Dolly Parton donates $1 million to recovery efforts

Music icon Dolly Parton announced she will make a personal donation of $1 million (£762,000) to disaster recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene.

Speaking at an event in her home state of Tennessee on Friday, the 78-year-old said the money would come “from my own bank account.”

Parton’s local commercial ventures – including the Dollywood theme park – will also donate the same amount to the Mountain Ways Foundation, which is assisting those affected by flooding in the area.

During her remarks, Parton broke into song, singing “Helene, Helene” to the tune of her 1973 hit Jolene.

At least 225 people died as Hurricane Helene swept across the southeastern United States in late September.

Helene is The most dangerous land storm since Katrina in 2005.

When making landfall as a Category 4 storm, Helene damaged structures, caused flash floods, and left millions of homes without power. More than half a million homes remained without power as of Saturday.

The US government said the cleanup effort could take years.

While the majority of deaths occurred in North Carolina, others were reported in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

“This is my home,” Parton said during Friday’s press conference, which took place outside a Walmart store in Newport, Tennessee.

“God has been very good to me and so has the public, and I feel that if I can do anything to give back in any way then I am always willing to do it. I want to feel like I’m doing it.” part.”

Explaining that many of her relatives live in this area, the singer said: “I’m as heartbroken as everyone else, both surprised and saddened by it.”

She added: “All these people feel like my people.”

So far, 11 people have been confirmed dead in Tennessee as a result of the storm. Latest official tallywith many more yet to be accounted for.

At least two Factory workers were swept away by floodwaters in Erwin, in the northeast part of the state.

Parton, when asked what her message was to victims, responded: “I know it’s easy for us to say, ‘oh, things will get better’ when things are still really bad. “

“All we can say is that we are with you, that we love you, we hope things get better soon – and we will do our part to try to make it comes true.”

Coinciding with the press conference, Walmart announced it was increasing funding for the recovery effort to $10m (£7.6m).

The supermarket chain’s chief executive, John Furner, said: “This is not just where we have stores. This is the community where we work and live.”

He also described Parton as “a true American legend – not just for her music, her art, her business, but also for her heart”.

The country singer-songwriter has previously donated large sums of money in response to life-changing events.

In 2016, her charity activities Committed to donating 1,000 USD every month for families affected by the Tennessee wildfires.

And in 2020, she contributed $1 million to the development of one of the Covid-19 vaccines.