9/25

 

Happy Dolly Parton Day!  We should ALL celebrate.  (Why not?)

We probably SHOULD have celebrated while Dolly was still alive (wouldn't she be tickled pink?), but hindsight is always 20/20.

Why should we celebrate Dolly on 9-2-5?  Why SHOULDN'T we?

Why shouldn't we celebrate a woman who:

1.     Was born in poverty; one of 12 children living in a 2 room house.  When she died she was worth over $450 million.

2.     Wasn't afraid to laugh at herself. (Google some of her quotes...she knew how to use laughter.)

3.     She founded a charity in 1995 that mails free books to young children worldwide every month...  (Approximately 330 million and still going.  Sources say that in 2017, her Imagination Library gifted more than 40 million books to children. )  And she did so in honor of her father who couldn't read.

4.     She had her own theme park since 1986.  (I've never been.  Have you?  Thoughts?)  It employs thousands of people in the community.

5.     She never rode the roller coasters in her park (or any other park as far as I know).  Hey, if they're not your thing (for whatever reason), why do it?

6.     Turned childhood bullying around and made it into a hit song.  (Listen to "Coat of Many Colors)

7.     Was offered the Presidential Medal of Freedom twice and turned it down. The first time she turned it down because of her husband’s illness and the second time because of the pandemic.

8.     Speaking of the pandemic, she donated $1 million to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in April 2020, which helped fund the critical early research stages that paved the way for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.

9.     Was vaccinated publically for Covid-19 to show that the vaccine was safe and to encourage people to get vaccinated.

10. Wrote two of her most famous songs, "Jolene" and "I Will Always Love You" on the same day.

11. Following the flooding in East Tennessee caused by Hurricane Helene, Parton donated $1 million to the Mountain Ways Foundation.

12. Donated an autographed pair of heels to be auctioned for Soles4Souls...

13. Raised over $9 million in a telethon for her My People Fund, which gave $1,000 checks to families affected by wildfires monthly for 6 months.

14. Appeared on as herself on The Simpsons back in 1999.

15. Entered a Dolly Parton look-a-like drag contest.  As you probably know...she lost.

16.  Helped reduce dropout rates in Sevier County Schools from 30% to 6% in 1991. The Dollywood Foundation launched the Buddy Program in Sevier County Schools. Seventh and eighth-grade students were each promised $500 if they and a buddy graduated high school.

17. Was a member of the Grand Ole Opry for over 50 years!

18. In 2017 donated $1 million to the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in honor of her niece, who was treated for leukemia at that hospital.

19. In 2022 her company (The Dollywood Co). announced that it would cover 100% of tuition, fees and books for any employee who is furthering their education. The program was (and is) available to all seasonal, part-time and full-time employees at Dollywood Parks & Resorts.

20. Was nominated 50 times for a Grammy and won 11.

21. Supposedly (I cannot verify this) got up around 3 every morning to meditate and "do spiritual work."  

22. She said (and this is one of my favorite quote):  "I've got transgender people. I’ve got gays. I've got lesbians. I've got drunks. I've got drug addicts - all within my own family. I know and love them all, and I do not judge."  

23. She played an angel at least two times.  Okay, that's not exactly true.  She was a "Guardian Movie Star" in an episode of Designing Women.  She played an angel named Agnes in the series of finale of Grace and Frankie.  (Check both out!)

24. Her first movie (as we probably all know) was 9 to 5 with Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda.  She also helped turn into a musical on Broadway (with Alison Janney, Stephanie J. Block and Megan Hilty).  If you haven't seen either you should.  They are gems.  (With a message as well.)

Those are just 24 reason why we should celebrate her today.  (Maybe we should follow her example every day.)  Fan or not, you've got to admit she was a pretty amazing woman.

 So let's make it a great Dolly Day!  And keep up the tradition ever year.  What do you say?  As for me, I'm going to go pour myself a cup of ambition.  Thank's Dolly!