By Alexandra Veatch, CEO and Creative Director, Letterpress Communications
What is rural?
Our team discussed this question at the Letterpress retreat earlier this month. There are so many answers. The easy definition is a non-metropolitan area, but there are over a dozen federal definitions of rural. And even the United States Census Bureau has made the call to rethink rural.
I grew up in rural areas, and I can use many words to describe East Central Illinois and my current home in Southwest Virginia. But there is one word that I know describes rural — resilient. In recent months, as Hurricane Helene swept through our area, that resilient spirit took center stage.
The storm was rough for Appalachia. Helene devastated communities across the mountains of North Carolina, East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. While the news shined a spotlight widespread destruction, social media told different stories. One of neighbors building a temporary bridge out of semi-truck trailers to get to isolated families across the river. One of a stranded horse saved downriver by a community on the lookout. One of donation centers popping up before official locations could be established. Throughout my social feed and the feeds of friends and family, rural Americans were sharing stories of hope and resilience.
This October, I’ve traveled across the Commonwealth — from the coal fields to the coast — and my travels have underscored that rural IS resilient.

Rural Tourism: Hungry Mother State Park
In late October, I was on a hike in Molly’s Knob at Hungry Mother State Park (HMSP) in Marion, VA, for a client photoshoot. Marion had a lot of storm damage, but I was surprised there weren't many signs of Helene on the trail. In fact, I saw none until we were nearly at the top, where we came around a corner to a flat spot on the mountain so big it was visible from the drone. I marveled at the size of the trees and at the HMSP team’s resilience. There had been no noticeable damage because after the hurricane they cleared trails with remarkable speed, reopening in under two weeks — just in time for peak fall travel. This determination underscores how vital places like these are for our region’s tourism industry.

Feeding the Community: Mamaw's Cafe
The following day I was up in St. Paul, VA, shooting footage for a new destination video. We took a break for lunch and filming at Mamaw’s Cafe. (By the way, ask Mamaw to talk to you about her chow chow recipe!) Before we left, I thanked Mamaw for a wonderful meal and for allowing us to film in her restaurant. I asked her how they were affected by the hurricane. She said they were lucky compared to neighbors down in Damascus. Still, they had many people without power who lost all their food and couldn’t afford to restock until the next payday. Mamaw fed over 400 people the week after the hurricane, then around 200 the next week.
In fact, while we were talking, she got a phone call asking if she was still providing meals. She said, “If you need a meal, come on over.” She hung up the phone and smiled. “That’s just what I’m supposed to do, right?”
For Mamaw, feeding people was her way of saying, “We’re in this together.”

Rural Cuisine, from Farm to Table: Chef T.
The next week I was at the Virginia Tech Women Impact Virginia Summit in Williamsburg, VA and had the pleasure of introducing Chef T. for the final keynote. I’ve known her for a few years now, but I had never heard her story.
Chef T. spoke of growing up on the island of St. Vincent and watching her grandma feed everyone in the community. After moving to New York, she felt the pull to the kitchen, even though her mother didn’t approve. She talked about her time in Atlanta, competing in Hell’s Kitchen and then finding her way to Southwest Virginia. She opened her first restaurant just before the pandemic and closed it one year later. She shared the inspiration behind her new restaurant, Union 41, in Bristol, VA.
This is just a glimpse of Chef T.’s journey. Learn more about her story and her restaurant by following her on social media.
Amplifying Stories
So, what is rural? It’s a place where resilience isn’t just a trait — it’s a way of life. These stories remind us of the strength found in our communities, the determination of neighbors and the shared belief that we can rebuild and thrive together.