Beloved Chapel's Cross Stands As “A Beacon Of Hope” Amidst Hurricane Helene Destruction In The Blue Ridge Mountains
"Worst damage in our 100 year history."
Just south of the North Carolina border in Cleveland, South Carolina, the YMCA Camp Greenville is a home away from home for 2,500 campers each summer—and the iconic Pretty Place Chapel.
Though formally named the Fred W. Symmes Chapel, the structure was given its better-known name, "Pretty Place" for its breathtaking view overlooking the valley below.
Despite sitting 3,200 feet above sea level in the Blue Ridge Mountains , this safe haven was not spared from Hurricane Helene's destruction . The fifth largest Y camp in the country, Camp Greenville's 1,400 acres of hiking trails, waterfalls, and lakes are now covered in hundreds of uprooted trees and downed power lines.
The iconic Pretty Place Chapel, which was first built in 1941, also sustained significant damage.
"It took off two-thirds of the roof and caused rafter and support beam damage. We can seat about 350 people, and many of the pews will have to be replaced," says Sam Franklin, President and CEO of YMCA of Greenville. Many of the cabins also took a heavy hit from fallen trees.
Yet somehow, amidst the devastation, the cross remained intact .
"The amazing thing was that the cross stood strong during the storm, which for me tells me the importance of that chapel," Franklin tells Southern Living. "It is built on a rock foundation, not sand, and I think that has really been a strength for our staff who really just hung onto [the cross] as a beacon of light and that if you hold onto your faith, things are going to get better."
Its firm foundation reminds the Pretty Place community they can weather any storm—physically and spiritually.
"The impact to this area is just unbelievable, catastrophic to be honest with you. It's just crazy," says Franklin after his three-hour (it normally takes less than one) drive to reach the camp yesterday to deliver much needed supplies and provisions to the 15 staff members and their children that live on the property year-round—all of whom are safe.
"We were finding debris 500 yards back up the road which shows you how strong the winds were, probably 65-75 mph going through there," he adds.
In the wake of hurricane Helene , there has been an outpouring of love and support across social media from those who have spent time at Camp Greenville and visited Pretty Place Chapel.
"One of the reasons I think Pretty Place is so near and dear to so many people, is we do about 550 weddings a year here and have over 325,000 visitors each year come just to see the chapel, take pictures, or see the sunrise," he says. "There are just so many people whose lives have been impacted at Pretty Place, whether it was a proposal, getting married there, meeting someone there, or scattering remains of loved ones. The depth and breadth of what it means to so many people is just amazing. And not just locally but around the country as well."
As the clouds and fog have dissipated, though still without power, everyone is ready for the huge cleanup effort ahead to restore Camp Greenville and Pretty Place Chapel.
"As the sun has come out the past few days, and we've been able to see everyone and be with them, and the feeling is now 'Okay we can build this back and make this even better than this was.' So that can-do attitude is starting to come out with the staff and we're excited about the future," says Franklin.
All fall programming and remaining 2024 weddings have been canceled. Franklin tells Southern Living they aim to at least have the chapel up and running in January and hope to be back running summer camp in 2025. Those who know and love the property have been eager to help, and a page of the website is now dedicated to rebuilding the property. Visit campgreenville.org/help to make a donation or sign up to volunteer as soon as the roads are safe.
Related: Hurricane Helene Leaves Catastrophic Damage Across Several States: Here's How To Help
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