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PIGEON FORGE - More than 400 Girl Scouts received a special surprise Saturday at Dollywood when Dolly Parton showed up to present them with a new patch that has a special meaning to the entertainer.

The girls of the Tanasi Council gathered in the Pines Theatre to receive the new "Coat of Many Colors" patch created in honor of Parton and her 1971 song of the same name. The girls were expecting a special video message from Parton, but as the video began, Parton appeared on the theater's stage, evoking screams from the girls in the audience.

"I was very excited," said 11-year-old Kameron Hanshaw.

Parton, donning her own Girl Scout uniform, took pictures with the girls, and hugged them and chatted with them as they came across stage to receive their new patch.

The idea for the patch came several years ago when the Tanasi Council of Girl Scouts in Eastern Tennessee made Dolly Parton a lifetime member. "We wanted to extend that partnership that we had created with her," said Mary Leidig, chief marketing officer for the council.

The Tanasi Council asked Parton if she would consider letting it create a Coat of Many Colors badge. Parton said yes.

"And she loved it so much that she put her signature on the badge itself," Leidig said.

Work to develop the patch and its requirements began six months ago. Leidig said the council wanted a patch that reflected the message in the song "Coat of Many Colors," which tells the story of how schoolmates made fun of a coat Parton's mother made for her from a box of rags.

"That message is to accept everyone and help others in need," Leidig said.

The patch required Girl Scout troops to do something nice to help others and to make a collage that represents everything special about themselves.

The patch was piloted in the Tanasi Council in the spring.

Leidig said she can't think of a better time for the patch with the economic slump.

"These girls can't get people jobs, but they can serve the homeless. And they have," she said.

"My troop went to feed the homeless," said 12-year-old Katherine Cobb.

Katherine said her troop had a lock-in event and collected canned goods for a food pantry.

Though each troop had different ideas on how to help those in need, many of the Girl Scouts learned the same lesson from the experience.

"I learned to accept other people," Katherine said.

"I learned that it's not nice to make fun of someone, because that could be you sometime in your lifetime," said Kennedy Thomas.

Before the ceremony ended, Parton sang "Coat of Many Colors" and told the girls, "A person can make money, but money can't make a person."

Then the girls joined the singer in a parade through Dollywood.

Later Saturday afternoon, the "Coat of Many Colors" badge, which had only been available in Tennessee, was launched on the national level. Now every Girl Scout in the nation can earn it.

Leidig said Girl Scout Councils in Detroit, San Diego, Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles, among others, have been waiting for the patch.

Lindsey Ziliak can be reached at 865-342-6336.

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel
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