KITE, Ga. — One year after Hurricane Helene devastated this small Johnson County community, residents are gathering once again to commemorate their resilience and the bonds forged in the storm's aftermath.

The hurricane left Kite without power for weeks, transforming the rural town into a scene of downed trees and scattered debris. Broken concrete littered gravesites, and fallen timber blocked roadways throughout the community.

"I couldn't get out my driveways. I had trees down, so I was up there probably for two days before I could finally get out," said Bill Anderson, a local resident whose home was damaged by the storm.

Despite his own losses, Anderson joined dozens of neighbors who converged on the Lighthouse Outreach Center, the only building in town that maintained power during

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