As the school bells rang for lunch, students clamored to grab their cellphones, they were greeted with the news of icon Dolly Parton’s death on August 25. Many students know Parton for her country music hits, but most families across America know Dolly for her Imagination Library, a charity that supports new parents and their child.
Parton started The Imagination Library in 1995, as a tribute to her father who couldn’t read, to help pre-school students in her hometown love reading. The program grew to fifty states and five countries, where new parents sign up and will receive age-appropriate books every month until their child is five years old. The library has given away more than 330 million free books to families worldwide.
In 1997, Parton used the royalties she received from Whitney Houston’s cover of “I Will Always Love You” to pay for a recording studio, office complex, and strip mall in a historic town known as 12 South, a predominately African American community located in Nashville. Dolly famously nicknamed the studio “the house that Whitney built,” giving back to both Houston’s sensational cover and the communities that raised her.
In addition, Parton donated money to COVID-19’s vaccine research, Vanderbilt Medical, and several support programs during hardships. Her theme park Dollywood and its foundation donates money to support educational and community relief programs throughout Tennessee.
Parton’s selflessness and love for supporting communities around the world continues to inspire her audience to remember to spread kindness, love everyone, and continue to shine.
Cultural Arts Show Closing Ceremony