The Evergreen Ball is always a special event, but this year, it was really something else.
We were joined by the host of Travel Channel’s Mysteries at the Museum, Don Wildman along with many of our board members and GSMNP leadership staff including Superintendent Cash and Deputy Superintendent Jordan.
As always, it was an evening of elegance with beautiful gowns and sharp tuxedos turning heads all night. Guests mingled and enjoyed cocktails as they perused eight silent auction areas and an excellent wine auction featuring special selections by our board members. They took their seats for an exciting introduction by Don Wildman and welcome messages by Dr. Dan Matthews and Superintendent Cash. The evening’s program was graciously hosted once again by WBIR’s Robin Wilhoit and John Becker.
After a delicious dinner, we kicked it into high gear with a live auction featuring original artwork, one-of-a-kind experiences, and vacation packages from the Virgin Islands, Maine, and Argentina. Thanks to an outpouring of generosity, we raised $500,000 at this year’s event, pushing the Evergreen Ball’s 13-year total to $4.8 million raised for Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
What’s more, our evening’s fundraising has brought Friends of the Smokies’ cumulative fundraising to more than $50 million since our founding in 1993! That is an amazing milestone and comes just as we kick off celebrations of the National Park Service’s 100th anniversary in 2016.
At the end of the evening, we let loose and enjoyed music by the one-and-only Chillbillies!
And really, this event would not have been possible without our small army of volunteers and committee members. They hauled in more than 350 auction items, transformed Cherokee Country Club room by room, assisted our guests during the event, and then turned around to take it all apart before Monday. Thank you so much to all our wonderful volunteers and a special thanks to our volunteer coordinator Christine Hoyer, and Tim Chandler & Nancy Daves, our Evergreen Ball Co-Chairs.
The 2016 Evergreen Ball was presented by Scripps Networks Interactive and the Travel Channel and was sponsored by The Charlie & Moll Anderson Family Foundation, Boyd’s Jig & Reel, Citizens National Bank, Clayton Homes, The Haslam Family Foundation, Jim & Natalie Haslam, Home Federal Bank, Pilot Travel Centers, SmartBank, 21st Mortgage Corporation, Alcoa, Charles Blalock & Sons Inc., Dollywood, LMU Duncan School of Law, Martin & Company, Nisus Corporation, Phillips & Jordan, Pugh CPAs, Regal Entertainment Group, The William B. Stokely Jr. Foundation, with special underwriting from Sugarland Cellars, The Trust Company, LHP Capital, Connor Concepts, and the Knoxville News Sentinel. Find out more about our generous sponsors here.
See more photos from this wonderful evening on Facebook or order prints easily from Shutterfly.