Imagination is a powerful tool. A tool grown-ups can forget to use from time to time. Nobody knows that better than Cherryland member and retired kindergarten teacher Jan Engle.

For 40 years, Engle spent her time nourishing young minds as they prepared for all the adventures life has to offer. An important part of that preparation was reading.

“There’s research that proves a library of books, handy for a child at their home, has a huge impact on their school readiness and their academic achievement all through school,” she explained.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library became a way Engle could still make sure kids in the Grand Traverse region have access to those books, even after she stopped – sing it with me now – “working 9 to 5.”

With help from The Central United Methodist Church in Traverse City, Engle and others started the area’s affiliation with the non-profit program in 2016.

The Imagination Library sources and sends books to registered children from birth to 5 years old, free of charge with the help of local affiliates all over the globe. Engle and a board of 16 others volunteer their time to offer the program in Grand Traverse, Leelanau, and Kalkaska counties.

Engle explained, “Local affiliates are charged with basically two things. They’re charged with raising the money to pay for the books and registering children.” The program’s headquarters in Tennessee takes care of the rest – sourcing and sending the books.

But it’s not just about getting books in the hands of local children. It’s empowering them to take pride and ownership of these books in hopes of fostering a lifelong love of reading.

“The reason why I, as a retired kindergarten teacher, love this program is because the books don’t go to the parents. The books go to the child. They go directly to the child, in their name. A package arrives in their mailbox, once a month, addressed to them. It’s *their* book and that’s the power,” said Engle.

As a fairly young program, Engle says the Grand Traverse Region affiliate has some goals they’re working towards. They hope to continue growing and expanding – reaching children in zip-codes they haven’t had the resources to just yet.

In Grand Traverse County alone, they currently serve 876 children in 5 zip-codes. That’s about 18% of the eligible population. A number they’d like to see closer to 60%. They hope to eventually serve every zip code in the county, and even expand into Antrim county.

To do that – they need funding. Funding that comes from generous, local donors.

“We don’t exist without the assistance of people who are willing to understand the benefit of early literacy and support it,” Engle explained.

At the end of the day, Engle says “The most important thing is to read to young children.”

What they’ll accomplish is proof – that a little imagination goes a long way.

For information on how to donate or register your child, go to: https://dpil-gtregion.org/