Dolly Parton, a music superstar, has offered a personal gift of $1 million (£762,000) to disaster relief efforts following Hurricane Helene.
Speaking at an event in her native state of Tennessee on Friday, the 78-year-old stated that the funds will come “from my own bank account.”.
Parton’s local business endeavors, including the Dollywood entertainment park, will also contribute the same amount to the Mountain Ways Foundation, which is assisting individuals affected by flooding in the region.
During her speech, Parton burst into song, singing “Helene, Helene” to the tune of her 1973 classic Jolene.
At least 225 people have died as a result of Hurricane Helene, which ripped across the Southeast US in late September.
Helene is the deadliest mainland storm since Katrina in 2005.
Making landfall as a category four hurricane, Helene damaged structures, caused flash flooding, and knocked out power to millions of homes. Over half a million properties remain without electricity as of Saturday.
The US government has said the clean-up effort could take years.
While a large proportion of the deaths occurred in North Carolina, others have been recorded in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
“This is my home,” Parton said at Friday’s news conference, which took place outside a Walmart store in Newport, Tennessee.
“God has been good to me and so has the public, and I feel that if there’s anything I can do to give back in any way I can, I’m always willing to do that. I want to feel like I’m doing my part.”
Explaining that many of her relatives lived in the area, the singer said, “I was heartbroken like everybody else, and just amazed and devastated by it.”
She said, “All these people feel like my people.”
According to the most recent official count, eleven individuals have been confirmed deceased in Tennessee as a result of the storm, with many more still missing.
Floodwaters washed away at least two manufacturing workers in Erwin, which is located in the state’s northeast.
Parton, when asked what her message to victims was, responded: “I know it’s easy for us to say, ‘oh, things are going to get better’ when things are still really bad.”
“All we can say is that we are with you, that we love you, and we hope that things get better real soon—and we’re going to do our part to try and make that possible.”
Coinciding with the news conference, Walmart announced it was increasing its recovery efforts funding to $10 million (£7.6 million).
The supermarket chain’s CEO, John Furner, said: “These aren’t just places where we have stores. These are communities where we work and live.“
He also described Parton as “a true American legend—and not just for the music, the art, the business, but because of her heart.”.
The country music singer-songwriter has previously made large donations in response to life-changing events.
In 2016, her charity pledged to donate $1,000 a month to families affected by wildfires in Tennessee.
And in 2020, she contributed $1 million towards the development of one of the Covid-19 vaccines.
When asked what her message was to victims, Parton replied, “I know it’s easy for us to say, ‘Oh, things are going to get better’ when things are still really bad.”
“All we can say is that we are with you, that we love you, and we hope that things get better real soon—and we’re going to do our part to try and make that possible.”
Walmart declared during the news conference that it will increase its contribution for recovery operations to $10 million (£7.6 million).
The CEO of the grocery company, John Furner, stated, “These aren’t simply areas where we have shops. These are the communities where we work and live.
He also referred to Parton as “a true American legend—and not just for the music, art, or business, but because of her heart.”
The country music singer-songwriter has previously made significant contributions in reaction to life-altering experiences.
In 2016, her foundation vowed to contribute $1,000 each month to families devastated by Tennessee wildfires.
In 2020, she provided $1 million to the development of a Covid-19 vaccine.
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