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Buckets and Boots

Produced by Maya True Wasik

After Hurricane Helene tore through Asheville, North Carolina, a group of former river guides laced up their boots and got to work. Led by Leslie Beninato and Liz McGuirl, this small crew of river guardians has dedicated themselves to heal Western Carolina’s rivers from the scars left behind by the storm. From laughter-filled car rides and muddy high-fives to buckets filled with people’s lives washed up from the flood, they find transformation through community. “It is still our river that we love and that we want to spend time with,” McGuirl shares.

The parent non-profit MountainTrue, has collected over 2.8 million pounds of debris. The team has collected 80,000 pounds of hand-picked trash. These numbers are rising daily. With new support from state funding, the crew is growing and mobilizing across North Carolina.

Photo Story

Mandy Wallace lovingly leans on Leslie Beninato during their lunch break at Mellow Mushroom. A quiet moment that reflects the deep bond the team has formed through their time together.
An Asheville policeman holds a handgun that was uncovered in the mud along the French Broad by Wynn Arellano. A small glimpse into the plethora of items the team finds during their work day
A bucket filled with handpicked trash brought down the French Broad district from a local Lowe’s that was destroyed by the hurricane. The flooding swept away tons of PVC sewage piping, scattering debris throughout the area.
This office, once a mental health resource center, now lies completely destroyed in the storm’s aftermath. “We had never faced this before,” says Leslie Beninato, reflecting on the confusion and helplessness left in the hurricane’s wake.
The River Clean Up Crew prepare to take on the debris at Big Hungry Waterfalls south of Asheville. “There's a lot of river to cover and a lot of trash to pick up. So, we'll be here for a long time,” Leslie Beninato
Wynn Arellano laces up his boots before heading into the debris at Big Hungry just south of Asheville. “We clean up people's houses, their lives that have floated down the river, and they don't know where it's at or if they can even get it back,” says Arellano.
Standard gear used by the River Clean Up to tackle debris. Here, they prep to transport pieces of damaged infrastructure from the river basin a mile back to their dumpster.
A small uprooted plant stands on top of pieces of deconstructed roofing along the French Broad River. MountainTrue nonprofit has collected over 400,000 pounds of hand-picked trash with this number rising every day.

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