License Plate Funds Help Celebrate Friends’ 20th Anniversary

Don’t worry about sending a gift of platinum or china, you can celebrate Friends of the Smokies’ 20th Anniversary by putting a Friends specialty license plate on your vehicle. Each year, when you purchase or renew your Friends of the Smokies specialty plate, $31 of the $35 fee goes toward supporting Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP).

The State of Tennessee has just released third quarter contributions with $114,012 donated to Friends of the Smokies from specialty plate sales. Third quarter sales are the highest of this year, bringing total specialty plate income to over $388,000 in 2013. These contributions will help fund programs throughout the national park like managing bears, supporting the hemlock preservation, and educating schoolchildren.

“Our East Tennessee communities were greatly impacted during the government shutdown, and GSMNP was not exempt from the strain. With the peak of fall leaf color, October is the Smokies’ busiest month. It goes without saying that contributions from specialty license plate sales matter now more than ever to help the Park recover from this difficult time, “ explains Friends of the Smokies President Jim Hart.

To help support GSMNP, you can purchase a Friends of the Smokies specialty license plate now, even if your current plate is not expired. Go to your Tennessee County Clerk’s office or click here. If you already have a Friends specialty plate, please continue to renew your registration. For more information, please visit www.FriendsOfTheSmokies.org or contact Jim Hart at Friends of the Smokies, 865-932-4794.


Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies