United Way of Elgin’s local affiliate of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library mailed out its 300,000th book to a local youngster learning how to read.
United Way of Elgin Director of Marketing Elissa Kojzarek said the milestone reached last month dates from 2009, when the organization first got involved with Parton’s literacy initiative. United Way’s effort sends between 36,000 – 39,000 books a year, she said, and has sent books to more than 10,500 children.
Kojzarek explained that the local version of the program is open to any child, from birth until of age of five, who lives in Elgin, South Elgin, Hampshire, Pingree Grove, or Burlington. There is no cost to participating families.
Parents and guardians can sign up to take part online at www.uwelgin.org/dpil, at the United Way of Elgin office or the Gail Borden Public Library. People can also make monetary donations through the website.
“A donation of $30 will provide a child a book a month for a year,” Kojzarek said.
Kojzarek said participants get one age-appropriate book a month until the month when they reach the age of five. The books are sent through Parton’s Dollywood Foundation.
“The first book sent is ‘The Little Engine that Could,’ because Dolly Parton has said that was her favorite book as a child. The last book is always ‘Here Comes Kindergarten,'” Kojzarek said.
Kojzarek said she keeps letters on a work bulletin board from parents who are impressed with the program.
“Some have told me about how their child runs to the mailbox every month, excited to see when a book arrives,” Kojzarek said.
United Way of Elgin board of directors member Karen Fox, a former educator in School District U46, said the effort is one of the local United Way’s most-valued programs. She’s heard from teachers that the books help get children interested in reading before they start school.
In February, Parton’s Imagination Library marked sending out its 100,000,000th book since launching in 1995 by donating a copy of her “A Coat of Many Colors” to the Library of Congress. At that time, Patron also announced she would host a monthly “Story Time” that is being live-streamed on the Library of Congress’ Facebook and YouTube pages the last Friday of each month at 9:30 a.m. CST.
