Celebrity culture has never been my thing but I always thought of Dolly Parton as more than just a celebrity.

She held a lot of her opinions close but her actions spoke far more loudly than words ever could. She had fame and fortune but chose to use it largely to help others. She led by example and chose kindness, actively avoiding saying anything nasty or harmful in public.

Rather than follow in the path of other billionaires who build themselves up while tearing down everything good around them, Dolly was a builder of others, a helper, a philanthropist, a songbird, a philosopher, a savvy business woman, and so much more.

She used what she had to contribute rather than take.

When the Smoky Mountains burned from wildfires, Dolly supported hundreds of families who lost their homes. She supported hurricane relief and funded cancer research. Scholarships for local kids and free tuition for her employees’ families are just a few ways she helped people better themselves.

She believe that being a big name was no excuse for making others feel small.

Interestingly, in a country prepared to argue over every last thing, it seems like everyone liked Dolly Parton. That’s saying something.

But the thing I appreciated about her the very most is the work she did to promote literacy. She started her Imagination Library in 1995 to honor her father who never learned to read or write.

Each child registered receives one age appropriate book a month from birth until they turn five. She has given over 300 million books to children across the U.S., Canada and the UK.

Dolly understood the value of giving children their own books to hold and keep. She understood the value of using books to inspire kids to expand their imaginations and to dream. Humans who read are more empathetic and they’re better at critical thinking. Stepping inside the shoes of another through their character in a book is how we learn and grow.

She turned her father’s hardship into an investment in children everywhere.

From Imaginationlibrary.com:

“When I was growing up in the hills of East Tennessee, I knew my dreams would come true. I know there are children in your community with their own dreams. They dream of becoming a doctor or an inventor or a minister. Who knows, maybe there is a little girl whose dream is to be a writer and singer.

The seeds of these dreams are often found in books and the seeds you help plant in your community can grow across the world.”

Dolly Parton

What she did for the world by giving away books to children is one of the most remarkable acts of generosity I can imagine.

Today as we tumble out of bed and stumble to the kitchen to pour ourselves a cup of ambition, we will do so in a world that was made a little smarter and a lot better by a country singer who understood she could leverage her assets into tools for helping others.

Maybe we could try following in her footsteps, even just a little. Volunteer in your community, buy a book for a child, read to a child, recommend a book to a friend, support your local bookstore, find some way to contribute that would make Dolly proud.