ESCANABA — Three-year-old Dawson Gaus of Gladstone gets excited when it’s time to get the mail. That’s because, once a month, the postal carrier brings a brand new children’s book addressed to him. This month’s selection is “Excellent Ed,” a cute story about a dog figuring out what makes him a special part of his family. Dawson is eager to open it himself, not wanting help from his mom, and gets right down to business trying to read his new book to her.

Dawson is among the 860 young children in Delta County who receive a free book in the mail once a month, courtesy of the United Way of Delta County. The organization launched its Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program in April 2017, and this month passed two milestone marks: more than 1,000 children served and more than 15,000 books mailed.

“The Imagination Library has generated more excitement than anything else we have done,” said Julie Mallard, executive director of the United Way of Delta County. “Kids love getting the books and parents love reading with their children. We currently have 860 active registrations and 261 kids who have turned five and graduated from the program.”

The program is the cornerstone of the United Way of Delta County’s community impact efforts, which emphasize education along with health and financial stability. Mallard said it’s important because literacy is a building block for success in life.

“Having books in the home has been shown to have so many benefits,” Mallard said. “Thereís a lot of research out there that shows direct correlation between the number of books in the home and success in learning to read.”

This is especially important now, with Michigan’s Read by Grade 3 law focusing on making sure children are proficient in reading by third grade.

“Language and literacy skills begin at birth,” Mallard said, explaining that researchers say reading aloud to children stimulates language and cognitive skills as well as builds a child’s curiosity and memory. “Reading aloud to babies and very young children helps them recognize words and language patterns, builds their vocabulary and increases language comprehension.”

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library was started by the famous singer-songwriter /actress in 1995 in her home county in Tennessee. Within five years, the program was replicated so other communities could offer it, too, provided they had a local sponsor. (In Delta County, the United Way fills this role. United Way registers the children and pays for the books and mailing costs. The book selection and mailing of the books is handled by the Dollywood Foundation.) The program is now available in communities throughout the United States as well as Canada, the U.K. and Australia.

Michelle Gaus, Dawson’s mother, said the Imagination Library books help spark Dawson’s imagination. “He really loves the books coming every month. He will sit down and try to read, and sometimes he will make up his own little story based on the illustrations. I love the program.”

Mallard said community support makes the program possible, noting that several organizations gave special donations to the United Way to help cover expenses, especially at the beginning, when registrations in the first few months far exceeded projections. “The Community Foundation for Delta County, Escanaba Kiwanis Club, Gladstone-Rapid River Kiwanis Club and Escanaba Rotary Club have all supported this program, along with many individuals who donate to the United Way through their workplaces or on their own.

Another significant source of support has been the Tiny Tats fundraiser that has donated its proceeds to the United Way for the past two years. Escanaba tattoo artist Shaun Flinn and his colleagues at Eddie’s Tattoo and Body Piercing hold a two-day tattooing event where people can choose from a selection of tiny illustrations. Tiny Tats has generated more than $10,000 for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is available to every child in Delta County under age five. Children can enroll as soon as they are born or at any time before they turn five. All children automatically graduate from the program on their fifth birthday. Parents can register their children at www.imaginationlibrary.com or by calling the United Way of Delta County at 786-3736.