May 5, 2017 – Dolly Parton’s My People Fund presents final checks to families and makes a long-term investment in future recovery efforts!

Smokies Strong, a title the people of Sevier County, TN, have more than earned in the aftermath of the devastating wildfires. They displayed their strength and courage on the very night the fires started and have continued to do so in the following months.

The Dollywood Foundation established the My People Fund just 48 hours after wildfires swept through the county on November 28, 2016. Each month, starting in December 2016, the My People Fund gave $1,000 to every family whose home was lost or destroyed in the fires. May marks the end of the Fund’s six-month pledge to assist the recovery efforts. Due to the tremendous outpouring of donations and support, the My People Fund was able to increase the amount of the final distribution checks from $1,000 to $5,000 (per family). In total, $8.9 million went directly to wildfire victims.

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ADVENTURE AQUARIUM ANNOUNCES GRAND OPENING OF SHARK BRIDGE EXHIBIT

CAMDEN, New Jersey (March 21, 2016)—Adventure Aquarium officially announced its newest exhibit addition for 2016 earlier today, which involves walking over water – and sharks.

Shark Bridge, with a grand opening set for Friday, April 8, will take visitors just inches above nearly 30 remarkable sand tiger, sandbar and nurse sharks along with other animals swimming below. Guests will become part of the experience as they cross the longest, V-shaped rope suspension bridge in the world over the 21-foot deep Shark Realm exhibit.  Shark Bridge is sure to be an unforgettable, one-of-a-kind thrill.

“As our guests make the journey across Shark Bridge, they will have an unprecedented perspective of the 550,000-gallon Shark Realm exhibit,” said Vince Nicoletti, Executive Director and Vice President, Adventure Aquarium. “For the first time ever, we will take visitors directly above the water, and these magnificent creatures, all while granting access to areas previously accessible only to the biologists. There’s no doubt that Shark Bridge will incite the explorer in all of us.”

Shark Bridge is constructed of almost 4 tons of steel, 148 bolts and enough rope to span the length of 63 football fields, The V-shaped bridge extends 81 feet over the Shark Realm exhibit, home to over 20 different species of fish, including sharks and stingrays.

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PBS KIDS ANNOUNCES NEW SERIES SPLASH (w.t.) WILL PREMIERE IN FALL 2016

New Multiplatform Media Property Produced by The Jim Henson Company and Herschend Enterprises Encourages Kids to Explore Marine Biology and Ocean Science and Builds Social-Emotional Skills

PASADENA, Calif. (January 19, 2016)—Television Critics Association Press Tour: In fall 2016, PBS KIDS will premiere SPLASH (w.t.), a new animated series that dives into marine biology and ocean science. Created by John Tartaglia (“Imaginocean,” Johnny and the Sprites”) and Herschend Enterprises (Dollywood, Harlem Globetrotters), SPLASH (w.t.) is designed to encourage kids ages 4-7 to explore the diversity and spectacle of our natural undersea world. The multiplatform media property will debut on PBS stations nationwide, along with integral digital content.

“PBS KIDS offers high-quality media content to meet the needs of today’s kids, sparking their curiosity and excitement about learning,” said Lesli Rotenberg, General Manager, Children’s Media, PBS. “While oceans cover the majority of the Earth’s surface, there is a profound lack of educational media for young children that explores the science of the fascinating world under the sea. SPLASH (w.t.) will introduce kids to the wonders of marine biology, building science skills and fostering an appreciation for the biodiversity that lives in our oceans.”

SPLASH (w.t.) follows the adventures of its title character, a yellow fusilier fish who has migrated all over the oceans before settling down with his family in Reeftown, where he befriends three inquisitive fellow sea creatures. Until Splash came along, Bubbles, Dunk, Ripple and most of the other Reeftown residents had no idea what lay beyond the cozy confines of their coral walls. Together, Splash and his friends explore the world’s oceans, where they meet wildly diverse marine animals and discover otherworldly undersea habitats, bringing back what they’ve learned to share with their neighbors.

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WORLD’S FIRST AND ONLY SHARK BRIDGE TO OPEN THURSDAY AT NEWPORT AQUARIUM

North America’s largest collection of scalloped hammerhead sharks now on exhibit

NEWPORT, Ky. (April 29, 2015)—Newport Aquarium‘s all-new Shark Bridge – the only rope suspension bridge in North America where guests can walk just inches above nearly two dozen sharks – is scheduled to open to the public 10 a.m. Thursday, April 30.

The Shark Bridge is a 75-foot-long, V-shaped rope bridge suspended over the open waters of the Surrounded by Sharks exhibit’s 385,000-gallon tank. Should guests dare to cross, the Shark Bridge offers the thrill of walking closely atop sharks, shark rays, stingrays and hundreds of fish from an unrivaled vantage point.

“For our thrill-seeking guests who dare to cross, Shark Bridge is a breathtaking way to experience sharks like never before,” said Eric Rose, executive director at Newport Aquarium. “It’s an adventure that you can only get at Newport Aquarium.”

A family-friendly attraction, Shark Bridge is included with admission to Newport Aquarium.

Commemorating the opening of the Shark Bridge, Newport Aquarium has added extremely rare scalloped hammerhead sharks into the Surrounded by Sharks exhibit.

After the scalloped hammerheads went into the Surrounded by Sharks exhibit April 27-29, Newport Aquarium now has the largest collection of scalloped hammerhead sharks on display in North America, as well as one of the largest in the world.

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