Give the Gift of Literacy

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library GTR Board Members 2021 

Janet Engle 

Main Coordinator 

Nancy Grote, Outgoing Main Coordinator 

Bonnie Newhouse, Treasurer 

 Ruth Jones, Secretary

 Cathy Anthofer-Fialon

Communications

Jennifer Abel  

Bylaws Chair, Read to Me Liaison

Sharon Glenn 

Accounting, Outreach Committee 

Elizabeth Moore, Grants Chair 

Linda Paranick,  Development Chair 

Sally Thompson,  Outreach Committee 

Pat Griffith 

 Board Coordinator, Asst. Data Clerk, (Kalkaska) 

 
Dawn Iott,  Data Clerk (Kalkaska County) 

 David Rorabacher, Outgoing Data Clerk (Grand Traverse)

 Sophie Legault-Bradley, Data Clerk, Grand Traverse 

Becky Mang, Community Volunteer, Outreach Committee

Kimberly Hetherington, Affiliate Member

Anne Porter, Affiliate Member

 Since its start in 2016 DPIL GTR has served over 1,450 children. From then until now, we have expanded program availability from children living in a single Interlochen zip code to a geographic area that spans seven zip codes (49637, 49643, 49684, 49685, 49686, 49696 ) across metro areas of Grand Traverse County and 49649 in Kingsley. In April 2021, the program was opened to all children in Kalkaska County (made possible by a directed donation) and to all children in Leelanau County (through the early childhood millage). Despite these advances there are still key areas of Grand Traverse County where children do not have access to the Imagination Library.  

To promote emergent literacy and a love of reading by getting books into the homes and hands of young children at no cost to the parents. 

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library – Grand Traverse Region (DPIL GTR) is the local affiliate of an award-winning book gifting program that supports children’s literacy development from birth to age 5. The program’s mission is to foster a love of reading and to ensure that every child, regardless of family income, can benefit from a home library of high quality, age-appropriate books. DPIL mails books to children each month until their fifth birthday, at no cost to parents. DPIL GTR registers eligible children in our region and raises the funds necessary to purchase and mail the books. Our affiliate is run by a dedicated team of volunteers, including many educators, who are passionate about early literacy. Our work is grounded in research showing that participation in the Imagination Library program has significant positive effects on children’s reading attitudes, early literacy and kindergarten readiness, helping to establish a solid foundation for future success in school and beyond. 

Please visit https://imaginationlibrary.com/check-availability/ to see if your address is eligible for the book program.    The child is eligible until his/her fifth birthday and must  live with their parent(s) or guardian(s)  in one of our covered zip codes.