Thankful vs. Grateful 

The dictionary is such a wonderful resource, but even the word wise can leave some aspects up for interpretation. Here’s what Merriam-Webster has to say about “thankful” and “grateful.”  

Thankful is “being conscious of benefit received.” Grateful is “appreciation of benefits received.” Many times, these two terms can be used interchangeably, but to get the full meaning, we need to reference the word “appreciation,” which is “a feeling or expression of admiration, approval, or gratitude.” The difference is subtle at first, but once you begin to take the true meaning to heart, it is very impactful. 

Swiss philosopher Henri Frederic Amiel was an introspective individual. He was a key thinker in moral philosophy in the mid-1800s. He made several observations of the human condition including:  

Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts. 

Words Become Action 

“We appreciate every contribution, phone call, kind word, and donation of time and talent from the bottom of our hearts to the tops of the mountains!” 

As the flood waters from Hurricane Helene receded and the magnitude of the damage revealed itself, we all didn’t know what was going to happen next. It wasn’t long until neighbors were knocking on doors to check in because phone lines were down. A choir of chainsaws began singing songs to clear roads and driveways. Even a bad situation can be turned to good when water in the basement can be used to flush toilets.  

The outpouring of support from employees, neighbors, guests, vendors, and strangers was quick, genuine, and overwhelming. From the individuals who walked in at the Annex to see how they could help clear the mud and muck from the building to the local customers at the Original Store and Rivercross who shared that “they HAD to come” because it was where they found comfort after the storm.  

It is for these actions that we, as the Mast Store, express our sincere thanks, and it is where we drew inspiration from our Appalachian roots to start the Mountain Strong effort. 

We Are Mountain Strong 

As soon as a path was cleared, so to speak, Anna, one of Mast Store’s graphic artists, designed an image to be used on t-shirts, sweatshirts, and stickers that would be meaningful to those living in the affected mountain areas as well as a way for those living elsewhere to show their love, support, and compassion.  

Sales were brisk, and we appreciate the patience of those who ordered as we worked to catch up on orders to be sent far and wide.   

It is with grateful hearts that we can report the first disbursements of the Mountain Strong funds are on their way to groups in Western North Carolina that are taking care of their own.  

The recipients from this round include the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation to be used for small business support ($25,000), BeLoved Asheville to help those who lost their homes find new homes and even more ($20,000), Mountain Strong for Business Recovery at the Asheville Chamber of Commerce ($20,000) to help the small businesses in the Asheville area begin their recovery journey, and River Arts District Artists ($20,000) to help the artists that are an important part of the economy and the culture of the Asheville area continue their recovery. 

It is important to note that these contributions will not be the last. The Mountain Strong message is continuing to resonate with those who love this beautiful part of the country, so even more funds will be shared with our neighbors to continue what is going to be a long recovery period. 

In addition, RoundUps in November and contributions from footwear sales during Merrell’s Food for the Mountains event resulted in donations to our food bank partners – MANNA FoodBank, Hunger & Health Coalition, and Second Harvest Northwest North Carolina – that will provide more than 86,000 meals! 

In Gratitude 

We can’t express enough our gratitude to our vendor partners. As a general store, we work hard to establish relationships with our employees, our guests, our communities, and our vendors. Our phones were ringing with offers of help including monetary donations and needed products to aid in the recovery.  

The list of those who contributed includes L.L.Bean (sleeping bags and blankets), Columbia Sportswear (coats), ExOfficio (underwear), Darn Tough (socks), Nester Hosiery (socks), Gerrit J Verburg Candy Co. (monetary donation), Smartwool (socks), Turtle Fur (hats, gloves, scarves), Merrell (monetary donation), Sandy Ruben and Associates (toys), On (footwear), Free Fly (beanies), Sherpa Adventure Gear (clothing), Solmate Socks (socks), Socksmith Socks (socks), Bumpas Huggable Animals (stuffed animals), Rotten Gummies (candy), House of Morgan Pewter (ornaments with proceeds to Helene Relief), Becky and Tommy Morrison (NC Strong plush with proceeds to Helene Relief), and MPowerd (solar lanterns).  

It wasn’t just our vendors that stepped up. It was our guests, our friends, and our neighbors.  

“We have helped distribute pallet after pallet of goods to areas in need,” said Dillon Church, the distribution manager at Mast Store’s headquarters. “And it came from everywhere – towns with Mast Stores as far off as Columbia and Roanoke and even distant places I’ve never heard of. There were donations of food and so much clothing and footwear that it’s unbelievable. And toys; we had several pallets of toys. I don’t have the words to describe it, and I’m honored to have had a small part in helping others.” 

There were also daily deliveries resulting from a request made by a social media influencer in Winston-Salem. Dozens of heaters, cold-weather coats, and more filled our backstock areas and then made their way to new homes.  

Taking Care of Our Own 

Philosopher Amiel also said, “Uncertainty is the refuge of hope.” There was a lot of uncertainty just after the storm, but it was buttressed by hope, a hope born of compassion and empathy, one of not knowing exactly what to do, but doing something – anything - was helpful. 

“We appreciate every contribution, phone call, kind word, and donation of time and talent from the bottom of our hearts to the tops of the mountains!” shared Lisa Cooper, president of Mast General Store. “While there is still a lot of uncertainty, there is also a lot of hope in Western North Carolina. The Mountain Spirit is strong and determined, but recovery from Helene is going to be a long process.”   

The mountains are continuing to heal, and your thoughts, prayers, and actions are helping. Mountain Strong apparel continues to be available to help us to support our region.