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- [S74] Atchley Funeral Home Records, Volume IV, 1987-1999, Larry D. Fox, (Smoky Mountain Historical Society), 10 Sep 1998.
Rufus Ray Maples, Sr. obituary
- [S106] The Mountain Press, 29 Jul 2006.
Golf course owners land hole-in-one with donation to charity
By: DEREK HODGES, Staff Writer July 29, 2006
SEVIERVILLE - Though Smoky Mountain Par 3 Golf Course is now closed, its owners made a generous donation to a local charity Thursday.
Billy and Kenny Maples, who operated the golf course and own Maples Brothers Home Builders in Gatlinburg, presented a check for more than $5,300 to Todd Rose, executive director of the Cherish the Child Foundation. The money represents the profits from the golf course's final week of operation, plus some extra from donations.
"We wanted to close a week earlier, but we decided to stay open that extra week and donate the money we made," Billy Maples said. "It didn't cost us anything and we wanted to do something to help the children."
"We were looking for an organization where we could get the money straight to the children," Kenny Maples said.
Cherish the Child provides support to Smoky Mountain Children's Home. Employees at the children's home care for needy, neglected and at-risk children from across the nation.
While the home has been open since 1920, most in the area still don't know much about it, Rose said.
"The foundation was started to get the community involved, to raise awareness and money," he said.
The donation will go a long way toward helping the home offer its services, Rose said.
"This is a significant donation for us and we really appreciate it," he said.
The Maples brothers say they closed the course because it was failing to draw a sizable profit. They plan to construct condominiums on the more than nine acres they own on New Era Road.
Cherish the Children will hold its 10th annual golf tournament fund-raiser later this fall at Eagles Landing Golf Course. For more information, call 453-4644.
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