DOLLY PARTON TO GRACE OLYMPIA FOR IMAGINATION LIBRARY CELEBRATION

OLYMPIA - Country music legend Dolly Parton is set to make an appearance on August 15 to join in the festivities honoring the Imagination Library in Olympia. The celebrated artist will engage in a fireside chat and deliver a small performance during the event.

While the occasion is invite-only, fans can still be part of the experience as the proceedings will be live-streamed on TVW, commencing at 2:30 pm. The Imagination Library, initiated by Dolly Parton, was introduced in Washington last year with the aim of providing books to young children across the state.

Presently, the program boasts an impressive enrollment of over 65,000 children, who receive a complimentary book every month from the library until they reach the age of five. Parton's motivation to launch the initiative stemmed from her father's struggles with illiteracy, which spurred her to establish the first Imagination Library in 1995.

Since then, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library has expanded its reach to encompass five countries, spreading the joy of reading and literacy to children worldwide. In recognition of the significant impact of the program, Governor Inslee intends to proclaim August 15 as "Imagination Library of Washington Day" during the celebration.

Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame