08/26/2026
Today, we join Volunteers everywhere in mourning the loss of a Tennessee icon.
Dolly Parton was East Tennessee through and through. Born and raised in Sevier County, she carried the spirit of our part of the world with her wherever she went. In 2009, the University of Tennessee awarded Dolly an honorary Doctor of Humane and Musical Letters, one of the highest honors the University can bestow.
But Dolly’s reach extended far beyond Tennessee.
Her Imagination Library began in Sevier County in 1995 with a simple goal, put books into the hands of children. And that East Tennessee idea found its way here to Philadelphia.
Today, Dolly’s Imagination Library serves children across our region, including over 4,000 children in greater Philadelphia communities since 2023. Thousands of books, mailed directly to children, because a woman from the mountains of East Tennessee believed every child deserved the chance to dream.
Today, we remember an artist, philanthropist, East Tennessean, and honorary Vol whose impact reached all the way to our own backyard.
Rest easy, Dolly.
