Feb 2025 | Vol. 11 Iss. 2
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WEST JORDAN BUSINESS OWNERS DROP IT ALL TO HELP AFTER HURRICANE HELENE By Rebecca Olds | rebecca.o@thecityjournals.com
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riving across the country has been a recurring theme for West Jordan residents and business owners Christine and Karl Mason. In their most recent 5,000-mile cross-country trek in November 2024, they found themselves in Swannanoa, North Carolina helping residents to regroup and rebuild following Hurricane Helene that hit in September. A camper balancing in the top of a big tree and a dresser in the car wash of the local grocery store were both things that spoke to the couple of the devastation. “The most striking thing after something like that is that you see all of these things that just don't quite fit right, and it just really brings to mind the level of damage that people had to live through,” Christine Mason said. “We got there weeks after the hurricane and flooding hit, and people were still shoveling and mucking out homes.” Their camper in tow, the couple grouped with a volunteer effort that included about 50 members during the week coming from across the country including states like Wisconsin, California, Florida and New York.
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Just their second day on site and they were able to leverage their connections at home with their son Tyler whose company donated a $20,000 communication system to assist with ongoing relief efforts. Throughout their time there, story after heartbreaking story unfolded before them as they organized efforts to help mitigate flood damage, check for mold and help rebuild the town. “Most of them broke down in tears when we started talking to them, because their neighbors had been through the same thing, and so we just give them that emotional support and let them know it's going to be OK,” Karl Mason said. A particularly impactful story that resonated with the couple was of a younger woman who had clung to a tree for three hours as she watched the river flood and rush past with destruction and bodies. Hundreds are still missing. “This instance is just one example of countless times these two have been there for those in need,” Tyler Mason said, Karl and Christine Mason’s son. Their first trip to help after a Hurricane was back in 2011 when they volunteered in Karl Mason (left) helps rebuild a house in Swannanoa, North Carolina with another volunteer from New York named Frank (right). (Photo courtesy of Karl Mason) Continued page 4
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