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Bonnie Bishop (WMTW) — Pam Leo, like many, is grieving the loss of Dolly Parton, who died Tuesday at 80-years-old. Parton’s family said the singer passed peacefully in Nashville after a brief battle with cancer.
“She’s been like a lighthouse for me, you know, to just watch what she does,” Leo said.
For Leo, she’ll miss the country music legend for more than just her hit songs. She says Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library helped inspire her to get more children to read.
“I knew I couldn’t do it at her level, but I thought, I can do it in my community, and it can spread,” Leo said.
Parton’s library took off in 1995, gifting free books to children up until their fifth birthday. Decades later, the program has gifted millions of books, many landing in the hands of Maine children.
Leo has been doing similar work out of Maine, donating books to families who need it most through her Book Fairy Pantry Project. The initiative has been going on for a decade.
“Their whole future standard of living and quality of life is going to depend on their ability to read, and their ability to read is pretty much going to depend on having books in the home in the first five years of life,” Leo said.
“The best way I can honor Dolly is to carry on her work through this work.”
Leo says she’s open to book donations to keep her project going.
“The best way I can honor Dolly is to carry on her work through this work.”
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