The namesake of one of the United Way of the Flint Hills’ most notable programs and world-renowned singer Dolly Parton has passed.
Parton passed away Tuesday at the age of 80. In addition to her stature as one of the most recognizable voices in country music history, Parton was also well known for her dedication to literacy through the establishment of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, a program that has become synonymous with the United Way, especially in the Flint Hills area.
2026 marks the 31st year of the Imagination Library program, which is dedicated to inspiring a passion for reading by providing free books to children from birth to age five. A quote from Parton on the Imagination Library website illustrated one of the core values behind the program’s establishment:
“When I was growing up in the hills of East Tennessee, I knew my dreams would come true. I know there are children in your community with their own dreams. They dream of becoming a doctor or an inventor or a minister. Who knows, maybe there is a little girl whose dream is to be a writer and singer. The seeds of these dreams are often found in books and the seeds you help plant in your community can grow across the world.”
Locally, Dolly’s image has been a regular sight at community events as the United Way of the Flint Hills is known for traveling with a life-sized cutout of Parton to help raise awareness of the Imagination Library program.
Since its inception, the Imagination Library has had more than 3.1 million kids registered and more than 332 million books gifted. KVOE News has reached out to the United Way of the Flint Hills for comment on the program and Parton’s legacy through it.
