In July\, each Mast General Store&rsquo\;s staff chooses a local nonprofit partner who makes its community a better place to live. Support these groups&rsquo\; efforts by choosing to RoundUP any in-store transaction to the next whole dollar July 1 &ndash\; 31.
This month\, our Waynesville team has chosen to support \;Safe Passage\, a large coalition of people and organizations working toward a common vision: balancing the needs of wildlife with the ever-growing human population in East Tennessee and Western North Carolina. This coalition includes local\, state\, tribal\, and federal agencies\, land managers\, conservation organizations\, nonprofit park partners and other invested community members\, all working in the region of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Safe Passage'\;s goal is to find collaborative solutions for safe wildlife passage across Interstate 40 and other area roadways through active participation from regional and community stakeholders. The intended results will be increased public awareness\, improved connectivity for wildlife\, reduced wildlife&ndash\;vehicle collisions\, and safer driving conditions.