Guitar made of Hurricane Helene debris to be raffled off, proceeds go toward artist relief fund

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- Towering mulch piles dot Western North Carolina; it's the final destination for many of the trees downed during Hurricane Helene last year.

Some tried to salvage what they could, including a group of local guitar makers known as Luthiers.

They started building guitars out of Helene debris. This guitar, which will eventually be raffled off, is made of walnut, maple, oak, spruce and ironwood.

"Right after the hurricane, it's hard to know what to do, what you can do to help," Kyle Landers, a luthier, said. "Pick up a shovel, help dig people out. But being able to use our particular skills to give back to the community and help people is a lovely thing."

The guitar is valued at around $10,000 but will be raffled off for a $10 ticket at the upcoming Lake Eden Festival. All proceeds will go directly to the local artist relief fund.