A golf tournament, one month away, will raise money for children needing care at Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital.
(GATLINBURG, Tenn.) SMOKIES.LIVE – The Wren Classic is set to take place on July 24, 2026, at 11 a.m. at the Gatlinburg Golf Course. Sponsorships & Teams are full for 2026.
Proceeds from this event will go to benefit Dolly Parton’s Children’s Hospital. Last year the tournament raised $49,500.
SPONSORSHIPS & TEAMS ARE FULL
Here’s a look at the sponsorships available this year.
GOLD SPONSOR – $5,000
- Logo on banner & website
- Hole sponsorship
- 1 complimentary team
FIELD A TEAM – $2,000
- Includes a four-player team.
- Maui Jim Sunglasses.
- InwardHalf logo-stamped belt.
- Sleeve of ProV1s
- Lunch
HOLE SPONSOR – $400
- Sign at tee box
- Name listed In program
Head to the official website to get more information. WREN CLASSIC BENEFITING DOLLY PARTON CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
So why the tournament? Read Wren’s Story:
Wren’s story
Wren Jacob Werner’s story began far earlier than we expected—on March 22, 2024, at 10:37 p.m., he was born at just 29 weeks and 3 days. He was tiny—only 3 pounds, 2 ounces, and just over 16 inches long—but he entered the world with a fierce, fighting spirit.
Two days after his birth, doctors discovered a serious complication. A feeding tube couldn’t pass, and we were met with the kind of news no parent is ever ready to hear: Wren likely had a tracheoesophageal fistula. In this rare birth defect, the esophagus and trachea are abnormally connected. He needed surgery, and fast.
Wren was transferred to Dolly Parton’s Children’s Hospital, where, on March 26th, Dr. Levin and Dr. Balmer performed a critical operation to connect his esophagus to his stomach. But his fight was far from over. In the days that followed, Wren faced one challenge after another—E. coli, brain bleeds, pneumothoraces, premature kidneys, and the countless complications that come with being born too soon. He endured ventilators, chest tubes, and more lines and monitors than any child should ever need.
But Wren never gave up.
After 68 long, prayer-filled days in the NICU, Wren finally came home—to the mountains, to the place where he belongs. Rooms 590, 565, and 574 at Dolly Parton’s Children’s Hospital will forever be part of our story, etched into the memory of our family’s hardest, most hopeful days.
Thank you from the depths of our hearts for supporting the 2nd Annual Wren Classic. We hope this event honors Wren’s journey and grows into a tradition that gives back to the very place that gave us our miracle.
Together, let’s keep making room for more stories like Wren’s—stories of strength, healing, and hope. Your support of the Wren Classic helps raise vital funds for Dolly Parton’s Children’s Hospital, ensuring that other families facing the unthinkable have access to the same extraordinary care that saved our son’s life. We are forever grateful to DPCH’s remarkable doctors, nurses, and support staff, whose skill, compassion, and dedication carried us through the most challenging days of our lives.
With heartfelt thanks,
Albert and Rylie Werner
No responses yet