Governor Glenn Youngkin has recommended that the Appalachian Regional Commission use $1.3 million to support the Virginia Appalachian Region Outdoor Recreation Restoration Planning Project.

A government recommendation to the ARC usually equates to funding.

“Our outdoor recreation areas are the heart of Virginia’s Appalachian region, driving tourism, supporting local businesses and providing residents with a place to connect with nature,” Youngkin said in a statement. “This funding request to the Appalachian Regional Commission is a crucial step in rebuilding and strengthening these assets after Hurricane Helene, helping our communities recover quickly and continue to thrive.”

Hurricane Helene’s impacts on outdoor recreation assets in Southwest Virginia include damage to the Virginia Creeper Trail, New River Trail, Claytor Lake, storm debris accumulation, bank erosion, and damage to boat ramps along the Clinch and New Rivers. Many recreation areas also experience downed trees, washed-out trails, and hazardous conditions, creating significant challenges for restoration efforts and safe public access. (See Cardinal’s stories about the creeper trail damage and debris at Claytor Lake.)

This project will target 17 counties and four independent cities in Virginia’s ARC region that were included in the Virginia Governor’s Disaster Declaration after Hurricane Helene. The project, led by Friends of Southwest Virginia, is designed to restore safe access to trails, parks and other outdoor resources that boost tourism in the region.

Youngkin’s news release says Friends of Southwest Virginia “will work closely” with the relevant district planning commissions “to conduct thorough assessments, provide an accurate cost analysis and develop a comprehensive reconstruction strategy, including drawings construction preliminary”.

The concert series planned to raise money for flood relief

FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge – in partnership with Floyd Country Store, 5 Points Music Sanctuary, Jefferson Center and Grandin Theater – will host “Blue Ridge Holler,” a 10-day concert series Nov. 21-30 to raise funds for Virginia and North Carolina Communities Affected by Hurricane Helene. The series is co-sponsored by Cardinal News.

Dubbed Live Aid or Farm Aid, the Blue Ridge Holler Series is a free benefit concert on November 24 at the Jefferson Center in Roanoke. FRIENDS invites all musicians to share their talents on stage for a 20 minute set. FRIENDS funds all production expenses and, if necessary, musicians’ travel costs.

you can find performance information here.

Additional Blue Ridge Holler concerts in the series will be scheduled events at partner venues that have agreed to generously donate a portion of ticket sales to hurricane relief. Throughout the series, donations will be solicited from the audience in attendance as well as those who tune in to a free live stream for each event.

The program so far includes:

• Thursday, November 21 (Grandin Theatre): Caitlin Krisko & The Broadcastwith Florencia & The Feeling
• Sunday, November 24, (Jefferson Center) FRIENDS benefit concert
• Friday, November 29 (5 Music Sanctuary Points) Phat Laces
• Saturday, November 30 (Floyd Country Store) Lonesome River Band with special guests Allen Mills, Jeff Midkiff, Junior Sisk and more

FRIENDS invites other venues and artists to be part of the 10-day Blue Ridge Holler Series, with performances either in person or pre-recorded via live stream. All money raised will go to the Blue Ridge communities of Virginia and North Carolina that were affected by Hurricane Helene. Specifically, funding will go toward rebuilding community assets aligned with FRIENDS’ mission to celebrate the region’s unique culture, natural beauty, and quality of life.

“This could mean funds and volunteer support to rebuild recreation areas, parks, playgrounds, trails, artist studios and music venues,” said Executive Director Julie Whalen. “Fortunately, there are several organizations and federal agencies to help with health and human services, and we encourage people to support them. We feel best equipped to help rebuild with direction from our volunteer chapters already in affected Blue Ridge communities in ways that align our strengths and mission.”

Agriculture Recovery Resource Day to Provide Help After Helene

Federal, state and local officials will hold an “Agricultural Recovery Resource Day” in Grayson County on Tuesday to support farmers, private forest owners and agricultural businesses affected by the remnants of Hurricane Helene.

Tuesday’s event will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Mountain View Baptist Church, 112 Mountain View Road in Independence. Other such events are in the works for the week of Nov. 4 in Wythe and Washington counties, the governor’s office said Thursday.

Agriculture Recovery Resource Day will bring together more than 17 government agencies as well as nonprofit organizations to help farmers and others with disaster assistance programs, grants and other recovery options.

“Our administration has worked closely with federal, state and local authorities to provide Virginia’s agricultural community with the tools and support they need to recover from the significant losses caused by Hurricane Helene in Southwest Virginia,” Governor Glenn Youngkin said in a statement. – a press release. “Farms are the backbone of Virginia’s economy and its communities, and we’re committed to making sure farmers have access to the resources they need to get back on their feet.”

Among the organizations that will be represented are the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the US Small Business Administration, the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Virginia Farm Bureau.

When Helene hit Virginia on Sept. 27, it caused more than $159 million in damage to Virginia agriculture, according to the Virginia Cooperative Extension. Grayson County, where Tuesday’s event will take place, saw the largest single-county losses at $61 million, or 38 percent of the total.

For more information on Tuesday’s event, visit Federal Emergency Management Agency website.

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