SHOALS — Following the recent passing of country music icon and philanthropist Dolly Parton, a national push is underway to support the local chapters of her signature literacy program. In Martin County, local organizers are calling on the community for donations as funds for the area’s Imagination Library run low.
Parton, who passed away on August 25 at the age of 80, founded the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in 1995 to inspire a love of reading in young children. The program mails free, high-quality, age-appropriate books each month to enrolled children from birth to age 5, regardless of family income. While the national foundation manages the book procurement and distribution infrastructure, individual community affiliates rely entirely on local funding to cover the cost of books and postage for children in their area.
In Martin County, local sponsorship and administration are managed by the Psi Iota Xi sorority. Local organizers report that municipal program accounts are running dangerously low, threatening the chapter’s ability to maintain regular book deliveries for registered local children.
Community members wishing to help sustain the literacy initiative in Martin County can mail cash or check donations to: Psi Iota Xi, P.O. Box 261, Shoals, IN 47581
Organizers encourage local residents to honor Parton’s legacy of generosity by ensuring that children throughout Martin County continue to receive books each month.
