A former home owned by the country legend Dolly Parton has, in the spirit of the star, been offered up as a wedding venue for couples displaced by recent wildfires near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in her home state of Tennessee.
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Red Top Destinations has said that “The Red Top Smoky Mountain Lodging,” which is located in Sevierville, Tennessee, will be available as a free venue for couples between April 1 and May 1 affected by the wildfires. To qualify for the offer, the couples must prove the recent fires impacted their originally planned venues.
Recent wildfires have spread to thousands of acres of land in Tennessee’s Sevier County. The fires began as a brush fire in the Hatcher Mountain area of Wears Valley. Some 11,000 homes in the area had been evacuated. A 2016 wildfire in the same area killed about a dozen people.
Parton took full ownership of the venue after her parents Lee and Avie Lee bought the property in 1984. The home was later sold to a family friend.
The current owner, Mike Whitcomb, bought the property earlier this year. But after the series of fires, Whitcomb said he wanted to follow in Parton’s footsteps.
“Everybody loves Dolly for a reason,” Whitcomb said to FOX. “It’s not by chance. It’s not just her skills. It’s her humanity, her kindness, her beauty.”
He continued, “I wanted to make sure, from my perspective and our family’s perspective, that we can add our voice to that.”
The lodging includes three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a large dining room, and many of Parton’s artifacts around the property.
Parton recently commented on the fires, saying on Twitter, “I’ve been keeping up with everything going on with the fires near my home area. It looks scary on TV, but I’m proud of how everyone in the area has pulled together like they always do. I’m especially proud of the brave men and women who are working to contain the fire.
“I know there are some folks who have been affected, and I hope that you will join me in saying a prayer for them. During this time, I’ve also remained in touch with my people at @Dollywood who have assured me everything is okay there.”
(Photo: Stacie Huckeba/Butterfly Records LLC)
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