WHITE COUNTY, Ga. — Those who live here call the Downtown Square of Cleveland a place that’s all heart. But on Wednesday those hearts were heavy.
“We knew she was not well, and not doing too well, but we didn’t expect it to be this quick,” John Aiken said.
Aiken has fond memories of Dolly Parton.
He never met her in person, but with his help, she left her mark on the children of White County.
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More than 30 years ago, she launched a nonprofit called The Imagination Library, which sent free books through the mail to children from birth through their fifth birthday.
In 2022, Aiken and his wife founded Foundational Literacy, and the two nonprofits have worked together ever since.
“It’s a gift for my family, honestly, to be able to have something the kids can do together,” local parent Joe Edlhuber said.
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His three children received their first book when the youngest came along.
“Having an opportunity to have a child have their own library, pick out a book at night when we read before bed, is a great experience for a kid. The program allows that to happen in my own home,” Edlhuber said.
Aiken says 60% of the children in White County, from born today to age 5, are enrolled in the local program and get a new book every month. He’s grateful to Dolly for dreaming it up.
“It is absolutely her influence and heart that made this succeed. She has a passion for children and children learning to read. You feel that passion in everything you see about her,” he said.
Over the last four years, with Dolly’s help, Aiken’s Foundational Literacy has put 28,874 free books in the mail to White County children.
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