rain followed by high winds. Many of us, having lived in coastal areas and experienced hurricanes before, knew how to prepare and manage the loss of services. But Helene caught us completely off guard.
On the morning of September 27, I woke up at a friend’s house on the other side of the community. The local kennel had shut down, and I’d stayed over to dog sit while they were out of town. As the storm raged, I watched the flag on number fifteen bend nearly to the ground. Thankfully, the wind was blowing straight down the fairway, and the neighboring houses blocked most of its force, so I felt safe standing in front of the window watching it unfold. It seemed odd to me that the flag would periodically blow in another direction, suggesting a rotation such as a tornado as opposed to straight-line winds.
Once the storm passed, I got in my car and headed home. With cell service down, I was eager to check on my husband and our house. I only made it as far as the DuBose Pond, where several downed trees blocked the road. After trying unsuccessfully to climb over and under the trunks, I made my way through Creekside Farm, scaling a fence to avoid a flooded creek.
As I approached the wellness center, I was stunned. Hundreds of massive trees had fallen, many stacked on top of each other. Some had literally “tipped over,” pulling enormous root balls out of the ground. I ran into a neighbor who warned me that a tree had fallen right in front of her as she walked.
By the time I made it home, a group of neighbors, armed with chainsaws, had already begun working to clear pathways around the neighborhood. The main roads, Misty Valley and Powder Creek, were blocked in multiple places, and nearly every smaller street was impassable. We couldn’t get out, and help couldn’t get in. It was surreal.
We checked on neighbors, but it was challenging with no cell service and roads blocked by countless fallen trees. While working near the Misty Valley gate, a group of residents with chainsaws noticed an ambulance and fire crew attempting to cut their way into the community in response to a 911 call. Residents guided the emergency crews up Secluded Hills Lane, working together to clear debris as they progressed. Even then, the ambulance couldn’t reach the house, so paramedics climbed into a neighbor’s UTV, and he drove them to the front door.
Somehow, the morning after the storm, the Property Owner Association (POA) at Walnut Cove, Carlton Property Services, managed to locate emergency crews, who began working their way through the primary access roads. Progress was slow—many of the fallen trees were enormous, and some would eventually require cranes to remove the largest trunks.
By Monday, maintenance teams from other communities at The Cliffs arrived with additional equipment, making significant progress. Everyone still talks about the incredible job they did.
After days of cleanup, we were finally able to get out. That’s when we realized that most of Western North Carolina was without electricity, gasoline, Wi-Fi, cell service, and water. Grocery stores were closed, and gas stations couldn’t pump the little fuel they had left without power.
It quickly became clear that things wouldn’t return to normal anytime soon, so we did what good neighbors do—we helped each other.
Neighbors set up Starlink satellites in their front yards and shared their passwords with everyone, allowing us to send messages to family and watch the news. Those with generators ran extension cords outside so others could charge their phones. With refrigerators out of service, perishables were at risk of spoiling, so everyone cooked meals and shared them with neighbors. One particularly resourceful friend even baked a cake on her grill for a neighbor!
When some natural gas generators stopped working, a neighbor drove his golf cart around the neighborhood to service them and prevent overheating. Members from Keowee Springs brought food and gasoline to help out. One neighbor with a generator and a DirecTV dish left her door open, kept the television on, and invited everyone to come in and watch the daily news updates. These are just a few examples of how our members took care of each other.
A few days later, the President of The Cliffs, Rob Duckett, set up a Starlink satellite at The Turnhouse, which quickly became a shared office space and gathering spot. This was incredibly helpful, allowing working residents to continue their jobs, homeowners to contact insurance companies and contractors, and everyone to access news and stay connected with their families.
By Tuesday, The Cliffs corporate team managed to host a cookout at The Turnhouse. Everyone showed up—not just for a simple hamburger, but for the camaraderie and the chance to check in with friends after the storm. It was a small gesture that made a big difference and was deeply appreciated.
On Wednesday, I was invited to join a committee tasked with organizing an employee emergency relief fund. Within twenty-four hours, we held our first Zoom meeting with Rob Duckett and South Street Partners Vice President of Human Resources Dixie Norris. That same day, Rob went to the bank and withdrew cash to provide employees with immediate grocery assistance.
South Street Partners and members from all The Cliffs communities contributed quickly and generously. A process was established to handle employees’ storm damage requests efficiently. It was incredibly gratifying to be part of this effort and to witness both the company and club members providing meaningful support to employees in need.
Drinking water deliveries from other communities at The Cliffs started arriving by the truckload, providing a constant stock in the parking lot for our use. Without power, stores remained closed, and even when they reopened, water was unavailable. When we ran out of running water, we started pulling water from hot tubs and streams to flush toilets. Hearing this, Steve Shand, our Golf Course Superintendent, set up a large container of non-potable water from the irrigation pond.
One day, when a truckload of water arrived, the golf shop staff sat in the parking lot, handing out snacks and helping load cases of water into cars. They also offered some much-needed hugs. Mike Steele, our Director of Golf, was carrying an armful of snacks to the bag drop when he saw me. He put everything down and stretched out his arms for a hug. As I told him then, I really needed it.
After initially focusing on our employees and one another, we redirected our efforts beyond the gates, expanding our volunteer work in the surrounding community. The Walnut Cove Members Association (WCMA) provides annual grants to dozens of Western North Carolina charities, with members actively volunteering to meet these organizations’ needs. Project-specific teams were formed alongside individual volunteer efforts, addressing everything from donation sorting to hands-on assistance. The response was so overwhelming that some charities exceeded their storage capacity and temporarily paused accepting donations.
Months later, we are still recovering. We will probably still be cleaning up this spring. While the storm was undeniably disruptive, inconvenient, and costly, it also brought us closer together. In the days, weeks, and months that followed, we discovered so much about one another—about our capacity for generosity, compassion, and resilience. Most importantly, it reinforced what a special community we have and how fortunate we are to have each other.
This story was featured in Cliffs Living magazine. To see more stories like this one and learn more about The Cliffs, subscribe here.
