On September 14, 2019, the Morgan County Tourism Alliance (MCTA) hosted its 3rd annual fundraiser, The Dusty Boot concert and dinner benefit at Papaw’s Opry Barn and Theater in the Pine Orchard community of Oakdale, TN. Frank Cook, venue owner and operator, was awarded a plaque of recognition for his continued service and generosity to MCTA and the citizens of Morgan county as a thank you for supporting tourism in our area.

Attendance for this year’s event is estimated between 150-200 attendees. Bree Davis (Manion) opened the night’s musical performances followed by Gone Cuntry - Knoxville’s own premier country cover band.

A delicious BBQ dinner was provided by Historic Brushy Mountain along with wine from Nine Lakes Wineries and craft beer from LillyPad Hopyard Brewery in Lancing, TN. Other accompaniments included hor dourves, almond tea from Grey Gables in Rugby, TN, lemonade, and a large table of delicious desserts.

We wish to extend a special thank you from MCTA to Hereaus of Wartburg, TN, this year’s platinum sponsor with a donation of $4000.00 to this event. MCTA also thanks this year’s table sponsors: Plateau Electric Cooperative, Ole Ben Franklin Ford, Gil and Marta Monroe, Family Medicine West, Morgan County Economic Development Board, Appalachian Wine Growers Association, Billy Rice of Citizens First Bank, Senator Ken Yager, Davis Funeral Home, Jerry Duncan Ford Lincoln of Harriman TN, Highland Telephone Cooperative, Jody and Jerry Zorsch, and Jonathan Dagley Mayor of Wartburg.

We were honored to have Dave Jones, East Tennessee Division Manager for Tennessee Vacation/ TN Dept. of Tourist Development and his wife Monica and Melanie Beauchamp, Assistant Commissioner of Rural Tourism and Outreach as our guests Saturday. Ms. Beauchamp is specially tasked to work with the “distressed” counties under Governor Bill Lee’s initiative to improve the socio economic conditions in these counties of which, Morgan County is included. We look forward to working more closely with her in the near future.

To all who attended our fundraiser and supported it behind the scenes, we thank you! MCTA is a volunteer only group of Morgan county residents who work together as a non-profit organization to promote tourism in Morgan county and create awareness of our area’s natural beauty and places to visit as a destination for travelers in and through Tennessee.

Pictured from left: Mike Raiford, Dave Jones, Melanie Beauchamp, Susan Bell, DeAnn Kirgan, David Howard, Jody Zorsch, Cathy Howard, Erin Howard, Veronica Byrd, Linda Brooks Jones, Michelle Coffman, Lynda Beeler, Marta Monroe, Pam Gunter, Brenda Duke, Mark Keck.