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Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Launches in County with Children's Books on Wheels

By: Margie Taylor
| Published 09/08/2022

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CONROE, TX -- Preschool children of select zip codes in Montgomery County will start receiving free books in the mail once the program is started. The Imagination Library Affiliate of Montgomery County is working with Children’s Books on Wheels to bring Parton's Imagination Library to local preschool children. Every child enrolled in the Montgomery County program will receive one brand new, age-appropriate book per month from birth to their fifth birthday.

'Our purpose is to improve early childhood literacy in Montgomery County. By working with the Dollywood Foundation, our goal is to give one book per month to every child enrolled in the program, from birth to age five, ' said Rebecca Richardson, local spokesperson.

The experiences of thousands of families, as well as research in child development, affirm the benefits of early learning experiences for children. Research shows that activities such as reading regularly with children, beginning in infancy, can produce a significant growth in I.Q., which lasts a child's lifetime. Parents are the first and most important teachers their children will ever have. 'I hope that every family in Montgomery County will experience the joy and wonder of their children’s imaginations as they learn about the world and its many surprises,' Dolly said. 'If we can help turn the dreams of a child into the promise of a bright future, then one of my biggest dreams will come true.'

The Dollywood Foundation is a 501c (3) non-profit foundation founded in 1988 by Dolly Parton to support educational projects and improve the quality of life in Dolly's native Sevier County, Tennessee. The mission of the foundation is to share the life and legacy of Dolly Parton as an inspiration for children to 'Dream More...Learn More...Care More...and Be More.

The Imagination Library is a 60-volume home library for preschool children. It was created to stimulate children's imaginations and encourage reading within the family at an early age. A panel of child educators selects the books for the library each year, always beginning the series with a special copy of The Little Engine That Could.

In December of 1999, Dolly announced that she would extend the opportunity to communities to replicate The Imagination Library in their own area. While each community must financially support its own effort, the foundation provides technical assistance in setting up the program, assists with public relations and marketing materials, works with Dolly on national/international promotional efforts, and convenes the growing network to inspire, share, and innovate. The foundation also manages the composition of the library and coordinates the ordering and mailing of the books to maximize cost effectiveness. Since the inception of the program, The Dollywood Foundation has mailed over 176 million books to children in the US, US, Canada, Ireland, and Australia.

'By working with the Dollywood Foundation, the Montgomery County chapter of the Imagination Library, through its sponsor Children’s Books on Wheels, can implement this program for only $25 per child enrolled per year,' said Rita Yates-Wiltz, Executive Director of Children’s Books on Wheels. 'That's only $2.10 per month for the book and the mailing of? the book directly to the child’s home.'

Please join Rita Yates-Wiltz and Children’s Books on Wheels on Tuesday, September 13 from 6-8pm at the Buckalew Chevrolet dealership, located at 1100 I-45 South in Conroe.


Registration for children to receive books will begin after donations are received. The community is encouraged to make a donation to implement the Imagination Library in most needed areas of our county by going online to https://bit.ly/3QwiVzW or mail a donation to: CBOW, 330 Rayford Road, #201, Spring, Texas 77386.

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