Page 106 - Cityview_July_August_2014

Justice Wade was the iiirst chairman

of the Friends of the Smokies board.
More than 4,500 active members have

joined the Friends’ effort to “preserve,
protect and provide” for the Great

Smoky Mountains National Park.

pretive exhibits and learning labs and ever, explains hart, “is one of the most come here with their parents or bring
celebrated the park’s 75th anniversary meaningful projects i’ve been involved their children here, have a lot of emo-

with dolly Parton.
in because it will have lasting results for tional family ties.”

although hart hesitates to call years and years to come.” of Parks as volunteer tim Chandler says his fam-
one of the friends’ accomplishments Classrooms, he says, “the program offers ily’s best memory of the smokies is see-

“most significant,” two ongoing proj- an opportunity to educate children who ing a mother bear and her triplets during
ects stand out to him: trails forever probably wouldn’t otherwise come to the a camping trip in Cades Cove. “We

and Parks as Classrooms.
park. if we don’t educate our youth about always look for wildlife,” he says, “and

“one of the biggest things we’ve it, chances of it being properly cared for it always shows up.” Millions of people
done, thanks to aslan foundation in in the future would be pretty grim.”
have their own favorite experiences from

knoxville, is developed trails forever,” “What we do now is more important great smoky Mountains national Park.
says hart, “funding an additional per- than ever,” says hart, “because funds and for many east tennesseans, the park

manent trail crew to work on the 800 from the federal government are more has played a constant role in our lives.
miles of trails in the park.” the friends scarce than they ever have been.” last it’s part of how we tell time, measure the

matched a $2 million challenge grant year, the national Park service had week and the year—time for play, time for

from the aslan foundation to create already suffered a $180 million federal color, time for growth or snow. the thou-
the program’s endowment. before budget cut before the government shut- sands of members, volunteers, donors,

trails forever was established in 2008, down caused massive losses for parks
and staff for friends of the smokies have
there was only one permanent trail in the fall. “We had continuous contact decided it’s time to give back. together,

maintenance crew in tennessee and with our donors through the whole the friends are working to ensure that,

one in north Carolina.
thing,” says hart. “it helped emphasize to over time, the park will continue to play
the friends also help fund Parks as folks when the park was closed what an an important role in resource preserva-

Classrooms, which annually gives about important resource it is.”
tion, education, and enjoyment.
18,000 students from tennessee and great smoky Mountains national Park

north Carolina the chance to spend a is america’s most visited, with more than for more information, go to

day at a park ranger’s side. rangers lead 9 million visitors annually. “the park
www.friendsofthesmokies.org.
curriculum-based lessons for students in is more available to people,” explains

kindergarten through high school.
hart. “We’re within a day’s drive of half An Alabama native, Meghan McDonald has lived, hiked,
both of these projects affect the park’s the u.s. population.” he also points out,
and gardened in Knoxville for the past three years. She is a
future in a foundational way. trails for-
“People who come here annually, who
regular contributor to Cityview.

104
cityviewmag.com july august 2014