Governor Abbott Proclaims September 25th Dolly Parton Day

The proclamation, issued in Austin, credits Parton's Imagination Library program for mailing a free, age-appropriate book each month to enrolled children from birth through age five. The Dollywood Foundation reports more than 74,500 children across Texas now receive books through the program, with over seventy local partners operating in 90 counties statewide.

"Dolly Parton gave children the gift of a first book and a path to read," Abbott said in a statement. "Texas honors her life and her work. Today I proclaim Dolly Parton Day so families across our state remember a legend who changed how children learn to read."

For families enrolled in the Imagination Library, the proclamation formalizes recognition of a program many already rely on for monthly reading material. The reach extends well beyond big cities, touching rural areas too. Parton started the program decades ago, and its footprint in Texas alone now covers tens of thousands of kids who get a book in the mail before they're old enough to ask for one.