The Beatles refrain is true, “I get by with a little help from my friends.” On Saturday, September 10, the Mast Store will be hosting Friends in each of its home communities that have the awesome responsibility of taking care of resources that locals and visitors enjoy every day. At the end of the day, each of our store locations will donate 10% of the day’s sales to support our local conservation partners.

The Knoxville and Waynesville Stores will donate to Friends of the Smokies, which helps protect the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in significant, tangible ways. Their many projects include support for the Appalachian Bear Rescue Center, preservation of historic log cabins and churches, and the Parks as Classrooms environmental education program which serves more than 12,000 students in schools bordering the park.

Since 1993, Friends of the Smokies has raised more than $47 million to fund historic preservation, wildlife management, environmental education, and more in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Thanks to a $2 million matching grant from the Aslan Foundation of Knoxville in 2008, Friends of the Smokies established the Trails Forever endowment to fund a full-time trail crew for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the park's most impacted trails.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is more than just an economic engine for Tennessee and North Carolina, receiving more than 10 million visitors annually who spend $874 million in the region which creates 13,700 jobs. Our park also educates 18,000 school children each year through the Parks as Classrooms environmental education program. In 2016, Friends of the Smokies committed to providing $157,000 for this important program, which is informing the next generation of park stewards and employees.

In addition to donating 10% of the day’s sales to our Friends, Patagonia will donate $2,500 directly to Friends of the Smokies on behalf of Mast Store in celebration of the 100th Anniversary of our National Parks. Thank you, Patagonia!

Come in and visit with the volunteers from Friends of the Smokies to find out how you can get more involved or visit their website HERE.