Montgomery County residents are invited to mix social consciousness with a splash of entertainment to honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Dolly Parton's birthday. The Imagination Library of Montgomery County (ILMC) is set to host a special community event featuring a movie screening of "9 to 5" on January 19, at 2 p.m. in the Trahern Theater on the campus of Austin Peay State University. Recognizing the intersection of civil rights celebration and the country legend's birthday, the board looks to not only entertain but also to foster early childhood reading skills. According to an announcement from Montgomery County's website, festivities will include coloring, writing birthday cards to Dolly Parton, and cupcakes for kids.
Before the screening of "9 to 5", which was to honor Parton's 80th birthday and her iconic role in the 1980 classic film, children and their parents can begin to engage in activities from 1:30 p.m. The library's event underscores both her entertainment legacy and her commitment to literacy via the Imagination Library program. The film is suitable for children aged eight and older, ensuring that all attendees can also partake in a shared reading corner, showcasing ILMC's favorite books. This function serves to simultaneously celebrate and to actively continue building upon the foundations of learning that Parton's program has long been nurturing.
Participants are encouraged to consider a $15.60 donation, which, according to Montgomery County's website, would cover the cost of Imagination Library books for one local child for a full year. The library's initiative ensures that access to books isn't determined by socioeconomic status and that every child has the opportunity to create connections and discover the world through literature. Parking for the event is free, a minor but significant facilitation to ensure maximum community participation.
Since its inception, the Imagination Library has striven to ensure all children have the books necessary to start their educational journey on the right foot. It provides high-quality books for children from birth up to age five, at no cost to the families. The ILMC's ongoing effort is pivotal in fortifying the importance of building home libraries. It's not just about handing over books, but about crafting an environment where learning and familial bonds are tightened, and the love of reading is instilled well before the classroom comes into play. The Martin Luther King Jr. Day event is an extension of this mission, one that looks to warmly invite residents to take part in a day of reflection, celebration, and, most importantly, to take concerted action in promoting childhood literacy within the community.
