Imagination Library

Hi everyone,

As some of you know I’m involved in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Springfield. I helped bring the right folks together to get us going and on paper I continue to chair the steering committee. We’re all grateful that our United Way agreed to sponsor the program here and the real brains of the outfit is the United Way’s Cindy Howell.

Although the cost of providing twelve books per year for each enrolled child under five is only $25, we have many thousands of children in that group so we are constantly looking for ways to raise the funding we need to maintain what we’ve accomplished so far and allow the program to grow. This is from a note I just received from Cindy.

“We are again participating in Give Ozarks Day, May 3 with our emphasis on raising funds for Imagination Library. We have set a goal of raising $17,000 so we can be fully funded through the end of the year. This is also going out to our UW donors, volunteer leadership and campaign volunteers, as well, asking to give the gift of books to our kids. No group understands this better than you. So, please send this out to your friends, distribution lists, far & wide, (you don’t have to live in Springfield to donate!)…think of it this way…we only need 680 donors at $25 each to reach our $17,000 goal!…I know between all of us that we know that many people…plus if they give $50…that makes it just a little easier…So Please, distribute to your lists, asking them to help us, help the kiddos who have little to no access to books in their home…ask them to look to the future…With Imagination Library, we are building future teachers, writers, leaders, mom’s & dad’s..Thanks so much! Cindy :)”

My thanks to Cindy, United Way, our wonderful steering committee, and everyone who adds Imagination Library to the list of causes worth supporting.

David