Few towns and businesses were spared when Hurricane Helene ripped through western North Carolina last month. That includes colleges.

Lees-McRae College, a private liberal arts school in Banner Elk, N.C., received some damage from Helene, but Banner Elk bore the brunt of the hurricane’s wrath. While the college is closed to allow the town to clean up, Guilford is hosting and feeding nine Lees-McRae students and a coach this month.

The students – all swimmers at Lees-McRae – arrived this week and are being housed in a freshman residence hall at Guilford with access to the dining hall in Founders. They will practice at the Greensboro Aquatics Center for their schedule of fall competitions.

Athletic Director Bill Foti says the students, whose classes have shifted to online, are welcome at Guilford until Lees-McRae officials determine their campus and the infrastructure around Banner Elk are safe.

Ed Winters, the Associate Athletic Director at Lees-McRae, reached out to Bill last week asking if the College could host students. Ed and Bill worked together at Colby-Sawyer College (N.H.) for more than 20 years, and Ed arrived in Banner Elk this fall.

After Ed called, Bill and Susanna Westberg, Dean of Students, moved quickly to figure out logistics. “There was never a question of would we help,” says Bill. “That’s just part of the Guilford ethos. Our goal is to make the students’ time here as pleasurable as possible, and make their lives as close to normal as possible.”

Marty Favret, Lees-McRae’s Director of Athletics, says other Lees-McRae student-athletes have relocated to Queens University in Charlotte and Ferrum College in Virginia.  He’s thankful to Guilford and other schools for helping out.

“During challenging times champions come to the forefront, and our partner institutions have emerged this fall at our time of need,” he says. “We are eternally grateful.”