The harmonious dance band, Eclipse, will entertain at Dolly’s Book Bash on Jan. 24, with special guest artist Roxi Manacoochi as Dolly Parton. The event is a fundraiser for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Rice County, and will be held at the Northfield Ballroom beginning at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $40, linked at ricecountyunitedway.org/dollys-book-bash.
Martha Brown and Kathy Wickwire make up the popular duo, Eclipse. They will kick off the night with the music they are known for – fun and upbeat oldies, country, rock and disco. The keyboard/drum duo have been making music together for 28 years. “We are honored and thrilled to be performing at the Book Bash and to support the Imagination Library that families love and need,” said Martha Brown, Eclipse’s keyboard player.
Later in the evening, Austin’s famous Roxi Manacoochie (real name Dylan Kaercher) joins Eclipse for a special Dolly show. Their show includes songs from Dolly’s early days with Porter Wagoner, to her trios with Linda Rondstadt and EmmyLou Harris, and her big crossover hits like Islands in the Stream and Here You Come Again – favorites of Dolly fans.
Eclipse and Roxi met each other last summer and instantly decided to work together. They formed the variety trio called Neon Highway, which performs in area bars and social clubs. Eclipse focuses on performing at special events, private parties, fairs and festivals around Minnesota.
In addition to Eclipse, Dolly’s Book Bash will include games inspired by Dolly and her Imagination Library; fabulous prizes; and a silent and live auction to benefit local children in Imagination Library. The silent auction will be online as well as in person.
Currently, more than 1,700 preschool children in the Rice County area receive Imagination Library books free each month. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has been sending books home to local children birth to age five for almost 30 years, and research shows that children who receive the books as preschoolers outpace those who do not in both literacy and ready-for-kindergarten assessments.
“The program is much loved by children, caregivers and educators,” said Elizabeth Child, executive director of Rice County Area United Way, the local program affiliate. “The cost of $30 a child has outgrown our United Way budget, so we count on this fundraiser to keep the program strong. Last year we met our goal of 1700 children enrolled – approximately half of all Rice County preschool children. This year, we hope to raise enrollment in Imagination Library by a minimum of 10 percent.”
While Imagination Library is free to families, it is projected to cost Rice County Area United Way more than $50,000 in the next year alone. Currently, many Minnesota affiliates cap the number of children enrolled. The program is important, because failure to read proficiently in elementary school has been shown to correlate with low self-esteem, an increased risk of school drop-out, lowered earning potential, poverty, homelessness and incarceration in the future.
The Faribault and Northfield Schools firmly support the program as part of early childhood education. “Learning to read at an early age opens up so many opportunities that would otherwise be difficult for a person to take advantage of,” said Jamie Bente, Faribault Public Schools superintendent.
“Early literacy gives students the best chance to realize their version of the American Dream,” said Matt Hillman, superintendent of Northfield Public Schools.
