Dolly Parton leaves a legacy of literacy in the NWT

In 2016, Fort Simpson resident Troy Bellefontaine said he was surprised with an exciting gift: tickets to see Dolly Parton in concert in Calgary.

He had long been a fan of her music and the values she held.

“She’s not pro left or right,” said Bellefontaine. “She accepts everybody for who they are.”

“She’s really personable, and when you see her in interviews – the way she is – there’s that thing about her where she’s very positive, and I think we need more of that,” said Bellefontaine.

At the concert, he sat close to the stage, about eight rows in, “close enough to see her lips move.”

Between sets where she sang and played some nine instruments, Bellefontaine said Parton would do bits and crack jokes.

At most concerts, Bellefontaine said someone would inevitably proffess their love for Parton while she was on stage, to which she would respond, “I told you to wait in the truck!”

One interlude where Parton spoke of her Imagination Library program caught Bellefontaine’s attention.

“I thought, hey, I should see if we can bring that to the Northwest Territories,” said Bellefontaine.

It turned out the program was already in place in some Beaufort Delta communities, but he worked to bring it to Fort Simpson, and eventually to six communities in the Dehcho.

Late last month, Parton passed away at the age of 80.

Globally, she is likely to be remembered for her song writing, killer guitar licks, her feminist ideology, and her distinctive personal style.

While her music is no stranger to the NWT’s airwaves, those in the territory might be most likely to remember her for work in building children’s literacy.

Building strong foundations

Parton launched the Imagination Library in Tennessee in 1995, which was said to be inspired by her father’s inability to read.

The program sends picture books in the mail on a monthly basis to enrolled children.

Before her death, the program expanded to five countries, and delivered more than 300 million books to children under the age of 5.

In 2023, the NWT Literacy Council fundraised to bring the Imagination Library to every community across the territory.

“Getting high-quality, age-appropriate books directly into kids’ hands and into families’ homes is something that research shows is really important for a strong foundation to lifelong learning,” said Katie Johnson, financial director at the NWT Literacy Council.

Johnson said 1,300 children have graduated from the program in the NWT to date.

“That’s a really big impact as far as 1,300 children starting school, starting kindergarten with high-quality books in their home and a start to loving learning and loving reading,” said Johnson.

She said that especially in smaller communities, there’s not a “big range of books” for young readers.

“The book list is very carefully curated so that it’s covering a variety of demographics featured in the books as well as interests,” said Johnson.

“[The Imagination Library] seems like a really great way to ensure that kids are getting a variety of books directly into their homes, and supporting the literacy programming that’s already happening in communities.”

There are 675 children currently enrolled in the program in the NWT, according to the Imagination Library’s website. But Johnson said new enrolment in the territory is currently on hold due to a funding gap.

Bellefontaine explained that the Dollywood Foundation covers most of the costs of the program, but about $3.55 per book is to be paid by the program’s affiliates.

Highlighting northern books

In the spring of 2024, the Imagination Library picked Freddie the Flyer as one of the books it would distribute to five year olds in Canada.

The story is a picture-book biography of Fred Carmichael, the first Indigenous commercial pilot in the Arctic, who was born in Aklavik and now lives in Inuvik.

It was co-authored by Carmichael and Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail.

“We really hope that kids, especially Indigenous kids, see themselves in these different aviation careers, but also that they pursue their dreams more widely,” said Metcalfe-Chenail.

She said getting Parton’s “stamp of approval” helped get the book into the hands of more children.

“What I’ve taken from her legacy, and I think what a lot of Canadians and people in the North might take with them is to – like Fred – follow your dreams, be true to yourself, have some fun, approach life with a sense of humour and delight, and really look to education to raise up society,” said Metcalfe-Chenail.

A lasting legacy

Bellefontaine said that after news of Parton’s death had spread, those who knew about his affection for the star were regularly checking in on him.

“I was fine – I made it through the day, but people stopped by to hug me,” said Bellefontaine. “People that I haven’t seen in years would would be messaging me.”

He worries that people’s collective memories of her will fade over time, but he hopes her values will be kept alive through the Imagination Library.

Bellefontaine suggested communities and organizations hold fundraisers such as look-a-like contests on September 25 – a nod to Parton’s song, and movie, 9 to 5 – to support the literacy program.

(Parton famously once entered a Dolly Parton look-a-like contest and lost.)

Johnson said that in the wake of Parton’s death, there has been no indication of any changes to the Imagination Library program.

“Dolly made sure everything was well set up through the Dollywood Foundation so that the program as it stands will continue, and then who knows how it may also evolve and grow,” said Johnson.