September 25th was chosen with intention. It falls exactly one month after Dolly Parton's passing, and it's also a playful nod to one of her most famous songs — "9 to 5" becoming "9/25." The Dollywood Foundation created the day to give people everywhere a simple, meaningful way to honor her legacy: by supporting the local Imagination Library programs she inspired.
That legacy started small and personal. Dolly launched the Imagination Library back in 1995 as a tribute to her own father, who never learned to read — she wanted to make sure no child in her home region grew up without the same opportunity she was able to give through books. That idea has since grown into a program mailing free, high-quality books to children from birth to age five, in communities all over the country.
Here in Nevada County, our Nevada City Rotary club is proud to be the local partner keeping that promise alive. Every dollar given on Give Like Dolly Day goes directly toward the books mailed to our own local kids each month — no admin overhead, no middleman, just books landing in small hands right here at home. On September 25th, we're asking our Rotary family and community to consider giving, sharing, or simply spreading the word. It's a small way to keep a big legacy going exactly where Dolly would have wanted it: in the hands of a child learning to love reading.