PLAN NOW TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR HURRICANE MELISSA RELIEF DRIVE
Our resort is hosting a Hurricane Relief Drive from now through Wednesday November 26, to help those impacted by Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica.
According to Pete, our managing director, “After last year, our employees and area residents know first-hand the challenges of recovering from a hurricane. That’s why our hearts are going out to our former summer work & travel participants, and their friends and families impacted by Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica.
Each year our resort, and our sister property, Soaky Mountain Waterpark located across the street, host approximately 50 summer work & travel participants from Jamaica. Various other tourist focused businesses in the Smokies also rely on help from Jamaica during the region’s busy summer tourism season.
Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm, caused catastrophic and widespread damage to Jamaica in late October 2025, making it the strongest hurricane ever to make landfall on the island. The damage included 32 deaths, massive infrastructure destruction, extensive power outages, and a terrible hardship to the island’s economy.
Items needed include: non-perishable food items (tin goods, rice, flour, sugar and cereal); bottled water and juice; hygiene products (soap, toothpaste, sanitary napkins and deodorant); cleaning supplies; blankets, sheets and towels; and children’s essentials (diapers, wipes/formula). For a complete list visit https://www.embassyofjamaica.org/ja_citizens/relief_images/needs_list.pdf.
Donations can be dropped off at our Employee Housing located at 305 Gist Creek Road Building B from 8 am to 8 pm daily now through Wednesday, November 26.
Cash donations can also be being made through the Government of Jamaica website: https://supportjamaica.gov.jm/donate
Our Hurricane Relief drive coincides with our real 3,200 square foot ice rink being open for the holiday season daily from November 14, 2025 through January 4, and January 9–11, 2026. The rink is open to the public. For more details on this click here. If you are planning on coming out to ice skate, please consider dropping off a donation for this drive as well.