Dolly Parton donates her 100 millionth book

[editor]

Big up Dolly!

Today, the country music star heads to Washington to deliver her 100 millionth book donation from her Imagination Library to the Library of Congress. Founded by Parton, the Imagination Library sends free books to children from birth until their start of school, regardless of their parents' income.

Parton started the program in 1995. Less than 10 years later, Parton had donated a million books. After the singer launched operations in Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom, donations started running into the tens of millions...

After fires destroyed homes in Tennessee in 2016, Dolly Parton's My People foundation gave more than $8 million to people affected. Survivors received an average of $10,000 from the charity Participants reported feeling grateful to receive money from the foundation without any stigma or strings attached.

Last good person in America Dolly Parton donates 100 millionth book

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Good on her - that's a lovely thing to do.

 

[dessiato]

What a pity we don't hear enough of this kindness.

 

[hammerntongues]

and now I like her even more .......

 

[Poi E]

Married to the same bloke for over fifty years. What a gal.

 

[Sea Star]

She's great! I've been a fan for years. Genuinely nice person and her more folk orientated music is also pretty good!!

 

[Kaka Tim]

shes a good un.

The whole "dollywood" thing was conceived as a way of providing income for her extended family and the community she grew up -and she grew up in proper dirt poor poverty.

very very smart women, beguiled the whole nashville establishment with the "dumb blond from the sticks" routine - but got the upper hand on all the people trying to rip her off in the early days and ended up in control of her own career. obviously a great singer and songwriter.

Her interest in funding literacy and reading programs for poorer kids stems from her own background - in the uk she funds a free book scheme in doncaster.

Quite a wit as well - on her plastic surgery and wigs etc "its takes a lot of money to look this cheap"

fantasy auntie really

 

[StoneRoad]

Well Done ! on the book donations and all the other positive things. That more than makes up for the very few of her songs that I didn't like (not many of the hits fall into that hole)

 

[editor]

Wonderful woman who doesn't feel the need to broadcast her every good deed:

ince the mid-1980s, Parton has supported many charitable efforts, particularly in the area of literacy, primarily through her Dollywood Foundation. Her literacy program, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library,[98] a part of the Dollywood Foundation, mails one book per month to each enrolled child from the time of their birth until they enter kindergarten. Currently, over 1600 local communities provide the Imagination Library to almost 850,000 children each month across the U.S., Canada, the UK, and Australia.[98] The program distributes more than 10 million free books to children annually. In 2006, Parton published a cookbook, Dolly's Dixie Fixin's: Love, Laughter and Lots of Good Food.[99][100]

The Dollywood Foundation, funded from Parton's net profits, has been noted for bringing jobs and tax revenues to a previously depressed region. Parton also has worked to raise money on behalf of several other causes, including the American Red Cross and HIV/AIDS-related charities.[101] In December 2006, Parton pledged $500,000 toward a proposed $90 million hospital and cancer center to be constructed in Sevierville in the name of Dr. Robert F. Thomas, the physician who delivered her. She announced a benefit concert to raise additional funds for the project. The concert played to about 8,000 people.[102] That same year, Emmylou Harris and she had allowed their music to be used in a PETA ad campaign that encouraged pet owners to keep their dogs indoors rather than chained outside.[103]
In 2003, her efforts to preserve the bald eagle through the American Eagle Foundation's sanctuary at Dollywood earned her the Partnership Award from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.[104] Parton received the Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service from the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars of the Smithsonian Institutionat a ceremony in Nashville on November 8, 2007.[105] For her work in literacy, Parton has received various awards, including: Association of American Publishers Honors Award (2000), Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval (2001) (the first time the seal had been awarded to a person), American Association of School Administrators – Galaxy Award (2002), National State Teachers of the Year – Chasing Rainbows Award (2002), and Parents as Teachers National Center – Child and Family Advocacy Award (2003).

On May 8, 2009, Parton gave the commencement speech at the graduation ceremony for the University of Tennessee, Knoxville's College of Arts and Sciences.[106] During the ceremony she received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the university. It was only the second honorary degree given by the university, and in presenting the degree, the university's Chancellor, Jimmy G. Cheek, said, "Because of her career not just as a musician and entertainer, but for her role as a cultural ambassador, philanthropist and lifelong advocate for education, it is fitting that she be honored with an honorary degree from the flagship educational institution of her home state."[107]

In response to the 2016 Great Smoky Mountains wildfires, Parton was one of a number of country music artists who participated in a telethon to raise money for victims of the fires.[108] This was held in Nashville on December 9. In addition, Parton hosted her own telethon for the victims on December 13[109] and reportedly raised around $9 million.[110]

 

[editor]

"When asked about future plastic surgeries, she famously said, "If I see something sagging, bagging or dragging, I'll get it nipped, tucked or sucked."

 

[krtek a houby]

Dolly's great.One of those people like Willie Nelson who's been around forever that you just take for granted.

Long may they continue.

 

[editor]

Who fancies a bit of Dolly and the bloke from Judas Priest?