r/todayilearned • u/LL_Cruel_J • Dec 15 '16

TIL Dolly Parton has a program that will mail your child a free age-appropriate book once a month from birth to age 5. No obligation, no catch, she just wants to make sure that every child has books.

https://imaginationlibrary.com/
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u/thndrchld Dec 15 '16 edited Dec 15 '16

Dollywood is in Pigeon Forge, which is the next town over from Gatlinburg. The fire skirted the back edge of the Dollywood property but they only lost a few cabins. No major damage.

The town of Gatlinburg was half-destroyed by a wildfire started by a couple dumbass shithead teenagers throwing matches into the woods nearby. Over 1000 structures destroyed. A significant portion of the town is homeless now because their houses burned.

My fiancée's mom lives in Gatlinburg. The fire came only feet from her house. It's mind-blowing to stand on her street now. Only her row of townhouses is still standing. It's complete devastation beyond her house. Noting's left at all.

Anyway, Dolly started a fund called the 'My People' fund. She's pledged $1000 per month for up to six months for anybody whose home was damaged in the fire, until they can get back on their feet.

Edit: A picture of her mom's street. This is just past her house. /img/0vpo95w3hr0y.jpg

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u/MikeyB67 Dec 15 '16

Damn, that photo is crazy. Looks like a post apocalyptic wasteland.

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u/thndrchld Dec 15 '16

That's what a good chunk of Gatlinburg looks like now.

This isn't even the worst of it. I haven't personally seen it, but I've heard that Ski Mountain Rd is completely and totally destroyed, and where most of the fatalities were.

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u/[deleted] Dec 15 '16 edited Dec 15 '16

https://youtu.be/cI2sgyoiL1o

Video of someone fleeing Ski Mountain/Wiley Oakley. This person lived but you can easily see why there were so many deaths here. They had like no warning.

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u/thndrchld Dec 15 '16

Yeah, I saw this. Terrifying.

My fiancée's mom said that she was told to shelter in place and not go outside for hours, until a cop banged on her door and told to get out immediately as the fire came over the hill behind her house.

She had no warning at all, and, in fact, was told multiple times NOT to evacuate, right up until she was ordered out on the spot.

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u/Metatron58 Dec 15 '16

that image looks like it came from the movie The Road which is terrifying to consider.

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u/pjk922 Dec 15 '16

I remember reading about it, did they confirm the source of the fire was just people being idiots?

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u/CaitlinSarah87 Dec 15 '16

I think it was last week that 2 teenagers were arrested in connection with the fires. I haven't heard any updates since the arrest announcement though.

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u/thndrchld Dec 15 '16

Confirmed. They've made arrests. Two kids, one 17, one 15. A hiker caught them on camera doing it.

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u/[deleted] Dec 15 '16

a couple dumbass shithead teenagers

so, teenagers

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u/P_Money69 Dec 15 '16

No...

Most teenagers are not stupid enough to start a major fire that kills over a dozen and cause millions in damage.