POWER LINES
A book for every child Electric cooperatives partner with Dolly Parton and Gov. DeWine to expand the Imagination Library across the state. BY JEFF MCCALLISTER
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alerie Williams knew she wanted in from the moment she heard that the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library/Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library program was coming to Highland County. As coordinator of the Family and Children First Council and director of Highland County’s Early Head Start program, Williams is keenly aware of the influence of books to power a child’s development — and as a mother of two young children, she wanted every tool at her disposal. When Ohio first lady Fran DeWine announced the program’s expansion into Highland County last March, Williams was not only one of those instrumental in promoting the program in the county, she was among the first to sign up. Her sons, 4-year-old Porter and 1-year-old Moxley, now each get an age-appropriate book in the mail every month at no cost to the family.
4 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JANUARY 2021
“Obviously, Moxley doesn’t realize what a big deal this is yet, but Porter loves getting the books in the mail — he’s so excited it has his name on it — and will sit down with it right away and pretend to read. He’s not quite reading yet, but honestly, getting a book every month has him excited about the prospect, and that’s so important.” Parton and her foundation have gifted more than 150 million books and have 1.7 million participants worldwide. The program is available to every child in Ohio, as partnerships with local funding agencies in all 88 counties match grant money provided by Gov. Mike DeWine and the state legislature to pay the entire cost of sending one book every month to kids from birth through their fifth birthday. “This effort by so many of us is going to make a huge difference for our kids,” Fran DeWine said at the launch of the Highland County program. “Reading is one of the single greatest things we can do for our kids and with our kids. It’s really an indicator of how they’re going to
