Rotary Club of Joliet Donates $50,000 to Imagination Library of Will County

The Rotary Club of Joliet has announced that the Imagination Library of Will County is the recipient of the $50,000 proceeds from their 2024 Annual Raffle. The major donation marks yet another milestone in bringing the free, book-gifting program to Will County.

The $50,000 donation will go directly to supporting Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a program dedicated to inspiring a love of reading by providing free, age-appropriate books to children from birth to age five.

The club received 15 applications for this year’s raffle proceeds, according to Club President Diane Cepela. After careful review, three finalists were invited to present to the club membership, which then selected the final recipient through a vote.

“We are thrilled to support such a meaningful program that has a direct and lasting impact on early childhood development in our community,” said President Diane Cepela.

The Imagination Library is a book-giving program that mails free, high-quality and age-appropriate books – personalized with the child’s name – to the homes of 39,000 Will County children from birth to age 5.

Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant and the Will County Center for Economic Development partnered with the Dollywood Foundation to bring Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to Will County.

“We are more than grateful for this significant donation; this meaningful project will help implement important literacy into the lives of children in Will County. Creating partnerships with our local community organizations is how we reach more awareness,” said County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant.

The Rotary Club of Joliet’s annual raffle began in 1984 and has since donated more than $1 million to local nonprofits. The donation to support the Imagination Library of Will County aligns with Basic Education and Literacy, one of Rotary’s Areas of Focus.