Save Our Smokies, Inc

06/22/2026

Are you looking for a meaningful way to give back to Park? Here's your opportunity. Keep Sevier Beautiful is once again partnering with the National Park for Smokies Service Days. One Saturday a month through September they will work on cleaning an area of the Park. Please check out the calendar below and hopefully you can find a day to join.

06/18/2026

Continue the battle!! 💪🏼

Happy International Picnic Day! 🧺

Summer is picnic season! ☀️If you are headed outside, be sure to stash your trash, and throw it away!

Even food scraps like banana peels and apple cores are harmful to local wildlife, so if you wouldn’t leave it on your kitchen floor, don’t leave it on the grass! 🌲🦝

06/16/2026

Hello friends and supporters,

This message is from Jerry Willis, Founder and President of Save Our Smokies. I want to first thank everyone who has supported us, either with your time, finances, Board and even simply sharing our cause across social media over the last 6 years. We have accomplished so much over this period. We have removed in excess of 35K pounds of litter and scrubbed lots of graffiti from the historic stonework.

However, it is with heavy hearts that I must share that our Board made the difficult decision to begin dissolving our organization. Over the last several years, funding has become increasingly difficult to obtain, even with minimal expenses for supplies, storage, website, etc. We have struggled with keeping consistent leaders willing to lead teams. Personally, I don’t see those challenges improving in the future.

Over the coming weeks, we will be formally shutting down our organization. Part of that will be identifying another similar nonprofit to give any remaining funds and supplies to. We are also in conversations with other organizations and the NPS to see how the graffiti removal may be able to continue to be performed and donate our equipment to them.

We highly encourage our supporters to continue to pick up litter. Volunteer through the Volunteer In Park program that GSMNP has. Our park needs volunteers now more than ever.

It has been a tremendous honor to have led this organization and to have met all the wonderful people along this journey. Hopefully, we will see you on the trail, or around the Park, leaving it better than we found it.

05/16/2026

🌎🎉 Join us next week for Keep Sevier Beautiful's Earth Fair as we celebrate our amazing planet and America’s 250th anniversary! 🇺🇸🌱

Bring the whole family for a fun-filled day of environmental education, community spirit, activities for all ages, and ways we can work together to keep Sevier County beautiful for generations to come.

Local vendors and community partners include Sevier Stormwater Group, Smoky Mountain Lash Bees, Barefoot University, Seven Islands State Birding Park, Smokies BearWise, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Appalachian Bear Rescue, Ocean Connections, Inc., Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont, A Walk in the Woods Great Smoky Mountains, Wears Valley Coffee & Goods, and more!

As we honor 250 years of America, let’s also celebrate the natural beauty that makes our community so special. Together, we can protect and preserve our environment while building a cleaner, greener future.

We can’t wait to celebrate with you! 💚

05/06/2026

Now for something a little different.

Here's an opportunity to help with some maintenance type clean up in the Smokies.

We will be partnering with Keep Sevier Beautiful on other opportunities like this in the near future.

Stay tuned!! 😎

It's time for some more Spring cleaning in the Smoky Mountains! 🌸

Join us next Wednesday, May 13, from 9am - Noon, as we lend a helping hand to park staff at Big Creek Campground.

Please register in advance at https://form.jotform.com/261205699519163.

*Campground is at the end of Big Creek Entrance Rd. Waterville, NC, 28785 (Haywood County)

05/01/2026

Save the date for our Sevier County partner in the fight against litter!!

It’s time to pick your team and get ready for the ultimate showdown! 💪 Join our Battle of the Litter on Saturday, May 9, from 9 AM – 12 PM, and help your local law enforcement department take the title!

✅ Choose a check-in spot
👮 Pick your department
🏆 Litter your way to victory!

Let’s see which department will clean up the competition and earn the coveted Golden Grabber! Will it be the Sevier County Sheriff's Office, Sevierville Police Department, Pigeon Forge Police Department, or Gatlinburg Police Department??

Save time and register in advance at https://form.jotform.com/261165456754059.

04/23/2026

Last but not least, we wanted to share photos from our post cleanup celebration.

This event takes a lot of planning, and we’re incredibly grateful to be able to bring it all together with the help of dedicated volunteers and generous sponsors.

The celebration is our chance to give back to our SOS family—those who work so hard to keep our beautiful Smokies clean.

It all comes together over great food, music, laughter, fellowship… and plenty of storytelling, as we share stories of the interesting (and sometimes strange) things we’ve come across during our cleanups.

04/22/2026

Here are a few more photos from the cleanup, shared by photographer and Responsible Stewardship founder, Benny Braden Jr.

04/22/2026

Happy Earth Day! 🌎

Always remember, and share, the 7 principles of Leave No Trace.

~Plan Ahead & Prepare
~Travel & Camp on Durable Surfaces
~Dispose of Waste Properly!!!
~Leave What You Find
~Minimize Campfire Impacts
~Respect Wildlife
~Be Considerate of Others

04/21/2026

Co-Leaders Tom Williams and Matt Crossfield tackled Newfound Gap Road from the Newfound Gap Overlook down to Alum Cave trailhead.