On the last Friday of each month, We Are the World Blogfest invites bloggers to join together in promoting positive news. If you would like to join in, please check out the rules and links below.
A statement of mission from the We are the World Blogfest website:
“There are many an oasis of love and light out there, stories that show compassion and the resilience of the human spirit. Sharing these stories increases our awareness of hope in our increasingly dark world.”
The co-hosts for this month are Belinda Witzenhausen, Sylvia McGrath, Sylvia Stein, Shilpa Garg, Eric Lahti . Please pop over to their blogs to read their stories, comment and share.
This month I am sharing a story of Dolly Parton and the 100 millionth book she has given away through her non-profit Imagination Library.
According to the article by Helena Andrews-Dyer in the Washington Post Dolly Parton Likes to Give Away Books. She just donated her 100 millionth.
The article states that
“Parton is the founder of Imagination Library, a nonprofit that started out donating books in Sevier County, Tenn., and grew into a million-book-a-month operation. Families who sign up receive a book per month from birth to kindergarten. The singer donated her organization’s 100 millionth book to the nation’s library on Tuesday.”
Knowing the enormous potential that books and reading have for changing lives by improving the chances of success, not just in school, but in life, I couldn’t go past sharing this inspiring article, especially when International Children’s Book Day is celebrated in a few days on 2 April.
Click to read the whole article in the Washington Post.
Here are the guidelines for #WATWB:
1. Keep your post to Below 500 words, as much as possible.
2. Link to a human news story on your blog, one that shows love, humanity, and brotherhood. Paste in an excerpt and tell us why it touched you. The Link is important, because it actually makes us look through news to find the positive ones to post.
3. No story is too big or small, as long as it Goes Beyond religion and politics, into the core of humanity.
4. Place the WE ARE THE WORLD badge or banner on your Post and your Sidebar. Some of you have already done so, this is just a gentle reminder for the others.
- Help us spread the word on social media. Feel free to tweet, share using the #WATWB hashtag to help us trend!
Tweets, Facebook shares, Pins, Instagram, G+ shares using the #WATWB hashtag through the month most welcome. We’ll try and follow and share all those who post on the #WATWB hashtag, and we encourage you to do the same.
Click here to join in and enter the link to your post. The bigger the #WATWB group each month, the greater the joy!
Thank you for reading. I appreciate your comments. Please share your thoughts.
Thank you for sharing such a lovely post, Norah. Dolly Parton’s act is simply amazing! After all those titles, to be called a “book lady” must have made her feel very special and even more so that she found such joy in sharing books that must have meant so much to the readers. Visiting from #WATWB. Must say, loved stopping by your lovely blog, Norah. Following you, for sure. 🙂
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Thank you for reading and leaving such a lovely comment, Esha.
This project of Dolly Parton’s is amazing. I’m pleased you agree. It is wonderful to have the opportunity through #WATWB to share such positive stories. Popping over to read your post now.
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The accomplishment is absolutely amazing, and I was shocked that I only learned about it a few weeks ago! I would’ve thought, with all the years I’ve been so heavily involved with KidLit, that Imagination Library would’ve come up, and I can’t imagine I would’ve forgotten I’d heard about it, but with my brain—who knows?! And ironically, I literally—just today— found out that one of my friend’s books was picked for it 😀 (Annie Silvestro’s BUNNY’S BOOK CLUB https://twitter.com/anniesilvestro/status/980936866898771968). I just love everything about what Imagination Library is and stands for. Dolly’s aMAzing! 😀
P.S. I hope you’re well, Norah 😀 oxox
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Hi Donna, Thank you for popping in to read. It is amazing just hearing about the Imagination Library now, isn’t it? What a wonderful initiative. I can’t believe I didn’t know of it either. They even have a “chapter” in Australia! Congratulations to Annie on having her book selected for the program. I hope that leads to further promotion and more sales for her.
I’m doing well, thanks, Donna. I hope you are too and enjoying your little one. xx
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This is a wonderful initiative, I mean both Dolly Patton and the #WATWB. I’ll be taking part soon!
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That’s wonderful, Luccia. It’s great to have many join in #WATWB and spread the good news.
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I had no idea. I know Dolly was very involved in helping her community, but this is fantastic. And, I had to learn it from an Aussie! 🙂 LOL
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Thanks, Patricia. It is fantastic, isn’t it?
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yes, THESE are the stories we need to hear. Here, Here, Dolly Parton. Sharing literacy and the love of reading may be THE most important act of love toward humanity.
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I applaud your comment, Pam. Thank you!
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Dolly Parton’s program has reached out to so many children through the positivity of reading books. I hadn’t realized she’d given away her one-millionth book recently. Good for her! Good for all of the children!
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It is good for all the children, and good for our future. Such a wonderful program.
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An amazing program, and Dolly Parton has the heart and grass roots that make her a perfect ambassador. A wonderful post, Norah. Thank you.
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I’m pleased you enjoyed it, Jennie. Thank you.
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You’re welcome.
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Beautiful share Norah. ❤
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Thank you, Debby. 🙂
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❤
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Man, you really have to love Dolly Parton. She suffered endless jokes in the 70s and 80s and did it with style and aplomb. And now this! What an amazing person.
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I agree, Eric. Thanks for reading and commenting.
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Go Dolly! She’s fantastic!
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I agree! What a wonderful legacy. 🙂
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Dolly Parton has the sweetest voice and the most powerful heart. This is a lovely post Norah thank you. I love that she said how she started it to honour her father and mother .. 100 million books donated? AMAZING!
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It is an amazing contribution, isn’t it? Amazing too, that she needed to donate 100 million books for me to hear about it. So many good deeds occur quietly and unnoticed. I love this #WATWB for the opportunity to share and learn. Thank you for reading and commenting.
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Hurrah for Dolly Parton — and you for sharing this good news.
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Thanks, Anne. What a wonderful contribution to the future of our population.
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This is a great program and there should be more like it. Thanks for sharing.
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I agree, Chuck. Thanks for reading and commenting.
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what an amazing program
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Thanks so much for reading, Beth. I thought so! 🙂
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