Veterans of USS Enterprise to Assemble in Pigeon Forge

Pigeon Forge, Tenn., is nowhere near an ocean, but a group of Navy veterans will gather in this Great Smoky Mountains resort town Aug. 17-21 to talk about a ship they love – the USS Enterprise.

The Enterprise went into service in 1961 as the world’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. It’s still on active duty. The sailors gathering in the ship’s honor are members of the USS Enterprise Association, and all served on the Enterprise.

“We expect more than 100 members to attend,” said Bill Newby, a reunion organizer from Kingston, Tenn. Newby served on the Enterprise in 1968 and 1969.

Newby said early registrations have arrived from across the nation – Washington, California and Idaho in the West; Connecticut and Rhode Island in the East; Michigan and Pennsylvania in the Midwest; and Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia in the South.

“Some of those coming are ‘plank owners,’ meaning that they were on board when the Enterprise went into service. It’s a term that goes back to the days of wooden ships. If you’re part of the first crew, you have a special sense of ownership,” Newby said.

The heritage of the Enterprise actually does go back to the era of wooden ships. The modern-day aircraft carrier is the eighth commissioned ship with that name. The first was a 70-ton sloop captured from the British on Lake Champlain in the Revolutionary War. The leader of the raid that captured the sloop was a soldier everyone has heard of, Benedict Arnold.

The seventh Enterprise was the first “Big E,” a World War II aircraft carrier that became the most decorated ship in history, according to the Navy’s website for the current ship. The seventh Enterprise participated in some of the largest battles in World War II, including the Battle of Midway.

Newby said the ship always tries to send a representative to the association’s reunion. He is hopeful that the Enterprise’s new commanding officer, Capt. O.P. Honors Jr., will attend the Pigeon Forge event.

The Holiday Inn Hotel and Conference Center on the Parkway in Pigeon Forge is the reunion headquarters. Newby said attendees have various activities in Pigeon Forge and in the region, “but the main activity is talking about the ship.”

Hilton Garden Inn in Gatlinburg Becomes Tennessee’s First LEED Certified Hotel

The Hilton Garden Inn in Gatlinburg has earned the Good Earthkeeping Award for a small property by the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AH&LA) for their work to become the state’s first LEED certified hotel. The award was presented as part of the annual Stars of the Industry Awards which honor stand-out initiatives at hotel properties. In an effort to support and build upon the Gatlinburg Goes Green initiative, builders and owners of the Hilton Garden Inn are working to earn the coveted U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Silver Level Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. When accepted, the certification will confirm by third-party experts that the hotel satisfies criteria for sustainable site development, materials selection, water conservation, energy efficiency and indoor environment quality. Read more..

Moonshine Will Start Flowing in Gatlinburg July 2nd.

Tennessee Moonshine will be available legally for the first time when Ole Smoky Distillery opens for business in Ole Smoky Holler at 903 Parkway in downtown Gatlinburg. The distillery will have a grand opening celebration on Friday, July 2 and will offer free tours, free samples of moonshine to adults over 21, and moonshine for sale.

Ole Smoky will offer a number of moonshine products: original unaged corn whiskey moonshine, apple pie moonshine, sweet tea moonshine, and peach moonshine. Moonshine cherries will be available for purchase during the holiday season. The Ole Smoky recipes are the product of the hard work and experience of local families who have made moonshine in the mountains for over a century. Dave Pickerell, who served as the Master Distiller for Maker’s Mark for over 15 years, assisted with the refinement of the recipes in order to ensure a superior mountain – made moonshine.

A highlight of the facility is the authentic working moonshine still where visitors will learn the science of the distilling process as well as the history and lore of moonshining in East Tennessee. Ole Smoky is the only distillery in the state dedicated to moonshine products. Proprietors Joe Baker, Tony Breeden and Cory Cottongim place a particular emphasis on celebrating their mountain heritage as well as the historical significance of the moonshine craft in sustaining families during hard economic times of the early 20th century.

“Moonshine played an integral role in the daily lives of families in this region,” said Baker. “Too often, people rely on the stereotype of a backwards old man making a cheap, dangerous product. In truth, a lot of good people made and sold moonshine in order to feed and clothe their families. Without moonshine, many mountain families would not have survived.”

Ole Smoky is the first federally licensed distillery in the history of East Tennessee, and is currently one of only four distilleries operating in the state. Jack Daniel’s and George Dickel received their licenses before Prohibition, and Prichards Rum opened their Tennessee facility in 1999.

Pigeon Forge Host the 19th Smoky Mountains Storytelling Festival

Truth may be in short supply, but humor and great entertainment will be in abundance in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., for a three-day talkfest in June.

June 10-12 are the dates for the 19th annual Smoky Mountains Storytelling Festival, one of many stops on Pigeon Forge’s year-round calendar of special events.

The festival, one of the Southeast Tourism Society’s “Top 20 Events” for June, features performers including a Harvard-educated storyteller whose alter ego is a moose, a Kentuckian who got in trouble even as a third-grader for stretching the truth and an East Tennessean who invented a musical instrument made from a toilet seat.

“Storytelling, especially Appalachian storytelling, has a great heritage, and our festival celebrates that tradition to the hilt,” said Leon Downey, executive director of the Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism.

In addition to hearing professional storytellers, you’ll also hear from area storytellers who are members of the Smoky Mountain Storytelling Association and from young storytellers who have been invited from across the U.S.

You’ll also be able to attend storytelling workshops. In the workshops, you can simply observe how master storytellers pass on their skills, or you can dive right in and start developing your own talents.

This year’s featured storytellers:

Willie Claflin – Willy’s from California now, but he grew up in New Hampshire, which might explain why he travels with Maynard Moose. Maynard, you see, is the last known teller of Mother Moose Tales. Claflin, who has been a headliner at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tenn., says his off-stage fame comes for “helping save endangered squeaking rubber animals.” His latest recording is “The Goat Whisperer.” Claflin’s the one with Harvard on his resume.

Mary Hamilton – Mary is a daughter of the Bluegrass State who tells Kentucky tales, world folk and fairy tales, legends “and even some true stories.” She’s widely known for teaching the storytelling art to teachers, librarians and speakers, and she’s appeared at festivals from Florida to Oregon. She obviously didn’t take to heart her third-grade teacher’s admonitions to always tell the truth.

Mountain Man Bob – Mountain Man Bob is Bob Phillips from Jonesborough, Tenn. He invented a musical instrument, the modie-harp, which you’ll quickly see is an unusual second use for a toilet seat and lid. Mountain Man Bob tells tales of his own invention, plus some rooted in Appalachian lore. He said he takes pride in the fact that all of his stories are true, “based on the remote possibility that there exists a slim chance of possible fact.”

The young storytellers at the Pigeon Forge festival are participants in the National Youth Storytelling Showcase. At least 15 students from various states are invited to perform. There are categories for grammar school, middle school and high school storytellers, plus a category for duos or groups.

All programs of the Smoky Mountains Storytelling Festival will be at the Grand Majestic Theater. Tickets are $10 per day, or $25 for the weekend. The schedule offers morning workshops and afternoon and evening performances all three days. Late-night sessions with a $5 donation benefit the Smoky Mountain Storytellers Association.

Information about all aspects of visiting Pigeon Forge’s website or by calling toll-free to 1-800-251-9100.

GRSMNP Needs Volunteers for New Contact Station at Clingmans Dome

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is recruiting volunteers to help staff a new visitor contact station at Clingmans Dome when it opens on Saturday, June 19.

The building that served as a comfort station, constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps, is being renovated and converted into a seasonal information center that will also include a bookstore/sales area managed by Great Smoky Mountains Association.

The center sits at an elevation of 6,300 feet and will be a point source of information on the national park, in general, and on this high elevation spruce-fir ecosystem in particular. Volunteers are needed to assist in educating visitors about the Park and providing recreational and trip planning information and directions to other destinations.

“In the past, visitors to this popular destination did not have a chance to obtain information on their high elevation visit or have questions answered, including the most asked, ‘What caused the trees to die?’” said Park Superintendent Dale Ditmanson. “Now with the help of volunteers staffing the center, visitors can inquire and learn about the stands of dead trees caused by the nonnative insect, the balsam woolly adelgid.”

Many other helpful services will be available, including the ability to purchase guides and maps, outdoor apparel, and other products sold by the Great Smoky Mountains Association. “The Association is a significant partner with the Park and is involved in a number of projects to improve visitors’ experience. The funding for the renovations to the building, interpretive exhibit material, and staffing is coming from the Association through its revenue raised from merchandise sales and paid memberships,” said Ditmanson.

Volunteers will be working alongside Association employees and each volunteer is asked to work at least one four-hour shift per week. The hours will be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Interested persons will be provided orientation and training before beginning at the contact station. The period that volunteers will be needed is during the peak season, June through October. To sign up for this volunteer work or for more information, contact Florie Takaki at 828/497-1906 or by email, Wednesdays through Fridays.

Take Back the Family Vacation with Pigeon Forge’s help

Do you have a friend you’d like to help with $100 in gas money? How about utilities for a year? Or 12 car payments? Or perhaps a year of mortgage payments?

The vacation destination of Pigeon Forge, Tenn., can help you accomplish exactly that.

The method is Pigeon Forge’s “Taking Back Vacation” campaign, which continues through July, when one family will win $15,000 for mortgage or rent payments.

Pigeon Forge, a major family vacation destination and a gateway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is conducting the campaign in reaction to the nation’s economic troubles of the past two years.

“We believe in the family vacation, and we feel family vacationers are our guests. Our whole community feels this way, and ‘Taking Back Vacation’ is our way to demonstrate that. It’s unusual for a whole destination to do this, but its our way to support a lot of families,” said Leon Downey, executive director of the Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism.

All winners – and the people who nominate them – also will receive three-day vacations in Pigeon Forge.

The nomination process requires two clicks at Pigeon Forge’s Web site, www.MyPigeonForge.com, and composition of a 100-word essay. Visitors to the Web site will choose the winners from the posted essays.

“Too many people have had to curtail family time recently, and we want to draw attention to how important family vacations are. Those times together are vital, and places such as Pigeon Forge can be the glue that binds families,” Downey said.

The “Taking Back Vacation” campaign grows from April through July.

* In April, 20 families will win $100 for gasoline.
* In May, 10 families will win $2,100 for utility payments.
* In June, five families will win $6,600 for car payments.
* In July, one family will win $15,000 for mortgage or rent payments.

Pigeon Forge made a similar outreach in 2006, a year of unexpected jumps in gasoline prices, by giving away a tanker truckload of gas.

“Our ‘Great Gas Giveaway’ was loads of fun,” Downey recalled, “and we want the ‘Taking Back Vacation’ idea to be the same. Our goal in Pigeon Forge is making people happy and creating good memories.”

Pigeon Forge has a resident population of about 5,800, but it attracts more than 10 million visitors a year. It is home to Tennessee’s most visited tourist attraction, Dollywood, as well as more than a dozen theaters, scores of family attractions and more than 250 outlet, craft and specialty stores.

Its next-door neighbor, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is the most visited national park in the U.S.

“We’re in a great location and have tons of fun to offer. We hope parents will see us as a destination for family fun – before their kids outgrow childhood,” Downey said.

For more information visit Pigeon Forge’s website.

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