Enrollment in Imagination Library tops 50% in Tuscarawas County

NEW PHILADELPHIA ― Three-year-old Eliza Wilsterman looks forward to receiving a new book each month from "Miss Dolly."

Eliza, the daughter of Kait M. Gallagher-Wilsterman of Tuscarawas, is enrolled in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio and will get a book in the mail once a month until she turns 5.

More:Fran DeWine promotes statewide literacy program at Kiwanis luncheon

"Most of the time, we have to immediately read the book when we open it and then it is added to her bedtime book pile too," her mother said. "As parents, it is great to grow our book collection for her without having to research and purchase books ourselves, and she gets to receive a surprise in the mail each month."

One of Eliza's all-time favorite books is "There's a Hole in the Log on the Bottom of the Lake," by Loren Long. "We received this book from the Imagination Library as her August 2021 book and it has been read every night since we received it a year ago," her mother said.

The Imagination Library program is operated locally by the United Way of Tuscarawas County.

More than 2,900 children in the county are now enrolled in the program, or 52% of children eligible, said Robin Waltz, United Way president and CEO. All children from birth to age 5 are eligible to enter the program. There is no income requirement to receive the free hardcover books.

The local program has already graduated more than 1,000 children, who have turned 5.

The program got its start locally in 2019 after Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine came to Dennison to promote the statewide literacy effort.

More:First Lady Fran DeWine promotes literacy in Tuscarawas County

"The goal is that kids will have 60 books in their library before they go to kindergarten," Waltz said. "We just want to do whatever we can to help make them successful in school. So this is really an early childhood literacy program that we've been interested in for years."

She said the Imagination Library is wildly popular in Tuscarawas County.

The state pays half the cost of the books, and the other half comes from local funding. Money has been provided by individual donors, area Rotary clubs and the Tuscarawas County Community Foundation.

The United Way has partnered with the Tuscarawas County Literacy Coalition, Head Start, the Dover Public Library and the Tuscarawas County Public Library to get kids enrolled. Assistance also comes from hospitals in Tuscarawas, Stark and Summit counties. Their birthing units have literature on the program, and they can sign up children as soon as they are born, she said.

"It's just a wonderful program," Waltz said. "We are just so fortunate that we have people in this community that are so generous and they want to help. It's $25 a child for a year of books."

On Tuesday, Waltz attended a luncheon in Columbus with DeWine and Dolly Parton. More than 700 people were in attendance.

"It was very inspirational," she said. "We have seen Mrs. DeWine speak before, and she just speaks from the heart. She is so down-to-earth, and this is just her pet project. She is going to do whatever she can to see it through. And then to have Dolly Parton tell her story and to see her in person. Once again, she is very down to earth."

The country music legend talked about her father, who was illiterate. He inspired Parton to launch the program, first in her native Tennessee and now across the country.

Parents and grandparents can sign up children for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library of Ohio by going to tuscunitedway.org and clicking the button for Imagination Library. Waltz said it only takes seconds to complete the process. The only information needed is the child's name, address and date of birth.

People can also use the United Way website to make donations to the program. Or they can send a check to the United Way, P.O. Box 525, New Philadelphia, Ohio 44663. Put Imagination Library in the memo line.

"We need to keep the program going. We're committed to it. We would like the community to join us in keeping this program going," Waltz said.

This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Ohio is popular locally