The Aftermath of Helene in Augusta: The Best communities are the local ones
Earlier this week I was fortunate to teach a class at the College of Charleston School of Business. Ironically, it was the first college business class I have ever attended (as a student or teacher!). The students were engaged, curious and inquisitive about Auben and my journey. Invariably, the “How did you get started?” question was asked by one of the students.
My initial response was to tell her to just jump in the deep end without a life jacket and paddle her way out. But I stopped short, reflecting on something I have been thinking about a lot lately, which is how different the journeys can be for everyone and how these different paths can still intersect at the same place.
What worked for me, may in fact, be the worst advice for someone wired differently.
So instead of offering some Richard Branson-like wisdom of “Screw it, let’s do it,” I tried to frame my response around the student seeking awareness of what would work best for her–with the caveat that regardless of the approach, the non-negotiables are becoming educated and informed. And most importantly, seeking communities that prioritized communication and collaboration.
Community, in particular, has been a constant theme for me recently (and always) as I have witnessed the Augusta community severely impacted by Hurricane Helene. I was in Augusta as the storm hit in the morning hours of Friday September 27th. Fortunate to be in the Auben headquarters at 909 Walker Street: I had previously been told it was a building you want to be in during a natural disaster (It is a historic building previously rebuilt from the inside out with steel framing and poured concrete floors). As winds in excess of 100 MPH battered the building–and the city of Augusta–the lights flickered, but the Auben office would be a rare location in Augusta that did not lose power, water or internet.
Walking outside shortly after the storm hit, there was an eerie calm and quiet on the deserted streets. As I looked down main arteries of downtown Augusta, not a single car passed as street signs lay discarded many yards from their place of origin. I picked up a heavy metal Auben sign, previously anchored to the building, that was discarded as casually and effortlessly as a playing card from a deck. It was clear something bad had occurred. However, at that moment in the downtown landscape, which lacks the common giant Georgia pine trees that define Augusta, the damage was still hard to see and comprehend.
Shortly after I would connect with my dad who realized multiple trees hit his home and his neighboring rental property. I jumped in the car to head to my father’s house and it became evident that the Augusta community had been hit really hard by the winds from Helene. As I was driving the 3.1 miles to my dad’s house, I made decent progress navigating the streets around the medical community and downtown.
When I crossed over 15th street and began to drive up “The Hill,” as Augusta natives call it, the carnage was far worse than I could have imagined. Apocalyptic scenes of dark traffic signals, downed power lines, telephone poles and huge multiple-century-old trees blocked the streets. What should have been an 8-minute commute turned into over a 45-minute drive with me consistently turning around on streets blocked to even a single car passing.
People began to emerge from their homes to assess the situation. The landscape of Augusta was not designed to withstand the tropical winds that Helene brought. As unprepared as Augusta was, what was amazing to see was the sense of community that began to rally to begin the clean up. Porches began to fill with neighbors seeking solace and companionship as they planned next-step efforts. The chorus of chainsaws clearing paths began as streets of neighbors rallied to the most needy, those with trees on houses, cars, fences, yards and everywhere in between. It was a sad scene of destruction but another example of the importance and value of community. Check back next week for another report on Helene, specifically focusing on the amazing efforts of the Auben Augusta team as they worked tirelessly to assist hundreds of our residents who were affected by the storm.


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