Growing up in the Smokies is something that profoundly influences a person. Well, at least it influenced me.
My aunt and I would spend an absurd amount of time hiking the trails, going on wild adventures and spending time together in a time when we couldn’t see each other all that often. My dad and I connected over our love for camping, and the entire family got together to camp out for my birthdays.
The Smoky Mountains introduced me to my love of nature, hiking, camping, wildlife, and taught me to protect and nourish the environment in any way I could. They are my home.
And last week they burned.
November 28TH and 29TH saw thousands of people fleeing the Smoky Mountains – including Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. They fled their homes, leaving everything behind, and hundreds were later told that they had nothing to go back to but ash.
The confirmed count of dead stands now at 15 and there may be more that we haven’t recovered.
(http://www.cbsnews.com/news/more-than-30-cabins-torched-by-tennessee-wildfire/)
People lost everything.
The fire ravaged the town and many businesses were ablaze throughout the days that the wildfires raged, fed via the long drought devastating Tennessee.
People escaping the fires described it as being like going through the gates of Hell.
And do you want to know what the News coverage were concerned with? The theme parks. Every News station reported on the standing of Dollywood, but nobody bothered to report about the destruction of hundreds of homes. The New York Times was more interested in making a caricature out of native Appalachians than they were reporting on the damages caused by the fires.
I cannot begin to explain how bad the fires were, how much devastation they left in their wake. My hometown’s sky was brown, ash falling from it like some sort of twisted version of mount Vesuvius and Pompeii. The sun was turned a hell-fire red from the smoke clouding it, and my heart ached for the mountains I love so dearly and for the people being affected.
(http://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2016/11/photos-of-the-wildfires-near-gatlinburg-tennessee/509195/)
But we are Smoky Strong, and we will carry on.
The communities have banded together to rebuild Gatlinburg and rectify the damage. From all over people are coming together to support one another and offer love.
Here at Sewanee we are trying to do our part as well. From now until December 9th, ATZ will have a table set up in McClurg from 11-2 pm to collect donations. Donations can also be dropped off by the ATZ house (Georgia Townhouse #2) or directly to myself, Taylor Thornton (thorntj0@sewanee.edu).
Please help us provide comfort to the families affected by this tragedy. Many people are not going to have a home come Christmas. They will be stuck homeless during the cold, winter months. Children will not be receiving Christmas presents.
But we can help. And we should help. We are Sewanee, we brag about being a community of helpful individuals, and this is the time to prove that. Let us donate what we can to try and help people during this hard time.
If you are interested in making a donation, below is what you can donate to help with this cause.
Thank you.
Donations List:
- Cheap things like toys, coloring books, etc. for displaced children are always appreciated.
- Food such as canned food, meal bars, and bottled water/gatorade/etc.
- Toiletries like toothbrushes, combs, toothpaste, and of course tampons/pads for the women and girls.
- Pedigree dog food, dog treats, Purina cat food, cat treats, pet blankets, etc. for displaced animals.
- Blankets and clothing are of course always good go-tos.
- Schools supplies like pens, pencils, notebooks, highlighters, etc.
Monetary Donations: Cash, Check, or Card via Paypal
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