'Swim for Recovery': Woman to swim Lake Lure for Helene relief

'Swim for Recovery': Woman to swim Lake Lure for Helene relief

By Morgan Starling The Daily Courier

May 2, 2026

Part-time Rutherford County resident Patricia Temple is preparing to swim the main coves of Lake Lure on May 8 to raise money for Hurricane Helene recovery efforts and to celebrate the lake’s reopening.

Patricia and Jeff Temple live in northern Virginia but also have a home in Rumbling Bald that they visit several times a year. The couple bought the home seven years ago after participating in the Biltmore marathon and falling in love with western North Carolina.

But then came Hurricane Helene. Patricia Temple said they weren’t in Rumbling Bald when it hit and were unable to get to their property for more than two months.

While their home was left intact, much of their property saw damage and was washed out. But because the home wasn’t their primary residence, Temple said they were unable to get assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

“Things are a little less gloomy today,” she said. “The lake is coming back and we just started the repairs of our land.”

Temple’s idea for the upcoming swim fundraiser came in 2024 when she was training to swim across Lake Tahoe.

She said she hasn’t always been a swimmer but considers herself an endurance athlete. She was a single mom with three kids for a time when she started running, but she then got injured and got into swimming. Since, Temple has participated in many events, like triathlons and Iron Mans.

In fact, she said her goal is to run a marathon in all 50 states.

But on May 8, Temple will swim the contour of the main coves of Lake Lure, beginning in Rumbling Bald, as a way to not only raise money but also celebrate the lake’s reopening.

She said she’s a bit nervous because it will be the longest swim she’s ever attempted at once.

All donations will go to the Lake Lure Olympiad who will serve as the donation vehicle to then disperse the money to organizations or efforts specifically supporting first responders who made an impact during and after Hurricane Helene.

“During the storm days, people were stuck, bridges had washed out. As you know, it’s Appalachia, people are kind of remote. Some of them are not even registered with the town,” Temple said.

“It’s a different beast, so the responders, I think, have been totally underplayed, their role.”

The event, which is being called Swim for Recovery, will begin around 6 a.m. on May 8 with Temple planning to make stops along the way.

Donations can be made at https://tinyurl.com/2vwfcjkh.

“Hopefully, this just brings a little joy and laughs, and maybe, hopefully, some donations come in,” Temple said.