This November, donation envelopes will be available on tables at the restaurant, with the restaurant matching all gifts made by patrons up to $1,000.

The new radio system will keep park visitors, volunteers and rangers safe by allowing the park to communicate with police, fire and emergency services in neighboring communities, as well as internally. The $2.5 million fundraising effort arose from an after-action report on the response to last year’s Chimney Tops 2 Fire, which found that incompatible radio systems made communication between the park and outside emergency services organizations difficult. Friends of the Smokies is working to raise the funds needed to address that issue.

Sunny Point Café is located at 626 Haywood Road, Asheville, and open daily.