- Hurricane Helene damaged over 2,000 families’ homes in Georgia, with hundreds still needing help.
- The Moody Haunted Trail, a 40-year tradition, lost 75% of its decorations but is reopening this fall.
- Watch the video below to see how the city's recovering.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
It's been one year since Hurricane Helene ripped through Georgia, and while Valdosta is moving forward, recovery is still a daily reality for many families. I'm Malia Thomas, your Valdosta Neighborhood Reporter — with how neighbors and traditions alike are finding their way back.
Helene was one of the costliest disasters Georgia has ever seen, damaging more than 2,000 families' homes and leaving hundreds still waiting for help today. The Red Cross continues to fill those gap.
Jackie Shoemaker, Executive Director with the South Central Chapter of the Red Cross, says they're not just focused on the past — but on being ready for the next storm.
"Right now, you know there's a tropical disturbance with it. We're watching it, and as always, anytime something's approaching, we're tracking its progress and we're already setting up folks on the ready to deploy to wherever they might be needed."
But recovery isn't just about homes — it's also about bringing back traditions that give this community life. The Moody Haunted Trail, a Valdosta fall staple for over 40 years, was devastated when Helene toppled trees across the property, crushing tents and wiping out 75% of its decorations.
Organizer Peta-Gaye Ford says the damage was staggering."The property that posed the Moody Haunted House trail, we lost over 75% of our decorations or that included equipments, the tents. So the location itself had like a lot of trees to count or. To give you an exact amount that would be impossible."
After a yearlong hiatus, community support is breathing life back into the tradition; the haunted trail is finally ready to welcome families again next month.
Ford says the demand alone kept them going.
"The persons in responding from Facebook saying like, hey guys, like is it gonna happen this year? Are you guys gonna do a haunted trail?....We didn't have it last last year. So please hope to God like you guys are gonna be doing this. Gives us like a little hole."
The Haunted Trail opens back up on October 14th.
In Valdosta, I'm Malia Thomas, reporting for ABC27.
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