ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Some Charlotte home builders are putting aside their normal jobs to help build something that flood victims in the mountains desperately need after Hurricane Helene.
Because so many people still don’t have water, and may not anytime soon, they’re building mobile showers.
One of the coolest parts about this project is how quickly it came together. They had the idea, then in just a week had the first shower delivered to the mountains.
It was a simple idea that came from an extraordinarily difficult situation. A phone call from the founder of nonprofit BeLoved Asheville the day after floodwaters swept through the mountains sent Charlottean Meg Robertson into overdrive.
"Amy called me on Saturday night and said, 'I need help, I need water, food and fuel,' and when I delivered that I realized how many people were out of water and I just thought, they’re gonna need showers," Robertson said.
Robertson, a board member of the Appalachia Service Project, then went to work.
"Then I thought, who do I know?" she said. "How we can build shower trailers? And I called a lot of people that were smarter than me, better resourced than me, and oddly enough all of them raised their hand and said yes, Roger being the first."
Roger Mills is the co-owner of Mills Elog Homes, a luxury homebuilder in Charlotte.
"I was excited," Mills said. "I was looking for a way to really get plugged in. I’d run a couple of van loads of supplies up to the mountains and was devastated by what I saw and I felt like this was a good way for us to bring our company’s talents to bare and make an impact."
With this, the Appalachia Shower Project was officially born.
"We spent the weekend modifying the design and by Monday morning we were off and running in this space, trying to build as many as we can," Mills said.
Some mountain communities have been told it could still be weeks, maybe months before they get water back.
"When I came in here I almost started sobbing to see how quickly an idea could help people," Robertson said. "I think anybody that’s been in the region that has seen the needs, gets emotional. There are so many needs and this is just one need that has a quick fix."
They are still looking for help with the shower project, both through financial help and volunteers to help build them. More information about how to help can be found on the Appalachia Service Project website.
Mills added, "It feels really overwhelming but also fills your heart. I feel guilty every night when I take a shower but it helps a little bit to know somebody else will get to shower this week because we're building these trailers."
Contact Michelle Boudin at mboudin@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.