Through Our Eyes: A Community's Photographic Memory of Hurricane Helene

Hurricane Helene left its mark on every street, every home, and every heart in Hot Springs, NC. In its wake came a story worth preserving-a story of neighbors stepping into the role of first responders, friends becoming lifelines, and a community answering the call in the face of disaster.

Through Our Eyes: A Community's Photographic Memory of Hurricane Helene captures those moments, and we hope you'll join us in bringing this full-color, community-sourced photo book to life. Every pre-order and patron contribution directly supports Rebuild Hot Springs Area and helps cover the final production costs of this beautiful 200+ page volume with over 45 local contributors.

More than a photo book, it's a collective chronicle of survival, resilience, and hope, created entirely by the community. Compiled through an open call for photographs, stories, and oral histories, the book captures the experiences of those who lived through the storm and its aftermath-from first responders and volunteers to families rebuilding their homes.

Hundreds of submissions poured in, resulting in a vivid, ground-level account of how a town isolated by disaster pulled together to endure. With over 200 curated images from 45+ contributors, and oral histories from those who led the recovery efforts, Through Our Eyes is a testament to the strength and unity of Hot Springs.

"This project is about more than remembering a storm," said community organizer Kevin Reese. "It's about honoring the people who carried each other through it and preserving that story for future generations."

The book will be available in hardcover and paperback, with a digital version offered open access thanks to support from the Dogwood Health Trust's Digital Opportunities grant and the UNC-Chapel Hill Libraries. All original materials-including photos, transcripts, and audio-will be archived and made freely available for educators, researchers, and the public.

Through Our Eyes also marks the first release from the Million Memory Project, a new initiative creating community-published books across Appalachia. Founded by publishing veteran Mitchell Davis (BookSurge, BiblioLabs), the project blends professional publishing with grassroots storytelling.

"Books at their best preserve history, amplify voices, and bring communities together," said Davis. "Rebuild Hot Springs shows what's possible when neighbors, institutions, and storytellers work side by side."

Ingram Content Group will feature the book at the upcoming North Carolina Library Association Conference, celebrating it as a model for community-led publishing.

"Libraries are the living memory of our communities," said Carolyn Morris, VP at Ingram Library Services. "Rebuild Hot Springs Area is a remarkable example of that. It shows the power of collaborative publishing-neighbors telling their own stories, and libraries ensuring they're preserved for generations to come."