Imagination Library celebrates Dolly Day at Turntable Coffee Counter

A local coffee shop and non-profit celebrated the Queen of Country’s birthday with a fundraiser over the weekend. 

Saturday morning, Turntable Coffee Counter and the Madison Co. Imagination Library hosted Dolly Day at the coffee shop located on E. Main St. in Jackson. Turntable had a specialty coffee with pink whipped cream called “Backwoods Barbie” along with other pink pastries, and Imagination Library was set up with an information booth.

Turntable Coffee Counter is also home to Lightrap Books, an independent bookstore.

“I think this is the perfect spot to post up and bring awareness about what we do,” said Brian Ferrell, a board member for Imagination Library. 

Imagination Library is a non-profit organization founded by Dolly Parton. It sends free, high-quality books to children from birth to five years old, no matter the family’s income. 

In 2022, the program announced it is now sending 2 million books to children around the world monthly.

But, a common misconception around Imagination Library is that Parton pays for the whole program. Ferrell said she paid to start it, but now it’s up to the individual chapters to continue the program. 

“We have volunteers here locally. We have to raise all the money here locally. So we need the community support to be able to do that,” Ferrell said.

In Madison Co., there are between 6,500 and 7,000 kids under the age of 5. Ferrell says currently they are reaching about 82% of them with the Imagination Library. 

“Our goal is 100%, so we’re trying to reach all the kids,” Ferrell said.

To sign your child up for free books through the Imagination Library, visit ImaginationLibrary.com and fill out the form.  To donate to the Madison Co. Imagination Library, visit WTHFoundation.com and select Madison County Imagination Library in the drop-down menu.