BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. (FOX Carolina) - Hurricane Helene brought down tens of thousands of trees across the North Carolina. When Liisa Andreassen saw the destruction, her heart broke, but then an idea sparked.

“My husband and I were out for a walk one day, and we saw a tree that truly looked like a work of art, and it got my brain going,” Liisa said.

Despite having no experience with woodworking, Liisa knew there was a higher purpose for the fallen trees, so she started reaching out to local woodworkers. From there, a new nonprofit was born: Echoes of the Forest, with Liisa as its founder.

Using the wood from the fallen trees, the nonprofit is creating new pieces for the community to enjoy.

“What’s really happened is it’s opened up stories. When people hear about what we’re doing, they

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