Save On a Wild West Adventure

Stone Parton held tight to his grandfather's hand as his train rolled to a stop and men dressed in black boots, vests and cowboy hats argued loudly just outside the window about whether or not to rob the passengers. The 6-year-old's eyes grew wide as the men hopped on the train, and he breathed a sigh of relief when they left again. 

"When he came back from that day trip to Tweetsie Railroad, that's all he could talk about - the robbers and how they had argued and fought," said his mother, Joy Parton, volunteer coordinator for Duke Hospital Auxiliary. "He really enjoyed the act."

Stone's wild west adventure at Tweetsie Railroad, in the Appalachian Mountains near Boone, also included a short stint in the local jail, a ride in a covered wagon, rides on the carousel with his grandmother and the excitement of being invited up on stage as part of a magic show. 

The one-day trip was a special opportunity for Stone to be with his grandparents, Bud and Gail Parton, who live in Hillsborough. 

"We would have all gone, but my husband and I couldn't get away," Joy Parton said. "But when we realized that we could save $17 by purchasing tickets through PERQS, we offered the grandparents a chance to go, and they were thrilled."

PERQS, Duke's faculty and staff discount program, offers Tweetsie Railroad tickets for children age 3 to 12 for $17, a $5 savings. Tickets for visitors 13 and older are $28, a $6 savings per ticket. 

 "I'm so glad Duke offers this discount," Parton said. "If I hadn't learned about the discount, I doubt I would have pursued the idea. But Stone had such a blast. Now I can't wait to take him back and experience it myself."