In 1988 Dolly Parton pulled every 7th and 8th grader in Sevier County into a room and told them to pick a buddy.
She made them sign a contract.. if BOTH graduate, she hands you both $500. One fails, nobody gets paid.
The county dropout rate went from 35% to 6%.
She handed out the checks herself.
In 1989 she offered $500 to every kid in the county who wanted to go to the local college.
When Gatlinburg burned in 2016, she sent 900 families $1,000 a month for six months.
You've probably heard that part.
Here's the part you haven't:
The fund raised more than expected, so she showed up in May and handed every one of those families another $5,000 on top.
Then she quietly put $3 million into the recovery group that handles the years after the news trucks leave.
She built her county an entire hospital.
She played a benefit concert in 2007, Dollywood and the Stampede matched it, and LeConte Medical Center opened in 2010 with a birthing unit and a women's center in it.
In 2022 she started covering 100% of tuition, books, and fees for Dollywood employees.
Full-time, part-time, AND seasonal.
In 1991 she paid for a bald eagle sanctuary because the birds couldn't be released back into the wild, no press release.
And when Hurricane Helene came through here in Western North Carolina, she wrote a personal check for $1 million and her companies matched it.
She didn't owe North Carolina anything, but she helped us anyway.
She started the Imagination Library because her daddy couldn't read or write. Before he passed, he told her it was the most important thing she ever did.
Rest in Peace, Dolly 🇺🇸
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@GolfDigest In a team playoff for first in my first real college tournament in my hometown with everyone from my town watching. I was last to go, hit the flagstick and it stopped 2 feet. Coach told me I had 2 putts to win, thankfully only needed the one 2 footer
Charlie Woods hasn’t smiled in like an hour. Just hit a butter cut 4 iron to 4 feet and holed it from the back tees. Did not acknowledge any of the people yelling his name as he walked to the next tee. Tunnel vision. Apple, meet tree.
Although it’s been a long and challenging year, I am very excited to close it out by competing in the @PNCchampionship with my son Charlie. I’m playing as a Dad and couldn’t be more excited and proud.
I will not get overhyped about Spieth.
I will not get overhyped about Spieth.
I will not get overhyped about Spieth.
I will not get overhyped about Spieth.
I will not get overhyped about Spieth.
I will not get overhyped about Spieth.
I will not get overhyped about Spieth.