After Hurricane Helene, neighbors across Saluda stepped forward to help. Their collective service was honored with a community-wide award.
When Hurricane Helene swept through Western North Carolina, Saluda faced power outages, downed trees, damaged roads, and disruptions that changed daily life almost overnight. In the days that followed, residents, businesses, organizations, and volunteers began the work of helping their neighbors and putting the community back together.
In recognition of that extraordinary response, the Saluda Business Association named the many volunteers who stepped forward following Hurricane Helene as the recipients of the 2024 Cathy Jackson Volunteer of the Year Award.
Neighbors Helping Neighbors
In the aftermath of the storm, help came in many forms.
Volunteers prepared and served meals, delivered food and essential supplies, cleared debris, checked on neighbors, shared information, and helped wherever there was a need. Some efforts were organized, while others happened simply because someone saw a neighbor who needed a hand and stepped forward.
Together, those individual acts became part of a much larger community response.
Rather than selecting a single recipient for 2024, the Saluda Business Association chose to recognize the collective effort of those who gave their time, resources, and energy during one of the most difficult periods the area had faced.
“Rather than recognizing a single person, we’re honoring all who stepped forward during Hurricane Helene,” said Stephanie Winteroud, president of the Saluda Business Association. “Their compassion, grit, and love for this town made all the difference, and we are deeply grateful.”
The Cathy Jackson Volunteer of the Year Award
The award was named for longtime Saluda community leader Cathy Jackson, whose commitment to service set a lasting example for others.
Each year, the Cathy Jackson Volunteer of the Year Award recognized service that strengthened Saluda and contributed to the life of the community. Traditionally presented to an individual, the 2024 award reflected the unusual circumstances surrounding Hurricane Helene and the broad response that followed.
That year, the recognition belonged not to one person, but to the many people who showed what community service could look like when it was needed most.
A Community Celebration
The Saluda Business Association recognized the 2024 honorees during a public celebration at McCreery Park on Sunday, April 27, 2025.
The afternoon included the award presentation, live music by Willy and the Po’ Boys, led by Will McCray, owner of Salud Sip & Strum, and snacks provided by Saluda restaurants.
The gathering offered an opportunity to recognize the people behind the many acts of service that helped carry Saluda through the weeks and months following the storm.
A Shared Recognition
Hurricane Helene left a lasting mark on Saluda and communities throughout Western North Carolina. It also brought countless examples of neighbors caring for neighbors.
The 2024 Cathy Jackson Volunteer of the Year Award recognized those efforts collectively—a reflection of the many hands, meals, deliveries, check-ins, cleanup crews, and quiet acts of service that helped Saluda move forward together.