Brighten Your Day

Dolly Parton Donates $200,000 To Volunteer Firefighters

March 24, 2019

Dolly Parton has donated a total of $200,000 to eight volunteer fire departments in Tennessee who helped battle the deadly wildfires in 2016.

Photo credit: DollyParton.com

Dolly met with all of the fire chiefs in Sevier County to thank them for their role in fighting the 2016 wildfires.

Through her Dollywood Foundation's My People Fund, she donated $20,000 to each volunteer fire station and gave $40,000 to their area training center.

"It is only fitting that the last of the My People Fund will go to those who were the first to respond to the fires," Parton said in a press release.

Tim Baker, the chief of the Walden's Creek Volunteer Fire Department, said his department will use the money to purchase gear and replace the roof of their station. Baker went onto say that Parton's donation to their training center will help build a new classroom in the facility.

"This is fantastic. We needed about $40,000 to meet our goal for the classroom and now we have it," Baker said.

Dolly's My People Fund was also able to provide $5,000 each to more than 800 families who lost homes in the wildfires.