Messages of Hope: A Docu-Series About Community Resilience

The Boone Area Chamber of Commerce extends heartfelt gratitude to UNC Health Appalachian for their generous support and to Real Boone Studios for their creative expertise, which made it possible to debut our new docu-series, Messages of Hope, during the 2025 High Country Economic Kickoff Luncheon.

This inspiring series is designed to spotlight the people, stories, and efforts making a meaningful difference in our community — stories that might have gone unnoticed amid everything that happened around us in the wake of Hurricane Helene.

Episode 3: Cornerstone Summit

September 5, 2025

As we approach the one-year milestone of Hurricane Helene, we reflect on what has powered us through the past year: relationships. In this third episode, join Pastor Reggie Hunt as we travel into the hard-to-reach corners of the High Country, where strong networks carried neighbors through recovery. We’re reminded that a church is more than a building - it’s the people and their service who embody it. Cornerstone Summit became a hub for resources, supplies, and most importantly, togetherness.

Episode 2: Beech Mountain

March 20, 2025

In our second episode, we journey to Beech Mountain and see how local businesses, government, and people came together after Helene. These leaders rallied to ensure the community had essential supplies while others built the literal road to recovery. In the face of isolation, these leaders turned a challenging situation into a testament of resilience and community spirit.

Episode 1: Valle Crucis School

January 17, 2025

In our first episode, we hear the story of Valle Crucis Elementary school, and how local partners, Caldwell Community College and Valle Crucis Conference Center, came together to provide a home for over 250 students and staff that were displaced from one of Watauga County's oldest and most cherished locations.