News Bureau
Tennessee Department Of Tourist Development
www.tenntravelnews.com
MEDIA ADVISORY: July 13, 2004
STATE COMMISSIONER TO CAPTAIN 8TH ANNUAL TENNESSEE RIVER 600
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Susan Whitaker, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, will be honored as the Grand Marshall at the upcoming 8th Annual Tennessee River 600, beginning in Knoxville on Saturday, July 24, 2004, and concluding at Paris Landing State Park on Saturday, July 31, 2004.
As her first duty as grand Marshall, Commissioner Whitaker will be speaking at the “welcome dinner” on Saturday, July 24, and presenting a special letter from Governor Bredesen to the Tennessee River 600 event director. Whitaker also will attend the Send-Off Breakfast at the Louisville Landing Marina on Sunday, July 25.
Begun in 1997 as a pleasure event for personal watercraft (PWC) enthusiasts, the Tennessee River 600 has evolved into an annual event with participants numbering in the hundreds and representing as many as 19 states. Boaters enjoy eight days cruising 600 miles on the beautiful Tennessee River, while simultaneously raising funds for four children’s hospitals and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA).
Funds raised from participants and sponsors are divided equally among the following: East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, Knoxville, Tennessee; Children’s Hospital at Erlanger, Chattanooga, Tennessee; The Children’s Hospital, Huntsville, Alabama; LeBonheur Children’s Medical Center, Memphis, Tennessee; and the TWRA. The four hospitals are members of the Children’s Miracle Network, an alliance of premier hospitals for children and one of the world’s leading children’s charities working to save and improve the lives of millions of children. The TWRA is an organization dedicated to the preservation, conservation, and enhancement of Tennessee’s outdoors, including fostering the safe use of the state’s waters. The event is also designed to promote Tennessee tourism and water safety, as well as to portray PWC’s in a positive light.
Participants pay a $250 registration fee, per PWC with one rider, which is refundable by raising $1,000 or more in donations. Additional riders (“doubling up”) pay a $100 fee. Although some meals are provided, participants are responsible for their own food, lodging, and fuel. Families and support crew travel by land and meet riders at overnight stops, which include the Marriott Hotel in Knoxville; the Chattanooga Choo-Choo; Joe Wheeler State Park in Alabama; and Pickwick Landing and Paris Landing State Parks in Tennessee.
For additional information including a detailed trip itinerary, registration forms, hotel reservation contacts, and a list of our sponsors, please visit our website at www.tennesseeriver600.com or call event director Dennis Beckley at (865) 898-3101.
For more information on this advisory and additional Tennessee tourism news, contact:
Keith Britt
Department of Tourist Development News Bureau
(865) 584-2744