Our Rotary Club has taken on the sponsoring responsibility for this area of the country. The Rotary Foundation is a 501C3, which is a sponsor requirement such that donations are tax deductible and that we can be approved for nonprofit postal rates.
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We manage the enrollment, funding, book returns, validating addresses and Website database administration for our zip code covered areas. The State Kentucky just recently endorsed this program state wide and are picking up 1/2 the cost! Our cost are only $1.10/book mailed, which retail at an average price of $13.
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We launched this program in January of 2022 beginning with the 165 kids under 5, in zip code 41002. On 4-7-22 we met our fundraising goal and now have made it available to the 635 kids under 5, in all Bracken County.
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7-27-22 Bracken County Imagination Library Council was formed to promote this program.
Tom Burke - Chairman Rotary President
​Robin Roseberry Rotary Vice President
​Stephanie Hamilton Brooksville Daycare Owner
Christian Shroll Bracken County Library Director
Samantha Wilson FRYSC Family Resource Youth Services Center Director
Kentucky Imagination Library Books
​Learn English free online books!
Bracken County Imagination Library Committee first meeting. 7-27-22
Bracken County FRYSC
Get a FREE book every month!
What a great opportunity for our community to promote a love for reading and provide that hidden joy of getting a surprise in the mail!
Sign up by August 31st to be entered in to win a FRYSC surprise!
A special thank you to our Bracken County Imagination Library Council for taking the time to spread the word and get more books in our children’s hands!
Augusta Rotary Club
Augusta Rotary reading program expands
April 20, 2022 Ledger Independent
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Christian Schroll, Bracken County Public Library director, left, presents Tom Burke, Augusta Rotary Club president, a check that pushed the club passed its 2022 fund-raising goal and enabled it to expand the Imagination Library program to all of the 600-plus preschoolers in Bracken County.
The Augusta Rotary Club said the Dolly Parton's Imagination Library program it established is now open to all Bracken County preschoolers.
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A substantial donation from the Bracken County Public Library and generous donations from many members of the community allowed the program to establish, officials with the club said.
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Parents can enroll their children at AugustaRotaryKY.com. or by calling 513-635-7751. Children enrolled will receive a free book each month until their fifth birthday,
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In 1995, Dolly started the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program in her hometown of Tennessee, to honor her father who was smart and hardworking but never learned to read.
More than 2,000 communities now sponsor this program, which ships over 1 million books monthly worldwide. These books promote early child development and a love of reading for a good start in your child’s life.
Bracken County News
Fundraising goal met, with Bracken County Public Library donation!
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Enrollment opened to all Bracken County!
April 21, 2022!
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Free books for all 600+ preschoolers in Bracken County!
Imagine that: Rotary offering free reading program
January 28, 2022 Ledger Indenpendent community 0 Comments
Caroline Crow ccrow@cmpapers.com
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Rotary president Tom Burke, along with Rotarian Allison Parker and AIS Superintendent Lisa McCane.
AUGUSTA — Dolly’s Imagination Library is a program that sends free literacy material in the form of books to children ages birth to five years, regardless of income. The program is now offered in other countries throughout the world.
To qualify, indivduals must live in an area where the program is offered. Recently, Augusta became a qualified zip code for the Imagination Library and parents are now able to sign their children up to receive free books every month.
Augusta Rotary Club President Tom Burke spearheaded the project.
“The Augusta Rotary Club decided to be sponsors for this program when applying for the annual Rotary International Grant of $1,500, which we were approved for.” Burke said.
Augusta is only the second in the surrounding county range to offer the program.
Reading to children has been statistically linked to increased literary skills and literacy readiness for children. Basically, when children begin to read, they’ll already be a step ahead of peers who were not read to or exposed to books or read to by their parents.
“We partnered with the AISD, Augusta Independent School District, Superintendent Lisa McCane. She has been very enthusiastic and supportive,” Burke said. McCane’s letter of support helped in the grant application, he said.
The Rotary Club had 40 sign-ups before the program launch. The program is dependent upon donations to keep the it running and expanding, Burke said.
“The Rotary Club will be managing the enrollment, funding, book returns, validating addresses, and Website database administration for our zip code covered areas for the next 20-plus years, hopefully. With limited funding, we agreed to only start with zip code 41002, Augusta, and hope to expand to all of Bracken County, dependent on funding,” he said.
Last November the state decided to endorse the program, covering half the cost of each book. This means that books normally costing around $13 retail are provided to the enrollees for $1.05 after the state covers its half.
Burke said that zip Code 41002 has 165 preschoolers which will cost the Rotary Club $2,000 annually, and all of Bracken County has 635 preschoolers which will cost the Rotary Club $8,000 annually. For around $13, a child will get one book each month per year.
Augusta Rotary Club sells its famous “Rotary burgers” at local events, and holds its annual pancake breakfast, which has provided sufficient funding for their past endeavors, but this particular program will need additional help to be successful and, hopefully, extend to the entire county in the future.
For donations, head over to www.augustarotaryky.com. The Augusta Rotary Foundation is a 501c3 and the donations are tax-deductible.
For enrollment, you can visit the Rotary’s website and simply click enroll, enroll on the Imagination Library website, or call 513-635-7751 to submit information over the phone.
Bracken County News
Rotary launches the
Imagination Library Jan 17, 2022!
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Free books for preschoolers, beginning with Augusta, zip code 41002.