Hornets and Lowe’s Complete Renovation of Ashe County Community Center After Helene

The Charlotte Hornets teamed up with Lowe's to unveil a rebuilt community center in Ashe County. Hurricane Helene had torn through the building months earlier. Workers upgraded the gym, basketball court, and outdoor areas.

Helene slammed Ashe County hard. Mud and debris buried the workout room and gym. Before the storm, people gathered there for graduations and fish fries.

The NBA team jumped in to fix what the hurricane destroyed. Six months of construction produced gleaming floors, a mural, and a Hornets logo painted on the gym floor. The transformation was striking.

"I think it's the difference of being part of a community," said Shelly Cayette-Weston, the team's president of business operations, according to WSOC-TV. "We want to be a part of it. It was so rewarding talking to the citizens of that community, the neighbors who show up. We're a Carolinas team... and they're a part of the Carolinas, so we're going to do that."

Cayette-Weston explained that her organization reaches out past Charlotte's borders. They want to serve the entire Carolinas region. Lowe's pitched in, making extensive repairs possible.

At the ribbon cutting, the NBA squad ran a basketball clinic. Grant Williams and Josh Green led drills with attendees in the refurbished space. Kids got to practice with pros.

Eighteen months have passed since Helene wrecked the center. Now it's open again. Residents who lost access can return.