GATLINBURG, Tenn. (July 14, 2022) – Sugarlands Distilling Company today announced the launch of a digital charity auction benefitting the Northview-Kodak Fire Department in Kodak, Tennessee. The Northview-Kodak and Sevierville Fire Departments helped contain a fire that broke out on the loading dock of Sugarlands’ new production facility in Kodak on March 7 of this year. On March 30, the same Northview-Kodak fire truck that battled flames at the Sugarlands Kodak distillery, Engine 44, was destroyed while battling a wildfire in nearby Wears Valley.
The online charity auction will run July 14-24 on eBay for Charity and feature items from Sugarlands celebrity and athlete partners including NASCAR Hall of Famer and High Rock Vodka co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr., Baseball Hall of Famer Chipper Jones, platinum-selling recording rock artists O.A.R., the Atlanta Braves, country music superstar Cole Swindell and more. Some of the major items that will be featured in the auction include:
● Dinner with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Amy Earnhardt
● Beers with Two-Time Daytona 500 Champion Michael Waltrip
● Chipper Jones + Atlanta Braves Package Including Four Tickets, a Jones Autographed Baseball and more
● Cole Swindell Autographed Guitar and Concert Tickets
● O.A.R. Concert Tickets with VIP Sound Check & Autographed Vinyl
● Rahal Letterman Lanigan Race Team Indianapolis 500 VIP Package
Bids can be placed on items through noon on Sunday, July 24 at sugarlands.com/northview
“We’ve always been proud supporters of first responders, but experiencing their quick actions to contain the fire at our new facility took that appreciation to a whole new level,” said Ned Vickers, president and founder of Sugarlands Distilling Company. “When we learned that the Northview-Kodak Fire Department lost the same truck that helped save our facility, it was no question that we wanted to step up to help them get a new truck.”
Funds raised from the auction will help the department replace the 21-year-old fire truck and other equipment lost, which will cost upwards of $600,000 total. Insurance only covered $158,000 towards a new truck and equipment.
“This truck has been with us for over two decades, containing many fires and also serving as the centerpiece of many community gatherings,” said Daniel Willis, Northview-Kodak Fire Department public information officer. “Insurance covered only a small portion of what was lost, so we are incredibly thankful for the support from Sugarlands to help us get a new truck that will help us serve our neighbors in Sevier County.”
Members of the Northview-Kodak Fire Department and Sugarlands executives will celebrate the auction commencing in conjunction with the official Knoxville launch of High Rock Vodka during a special event Thursday evening. The event will take place at Five-Thirty Lounge (530 S Gay Street), atop the Hyatt Place Hotel in downtown Knoxville beginning at 5:30 p.m. Admittance to the event is by invitation only.
Production of High Rock Vodka and other Sugarlands products would have been severely hindered without the Northview-Kodak and Sevierville Fire Departments’ actions on March 7. Sugarland’s state-of-the-art production facility opened in July 2021 and encompasses 58,864 square feet of space featuring a distillery, barrelhouse, lab, bottling room and more. It’s the fourth largest distillery production operation in Tennessee and home to the country’s largest copper pot still with a capacity of 4,500 gallons. Since launching in 2014 in Gatlinburg, Sugarlands has rapidly expanded both its offerings and availability across the country.
