Music icon Dolly Parton has announced she will make a personal donation of $1m (£762,000) to disaster recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene.
The 78-year-old said at an event in his home state of Tennessee on Friday that the money would come from “my own bank account.”
Local businesses in Parton – including Dollywood Amusement Park – will also donate the same amount to the Mountain Road Foundation, which is helping people affected by flooding in the area.
During her speech, Parton began singing, singing “Helene, Helene” to the tune of her 1973 hit “Jolene.”
Hurricane Helene, which swept through the southeastern United States in late September, has killed at least 225 people.
Helen is deadliest continental storm Since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Helen made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane, damaging buildings, causing flash floods and knocking out power to millions of homes. As of Saturday, more than 500,000 homes were still without power.
The U.S. government says the cleanup could take years.
While most of the deaths have occurred in North Carolina, there have been others in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
“This is my home,” Patton said at a news conference Friday, held outside a Walmart store in Newport, Tennessee.
“God has been good to me and so has the public, and I feel like if there’s anything I can do to give back in any way, I’m always willing to do that. I want to feel like I’m doing my part.”
The singer, who explained that many of her relatives live in the area, said: “I’m just as heartbroken and surprised and shocked as everyone else.”
“All these people feel like my fellow citizens,” she added.
So far, 11 people have been confirmed dead in Tennessee due to the storm, according to the U.S. Weather Service. Latest official statisticsand many more remain unaccounted for.
at least two Factory workers swept away by floods Irvine is located in the northeastern part of the state.
U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyWhen asked what her message to victims was, Parton responded: “I know it’s easy for us to say, ‘Oh, things are going to get better’ when things are still bad.”
“All we can say is that we are with you, we love you and we hope things will get better soon – and we will do our part to try to make that possible.”
At the same time as the press conference, Walmart announced it was increasing funding for its recovery efforts to $10 million (£7.6 million).
“These are not just the places where we store, these are the communities where we work and live,” said John Furner, the supermarket chain’s chief executive.
He also described Parton as “a true American legend – not just for music, for art, for business, but for her heart.”
The country music singer-songwriter has previously made significant donations in response to life-changing events.
In 2016, her philanthropy Pledge to donate $1,000 per month Families affected by wildfires in Tennessee.
And in 2020, she Donate $1 million to develop Covid-19 vaccine.
