Your donation supports TPRA in a variety of ways:

  • Scholarships that provide financial support to rangers seeking additional training that cannot be funded through park budgets.

  • Flower Fund provides bereavement arrangements in the event that a ranger experiences the loss of an immediate family member.

  • Supports advocacy initiatives that improve working conditions and opportunities for our membership.

  • Special contributions for park ranger’s families impacted by tragic events.

  • Commitment to providing up to $500 to park employees, staff, park rangers individuals who are associated with Tennessee State Parks who have been impacted by natural disasters.

Hurricane Helene Relief:

  • Roan Mountain State Park and the surrounding areas were severely impacted by Hurricane Helene. The community is within one of the state and federally declared disaster counties. The good thing is that the staff and their families are safe. The bad thing is that five employees were affected by this storm and two sustained substantial damage to their homes and property. All families are struggling right now on how to manage this crisis. Even if the employees themselves did not sustain damages, they all had a close family member who did as a result of this storm. Being able to afford these repairs is creating additional stress, accumulating on top of the stress they already have from enduring an event like this while now trying to clean up from it. 

    Below are the details of each family affected…

    • Park Ranger

      The driveway and retaining wall were destroyed – will need the retaining wall rebuilt and the driveway redone

      The deck collapsed will need dug out, taken apart, hauled off, and rebuilt

      Outbuilding/workshop – completely flooded, the roof is now leaking, machinery gone including heat press, backpack blower, and refrigerator.

      The House roof is now leaking

      The foundation needs to be inspected

      Well filled with sediment – possibly will need a new pump

      Plumbing issues underneath the house

      The crawlspace flooded and held water – needs dried out and cleaned professionally

      All insulation underneath the house needs torn out and replaced

      Inside the house – water on the hardwood floor and in two of the walls

      Mold and mildew already starting to grow – the inside needs to be professionally dried out and cleaned

      Their car was flooded – it is running at the moment

    • Gift Shop Clerk

      The outbuilding flooded and shifts on the foundation blocks – needs moved back

      Their under pending of their trailer destroyed – needs pulled off and replaced

      Insulation needs torn out and replaced under the house

      Possibly will need a new HVAC unit – currently cannot get to it because of the mudslide that came down two days after the flood washed under their house

      The retaining wall needs repaired

      Mud from the slide needs moved away from the house before the under-pending can be removed in places. Donna has already made a plea on social media for anyone with a tractor who could assist with this task.

      The driveway needs levels back out and gravel

    • Custodial Supervisor

      The under pending of their trailer needs pulled off and replaced because water flooded underneath the trailer

      All insulation needs torn out and replaced

      The outbuilding was flooded completely

      Lost their lawn mower – flood washed it away

      The muffler on her car was torn into

    • Custodial Lead

      The basement flooded – needs dried out and cleaned professionally

      They lost their washer and dryer

    • Custodial Lead

      The under pending of their trailer needs pulled off and replaced because water flooded underneath the trailer

      All insulation needs torn out and replaced

      Lost their refrigerator