Kansas City's Folly Theater transformed into the “Dolly” Theater on Tuesday, and people dressed up in their best pink, sparkly and Western attire lined up in 100-degree heat to welcome an American icon.
It was Dolly Parton's day, as the country music superstar celebrated the expansion of her Imagination Library in Missouri.
Missouri was the 14th state to launch the program statewide, and the first to fully fund it — the legislature allocated $11 million to send free books to all children 5 and under every month.
Parton told a small audience of early childhood educators and Imagination Library partners, plus representatives with the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, that learning to read opens the door to a lifelong education.
“They can't wait to go to the mailbox and get that little book, and they're going to take it in the house and they're going to make somebody read to them,” Parton said.
Parton started the Imagination Library in 1995 to promote literacy in Sevier County in eastern Tennessee, where she grew up. She was inspired by her father’s inability to read.
“The kids started calling me the book lady, and Daddy was more proud of that than he was that I was a star,” she said. “Daddy got to feel like he had really done something great as well.”
More than 137,000 children have enrolled in the Imagination Library program in Missouri since its November launch, but an additional 262,000 are still eligible.
The program is available free to all children, regardless of income.
“This program doesn't cost anybody anything, and your kid gets a book and they love it,” Parton said. “I'm glad that we can cater to all children everywhere.”
Whitney Holliday, director of Parents as Teachers for Hannibal Public Schools, snagged a seat at the event wearing her Dolly Parton T-shirt.
“(A kid’s) brain develops so quickly between 0 to 3, and to have those books in their hands that they can read and enjoy with their families is just an amazing gift,” Holliday said.
Katherine Wortmann said she loves what Parton stands for and how caring, welcoming and inclusive she is. She wore pink — which she said is “always fun” — to “be a part of the vibe." She was excited to hear more about how the icon supports literacy.
“Especially now, I think, post-COVID, that's a really important skill that needs to be focused on,” Wortmann said. “She's just a great gal.”
Gov. Mike Parson, wearing a sparkling silver tie, said Missouri children received more than 750,000 books from the program — and declared August 27 "Imagination Library of Missouri" day.
“She could do anything in the world that she wanted to do, but she really chose to make a difference in some child's life,” said Parson. “I think that's the true flavor of who somebody is.”
Parton ended the event by singing “Coat of Many Colors” and “Try” with just her pearl-studded black guitar.
Jessica Edoho joined the legions in pink with her sweater and matching Crocs.
She didn’t grow up listening to Parton’s music, but knew about the Imagination Library through her work as a reading mentor in Kansas City.
“Because of that, I learned about what she's doing with the books and everything,” Edoho said. “I had my niece and nephew signed up for that.”
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