Thinking back to your childhood, you may have had a favorite book that sparked your imagination and love of reading. Through a unique collaboration between multiple organizations, children in Door County can now find theirs, too. 

The “Love of Reading” Book Giveaway was held in partnership with United Way of Door County, Door County Library and the Door County Bookmobile. The two-day event, hosted on June 24th and 25th, was designed to support early literacy by providing free, high-quality books to young readers in the county.

“We get books in the hands of kids and you know, a big focus for the library system in the county, for the Bookmobile and United Way, is that the more books in the hands, the earlier, the better,” said United Way Community Impact Coordinator for Education Chad Welch, “I’m super excited about it, all these agencies have come together to work collaboratively for the benefit of the kids.”

Alongside being able to visit the library for events like story time or to check out a book, families could select a free title of their choice from the historic Door County Bookmobile, which serves children in grades 4K-6. Additionally, parents could sign children under 5 up for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a program overseen by United Way that sends free books to children each month.

Shaun Tauber and her husband are major sponsors for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library funding in Door County and Shaun was on-site to spread the word about the program.

“We decided that reading was so important in our family that we wanted to back it up so every child in Door County, whether they were English speaking, which most are, or are Hispanic speaking Spanish, that there were books from Dolly Parton and the Bookmobile for everyone,” said Tauber.

Those interested in signing up for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library can sign up on their website here or contact the United Way. New parents will also receive a brochure in their package if they deliver at Door County Medical Center.