Community praises contractor for free construction work after Helene

By Gracee Mattiace

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    BAT CAVE, North Carolina (WLOS) — More than three months after Helene hit, many neighborhoods are now in the process of physically repairing and rebuilding the areas they call home.

The subject of this week’s WNC Heroes series is lifting that burden for as many as he can in the form of free construction work.

Jake Jarvis has been in the Bat Cave area since day one of the storm.

“It’s hard on you mentally because you see devastation every single day and I have definitely experienced the struggle with that,” Jarvis said.

In Bat Cave, there is destruction everywhere you turn.

“We worked ’till 9 [p.m.] last night, even though it’s cold and dark. We got lights and just try to do all we can do,” he said.

Jarvis owns Precision Grading, a construction company that has completed thousands of dollars worth of construction and demolition work for free for those affected by Helene.

“I couldn’t give them an estimate, so I just said: ‘Well, I’ll just do it,’ you know,” Jarvis said.

This time, Jarvis is demolishing Paula Masters’ home, swept away by the water. He is taking it apart piece by piece and putting it in piles to be taken away by clean-up crews.

It is a job that would typically cost tens of thousands of dollars involving heavy machinery.

“It’s kind of putting a closure to the whole thing, I think – End it and let’s get a fresh start,” Masters said.

Masters looked on during the construction with her daughter. Years of memories with her family washed away.

“[I’m] very fortunate to have all of the angels that have appeared, and he’s one of them,” Masters said.

But Jake knows it is more than another construction job, and some things are worth recovering.

He frequently stops the job to salvage items others could use or to give Paula sentimental items.

He is able to do these jobs for free by using his own savings and by collecting donations from others.

He uses the funds and his own sweat equity to quite literally build bridges in mountain communities.

“The last people we got out, they hadn’t been out in 90 days. They were elderly and they were walking half a mile every day to get out,” Jarvis said. “We built them a river crossing, people like that can’t wait,” he said.

In the days following Helene, Jarvis was the first in Bat Cave to start clearing roads.

Bat Cave Fire Chief Steve Freeman said Jarvis has been an invaluable asset to the community.

“He was a Godsend coming down through. He opened the roads up so you could get through,” he said.

Now, Jarvis is focusing on people who have nowhere to turn. He is working on a list of over 30 people who need his help, and he says he has no end date.

Anyone interested in donating can send a check to 99 Polaris Drive, Saluda NC, 28773.

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