Celebrating the early success of the Loudoun chapter of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, the co-founders of the local chapter are gearing up for two fundraisers in October to raise awareness and funding to promote childhood reading.
About two years ago during the pandemic, Loudoun County Public Schools reading specialist Susan Lyons observed among her students that there was a growing need for access to books, especially among young children.
Lyons had heard about Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library many years ago and always believed it was an incredible program, she said. As a reading specialist, she also knows the importance of early childhood reading and did not want to see Loudoun County’s children fall behind.
Parton founded the Imagination Library in Tennessee about 22 years ago and local chapters have emerged around the country and internationally. In some states, the program is sponsored by the state government.
However, that is not the case in Virginia, so in 2020 Lyons teamed up with a group of friends to kick off a program in Loudoun. Founding board member Kristen O’Rourke helped the group receive backing from the Rotary Club of Leesburg and it has now evolved into its own 501 © (3) nonprofit called Roots Grow Wings.
The way the program works, parents can sign up to have their children receive free books in the mail each month. It is open to kids from birth to age five, with the goal that by the time they enter Kindergarten, they have a library of 60 books.
The key to its success is fundraising – which has to be ongoing in order to continue to pay for the books.
“We do the fundraising to cover the cost of the books, which is $2 a book,” Lyons said. The books are carefully selected, age appropriate and developmentally appropriate, she said.
In the beginning, the coverage area started out small – in Purcellville, Lincoln and Middleburg. It has since expanded to all of western Loudoun and the next area to cover will be in Leesburg, she said.
Founding member Jennie Hill said the pandemic was a catalyst for the program and the group decided there is “no better time than now” to launch the project. She says they are happy with the success and growth they have seen in such a short period of time.
Enrolling to receive the books is easy, Hill said. There is a registration page on the website and over 600 children have signed up so far.
“Our hope is the number continues to grow. Our fundraising is ongoing to increase our reach,” she said.
On Oct. 2, there will be a fundraiser from 1 to 3 p.m. at Old 690 Brewery in Purcellville hosted by Kind Homes. There will be ice cream, face painting and more to raise awareness about the project and encourage people to sign up. Old 690 will be donating $1 for every beer sold during the event.
Two weeks later, the group’s major fundraiser of the year is on Oct. 16, at Black Oak Farm in Purcellville from 2 to 5 p.m. It is called the Plein Air Art Event, Silent Auction Garden Party. Tickets are available at eventbrite.com.
“This is our big event which allowed us to cover all of western Loudoun this year. The property is so beautiful, just visiting it is worth the $75 ticket,” Lyons said.
They have teamed up with the Loudoun Sketch Club whose members will be painting around the outdoor garden party. “It’s amazing to watch,” Lyons said.
For the silent auction, they have some interesting and generous donations, she said, including a food truck party and a dinner party for 20 from King Street Oyster Bar. Other auction items include a ski house rental, spa treatments and more.
