On December 7, 2024, about 200 runners and 200 mountain bikers gathered in Outdated Fort, North Carolina, on the Outdated Fort Robust Endurance Pageant to run and journey for six, 12, or 24 hours to lift cash for the area people, which was devastated by Hurricane Helene in September. Whereas the occasion is now concluded, its fundraising continues, and you may assist help the hurricane restoration efforts by way of the top of December by way of this RunSignup marketing campaign.
Outdated Fort is a small city of about 800 folks that sits only a half-hour drive east of Asheville. Most of the city’s residents misplaced their properties, and payouts from the Federal Emergency Administration Company (FEMA) max out at $42,500. Many individuals affected by the storm didn’t have flood insurance coverage, and the federal and state catastrophe funds merely aren’t sufficient to cowl their restoration. The city had by no means seen the extent of flooding skilled throughout Hurricane Helene.
This previous weekend, the outside neighborhood stepped in to assist by internet hosting a working and mountain bike pageant. When registration opened for the occasion in early October, they bought all 425 spots in simply two days. To lift cash for impacted residents, the occasion’s contributors unfold the phrase on social networks, asking family and friends to donate by way of the RunSignup marketing campaign. Different cash got here from raffles. As this text is revealed, they’ve raised over $960,000 towards their purpose of $2 million.
[Editor’s Note: This story was first published on our sister site, GearJunkie.]
Path runners had been in excessive spirits at Camp Grier on December 7 and eight, 2024, for the Outdated Fort Robust Endurance Pageant. Photograph: Steve Barker with Icon Media Asheville
Help for Small Cities
Tanawha Adventures founder and occasion organizer Brandon Thrower stated that small cities like Outdated Fort are in continued want of help following the hurricane: “To go to the mountains [of North Carolina], you need to undergo these cities,” Thrower stated. “These are the trailheads.” Whereas crews are working across the clock to restore the world and residents have obtained exterior support, in some conditions, it’s not fairly sufficient. Thrower stated, “We simply need to ensure that these cities and the folks that dwell in them aren’t forgotten.”
Runners had been handled to native trails and enjoyable all through the weekend. Photograph: Steve Barker with Icon Media Asheville
Because the city’s enterprise and neighborhood leaders noticed the determined want amongst their neighbors, they determined to lift cash with an outside occasion. Tanawha Adventures and Pisgah Productions — together with Camp Grier, which hosted the pageant — placed on the occasion to lift cash straight for city residents who wanted additional help. Throughout the storm, the native Mill Creek rose so excessive that properties 400 toes away had been ruined, and 47 buildings had been destroyed. The flooding in North Carolina broke information throughout the state, inflicting much more destruction than the state’s Nice Flood of 1916.
Along with flooding, the storm doubtless set a file for the variety of downed timber. The highly effective rain induced widespread mudslides, and plenty of roads will doubtless keep closed for years to come back, Thrower stated. “You’ll go into one holler and it seems nice, and then you definately go to the subsequent one over, and it seems like a bomb went off.” Thrower added, “It’s simply catastrophic.”
The Outdated Fort Robust Endurance Pageant showcased the native trails. Photograph: Steve Barker with Icon Media Asheville
A Weekend of Festivities
Whereas racer entry charges coated the price of the occasion, everybody was inspired to fundraise no matter they might, with the purpose set at $1,500 per racer. For individuals who couldn’t make the occasion however nonetheless wished to contribute, there was a digital run possibility as effectively. Most of the contributors got here from close by Asheville to help their neighbors.
Along with the run, contributors had been handled to a number of extras, together with a panel dialogue with ultrarunners like Sally McRae and Anton Krupicka. The races themselves had been held on a 3.5-mile loop on native trails for the runners and a special eight-mile path for the mountain bikers. The middle of the festivities had distributors, dwell music, and many happening all weekend.
The pageant included an endurance panel with ultramarathoners like Sally McRae and Anton Krupicka. Photograph: Steve Barker with Icon Media Asheville
Restoration Funds
The cash raised on the pageant goes straight to space residents. As soon as Outdated Fort residents submit kinds describing wants like residence restore, a fund supervisor critiques the requests, handing out as much as $50,000 per individual or household. To this point, the fund has already given about $325,000 to 11 Outdated Fort households. That features a full $50,000 to a lady who misplaced her complete residence to Hurricane Helene.
Now that they’ve reached practically half the fundraising purpose, Thrower and different organizers are hopeful they will persuade companies to fill within the hole. However up to now, all the cash raised has come straight from contributors and other people like Collin Ihlenfeldt, a North Carolina resident who donated a Frameworks bike that raised $43,000 by way of a pageant raffle.
“What a weekend. It’s a uncommon alternative to create an influence larger than your self,” Ihlenfeldt wrote in an Instagram submit. “Witnessing dispersed communities come collectively at Camp Grier for #oldfortstrong was a very rewarding expertise; maybe a sense I’ll by no means have once more. Helene modified our lives and our panorama, however she strengthened #WNC’s resolve.”
To assist the Outdated Fort Fund attain their $2 million purpose, donate by way of the RunSignup fundraiser by the top of December.
Vibes had been good on the pageant all weekend with distributors, visitor audio system, runners, and mountain bikers. Photograph: Steve Barker with Icon Media Asheville
Name for Feedback
- Had been you a part of the Outdated Fort Robust Endurance Pageant? What was your expertise?
- What different Hurricane Helene reduction efforts are you able to suggest to the working neighborhood?
- Has your working neighborhood been in a position to contribute to essential causes in your space?