BCBC Helene Resources

View our most recent newsletter here—-> https://mailchi.mp/d4965c220b4b/special-bcbc-newsletter-helene

We hope this message finds you and your loved ones safe in the wake of  Helene’s destruction. The storm has caused significant damage to roads and infrastructure in our area, and we are all feeling the impact.

At the Buncombe County Beekeepers Club, our first priority is ensuring the safety and well-being of our members and their families. Please let us know if you are okay or if there is anything you need during this time. We have members far and wide running supplies to people in need.

For those who need assistance with their bees or hives, we have a team of beekeepers on standby ready to help in any way they can if they can access your property. Just reach out, and we’ll make arrangements to assist you.

Take care of yourselves and don’t hesitate to contact us if you need support.

If you are stuck and need supplies or need to get ahold of someone to assist with urgent bee needs.

Call or email Mary Liske at 828-458-2308 marynliske@gmail.com

OR

Mark Traub at 516-410-1581 itagrape@gmail.com 

Mark still has limited access to cell and internet reception. Mary is still without utilities but can be reached when her generator is on with the free starlink unit she gratefully received. We will do our best to stay connected and check messages when we have access.

 

Below are additional resources.

We are continuing our efforts to ensure everyone who has been affected by this storm gets the relief and resources they need.  We need everyone who was impacted by this storm, loss of colonies, equipment, etc., to go to this link, and fill out this form:

 
If you have trouble viewing this form please call Paula Robertson @ 828-458-7845. Give your information to her and it will be reported. 

 

Attached is the ELAP Disaster Assistance Program through FSA-USDA Service Center.  This assistance is available for small beekeepers.  Club members that have had losses due to the hurricane should be aware of the program.  The cutoff date to file a claim is January 30, 2025.  The hive loss payment is $230.00 for the 2024 program year.  Note that FSA has established a normal mortality rate of 24.2%. USDA DISASTER ASSISTANCE

https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/usda-programs-resources-support-beekeepers.pdf

Message from Honey & The Hive:

Our hearts are broken. Our store manager and longtime employee Knox Petrucci and previous manager Aly Wisely were lost in the storm along with Aly’s sweet boys Felix and Lucas. We are grieving and healing, and we know many of you are as well. We have set up a memorial in the store and we welcome our friends to visit and bring flowers, write notes, or just visit for a sense of connection as we all learn to move forward together. 

There is a fundraiser for the family to help with travel and funeral expenses: https://gofund.me/61c2cb22

The rest of our team are safe and so are our families and homes. The store is safe and has power and water (boil advisory). Once we have internet we can resume regular hours, but for now we are operating on limited hours and cash-only sales.  

Dry Ridge Bee Supply Sugar Donation

In the wake of Tropical Storm Helene, many beekeepers are working around the clock to address urgent needs, with some having lost a portion, if not all, of their hives. To help ease the burden, Dry Ridge Bee Supply has partnered with Brian Fisher to provide dry sugar and sugar syrup for emergency bee feeding.

Supplies will be available starting at 2:00 PM on Saturday, October 12th. These will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. To arrange a pickup, please contact Dry Ridge Bee Supply in Weaverville at (828) 484-2997.

We hope this helps take one task off your plate as we all work to recover.

Below is a message from NCSBA President

As NCSBA President, my sentiments remain with the folks that have lost all but the clothes they are wearing and especially with people who have perished and the loved ones who must now come to terms with their loss. In recent days the NC beekeeping community has learned of the untimely deaths of Ally Wisely and Knox Petrucci and their young sons, Felix (9) and Lucas (7), who were swept away by flood waters while trying to escape their flooded home. They were members of the Toe Cane chapter in Spruce Pine.
 
Samaritan’s Purse is a long-standing and stalwart humanitarian aid organization. They are actively engaged in at least three WNC areas (Boone, Burnsville, Asheville). If you want to volunteer to assist with recovery you can register on their website. Monetary contributions are needed as well.
 
I previously emailed the link below which details ways to help flood victims in WNC and will do so again:
 
 
During Hurricane Matthew in 2016, I lost over 60 colonies of bees. I was able to apply to the USDA FSA service ELAP program and receive funds to help me get going again. The program was simple to apply to and I was very satisfied with the results. If you or someone you know has lost hives in the storm, the FSA has a program that can help. You can receive $230 per hive but you have to apply. Your NCSBA Regional Director and your apiary inspector can assist you with the necessary documentation. Please take advantage of this program if you plan to replace your losses. For more information about ELAP, visit fsa.usda.gov/ELAP or contact your local FSA office. To apply for assistance you visit your local FSA office. You will need to submit a Notice of Loss and an Emergency Loss Assistance for Honeybee Application. The links to the forms are provided for your reference. A FSA representative can answer questions and assist in completing the forms. To find your local FSA office, visit farmers.gov.
 
An effort is underway to determine the extent of the impact of the storm on the honey bees. If you have lost bees, please contact your NCSBA Regional Director. This information will be needed to determine what actions are appropriate to assist the beekeepers of WNC.
Please join me in helping the situation for folks in WNC and the honey bees of the region.
Rick Coor, NCSBA President