This holiday season Friends of the Smokies is thankful for North Carolinians’ continued support by proudly purchasing and displaying a record number of license plates this past quarter. The North Carolina “black bear” license plate brought in $123,500 in the last quarter to support park improvements on the North Carolina side of the Smokies, the highest quarterly total since the North Carolina Friends plate debuted in 1999. Individual North Carolina Smokies license plate owners from across the state have now collectively raised more than $3 million. Of the extra $30 annual fee for each specialty tag, $20 provides support for important needs in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited National Park and one of the largest on the East coast. ...