Knoxville, Tennessee (Wate) — Country star Dolly Parton announced a major donation to Hurricane Helen flood relief efforts at an event Friday in Newport, Tennessee.
The music icon, who spoke at Walmart, donated to the Mountain Ways Foundation, a nonprofit organization providing immediate aid to flood victims in the southeastern United States, and to Dollywood Parks and her business in East Tennessee. He said he would donate $1 million. The resort, Dolly Parton's Stampede, and Pirate's Voyage Dinner and Show matched her donation, bringing the total donation to $2 million.
“We wish we could have been together for other reasons, but we have all seen the devastation. Who knew it would be this bad?'' Parton asked.
“And you look around and think, 'This is my mountain, this is my valley,'” she added. “These are my people and this is my home.”
Eugene Norton, president of the Dollywood Company, spoke just before Parton and reflected on the 2016 Sevier County fires and how the community's resilience was proven.
“Only a week ago, thousands of lives were once again affected across eastern Tennessee, western North Carolina, and beyond, but Sevier County was spared major damage, but wildfires in the Smoky Mountains Lessons learned from, resilience, determination and love for others led us to reach out to our neighbors to determine how we could help after the recent floods. ''Norton said.
During the event, Walmart U.S. President and CEO John Farner announced that the company will donate a total of $10 million to hurricane relief efforts across affected states, including Sam's Club and the Walmart Foundation. It was also announced. some of the money East Tennessee Foundation.
Farner said his family moved to Franklin, Tenn., in 1979 and watched Walmart expand into Appalachia and East Tennessee.
“We're here. Not until the media leaves, but until we recover, and that's what happens here, we're going to recover,” Furner added.
Dollywood had already worked with sponsorship partner Coca-Cola to donate semi-trucks full of water for distribution in Cocke County. Dollywood also donated 60,000 reusable masks, 30,000 disposable protective gear, and 2.5 million disposable masks to be used in cleanup efforts throughout East Tennessee.
In conjunction with a donation center established by the City of Pigeon Forge, Dollywood will be a donation drop-off location for those wishing to donate cleaning supplies and supplies.
Dolly Parton announced her donation to Helen Relief at an event in Tennessee on Friday. (Wate)
At the end of the event, Parton answered several questions, including one about what she would say to people who have lost everything.
“I know it's easy to say, 'Oh, things will get better,' when things are still very bad. All we can say is, 'We're with you. “We love you. We really hope things get better.'' We're going to do our part to make that possible soon.'' she said.
Parton is best known for hercharity workEspecially in times of disaster, throughout the region.Parton made a donation in 2021A portion of ticket sales from Dollywood and her many dinner showsto help those affected by flooding in Middle Tennessee. Parton was also involved. Dollywood Foundation's My People Funddonated $1,000 to Sevier County families whose homes were made uninhabitable or destroyed by the 2016 Sevier County wildfires. Star-studded telethon raised more than $9 million in total, allowing Parton to surprise families supported through her fund Includes a final $5,000 check.
On Thursday, it was reported that Morgan Wallen, another country star from East Tennessee, had approached Gov. Bill Lee to offer aid to flood victims. Earlier this week, Red Cross officials said Warren's foundationdonated $500,000 For relief efforts after Hurricane Helen.
