After Dolly Parton opened her Imagination Library in Sevier County, Tennessee, in 1995, children in her home county began receiving a new book every month from birth to age 5.
The excitement and publicity this book giveaway received spread quickly, encouraging Parton to expand the giveaways to her home state and eventually to the United States.
Currently, the Imagination Library gives away more than 1 million books a month and has expanded to several countries around the world. However, the local communities that are involved in this effort must bear the shipping costs each month for the books received by children who are registered in their area. This is currently $2.10 per month for each child that is registered in that community.
Halifax County is fortunate to have a Dolly Parton Library of Imagination chapter over the past year, in partnership with Friends of the Halifax-South Boston Regional Library, a non-profit organization in Halifax County. For the past year and a half, the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in Halifax County has been working to get kids enrolled, showing up at different locations and functions around the city and county to spread the word and enroll kids.
As of May, 475 Halifax County children are registered in the program. However, when the number of children registered is multiplied by the shipping costs for that number, the costs add up to $998 each month for the local chapter.
That monthly cost must be raised by the local chapter, so they are asking for donations and recurring donations where possible, to help them raise the money needed. For $25.20, one person can sponsor a local child’s enrollment for an entire year.
All dollar amounts help, but $1,000 per month in shipping costs must be raised for the program to continue.
The local chapter hopes that the public will help with shipping costs by making monthly or yearly donations and help spread the word about this wonderful program.
Tax receipts can be mailed to those who donate upon request. Hopefully local civic organizations and businesses will also join in supporting the costs.
Donations can be made at local public libraries in Halifax County or South Boston, or checks can be mailed to the Halifax County Imagination Library at PO Box 1729, Halifax, VA 24558. Donations can also be made online at the following online address: https://form.jotform.com/220373659964164. That online address opens a donation page.
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