ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — The 33rd Warren Haynes Christmas Jam kicks off Saturday, December 13, at Harrah’s Cherokee Center Asheville.
On Friday, some fans and volunteers got in the spirit of giving early, giving back to the community and changing one family’s life for the better, forever. It was all part of a wall-raising for one of Habitat for Humanity’s latest home projects.
The ceremony on Friday afternoon was for a home that will go to Dru Galloway, an Asheville native and single mother of three who applied for a Habitat home back in September.
“A year and I’m going to be in a new home that’s mine,” Galloway said in tears.
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Galloway is expected to move into the West Asheville home when construction is estimated to be finished in August, right before her eldest graduates high school.
“I promised them that I will have something stable for us to call home before she goes to college. And for me to be able to actually do that, that’s been the biggest blessing,” Galloway said.
The house was paid for by some of the money raised at last year’s SOULSHINE concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City. It’s also being made possible with the efforts of volunteers, including Asheville native and musician Warren Haynes, who hosted the Soulshine concert with Dave Matthews Band.
“This is my home and to be able to do what we do is such an honor and we’ve been doing it a long time, but there are a lot of people involved and especially all the musicians and artists and bands through the years that come and play for free, it’s just fantastic,” Haynes said.
For Haynes, the weekend’s event hit different this year.
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“Especially after the devastation from Hurricane Helene, it’s just a great feeling to know that we’re back and bringing everybody together,” Haynes said.
Meantime, Galloway said that after her family moves into their new home, she wants to help make others happy, too.
“I definitely am going to stay around to help volunteer. So, I can help another or the next family feel like we’re feeling. You know? Just pure joy. Pure joy,” Galloway said.
As of late Friday night, some tickets were still available for Saturday night’s jam.
An Explore Asheville representative said it estimates that the 2025 Warren Haynes Christmas Jam will generate about $4.8 million in direct business sales locally, News 13 previously reported.
