Union City, Tennessee, Jan. 6, 2026—Discovery Park of America has announced the honorees for the 2026 Robert E. and Jenny D. Kirkland Discovery Awards Gala, which will be held on Saturday, March 21, 2026, in Union City, Tennessee. This year’s gala embraces a special theme celebrating 250 years of American independence, aligning with Discovery Park’s yearlong America 250 programming.
The 2026 honorees are:
- Mike Cox, founder of Little General stores. Born in Illinois and raised in Union City, Tennessee, Cox built a successful business from humble beginnings and has dedicated his life to creating opportunities for others through faith-driven leadership and perseverance.
- Allison DeMarcus, television personality, philanthropist and founder of the Miss Volunteer America Pageant system. DeMarcus is the only woman to represent Tennessee at Miss Teen USA, Miss America and Miss USA. She is a longtime CMT host and is active in philanthropic work with Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
- Lee Marshall, founder and CEO of Kids to Love. Marshall, raised in South Fulton, has led the nationally recognized nonprofit for more than 20 years, impacting more than 320,000 foster children and families through education, housing, trauma care and advocacy. She is a three-time Emmy Award-winning journalist and a Harvard Business School alumna.
The host for the evening will be Matt Marshall, president and CEO of United Way of Tennessee. Marshall, a West Tennessee native, leads Tennessee’s largest community-impact organization and champions initiatives in education, financial stability and health.
The gala will bring together community leaders, innovators and supporters to honor the achievements of these individuals. Their stories reflect the mission of Discovery Park, which seeks to inspire children and adults to see beyond.
“Receiving the Robert E. and Jenny D. Kirkland Discovery Award is a true reflection of the remarkable contributions these individuals have made in both their personal and professional journeys,” said Scott Williams, president and CEO of Discovery Park of America. “This year’s honorees inspire others through their commitment to service, leadership and community impact.”
Dinner will be provided by Artisan Kitchen of Paducah, Kentucky. Entertainment will be provided by The Jackson Symphony.
The evening will feature a silent auction with sports and entertainment memorabilia, all-inclusive vacation packages and more. New this year, online bidding will open one week prior to the gala, giving participants the opportunity to preview and pre-purchase select items. All proceeds from the auction will benefit the Kirkland Scholarship Fund, which provides complimentary admission for students from schools where at least 50 percent of the student population qualifies for free or reduced lunches. In 2025, more than 10,000 students visited Discovery Park through this program.
The 2026 Robert E. and Jenny D. Kirkland Discovery Awards Gala will take place at Discovery Park of America, 830 Everett Blvd., Union City, Tennessee. Cocktails will begin at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner and the presentation of awards at 7:15 p.m.
Tickets, tables and sponsorship packages are available at discoveryparkofamerica.com/
Photo, from left: the 2026 honorees Mike Cox, Allison DeMarcus and Lee Marshall, and host Matt Marshall.