By Kayla Henson
Columbus County Partnership for Children
Columbus County Partnership for Children is excited to announce the reopening of registrations for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
All children registered with Imagination Library receive one free book per month delivered to their home until their fifth birthday.
Gloria Parker-Barr has been the support specialist of the program almost since its launch. For years, she has traveled across the county delivering brochures and displays, aiming to register as many children as possible.
“For seven years, that’s all I did was Dolly Parton,” she said. “I came in, I got what I need, and I went out into the community. I love this program. It encourages young kids to develop a love for reading at an early age, which is vital for the children of Columbus County to be successful in life.”
The program was so successful that it reached state funding capacity last year, triggering the cessation of all new registrations. Parker-Barr was heartbroken.
When the news came that the program would be able to reopen, she rejoiced, as did partners in the community who had helped promote it.
“When I went to Living Hope, I just held up the Dolly Parton display, and both the ladies just threw up their arms — Hallelujah!” she said. “They were so excited. Ms. Janet said, ‘Do you know I still have envelopes with stamps on them where I was preparing to send them out, from before it shut down?’ I said, ‘Well, you go ahead and send them out now.’”
Dr. Selena Rowell, executive director of the Partnership, recalled the hard work it took to initially bring the program to the county in 2017.
“Without the appropriations from the state, Columbus would have a difficult time affording this wonderful opportunity for our young children. We are so grateful to the North Carolina legislature and the North Carolina Partnership for Children for the funding that has allowed us to offer the project in the past and even more grateful that we are now able to resume registrations for all eligible children in Columbus County.”
To register your child for the Imagination Library, stop by the Smart Start Early Learning & Family Resource Center (ELF), located at 107 W. Main St. in Whiteville, to pick up a registration form or complete the form online at ImaginationLibrary.com.
In the ELF, a life-sized cardboard cutout of Dolly Parton stands by Parker-Barr’s desk, wearing Dolly’s trademark smile, as if to quote one of her lyrics, “Everything’s going to work out just fine. Everything’s going to be okay.”
For additional information about Columbus County Partnership for Children, call 910-642-8226. Visit the office at 109 W. Main St. in Whiteville or online at www.columbussmartstart.com. “Like” ColumbusSmartStart on Facebook.
