Country music legend Dolly Parton announced she would donate $1 million to the Mountain Ways Foundation, which is coordinating relief for Hurricane Helene victims in the Appalachian region.
Ms. Parton, a native of Sevier County in eastern Tennessee and a longtime philanthropist, said at a press conference Friday, “Who knew, in our little part of the country here … that we would have this kind of devastation? And I look around and think these are my mountains, these are my valleys, these are my rivers, flowing like a stream. … These are my people. This is my home.”
In addition to her donation of $1 million, her businesses are also pitching in $1 million, she said.
On top of that, the Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, is acting as a donation drop-off site.
The park and city officials are asking for “lids, tarps, shovels, rakes, trash bags, work gloves, masks, cleaning wipes, diapers, baby formula and food, can openers, first aid supplies, personal hygiene items, kitty litter, new socks and underwear, clean towels and blankets, laundry detergent, pet food and hand sanitizer” through Sunday, according to a post from Dollywood on Facebook.
At the press conference, held outside a Walmart in Newport, Tennessee, Walmart CEO John Furner announced that the retail giant, Sam’s Club and the Walmart Foundation will up their donation to $10 million.
The estimated death toll across all the areas struck by the storm as of Saturday is 232, according to Fox Weather.
• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.