You are here

20th Annual Telethon To Support Great Smoky Mountains National Park Coming Thursday

Share

If you live in the Tennessee-North Carolina area, tune in Thursday night to support Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The telethon, now in its 20th year, is hosted by Friends of the Smokies. Over the years it has raised nearly $3 million for use in the park. 

“For 20 years, this broadcast has provided viewers with a special opportunity to learn more about the national treasure right in our own backyard,” said Friends of the Smokies President Jim Hart.  “We are excited to celebrate this milestone and we are very thankful for the generous financial support that viewers provide each year to help the park.”

This year’s broadcast will take place from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday on WLOS-TV Channel 13 in Asheville and WBIR-TV Channel 10 in Knoxville.  The 20th Annual telethon is generously sponsored by Dollywood, Mast General Store, and Pilot Flying J, and with enthusiastic volunteer support from First Tennessee Bank and Home Federal Bank.

Viewers of the Telethon will see many of the park's needs that Friends of the Smokies is funding this year -- nearly $1.6 million to support education, conservation, recreation, and historic preservation in 2014.  Current projects include continued rehabilitation of the Chimney Tops Trail by the Trails Forever crew, ongoing suppression of the hemlock woolly adelgid, supporting bear and elk management and funding for Parks as Classrooms environmental education programs for more than 18,000 students.

Individuals and business owners have three different ways to make a gift.  They can make a donation online today at www.friendsofthesmokies.org, they can call Friends’ toll free telethon hotline during the Friends Across the Mountains broadcast to make a pledge over the phone, or they can call Friends of the Smokies and ask for a donation form to be mailed to them (Waynesville NC Office, 828-452-0720; Sevierville TN Office, 865-932-4794 or 800-845-5665). 

 

Comments

The telephon is one way that Friends of the Smokies raises money.

But you don't have to be "local" and watch the telephon to donate and help the park. After all, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a national park.

Danny www.hikertohiker.com


Add comment

CAPTCHA

This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.