Campaign supports efforts to protect bears, elk

Friends of the Smokies, an official nonprofit of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is celebrating #GivingTuesday by raising funds to support wildlife management programs that protect black bear and elk populations.

“With record-breaking attendance year after year, including 2020, protecting the park’s most famous residents is critical to their survival and well-being,” said Tim Chandler, CEO and executive director of Friends of the Smokies.

#GivingTuesday is a global day of giving on social media that takes place annually the Tuesday after Thanksgiving.

This year’s #GivingTuesday contributions to Friends of the Smokies will support programs like Food Storage Cable Systems that protect bears and visitors in the backcountry; the park’s Black Bear Management Project, which tracks and studies bear activity; and Elk Management and Monitoring programs that help ensure population survival.

Donations can be made online at FriendsoftheSmokies.org or on Facebook @smokiesfriends. To donate by check, mail to: Friends of the Smokies #GivingTuesday, PO Box 1660, Kodak, TN 37764-7660.

Friends of the Smokies is an official nonprofit partner of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and has nearly $70 million to support critical park programs in North Carolina and Tennessee. Discover and donate at FriendsoftheSmokies.org.