Drop it for Dolly event at Oak Mountain State Park raises funds to increase childhood literacy

PELHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Golf balls rained down on Oak Mountain State Park’s driving range during the “Drop it for Dolly” event Friday night.

The fundraiser will help the Shelby County Children’s Policy Council purchase more books for the 4,000 children who are enrolled in the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program.

The white and pink golf balls were all numbered by contestants who purchased tickets. The owners of the golf balls that dropped closest to the target won cash prizes.

The event helps raise money for Shelby County’s participation in the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.

 District Court Judge Erin Welborn, who chairs the Shelby County Children’s Policy Council, talked with us about the importance of getting more books into the hands of young children:

“Dolly Parton does partner with communities, and what it is we get these at a reduced cost, and the cost to us is $2.60, but we also have to pay for the cost of the book and the shipping to each child who’s registered in Shelby County,” she explained. “We have right now approximately 4,000 children in Shelby County who are registered and so that’s a great expense for us even with the discounts that we do we receive but it’s no cost to the children and their families they receive these books free of cost.”

Judge Welborn says there are approximately 12 thousand children aged five and under in Shelby County. She said would like to have all of those kids enrolled in the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program.

For more information on how to enroll your child at no cost, just click on the following link: Check Availability – Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library