Based on the hugely popular commencement speech Dolly Parton gave at the University of Tennessee that became a sensation, Dream More is a deeper and richer exploration of the personal philosophy she has forged over the course of her astonishing career as a singer, songwriter, performer, and philanthropist. *All proceeds will benefit Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.
November 27, 2012, will mark the release of Dolly's new book "Dream More" which will be available for sale here in the Imagination Library "Dolly Shop".
The book is based on an inspirational commencement speech Dolly delivered at the University of Tennessee in 2009. Watch Dolly's commencement speech on video here:
In a statement about the book Dolly said:
I know that I’ve learned some things in my life that are important to me, and I think maybe they might be good ideas to pass along to you. Not as advice, but as information that I have found has helped me over the years. Enough to share, and a little to spare.... If you’re lucky, your dreams will never die, you may not always achieve them, but if you always have dreams and reach for them, you’ll never be a failure. I still have dreams of what I want to do next. source LA Times
The most amazing part of this story is the fact that once again, just as she did with her top selling cookbook "Dolly's Dixie Fixin's", all proceeds from "Dream More" will benefit her Imagination Library program which has mailed more than 45 million free books to children in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom since it launched in 1996.
To help promote the new book, Dolly's Imagination Library has hosted a video contest which will give 10 lucky winners an autographed copy of Dream More (See contest entries here) and Dolly will be making a series of television appearances, radio interviews and doing interviews with traditional print media. Here's a partial list of some of those appearances as currently scheduled:
*All scheduled appearances and interviews listed are subject to change without notice. For a complete list and updates as they happen, follow us on Facebook.
Dream More will be available for sale in the official donations and merchandise area of Dolly Parton's Imagination Librarylocated here, beginning November 27th at 12:00AM Eastern. Quantities will initially be limited. All orders received will be processed for immediate shipping during normal business hours while quantities last.
In other news, Dolly's Dixie Stampededinner and show attractions in Pigeon Forge, TN and Branson, MO and her Pirates Voyagedinner and show attraction in Myrtle Beach, SC, presented a check this week (Monday, November 19, 2012) for more than $267,000.
The
Rotary Club of Nottingham working in partnership with Nottingham City Council
started a Dolly Parton Imagination Library earlier this year. Based at the Bilborough Childrens’ Centre
this was the first partnership established in a programme that will extend to
cover the whole City. As a contribution
towards the national Early Intervention initiative Imagination Libraries send
registered children a free book every month from birth until they are five
years old. This way it is hoped that
Nottingham children’s literacy levels can be raised to a more acceptable level.
Initial
funding for the project has come from various local public and private
charitable funds. The latest large
donation of £2,500 has been received from the Nottingham office of St. James’s
Place Wealth Management. Even though
they are a national organisation St. James’s Place Foundation Trust ensure that
their local offices are able to support good causes. Local Senior Partner David Carter says, “The
St. James's Place Foundation is delighted to be able to support this very
worthwhile cause. Child literacy is such an important issue for the self esteem
of the individual and the future of the country".
The
Rotary Club have been working with various local organisations and hope to be
able to announce a major development for the Imagination Library into a
deprived inner city area around the turn of the year.
Readers
wishing to donate, learn more about the Rotary Club of Nottingham and the Dolly
Parton Imagination Library should go to the Rotary Club of Nottingham web site
at http://www.rotary1220.org/not
Rotary International in
Great Britain and Ireland, part of Rotary International, has 1,845 clubs and
more than 55,000 members.
Rotary International was
founded in 1905 in Chicago and is now the world’s largest international service
organisation with 1.2 million professional men and women as members. There are
33,000 clubs in 200 countries and geographical areas.
Rotary clubs are open to
men and women of all ages who are business, professional or community leaders
and who want to use their experience for the benefit of others.
Rotary initiates local
and global projects to promote world understanding and peace and improve life
conditions for people of all ages and cultures. To find out more, visit www.ribi.org.
For years now Dolly Parton's Imagination Library has been growing by leaps
and bounds throughout Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Some ask why but most ask how does this continue to happen even during tough
economic times. Yes there are programme champions that do lose funding but the
overall growth and strength of the programme continue to be alive and well.
Cadwyn staff met Dolly at her concert in Cardiff
We think it's because the programme is so flexible in scale and easily
modifiable. It doesn't matter if an affiliate is maybe one or two people or
in contrast and entire state or province, it still works the same and it
always starts with one single book.
Take for example, Cadwyn Housing Association in Wales, UK. They set up Wales'
first Dolly Parton Imagination Library and already today they have more than
70 children registered!
Leynie Meagher, a member of staff at Cadywn who has registered her children
on the programme said: 'I'm so glad that Cadwyn have taken part in the
Imagination Library - it's a fab benefit for employees and a way of giving
back to the Cadwyn community. My children absolutely love receiving the
books, it's like having a birthday every month! We love reading together
anyway but this gives us even more reason.'
So you see just as Cadwyn is making the programme a reality for children in
Wales and Alison Lilburn gives testament of the programme's proven success in
Rotherham, Canterbury Children's Centre is working to bring it to the
children in Bradford! That's how it works, that's how it survives even
through tough times and that's why it works......It all begins with one book & one child.
(Read full Bradford story here on BBC News)
