Telethon for the Smokies
Friends of the Smokies raised $205,562 at its 22nd annual Friends Across the Mountains Telethon last week, with the hundreds of callers, online donations and sponsors bringing the telethon’s lifetime fundraising total to $3.5 million since its inception in 1995.
“I am overwhelmed with gratitude, once again, by the support of individuals and organizations throughout the region that help us care for the Smokies,” said Cassius Cash, superintendent of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
The money goes to support needs in America’s most-visited national park that aren’t covered through federal funding, with this year’s telethon proceeds added to the new “Bill Williams Smokies Greatest Needs Fund.” Friends of the Smokies’ board of directors established the fund this summer in honor of Bill Williams, who has volunteered as telethon co-host for 22 years. Board members made an initial gift of more than $10,000 to jumpstart the fund.
Donations can still be made online at www.friendsofthesmokies.org/donate.
