Recognizing the Success of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in the State of Missouri

Floor Speech

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Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and celebrate the success of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in the State of Missouri. This new initiative increases literacy and education among our state's youth and will foster an invaluable love of reading for our state's precious youth. I express my deepest gratitude to Dolly Parton and the State of Missouri for bringing this program to the youngest constituents in my district.

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library delivers books monthly to children's homes from their birth until their fifth birthday. For the children and their families receiving the books, the program is completely free. In Missouri, this program thrives thanks to the generosity of Dolly, nearly 60 affiliates and legislation passed by the state to establish and administer Dolly Parton's Imagination Library for all children in Missouri 0 to 5 years old.

In 1995, Dolly Parton--already an award-winning and chart-topping artist--established an Imagination Library in her home county in Tennessee, inspired by her father who could not read. Since then, the program boasts recipients from five countries around the world. As of this year, it has delivered over 250 million books to over 3 million young children. Dolly is an incredible philanthropist, and her record of community service is as vast and acclaimed as her career as an international musical phenomenon. We are thankful to have our very own Imagination Library here to continue inspiring future generations of leaders through literacy.

Though Dolly Parton's Imagination Library has been an ``Unlikely Angel'' in helping our state advance early childhood literacy, the establishment of the Missouri Imagination Library ensures that in terms of having young children eager to read, there's ``More Where That Came From''. I am grateful for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library and promise to continue doing ``All I Can Do'' to advance this noble cause--even if it means working past ``9 to 5''. After all, there is little else more important than instilling a love for reading within the minds of children.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in recognizing the impact and service that Dolly Parton's Imagination Library will continue to have in Missouri's Fifth Congressional District and the rest of the ``Show-Me'' State. I speak with the voice of Missouri's entire Fifth Congressional District as we say a heartfelt ``thank you'' to Dolly Parton's Imagination Library as we celebrate and congratulate them on all their current achievements and those to come.

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