Organizers in this province say a program to encourage children to read books, spearheaded by music superstar Dolly Parton, has taken off since it was introduced in the fall of 2021.
Parton’s Imagination Library program distributes over 1-million free books a month to children 5-and-under all over the world. Parton also attempts to visit a province or state once the program is available to all eligible kids.
Carolyn Clarke, who brought the program to the Twillingate area, says the ultimate goal is to spark a love of reading in kids, but a potential visit from Parton would be an added bonus.
When the program covers an entire state or province, the singer tries her best to make a visit. Clarke warns that it isn’t a promise given her busy schedule, but it is a possibility.
The program reaches nearly 80 per cent of communities in NL and the push is on to cover the remaining areas, but support is needed.
She says they need long-term commitments from local businesses and community groups to ensure the program will be successful for years to come.