LUDLOW, Vt. – Since 2012, the Ludlow Rotary Club (LRC) has made the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program a reality in Mount Holly, Ludlow, Plymouth, and Cavendish. With the help of local educators, a large proportion of children resident in our area are now registered to receive these books. At the Ludlow Rotary, we have a passion to make sure our kids have every opportunity to succeed.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book-gifting program that mails free, high-quality books to children from birth until they begin school, no matter their family’s income. Dolly was inspired to start this program by her father’s inability to read and write.
The unique Dolly Parton Imagination Library program mails a new, age-appropriate book to the homes of children every month. Dolly’s Imagination Library is designed to inspire the love of reading in children, by spending time with family and friends sharing these wonderful books together. Dolly understands that reading is the key to a strong education, and that a child’s imagination is the center of his or her dreams and creativity. By combining the two, this program inspires children to dream more, learn more, care more, and be more.
An easy way to register your preschool child or children for this program is to visit the children’s’ section of Ludlow’s Fletcher Memorial Library, where there is a display of Imagination Library books and lots of registration cards. Registration cards can also be obtained from the Ludlow Rotary Club, P.O. Box 216, Ludlow, VT 05149. The privacy of the children is strictly honored.
The signature book of the Imagination Library, “The Little Engine That Could,” is recognized by most parents. The books are addressed and mailed directly to the children, much to their delight. The mailings start about six weeks after the date of registration.
Researchers have concluded that children that participate in this type of program get a real boost in their performance – doing much better in kindergarten and throughout their academic career. We think this investment in our children is more than worth the cost.
As participation in the Imagination Library increases, the Ludlow Rotary welcomes outside financial assistance in this important work from those that are not immediate members of the families that benefit. The books each child receives cost about $25 per year. You can contribute to the Ludlow Area Rotary Charitable Fund Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization, indicating “Imagination Library” in the memo section of your check, and mailing it to the Ludlow Rotary address shown above. So far, the most frequent contributors are grandparents whose grandchildren live out of area.
For additional information, please contact Tom Harris at thomas.harris@wellsfargoadvisors.com. Further information about the Ludlow Rotary, its projects, and membership opportunities, is available at www.ludlowrotary.com.