Dolly Parton supporters push petition to rename Nashville airport: 'Departin' from Parton!'
Supporters of country music icon Dolly Patron have gathered nearly 50,000 signatures for a petition to rename Nashville International Airport in her honor.
"As proud citizens of Tennessee, we are motivated by our deep-rooted admiration for the national treasure and Tennessee legend, Dolly Parton," the petition on Change.org reads.
"She is not only a celebrated artist who encourages love, acceptance, and goodwill through her music, but also a philanthropist, known for her countless contributions to society."
The petition, which was created on January 21, has reached nearly 50,000 signatures since its creation.
"It is only fitting that an institution as significant as Nashville International Airport carries the name of such a remarkable woman," the petition reads.
The organizers said they believe Dolly Parton should be celebrated for her "philanthropic efforts and her outstanding influence in the music industry."
"Dolly has made substantial impacts on thousands of lives, especially through her Imagination Library program, which has gifted over 100 million books to children since it began in 1995," the organizers wrote.
"We request that the airport’s name be changed to Dolly Parton International Airport to honor an icon who has given so much to our state and to the world," the petition continued. "We could all be Departin’ from Parton!"
Parton also donated $1 million of her own money to Hurricane Helene relief efforts after the storm devastated the Carolinas after making landfall along the Florida coast on Sept. 26, 2024.
DOLLY PARTON JOINS HURRICANE HELENE RELIEF EFFORTS WITH $1M DONATION: 'THESE ARE MY PEOPLE'
Parton's Dollywood also added an additional $1 million to the relief fund, donating to The Mountain Ways Foundation.
"I'm happy to be here," Parton said during a press conference. "And I'm sure a lot of you are wondering where I've been. Everybody's saying, 'Where's Dolly? Well, I've been like everybody else, trying to absorb everything going on, trying to figure out all the best ways to do this," she continued before singing about Hurricane Helene to the tune of her hit song, "Jolene."
Parton, who grew up in eastern Tennessee, noted that she wanted to give back to the community where she was raised.
"We're all here to mend these broken hearts, and that's what I'm doing here," she said. "So, I really, really wish that we were all together for another reason."
In total, Helene claimed the lives of 249 people in seven states, according to data from the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
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The Dolly Parton organizers told WKRN that the petition is not against any politician, and they began working on this effort before the Trump proposal came together.
"The fact that this, that this idea had been already recently picked up in naming it after someone, it really kicked us and spurred us into action and saying, ‘If this is an option, if this is something that you’re willing to consider, think about Dolly’," co-organizer Dan Dion told the outlet.
As of Monday, no Tennessee lawmakers have formally commented on the petition or the creation of a bill to present to Tennessee's legislature.
Back in January, Tennessee Republican State Rep. Todd Warner filed House Bill 217, which would rename Nashville International Airport to honor Donald Trump.
However, Warner removed the bill from consideration prior to being heard by the House Naming & Designating Committee on Feb. 24.
The bill saw more resistance in the committee, particularly from the Nashville lawmakers on the committee, WKRN reported.
"First of all, this bill is a waste of time and money," Rep. Justin Jones (D-Nashville) said, claiming "Trump has no connection to our community" and has led the nation "on the path of shame, on the path of recklessness."
The bill ultimately failed to move forward.
Fox News Digital's Lauryn Overhultz contributed to this report.