Dolly Parton cooks up big Sevier event; $$$ roll in

Jonathan Brashier of South Carolina, Eric Chiang of Florida and Gatlinburg Realtors Tabitha Hall and Sabrina Taylor bid $75,000 for a visit to Dolly Parton's home.

A group of friends chipped in together Saturday to come up with the $75,000 winning bid for an evening with country music superstar Dolly Parton. Ten folks will get to tour Parton’s famed “Tennessee Mountain Home” in Sevier County and dine on barbecue. Gatlinburg Realtors Sabrina Taylor and Tabitha Hall then will stay the night in Parton’s guest house and be awakened the next morning by Parton herself serving them “the biggest country breakfast you ever saw,” according to Parton’s description of the plans in a video-taped message played Saturday on the big screens at the Gatlinburg Convention Center. “Don’t you think for a minute that I can’t cook!” Parton giggled. One of the bidders Saturday was participating from Scotland via phone.

Corey Johns and Angela DeGloma

The 20th annual “Evening of Elegance,” as the black-tie optional event was called, raised funds for the Robert F. Thomas Foundation. Proceeds will go to the Boys & Girls Club Kodak Branch and the capital campaign for Covenant Health’s new $120 million LeConte Medical Center, which will open later this year after a ribbon-cutting by Parton herself. Dr. Robert F. Thomas was the physician who delivered Dolly. The new hospital will include the Robert F. Thomas Professional Building, the Dolly Parton Center for Women’s Services and the Thompson Cancer Survival Center. It will replace Covenant’s Fort Sanders Sevier Medical Center.

The auction alone raised more than $140,000. Additionally, more than 500 people paid $200 each for tickets to attend. You can do the math! Emily B. Kile was the ball’s chair. Todd Thompson and Dale Carr were auctioneers.

Other interesting sights and sounds:

Banker R.B. Summitt paid $2,100 for a top-of-the line gas grill and $6,500 for a trip to stunning resorts in Banff and Lake Louise, Canada.
R.B. Summitt left auction with a big haul!
“Does the fire marshal know about this?” That was the loud remark heard when volunteers rolled out a firepit – with flames dancing from it – into the middle of the ballroom. Sevierville Mayor Bryan Atchley was high bidder at $2,200.
Real fire from the firepit caught bidders' attention.
Interestingly, although the candles were fake, the fire coming from them was real. It was elegant, but some wondered how the Gatlinburg Convention Center got away with real flames while the Knoxville Convention Center has to use battery operated lights in lieu of fire due to fire regulations.
Bill and Ginny Morrow at an elegantly decorated table - with candles!
Charlie Anderson of Tennessee RV paid $3,200 for a chance to take 30 people to brunch at McClarens in downtown Sevierville. To stimulate interest, one of the restaurant’s cooks demonstrated an exciting pizza crust-making technique. Anderson also paid $4,500 for a trip to Sonoma and San Francisco.
Pizza anyone?
Matt Ballard, president of Sevier County Utility District, and Brian Bounds, president of Oxygen and Sleep Associates of Knoxville, cut quite the figure in their white tuxedos.
Matt Ballard and Brian Bounds

The evening concluded with dancing to disco music in an adjoining ballroom that was tricked out with mirrored balls, strobe lights and a mammoth video screen. Some other folks we saw there: Covenant Health CEO Tony and Sharon Spezia; John Geppi; Ellen Wilhoit; Supreme Court Justice Gary Wade; Sevierville Mayor Bryan Atchley and his girlfriend, Linda Fleming; Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters and his wife, Terri; Corey Johns and AngelaDeGloma, Debbie Dowling, Debbie and Dr. Kevin Stasney.