|Around Cecil County|
Hundreds of local kids benefit from Dolly Parton’s vision Volunteers work to increase awareness, raise funds for Cecil County ‘Imagination Library’ program By Natalie Smith Contributing Writer
prepared for school. Intrigued, Rosenberg went online and researched the Imagination Library, and discovered that the program was here is nothing like cozying up with a good book, not only in Tennessee, but nationwide, and now worldwide. regardless of your age. For the littlest of budding book- Since its inception, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has worms, that experience often includes snuggling with gifted more than 180 million books, adding 1 million every a parent, grandparent or sibling. The joys of being read to month. In the U.S., the individual affiliates are statewide – like has numerous benefits for children, and study upon study in Delaware and Arkansas – or within communities. The program has also gone international, to areas shows that the younger a child is exposed to including Canada, the United Kingdom, books, the sooner the gains take hold. Australia and the Republic of Ireland. Sharon Rosenberg didn’t have to be convinced of the importance of early book Calls to established Imagination Library introduction. As a former high school English affiliates, like the one in Talbot County, teacher, “books are my life,” the North East answered her questions, but Rosenberg resident said. It was this affinity for the bound realized she needed more help, so she and printed word that led to participation tapped Donna Bitely, whom she knew from in a program which to date is providing the Women’s Civic League of North East. free personal libraries for nearly 800 Cecil Eventually an advisory committee of eight County children, from newborns to age 5. volunteers was formed. Other members Rosenberg was inspired after visiting Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Cecil include Jessica Kaley, Jan Fraser, Donna volunteer Sharon Rosenberg, Rice, Linda Elwood, Elaine Gwiazdowski family. “I have a granddaughter living in County standing in the background, helps Tennessee,” she said. “When she was born, Lorelei and her mom register at an event and Cathleen Zang. In 2019, Dolly Parton’s we went down and someone mentioned that held in conjunction with the Conowingo Imagination Library of Cecil County started Lions Club. giving away its first books. the new Dolly Parton book had arrived.” Rosenberg was eager to present the DPIL to the children of The book was from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL), a program started by the country music superstar in Cecil County. “I know there’s a need,” she said. “Cecil County is in large 1995 in honor of her father, who couldn’t read. Parton, one of 10 children, knew how important books were for a child’s part a lot of Title 1 schools schools receiving federal funding development, whether being read to or reading themselves. which have a high percentage of economically disadvanShe initially wanted a way to provide one book a month to taged students. I mentored in elementary schools after I babies through preschoolers free of charge and regardless retired and I could see that these little children were already of income in her native East Tennessee, so by the time they behind in grade 1 and grade 2. Continued on Page 62 were 5, they’d have a library of their own and be better
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Cecil County Life | Spring/Summer 2022 | www.cecilcountylife.com
