Located in the Great Smoky Mountains, Gatlinburg, Tennessee, USA, attracts over 11 million visitors per year. Known for its quaint charm and its synchronous fireflies, it’s no wonder why tourists flock to the area.
In late November 2016, wildfires burned through areas of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and destroyed homes and other properties in Gatlinburg and nearby Pigeon Forge. The fires killed 14 people, injured more than 130 people, and damaged or destroyed 1,684 structures.
With many families losing everything they had, help was desperately needed. Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) awarded a US$10,000 grant to the Lions of District 12-N in Tennessee to be used in providing relief in the area affected by the wildfires.
Lions Clubs of East Tennessee pulled together to organize relief for those who were affected by the fires. On December 10, 2016, Lions gathered at a local Walmart to provide emergency shopping to 50 families in need. The families were able to get necessary food, water, and clothing. Since then, the Lions Clubs of East Tennessee have raised over US$50,000 to help the victims of the Gatlinburg-area wildfires.
Check out this video of Lions in action!
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LzMSgHw-h0&feature=youtu.be&app=desktop[/embed]
To support other LCIF disaster relief initiatives, donate today.
