Pastor Mary Katherine Robinson ’93 Lives What She Preaches in Wake of Helene
October 8, 2024
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- Caroline Roy '20
Mary Katherine Robinson ’93 serves as pastor of Black Mountain Presbyterian Church.
The devastation unleashed by Hurricane Helene has affected students, faculty and staff whose families and friends were in harm’s way and the many ÍřĆŘşÚÁĎ alumni who live in counties in the southeast that have been declared FEMA disaster areas. In an ongoing effort to share news of relief, rebuilding and research efforts that center on the affected communities, we will update this page with first-person accounts and stories about the students, faculty, staff and alumni providing aid to or living and working in these communities.
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For more information about how you can support relief efforts, please visit this resource page.
“Has everyone been fed?”
This question, embossed on Black Mountain Presbyterian Church’s communion table for more than 20 years, now bears a new meaning as the church becomes a center for healing in the wake of Hurricane Helene.
Just weeks before the storm swept through Western North Carolina, Pastor Mary Katherine Robinson ’93 gave a sermon on these words. In response to the question, “Has everyone been fed?,” she encouraged the congregation to shout “No!”
Swannanoa Valley locals gather in the church parking lot for food and companionship.
High-speed winds and heavy flooding struck the Swannanoa Valley early the morning of Friday, Sept. 27. Robinson spent that first day accounting for her family, helping her parents evacuate and regrouping with neighbors. With no power and no route into town, they couldn’t yet see the extent of the damage.
“The next morning, it was time to go to the church,” she said. “We had a clear chance to live what we preach.”
With an overwhelming task ahead of them, Robinson and her staff started with what they already had. They emptied the ice maker to collect drinkable water and began distributing frozen hamburgers and hot dogs from the parking lot.
Located in the center of Black Mountain, just across from the Chamber of Commerce and the town square, the church was a natural gathering place. They fed 65 people that Saturday, and word began to spread.
“It was like loaves and fishes,” Robinson said. “We started cooking for more and more people every day. A week later, we were feeding close to 1,200 people daily.”
In the following days and weeks, the church housed first responders, collected supplies and became a place where those hit hardest by the storm could find cell service and a hot meal. In the midst of the chaos, the church saw an outpouring of support from donors and volunteers across the region and beyond.
“I’ve learned leadership is about seeing the gifts of the people around you,” Robinson said, “and knowing when to let go.”
BMPC distributes a stock of food, supplies and other donations to the community.
Purpose in the Work
Communicating with her personal network of ministry partners, including several ÍřĆŘşÚÁĎ alums, helped her connect to relief efforts outside of Black Mountain. Rev. Michael Poulos ’88, located in Spruce Pine, sent updates on his community’s greatest needs, and Montreat Conference Center President Richard DuBose ’84, who was stuck in Charlotte at the time of the storm, helped organize supplies from outside of WNC.
“As we listened to people talk in the food line, we realized their biggest needs shifted each day from water and food to paper towels and underwear,” Robinson said. “Now, lots of people need cleaning supplies. Agility and a willingness to pivot was key to what our church accomplished.”
Robinson said she still feels awed by the multitude of friends and strangers eager to serve the community. Over a month after Helene, the church now prepares for the long road ahead. Overwhelmed with money and supplies, they now bear the responsibility of allocating resources to those who need them most.
Later this month, the church will partner with Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry to host a Thanksgiving feast, where displaced people across the valley can once again come together for a hot meal. Black Mountain Presbyterian will also help fund affordable and sustainable housing projects in the months and years to come.
“Many of the poorest in our county live along the river,” Robinson said. “Their homes were hit the hardest. People’s lives have been transformed, but we’ve found purpose and meaning in this work. Going forward, it’s crucial that we hold onto the good in one another. That’s who we are.”
Pilot Jackson Schulz ’25 Delivers Crucial Supplies to Hurricane Helene Victims
Written by Mary Elizabeth DeAngelis, Published October 8, 2024
Jackson Schulz ’25, earned his pilot’s license in February. Last week, his flight school, Race City Flight Operations at Lake Norman Airpark in Mooresville, opened as a donation center for hurricane relief supplies. People dropped donations off by air and road, and pilots like Schulz flew supplies to airports in Western North Carolina. They also helped with search and rescue missions and evacuations. Schulz, a psychology major from Lilburn, Georgia, shared this account of recovery efforts:
Newly minted pilot Jackson Schulz ’25 took to the skies with supplies for hurricane victims in Western North Carolina. Schulz connected his flight school with college student orgs for maximum impact.
I’ve always loved flying out to Western North Carolina—it’s one of the most beautiful areas, and being in the air over those mountains has always been a special experience for me.
Seeing Helene’s destruction— not only in the news, but firsthand and from my coworkers’ flights—was a powerful motivator. I’ve always wanted to use my aviation skills to help people, and this disaster allowed me to do that.
We have been overwhelmed by the community’s generosity.
Last week, we flew supplies to airports in the region, including Banner Elk, Ashe County, Avery County, Asheville, and Hickory. We also conducted search and rescue and evacuation flights.
At one point, a plane in our search and rescue group spotted a flare. They relayed the position to a helicopter, which located and evacuated the person in distress. Another time, one of our planes was landing at Avery County’s airport when a helicopter pilot came over the radio, reporting they had a stranded pregnant woman who’d gone into labor. Thanks to the coordination between aircraft, they got her to safety and on the way to the nearest hospital.
The need is overwhelming. Many people have lost everything—basic necessities like food, water, and shelter. It’s heartbreaking. At the same time, it’s been incredible to see the response. Thousands of pilots, both airplane and helicopter, from across North Carolina and the eastern U.S. have volunteered to help.
On a flight to carry supplies to Avery County, I was astonished by the sheer number of planes and helicopters in the air. It was amazing to witness so many pilots flying in supplies, all working together to help those affected. I’ve been struck by the teamwork between pilots and local volunteers. It’s not just about flying supplies—it’s about working with people on the ground, coordinating with emergency responders, and ensuring that every effort counts toward saving lives.
This week, the majority of relief is being handled by military aircraft. Only pre-authorized pilots with specific time slots are allowed to fly supplies to the region. [According to the Federal Aviation Administration, air traffic in the region has increased 300% after the storm. The FAA regulates airspace to maintain safety.]
I’ve been coordinating with my flight school to sort out the changes in our efforts. We haven’t stopped accepting donations. This past Saturday alone, we collected 32,000 pounds of supplies. Although we’re no longer able to fly the relief efforts ourselves, we are transferring donations to the few general aviation pilots who obtained authorization, and are also loading supplies onto trucks that can now make it into Western North Carolina since some roads reopened.
I’m also working on setting up a GoFundMe with my fraternity, Phi Delta Theta, and we’re hoping to get chapters at other schools involved, along with nearby alumni clubs. It’s another way we’re trying to provide as much help as possible to the affected areas.
I’m proud to be part of this operation, and I’m especially proud of the ÍřĆŘşÚÁĎ community for doing what it does best—coming together in the face of adversity to make a difference. Many organizations on campus are joining forces to provide crucial support to those in need, and it is incredible to see.
The support keeps growing, and I’m hopeful we can make a lasting impact on the recovery efforts.
