Middleboro will always love her

MIDDLEBORO -- Five months before her death, which has triggered worldwide grief,  Dolly Parton visited Middleboro

Of course the beloved superstar didn’t actually set a stilettoed foot in town.

But a life-sized cutout of the glamorous singer was set up at a community event to publicize one of her pet projects, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library which mails free books to children from birth until they start school.

The Peter H. Peirce Homestead recently partnered with the imagination library to bring the project to Middleboro.

Their first roll out was at the community baby shower event in March that was hosted by the Middleboro Public Health Department. Visitors to the shower, which was aimed at families of young children, were greeted with a life-sized cardboard cutout of the singer.

From there, the staff at the Memorial Early Childhood Center in Middleboro reached out to parents of students enrolled in the pre-K program.

More recently, registration has been coordinated with clients at the St. Vincent de Paul food pantry.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library was founded by the singer in honor of her father, who she has described as the smartest man she ever met.

But he was unable to read.

His famous daughter looked to write a new chapter in literacy. More than three million children across the globe receive free books through the program.

The Peter H. Peirce Homestead issued a statement on Parton’s death.

“There is something incredibly special about a child opening the mailbox and finding a book with their name on it. It is more than a book. It is a message that says, you matter, your imagination matters, and there are worlds waiting for you to discover,’’ the statement reads in part.

“That is the kind of impact that lasts.’’

 “What a beautiful legacy. Middleboro is grateful to carry a small part of that vision forward.''

Parton’s family has asked that, in lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the imagination library that bears her name. 

Donations may be made at https://donate.imaginationlibrary.com. Select Massachusetts-Middleboro as the local partner.

Families looking to enroll children in the program should email peterpeircehomestead@aol.com to obtain registration materials. Children must live in Middleboro.