The Volunteer Spirit’s Alive and Well

We posted a blog about 5 days ago concerning the incredible generosity of the Fee/Headrick Entertainment Group headed up by David Fee. This Group owns The Comedy Barn Theater, the Black Bear Dinner Theater and they just purchased the Louise Mandrell Theater with plans for a Christian/Gospel type show here. These are very successful people, and they are hugely philanthropic. Last week they were among the first to also donate $10,000 to the Red Cross.

The first blog we posted was about Fee’s welcoming response to some of the victims of Katrina who showed up at the Comedy Barn last week. After speaking with them, David arranged for cabin accommodations and gave them free tickets to his theaters’ shows for the remainder of the week. But, as Fee heard the stories and the desperation of people trying to rent vehicles to go back and rescue family, he realized he had become a catalyst for the survivors, and his first volley of generosity was upped to extraordinary proportions.

He bought a large, refrigerated truck, and then with employees and community support loaded it with supplies and headed south. They arrived in Metairie. Louisiana and provided the first bottled water and other supplies the survivors had seen. At FEMA’s request, he then brought back 12 people who had lost their homes, and they even rescued one of the group’s dogs who had been stranded for 6 days without food or water.

They returned to the Comedy Barn with a police escort and Sevier County Ambulances immediately took some of the group to area hospitals to receive the first medical care since the storm. One more trip to deposit other survivors with extended family was made to New York and we’re sure the Fee mission isn’t over yet. They have gone the extra mile to extend support, supplies and a soft place to fall for so many people who are trying to forget the tragedy and horror of the storm. Our kudos to you all!