Fall 2025 Blue Ridge Mountains Treasure Hunt

Appalachia Service Project – Donation: $10,000

Recipient: Appalachia Service Project (ASP)
Purpose of Donation: Support ongoing disaster recovery and home repair efforts in Tennessee and North Carolina following Hurricane Helene.

Organization Overview:
Appalachia Service Project is a nonprofit organization founded in 1969 with the mission of making homes “warmer, safer, and drier” for low-income families throughout Central Appalachia. ASP mobilizes thousands of volunteers each year to perform essential home repairs, rebuild substandard housing, and provide emergency assistance to families in need. The organization also operates a dedicated Disaster Recovery Program to help communities rebuild after severe flooding, storms, and other natural disasters.

Impact of Donation:
The $10,000 contribution directly supports ASP’s disaster recovery efforts in the region, funding materials, labor, and logistics to repair and rebuild homes for families impacted by Hurricane Helene.

Bee Log Community & Relief Center – Donation: $10,000

Recipient: Bee Log Community & Relief Center (Bee Log CRC)
Purpose of Donation: Assist in transforming the former Bee Log Elementary School into a permanent community resource and disaster-response hub.

Organization Overview:
Bee Log CRC is a community-led organization in Yancey County, North Carolina, working to repurpose the decommissioned Bee Log Elementary School into a relief and preparedness center. The facility serves as a central location for distributing food, clothing, and supplies to residents and provides shelter and support to families displaced by disasters.

Impact of Donation:
The $10,000 contribution will fund the refurbishment of the school’s kitchen to support meal preparation, as well as the construction of an on-site apartment unit for families temporarily displaced from their homes.

Bailey Mountain Preserve – Donation: $1,000

Recipient: Bailey Mountain Preserve, Mars Hill, North Carolina
Purpose of Donation: Support land acquisition efforts to expand the preserve and improve public trail access.

Organization Overview:
Bailey Mountain Preserve is a public recreation area in Mars Hill dedicated to conserving natural landscapes and providing accessible hiking trails. The preserve serves as a valuable community resource for outdoor recreation, environmental education, and conservation. Ongoing initiatives aim to acquire additional land parcels to extend the trail system and protect surrounding natural habitats.

Impact of Donation:
The $1,000 contribution supports efforts to purchase adjoining tracts of land, expand trail networks, and preserve the area’s unique mountain ecosystem for future generations.