Oregon’s First Lady Aimee Kotek Wilson meets a young reader at the Warrenton Community Library on Aug. 26. The event highlighted a collaboration between Northwest Regional Education Service District’s Early Learning Hub, the Columbia Pacific Coordinated Care Organization and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.

The Warrenton Community Library welcomed a very special guest on Aug. 26: Oregon’s First Lady Aimee Kotek Wilson. She shared the popular children's book, “The Rabbit Listened” by Cori Doerrfeld, a story that highlights empathy, the power of nonverbal communication and the importance of listening. After the reading, the First Lady joined families for arts and crafts and handed out books to young readers.  

The event showcased the statewide impact of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, which now delivers free books to more than 69,000 children across Oregon. Locally, our Early Learning Hub supports the program in Clatsop and Tillamook counties, helping families build strong home libraries.  

Racheal Parker, an education program specialist at NWRESD, shared her excitement about hosting the First Lady as well as the success of the program. "It’s sparking a love of reading and bringing books into the homes of more than 800 families all across Clatsop County,” she says. 

“Programs like Dolly Parton's Imagination Library remind us that when we put books directly into children's hands, we're giving them keys to unlock their potential," First Lady Kotek Wilson says. 

To learn more or enroll your child, visit the Dolly Parton Imagination Library sign-up page and enter your zip code.