Mike Petchenik recaps the week that was with Helene, including some canceled business events and how companies stepped up to help out.
A gala set for October 17th has been postponed. It’s to honor four business leaders, including Dave Brendza from ADP, Stephanie Stuckey of Stuckeys, and the Bassali’s, who specialize in retail and commercial real estate. Due to the impact of Hurricane Helene, Junior Achievement officials in Atlanta made the decision to put off the event. JA opted to postpone the event at Augusta’s Marriott & Convention Center until Thursday, January 23rd, to avoid re-scheduling the event during the holidays. JA will be reaching out to sponsors, vendors, and ticket holders
Area Chambers of Commerce are most known for networking and educational workshops and conferences. Since Helene devastated the CSRA, legislative advocacy is more critical than ever to make businesses whole. The Columbia County Chamber of Commerce put together a survey that business leaders are asked to participate in. This survey aims to gather information from business owners regarding the impact of Hurricane Helene on their operations, including property damage and the current status of their business. Survey Link: https://forms.gle/UqtW112V7WnEsGtt7
Editor’s note: Pictures are worth a thousand words. The one above is in Harlem, where folks are waiting in line to get nourishment from the Cantina Food Truck. Those scenes are being played out across neighborhoods. Families still can’t get out of their driveway because of downed trees, others need ice to keep insulin cold for their diabetic family members. They are your neighbors. They are employees of businesses. They and we, are all trying to survive and put the devastation behind us. Today, there is some good news. Financial
Editor’s note: In the wake of Hurricane Helene’s damage across the CSRA, homeowners and renters have many questions about what their insurance covers and how FEMA might help with disaster assistance. For more information: Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov, use the FEMA App, or call 800-621-3362. Lines are open every day and help is available in most languages. In the Best of Real Talk Real Estate, Shawna Woodward offers more practical advice for homeowner and renter insurance. In recent months, I’ve noticed some concerning trends affecting homeowners across the country. You may have
As odd as it may seem in the wake of a major disaster, Ann Marie’s take on introducing Augusta couldn’t be more timely. Families and businesses still want to move here and Augusta’s resilience is shining brightly right now. Welcome to the Garden City.
Augusta University’s Summerville campus, one of Augusta’s most historic places, is assessing damages and planning steps forward, while also tending to the needs of faculty, staff, and students. When Helene hit the CSRA with hurricane-force winds, the campus on top of Walton Way suffered damage to buildings and its landscape. There have been some estimates that 85%-90% of the trees have been damaged or destroyed. “I can’t quote a percentage on that, but it is certainly going to look different,” University President, Russell Keen told ABD. “The landscape is devastated,
Local tourism and hospitality leadership is assessing the impact Helene has had so far, and will have in the coming days, on Metro Augusta. Destination Augusta estimates as much as $8.5 million has been lost in economic impact from events that have been canceled and will be canceled for the foreseeable future. “With the news that hurricane Helene was going to impact Georgia, we began to see conferences and conventions cancel their plans. Obviously, the first major thing to go last week was the Iron Man event that was supposed
No power, no gas, boiled water advisories, and limited access to food have felt like the apocalypse for businesses and residents of the CSRA. The minutes turned into hours and the hours turned into days, a week ago today to be exact. According to insurers and financial institutions, damage caused by Helene could run into the billions of dollars. The lights out before and after Helene map from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), provides a dark and daunting perspective of the storm’s impact. Georgia Power’s response to Hurricane
After 40 years in the real estate business, Ann Marie has seen it all. Based on the past week for what the CSRA has endured, her message couldn’t be more timely.
