Businesses in Chimney Rock are recovering from Helene: How you can help [Video]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – The devastation Helene brought to western North Carolina cannot be understated.

More than 100 people lost their lives, while homes, land and roads washed away.

Another group feeling the impact is small business owners.

Many of the businesses in Chimney Rock Village either flooded or collapsed into the river.

“It still is just hard to imagine that this happened,” Mary Jaeger-Gale, one of the owners of Gale’s Chimney Rock Shop told WBTV. “I keep thinking I’m going to wake up and this nightmare is going to be over.”

When the storm hit, they were unable to access the shop for several days.

“When we saw the first videos of the village, we thought oh boy the shop is still intact and standing,” Steve Gale said.

Gale’s Chimney Rock Shop has been in Steve’s family since 1947.

“What we …