The United Way of Otter Tail County has teamed up with the Perham Early Childhood Family Initiative to get children age birth to five signed up for the free Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.
On November 11, from 10 am to noon, children can come to the Perham Area Community Center and sign up for the program. In addition, free Tot Time, open swim, train rides, and snacks will be available to children and accompanying adults.
The Imagination Library was started in 1996 by Dolly Parton to benefit children in her home county in East Tennessee. She wanted to foster a love of reading and books in preschool children and their families. She wanted kids to be excited about books and to discover the magic that books can offer. Parton felt that children should have books of their own regardless of family income. Thus, the Imagination Library was born. Her initial efforts have grown to be a nationwide project whereby children aged birth until they reach their fifth birthday will receive, by mail, one book per month that they can keep. There is no charge to the family.
The first book a child receives is The Little Engine that Could. The last book a child receives through the program on their fifth birthday is Kindergarten, Here I Come! Children can be signed up for the program any time, whether newborn or already toddling.
United Way of Otter Tail County launched the Imagination Library in August of this year. The goal is to sign up 84% of children age five and under residing in the county.
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The Perham Early Childhood Family Initiative, along with the Perham Chamber of Commerce, will provide free train rides (trains are the theme of the Imagination Library) to everyone who comes to the PACC on the 11th. "Sign-up only takes a couple of minutes," says Angie Fudge, Tot Time Coordinator for the Perham Initiative. "So we decided to give kids a chance to have a fun morning with a patriotic Tot Time. Kids are invited to come dressed in red, white, and blue. They may also take advantage of open swimming and snacks, all of which will be free," Fudge added. For more information on the program contact Patty at 346-1474 or visit the Imagination Library website at www.imaginationlibrary.com .
