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Visit Knoxville Announces Partnership on Sunsphere Ornament to Benefit the Sunsphere

      Communications Director

      Kristin Farley
      [email protected]
      (865) 215-2589

      400 Main St., Room 691
      Knoxville, TN 37902

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      Visit Knoxville Announces Partnership on Sunsphere Ornament to Benefit the Sunsphere

      Posted: 11/05/2019
      Visit Knoxville is proud to partner with Knoxville natives Guinn and Derek Boyce to present a first-ever, hand-crafted glass ornament of the Sunsphere.

      The Boyces commissioned the ornament from Joy to the World Collectibles, a Knoxville-based company. Each ornament is meticulously crafted by hand by European artisans. Ornaments will be available for purchase at the Knoxville Visitors Center located at 301 S. Gay Street and online at sunspherefund.com. Cost of the ornament is $55 plus tax. Five dollars from the purchase of each ornament will go to the Sunsphere Fund, a fund created by Visit Knoxville, with the City’s support, to help preserve and maintain this beloved city icon. Ornaments may be shipped for an additional fee or a free pickup location may be selected. Only 500 Sunsphere ornaments will be available before Christmas 2019. Additional ornaments will be available for purchase in January 2020.

      The idea for the ornament originated with Knoxville natives Guinn and Derek Boyce. The couple wanted to give back to the city they are proud to call home and reached out to Lisa Kelechava, President and Founder of Joy to the World Collectibles, along with the City of Knoxville and Visit Knoxville. The Sunsphere is owned by the City of Knoxville and promoted like other attractions by Visit Knoxville, who manages the experience on the 4th floor Observation Deck. The City provided the Boyces with permission to use the image of the Sunsphere to create the ornament. “The importance of the place the Sunsphere holds in our hearts and in our city cannot be overstated,” said Kim Bumpas, President of Visit Knoxville. “Our partnership with the ornament project supports this iconic structure with a must-have for this holiday season and an heirloom for years to come.”

      “We hope to see this grow into something bigger and better than we can imagine, and by partnering with Visit Knoxville we think that can be achieved,” said Guinn Boyce. To learn more about Guinn and Derek Boyce and the story behind their passion for the Sunsphere, visit knoxsunfund.com.
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