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Monday, January 24, 2011

It's Dolly Parton Day in Illinois


Dolly Parton, one of the legends of country music and a talented lady all around, is being honored by the City of Chicago and the State of Illinois

While Chicago Mayor Richard Daley and wife Maggie were at the White House with President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle having dinner Wednesday with China's president Hu Jintao, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn was on stage at Bank of America Theatre in Chicago with Dolly Parton declaring it "Dolly Parton Day in the City of Chicago."

Parton was honored with a beautiful plaque and plenty of applause by the surprised audience (and press) at the theater, gathered for the opening night of "9 to 5: The Musical," which features an original score of her songs. After a Broadway run, the show has been revamped by director and choreographer Jeff Calhoun and has been on a national tour since September. It's playing through Jan. 30 in Chicago.
All good and well, and part of a bit of promo with a wink at Dolly who celebrates her 65th birthday this Wednesday. But Wapella.com and the Board of Wapella Historians is also honoring Dolly Parton for her little known, but very fine work in providing library books throughout the world, via the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is a gift to all of the children. The Imagination Library is currently at work in 1,100 communities in three countries - the U.S.A., Canada and the United Kingdom. More than 560,000 children each month receive books through the generosity of local sponsors and the Dollywood Foundation. In 2010, the 25,000,000th book was delivered! Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is a unique opportunity to do something simple and powerful for preschoolers.

How about that? Through the generosity of Dolly Parton and many organizations affiliated with Dollywood, more than 25 Million books have been provided to pre-schoolers all over the US. What a tremendous and charitable good, from a great lady! Way to go Dolly Parton.

image Dolly Parton with a waxy looking Kenny Rogers





4 comments:

Anonymous said...

If anyone is wondering what DP's best film is, it's the underrated Stallone/Parton RHINESTONE. Amazing.

EEP

Anonymous said...

I would like a re-posting of Kenny and Dolly singing "Islands in the Stream." I noticed it was featured recently on Saturday Night Live with Gweneth Paltrow doing a lame job on her end of the duet.

HG

BBD said...

Happy belated DP day!

Anyone in one movement to declare a long overdue Kenny day or what.

Anonymous said...

Crandall needs to play.

wapella illini

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