From United Way of Central Kansas
867 local children currently receive books through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
As the world mourns the passing of Dolly Parton, United Way of Central Kansas is joining millions in remembering not only the music, kindness and joy she shared, but a legacy that arrives in the mailboxes of local children every month.
Today, 867 children across Barton and Pawnee Counties are enrolled in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, receiving a free, age-appropriate book mailed directly to their home each month.
And that will continue.
In a message to local Imagination Library partners following Parton’s passing, The Dollywood Foundation offered reassurance about the future of the program:
“Dolly didn't build the Imagination Library to last for her lifetime. She built it to last for theirs.”
Parton created the Imagination Library in 1995 in honor of her father, who was unable to read and write. What began as a program for children in her home county in Tennessee has grown to reach millions of children around the world.
The Dollywood Foundation provides the infrastructure and support behind the program, while local partners like UWCK raise the funds needed to provide the books and mailing costs, enroll children and connect the program with families in their communities.
At current enrollment, UWCK must raise approximately $26,000 each year to continue providing books to local children.
For those looking for a way to honor Parton, UWCK is inviting the community to help carry that work forward. A gift of $30 provides an entire year of books for one local child, and donations can be designated specifically to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Barton and Pawnee Counties.
“There are so many ways Dolly will be remembered, but this one is personal for me,” Owings said. “My own children have grown up getting these books in the mail. I’ve seen firsthand how they help parents to teach their children, to connect with them, to laugh together and, this week, even cry together. We could all stand to be a little more like Dolly — kind, generous, compassionate and always willing to give something back. I can’t think of a more fitting way to honor her than making sure another child gets to grow up with books of their own.”