DOLLY PARTON THROUGH THE YEARS

Dolly Parton will be remembered as a country music legend — but I hope we remember this part of her, too. 🤍 She grew up poor in the mountains of East Tennessee and spent the rest of her life making sure where you came from didn’t determine where you could go. 📚 She created the Imagination Library in honor of her father, who couldn’t read or write — and went on to put more than 300 MILLION books into the hands of children. 🎓 She created programs and scholarships to help kids stay in school and pursue an education. 🔥 When wildfires devastated her hometown, she helped families who lost their homes by giving them money every month while they rebuilt. 🧬 She donated to medical research and helped fund work that contributed to the development of a COVID-19 vaccine. ❤️ And after becoming one of the most famous women in the world, she never forgot the little mountain community that raised her. She gave people music. But she also gave children books. Students opportunities. Families a way to rebuild. And millions of people a reason to believe that where you start doesn’t have to determine where you finish. What a life. Rest peacefully, Dolly. 🕊️ The world is better because you were here. #rip #dollyparton