Much has been made of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in the wake of her death this week. PGA Tour veteran Nicholas Thompson has been leading an initiative for the last six years to bring Dolly Parton’s project to children in Palm Beach County.
Since 2020, the PBC Imagination Library has delivered more than 38,000 free books to more than 2,000 local children.
As a South Florida native and father of two children, Thompson formed the PBC Imagination Library to support literacy in his local community. Learning about Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, he and his wife, Christen, thought it was a perfect fit, given the statistic that nearly 50 percent of third-grade students in Palm Beach County read below grade level.
The Imagination Library is
a free book gifting program that mails one book per month to all enrolled children from birth through their fifth birthday, at no cost to the family. According to a press release, "The program prepares children for kindergarten and fosters a lifelong love of learning before they ever enter a classroom."
Like millions around the world, Nicholas and Christen were deeply saddened by the news of Parton's death this week. Said Christen, "her family has asked that in lieu of flowers, people consider donating to their local Imagination Library program. People can sign up to receive books or donate to our local program at www.PalmBeachCountyImaginationLibrary.com."
Also, the PBC Imagination Library will hold its annual 5k on Saturday Nov. 7 at Commons Park in Royal Palm Beach. Anyone interested in running, walking, creating a team or becoming as sponsor can sign up at www.RunForReading5k.com. They also are planning another event, Rhinestones and Reels, that night to honor Dolly Parton and her legacy.
Nicholas Thompson has played for nine seasons on the PGA Tour. He was a member of a victorious U.S. Walker Cup Team, a four-time All-American at Georgia Tech and he was inducted into the Georgia Tech Hall of Fame in 2016. He is the brother of LPGA standout Lexi Thompson, occasionally caddying for his sister.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Dolly Parton Imagination Library gets boost from local PGA Tour veteran
