Nearly everyone has seen videos and photos of the devastation left in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Over the weekend, Western North Carolina, East Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida saw unprecedented destruction from the storm. Flooded rivers washed away not just homes but also entire towns. More tragically, the storm left hundreds dead and even more missing. Countless people including several celebrities have stepped up to donate time and money to help out. Tennessee’s Queen Mother, the Patron Saint of Appalachia, Dolly Parton is the latest to do so.
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Earlier today (October 4) Parton took part in a press conference at the Walmart in Newport, Tennessee. The town suffered greatly when a dam failed and a wall of water rushed over the streets and through homes and businesses. The “I Will Always Love You” singer was there to boost morale and announce her generous donation to relief efforts.
[RELATED: 6 Times Dolly Parton Made a Giant Humanitarian Difference]
Dolly Parton Makes a Million-Dollar Donation
Eugene Naughton, president of Dollywood took the podium first, warming up the crowd and giving an overview of the devastation left in the wake of the storm. Then, he passed the microphone to Dolly Parton.
Parton has a history of helping with time, money, and supplies after natural disasters in the area she has called home since her birth. So, she knew people were wondering when she would say something about the flooding and other damage. “I’ve been like everybody else, trying to absorb everything going on, trying to figure out all the best ways to do this. We had that crazy old Helene,” she said. Then, she sang, to the tune of “Jolene” Helene, Helene, Helene, Helene you came in here and broke us all apart. / Helene, Helene, Helene, Helene but we’re all here to mend these broken hearts.
“I really wish that we were all together for a different reason. But we have all seen the devastation,” she continued. “And I look around and I think ‘These are my mountains, these are my valleys, these are my rivers flowing like a stream, these are my people. These mountain-colored rainbows. These are my people and this is my home,” she said. “I just wanted y’all to know… just like when we had the fires, everybody pitched in and tried to do everything that they could. So, I really think that this is a time for me to step up again. For all of us to step up and do what we can. Of course, today, I wanted to announce that from myself personally, just from my own bank account, I’m donating a million dollars today.”
A Million Dollars Is Just the Beginning
A million dollars is a lot of money. However, that is just the beginning. Parton went on to say that through Dolly Wood, the Dollywood Foundation, and her other partner companies, they raised another million dollars for relief efforts. “So, we’ve started with a good little hunk and, like I said, we’re trying to find ways to add more to make money. It’s going to take a lot of money, as you know, and it’s going to take a long time. There’s still so much more to do,” she said.
Then, in true Dolly Parton fashion, she told the gathered crowd that her team had written a whole speech for her and put it on a teleprompter. However, she said, she would rather ignore it and speak from the heart. “I just want you to know that I am totally with you because I am part of you. I love you,” she concluded.
Featured Image by Terry Wyatt/WireImage
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