Dolly Parton Imagination Library launches in Winston County

DOUBLE SPRINGS     - The ultimate goal of inspiring small children to love reading was reached with much fanfare Wednesday, Sept. 25, when the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program was kicked off for the first time for all of Winston County.
Until Sept. 25, the program had only been in select areas  or through a school system in the county for a limited time, but the Imagination Library’s program’s launch party this past week showed a unity of local, county and state officials in obtaining an $18,000 Campaign for a Grade Level Reading grant, which has been matched by the state, toward the countywide effort.
The launch party, held in the courtroom at the Winston County Judicial Building, was a partnership of United Way of Cullman County, Winston County Board of Education, Cullman Electric Cooperative and other community and civic organizations.

Jennifer Baker, elementary curriculum coordinator for Winston County Schools and pre-kindergarten director for first class pre-Ks throughout the county schools, noted the $18,000 as well as a contribution by Cullman Electric Coop,  grant jump-started the program for the entire county.
In fact, Cullman Electric will work with United Way of Cullman, as program managers.
The program is designed for children ages 0 to 5 who live in Winston County, to participate. The launch party was attended by special guests--the pre-K program from Seymour-Bevill Daycare in Double Springs, as the first recipients of books from the Imagination Library program, Baker explained.
To register children 0 to 5 for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library across Winston County, visit https://www.uwaycc.org/winston-county, or www.imaginationlibrary.com.
Although the program has been kicked off thanks to the $18,000 and state match, any business or community group that would like to become a corporate sponsor should contact Stephanie Childers, executive director for United Way in Cullman, at schilders@uwaycc.org or Taylor Johnson at tjohnson@uwaycc.org.
Cost of the Imagination Library is $26 per year per child, or $2.20 per book, with all costs being covered by the grant and state match, officials said.
“Being able to have books in homes of our families for kids from birth to age five is just setting that foundation, not only that foundation for building that love of reading but also building relationships between our families and their children,” Baker pointed out.