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 🇺🇸
Rest in Peace Jackie.
Damn, I really hate that we lost her. She has been such a big part of our lives over the years.
Her legacy will never be forgotten.
@keepamericafree@SNYUConn He is a cry baby disrespecting lil biatch! There was still time on the clock when he walked over to her side to confront her. Glad she didnt back down from him. Take the loss and move on.
@MemphisDC13@SportsCenter Are you blind or just dumb..he walked over towards her while time was still on the clock! He said something nasty ( hope we find out what) She didnt back down, nor should she have! Geno is a poor sport!
“Marty, you’re back from 2026!”
“Doc, O.J. Simpson’s a murderer, Bill Cosby’s a rapist, Bruce Jenner’s a woman, Donald Trump’s president, and there was a global pandemic.”
“Great Scott!”
“And Indiana is the best college football team.”
“Ok, now I know you’re full of shit.”
@JDVance Jesus prayed, BUT he also flipped tables! Mother Teresa teaches us that prayer changes us, and it is we that change things. #Timeforpolicyandchanges
@JDVance Jesus prayed, BUT he also flipped tables! Mother Teresa teaches us that prayer changes us, and it is we that change things. #Timeforpolicyandchanges