Wildfire Relief Funds Will Support Great Smokies Recovery Efforts

GATLINBURG, TN – Yesterday National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) presented a donation to the Friends of the Smokies to support ongoing local recovery efforts in the wake of wildfires that devastated Great Smoky Mountains National Park and surrounding communities in November.

Through a generous donation by NPCA Board of Trustees Vice Chair Greg Vital, NPCA was able to contribute $20,000 to Friends of the Smokies to support wildfire recovery efforts in the park.

Vital, a Chattanooga, TN, businessman, is a long-time supporter of National Parks and Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Don Barger, NPCA’s Southeast Senior Regional Director, formally presented the donation to the Friends of the Smokies at the organization’s Board of Directors dinner on Sunday.

“The Smokies are home to some of America’s most breathtaking views and incredibly diverse wildlife. The importance of the work that Friends of the Smokies does to support this beloved park cannot be overstated,” said Barger. “NPCA is honored to help support these critical restoration efforts.”

“Friends of the Smokies is very grateful to Greg Vital for his generous support for the park at this time of very special need. The important work NPCA does year round to help insure the preservation and protection of our National Park system as a whole, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park in particular, is critical not only now but for future generations,” says Jim Hart, President of Friends of the Smokies.

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About National Parks Conservation Association Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than 1.2 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s natural, historic, and cultural heritage for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org.

About Friends of the Smokies Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park assists the National Park Service in its mission to preserve and protect Great Smoky Mountains National Park by raising funds and public awareness, and providing volunteers for needed projects. For more information, visit www.friendsofthesmokies.org.