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Delivery of first books to Allen County
children from Imagination Library:
With 3,400 Allen County children receiving books from "Dolly Parton's Imagination Library", United Way Women's Leadership is now fundraising for the third year program, September 2004 - September 2005.
Imagination Library was launched in 1996
for preschoolers in Sevier County, Tennessee, as a gift of
encouragement for the children of her Smoky Mountain homeland.
From the day they are born, children who register for the
program receive a book every month in the mail as long as
they are registered, up to their fifth birthday. A committee
composed of individuals from education, child development,
academia and early childhood literacy selects the books. The
program was such a success in Tennessee, it is now offered
to other communities.
United Way of Greater Lima has signed a
third year contract with The Dollywood Foundation to sponsor
the program locally with the help of the United
Way Women’s
Leadership Initiative, founded by Karen Wright, Lynn Bagenstose,
Peggy Ehora, Cheryl Morgan, Angie Clark and Bev Prueter.
Funds are being raised to cover the cost of the books, handling
and mailing. All funds raised for the initial program were
entirely separate from the 2002 United Way campaign and
most were contributed by individuals, along with grants
from the AR-HALE Family Foundation and the Rotary Foundation.
Since then, continued separate fundraising efforts are making this program possible, including grants from Dominion and Junior Service League.
The cost per year, per child, is $30, which
covers the books, handling and mailing. To sponsor a child
(children), send your check to United Way of Greater Lima,
616 S. Collett Street, Lima, OH 45805.
United Way is currently expending nearly $7,000 monthly for the program or an annual need of $84,000. Your help is greatly needed and appreciated to keep this program going. This program will be included in the Fall 2005 campaign goal, but funds are still needed to support 2005 costs through December.
There is no cost to register a child. The
only requirement is the child must be a resident of Allen
County and be between the ages of birth and five years. Registration
forms are available at the United Way office, 616 S. Collett
Street, Lima, Ohio; and at a number of other locations, including
Lima Public Library, day care centers, schools and Head Start
locations. Registration forms are included in packets given
to the parents of newborns at Blanchard Valley Medical Center
– Bluffton Campus, Lima Memorial Hospital and St. Rita’s
Medical Center. Women’s Leadership member Angie Clark
said that additional registration sites and methods, and fundraising
plans continue to be established this year by committees
working on the project. According to the 2000 census, there
are approximately 7500 children in Allen County who could
qualify for the program.
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