SALT LAKE CITY — Along with the legacy Dolly Parton leaves behind in the entertainment industry, her lasting impact in Utah will be felt by the students who benefited from her free book program.
Parton died Tuesday at the age of 80.
The Dolly Parton Imagination Library was launched in 1995 and soon spread across the country, including Utah.
In Davis County, children enrolled in the Head Start program or those experiencing homelessness receive a free book each month through Parton's library. The program continues after her death, with the Davis School District sharing how it aims to enroll 2,000 students this year.
"Dolly Parton understood something a lot of people miss: a child who owns books becomes a child who reads," said Kara Toone of the Davis Education Foundation. "There are children in Davis County who have a shelf at home because of her, and there are hundreds more we haven't reached yet. Our job now is to finish what she started here."
Dolly Parton, legendary country musician, dies at the age of 80:
In lieu of flowers, Parton's family is asking people to donate money to her Imagination Library, and in Utah, a campaign has been created to honor her memory through books.
Operation Literacy has started a campaign to help provide 15,000 Utah children with books.
“Dolly Parton’s life is a remarkable example of hard work, generosity, and genuine service to others," said Rep. Ariel Defay (R-Davis Co.) "She has devoted so much of her life to strengthening children and families, and one of the most meaningful ways we can honor that legacy is by bringing Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to Utah and helping foster a lifelong love of reading in children across our state."
