BLOWING ROCK, N.C. — One year ago, Hurricane Helene tore through the North Carolina mountains, leaving devastation in its wake. But in the town of Blowing Rock, the community not only weathered the storm, it became a lifeline for neighboring areas still struggling to recover.

When Helene slammed into the High Country last September, Blowing Rock braced for the worst. The storm brought torrential rain, flooding and high winds to the mountain region, but this small town was spared the most severe impacts.

"We got a lot of the rain, but not nearly the flooding," Town manager Shane Fox said. "By Monday, we had roads open, water and sewer restored."

With their infrastructure quickly recovered, Blowing Rock immediately turned its attention to helping neighboring communities like Boone, Banner

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