David Huff Creative
Friends of the Smokies, an official nonprofit partner of the National Park Service, raised $115,000 at its third annual Smokies Cup, which was held Sept. 16-17 at the Biltmore Sporting Clays Club.
“The 2021 Smokies Cup was the biggest and best yet,” said Smokies Cup Chair Tim Wright. The annual event featured a sporting clays tournament and outdoor lifestyle events. Proceeds benefit several programs and projects that help ensure Great Smoky Mountains National Park is preserved and protected for generations to come, he said.
This year’s Smokies Cup featured a sporting dog expo by Wildrose International, a producer and trainer of British and Irish Labradors in North America.
A total of 55 teams competed in the sporting clays tournament throughout the two-day event, which was sponsored, in part, by Smoky Mountain Living.
Friends of the Smokies offers supporters of the national park a variety of fundraising events throughout the year. Upcoming opportunities include guided hikes and a footrace in Cades Cove. Details about these events, as well as information on how to volunteer, make a donation and become a member of Friends of the Smokies can be found at FriendsoftheSmokies.org.
Friends of the Smokies is an official nonprofit partner of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and has raised over $75 million to support park programs and maintain the Smokies as a crown jewel of the National Park Service.