A Message from CEO Christy Smith
In the spirit of transparency, connection, and community leadership, I am continuing my monthly commitment to speak directly with you about the work happening across Clallam County, the partnerships moving us forward, and the challenges and opportunities we are navigating together. Each month, I will highlight initiatives that reflect our mission, introduce collaborations that are making a difference, and share hopeful steps forward for our community. My goal is to keep you informed, inspired, and connected to the impact you help make possible.
Dolly's Giving Philosophy
Many of us were shocked to learn of Dolly Parton’s passing in late August. For me, her death brought back a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: meeting Dolly at an event celebrating Washington's achievement of her challenge to make the Imagination Library available in every county in the state.
Dolly was much more than a legendary country music star. She was an inspiration because of the way she treated people, gave back to her community and lived her life. Her approach to philanthropy was remarkably simple: “I just give from my heart,” she said in a 2022 speech accepting the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy. “I never know what I’m going to do or why I’m gonna do it. I just see a need and if I can fill it, then I will.”
That philosophy guided so much of her giving. Through the Imagination Library, she helped put millions of free books into the hands of children. She also gave $1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Center to support research that helped lead to Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. After Hurricane Helene devastated parts of the South in 2024, she donated $1 million of her own money to help flood victims in her native Tennessee, a gift that was matched by her Dollywood companies and partners. And earlier this year, the East Tennessee Children’s Hospital was renamed the Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital after she provided an undisclosed gift to help improve pediatric care across the region.
I hope that, as you think about your own ability to give, you’ll consider practicing Dolly’s philosophy and give from your heart.
Give for a Stronger Clallam County
There are so many ways to give back right here in Clallam County. You can volunteer your time, donate food or clothing to organizations serving people in need, or make a financial contribution. And while large, high-profile gifts often make the news, nonprofits also depend on something much less glamorous: unrestricted dollars that allow them to keep the lights on, pay their staff and respond to the needs of the people they serve.
Dolly understood that giving didn’t have to be complicated. She saw a need and, when she could, she filled it. Her philanthropy was rooted in a belief in the goodness of people, and that may be one of the most enduring parts of her legacy.
In 2024, while celebrating the expansion of the Imagination Library in Kentucky, Dolly offered a humble hope for how she would be remembered: “I just hope people will just say she was a good ol’ girl, you know? She tried hard, she worked hard and she tried to make the world a better place and try to make people happy. And I will be doing that till I keel over.”
And knowing the inspiration she was for so many people, I believe the gifts Dolly left behind—in books, in hospitals, in communities and in the lives she touched—will continue to do good long after her death.
If you would like to make a contribution to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Clallam County, click below:
The Imagination Library in Clallam County
Learn more about the Imagination Library in Clallam County or enroll your child at this link: