Gatlinburg Weighs Heavy On My Mind
By celticeagle
@celticeagle (189927)
Boise, Idaho
December 1, 2016 2:52pm CST
The Chimney Tops Trail is where they are saying the fire began. They are not sure what sparked the fire. There have been a couple previous arson fires and arrests made.
Dolly Parton to the rescure-
As you all must know the country singer, Dolly Parton, was raised around Gatlinburg in Sevier county. Her businesses there, the Dollywood complex and The Dollywood Foundation, is assisting with $1000 a month. My People Fund is taking donations for the victims. She makes me cry. Such a dear person.is
On the subject of arson(one of my first thoughts)-
On Heavy.com they said, "Sadly, arson fires are not that unusual in Tennessee (and they are not foreign terrorist related). In fact, one local television station took great pains to inform people on the internet that a story about two arson suspects in Tennessee had been published before the Gatlinburg blaze."
I am proud to say that about 80 of Idaho Fire Fighters were sent to help in the effort of putting out the fire.
I was thinking about the future and the many people that will be out of work due to resorts being burnt to the ground or out of commission. But, in one of the articles I have read it said that Dolly Parton was going to try to employ as many as she could temporarily.
12 people like this
11 responses
@FourWalls (86827)
• United States
2 Dec 16
Dollywood is the largest employer in Sevier County (3,000 employees). Even though the water park (the only part of Dollywood I've ever been to) is closed for the season and it's the "slow season" for the area, Dollywood announced they'd do anything they could to employ people whose restaurants or hotels were burned. I'll tell ya, the woman is an amazing human being. She truly preaches her faith much more loudly than any preacher I've ever seen on TV.
2 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45490)
• United States
2 Dec 16
Dollywood closes the day after Christmas and won't open until spring. Maybe she plans to keep the park open all winter just to give those jobs, but winter in that area is not a tourist season - I know I lived there and winter was the only time we could drive w/o tourist traffic.
2 people like this
@celticeagle (189927)
• Boise, Idaho
3 Dec 16
@AbbyGreenhill ....Well, there is a lot of other places. A theater and such so maybe some of those will stay open.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
2 Dec 16
the thing with Dolly is pretty wonderful, I am sad about all of the fires and the loss of people's homes and stuff.
2 people like this
@celticeagle (189927)
• Boise, Idaho
3 Dec 16
I have a friend that lives down there and he is just devastated. So many places gone now. People he knows have lost their homes. And, this fire might have been man started which really makes it horrible to me.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (189927)
• Boise, Idaho
7 Dec 16
@Jessicalynnt ......And doing it on purpose.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
7 Dec 16
@celticeagle yeah, nature has enough fires without man intentionally making it worse.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45490)
• United States
2 Dec 16
Our friends in G'burg are allowed to tour the area today because they hold a master lease on a building in town. She listed some of the businesses that no longer exist. Dolly will give that money for six months, so each family will receive a total of 6K. Not sure how they are working out the details of giving that money out. When we lived in Sevierville one of her aunts (thru marriage) lived across the road from us. Most people in that county are her relatives.
Fires are still burning and thanks for all the firefighters who are here helping....even out little county, and I mean little, sent men and a truck.
2 people like this
@celticeagle (189927)
• Boise, Idaho
8 Dec 16
That is a good thing. Glad they caught who did it too.
@Deepizzaguy (122269)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
2 Dec 16
Dolly has a heart of gold.
2 people like this
@AutumnSnow (4583)
•
1 Dec 16
I just love her both as a singer and as a person I can't imagine how this must be effecting her. It's terrible that some one would do this on this purpose.
2 people like this
@celticeagle (189927)
• Boise, Idaho
1 Dec 16
Can't imagine it. She is a sweetheart to be sure.
1 person likes this
@mommymonky (325)
•
1 Dec 16
She is such a sweet person. I hope they can get everything contained soon.
2 people like this
@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
6 Dec 16
she is a very special lady. her movie is on CBS i noticed the Christmas one. now
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (189927)
• Boise, Idaho
6 Dec 16
It was sure good. She was in this one.
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
7 Dec 16
@celticeagle very good programs and beautiful singer
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (44941)
• Preston, England
7 Dec 16
Great that Parton is supporting the recovery projects - hope the culprits are caught soon
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (189927)
• Boise, Idaho
7 Dec 16
I do too. They caught some from previous fires and they are now in jail.
1 person likes this
@PatZAnthony (14749)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
8 Dec 16
Lives were destroyed. Some will never recover. Family members killed. Everything gone. It will not be easy for some to move forward.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (189927)
• Boise, Idaho
9 Dec 16
Oh, I know. And these teens were probably just looking for a thrill. Of course fire starting can mean more deep seated problems too.
@celticeagle (189927)
• Boise, Idaho
1 Dec 16
Hard to salvage burnt to the ground resorts and such.
1 person likes this
@KristenH (33591)
• Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
2 Dec 16
@celticeagle True. But they can rebuild though.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (189927)
• Boise, Idaho
2 Dec 16
@KristenH .......Yes, but not the same and much lost in the fire that can't be replaced.
1 person likes this
