Marietta, Ohio- Last night, December 8, the Marietta Community Foundation screened an exclusive Facebook live stream of a documentary on Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. The documentary titled "The Library the Dolly Built" was aired at 7pm followed by a Q&A session with Parton and a live acoustic performance. The screening stems from a partnership with Parton's and Ohio Governor's Imagination Library programs. Original plans were to host a live screening in April at Peoples Bank Theater, but was postponed and rescheduled due to COVID-19. Communications and Program Services Director of the MCF Mason Beuhring spoke with WMOA about the impact of the program.
"I can tell you just through our affiliation alone we have distributed almost 11,000 books to Washington County children since the beginning of this program," Beuhring continued. "Last year, we made it a huge focus for the Foundation and it has just taken off. We currently have over 800 kids enrolled in the program, and since the program has started we have had kids graduate so we have made an impact on probably over 1,000 children's lives."
Beuhring added that the heart of the program is "to give children of all socioeconomic backgrounds to have access to print to provide them with a better foundation for education." Beuhring also showed praise for Parton and the program.
"Dolly Parton has made this program efficient and effective not only for the lives of children, but also for the affiliates," Beuhring explained. "It is a really simple system that is highly effective. If anybody is passionate about supporting our youngest generation in Washington County and getting print in the hands of those who desperately need it, especially right now with everything taking place, this is a great opportunity."
Ohio is the third state to incorporate and allocate funds for a statewide book gifting program through Dolly Parton Imagination Library.
