May 7, 2021
This afternoon, Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine and Ohio Department of Natural Resources Director Mary Mertz celebrated the launch of Ohio s newest Storybook Trail, now open at Great Seal State Park in Chillicothe.
“Ohio s Storybook Trails bring families together for lifelong memories of fun and active learning in the great outdoors,” said First Lady DeWine. “We’re excited to add more trails at parks around the state so even more Ohioans can discover the joy of reading.”
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources, in partnership with the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, launched the Storybook Trail program in 2019 to promote the importance of literacy, a healthy lifestyle, and connecting with nature. There are currently six half-mile Storybook Trails located at state parks in Ohio, each with 15-20 child-height panels featuring pages of a children’s book and an activity to accompany the text on the page.
First Lady Fran DeWine made a stop at the Great Seal State Park in Chillicothe on Friday.
Credit: Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library Author: Brittany Bailey Updated: 11:31 AM EDT May 8, 2021
CHILLICOTHE, Ohio The newest Storybook Trail is now open at Great Seal State Park in Chillicothe.
Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine visited the park Friday to celebrate the launch, according to Ohio Department of Natural Resources Director Mary Mertz.
Right now, there are six Storybook Trails. Each one is a half-mile long and is filled with 15 to 20 panels featuring pages from children’s books.
The program was launched back in 2019 as a partnership between ODNR and the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. The goal is to promote the importance of literacy, a healthy lifestyle and connecting with nature.
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CHILLICOTHE Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine visited Great Seal State Park on Friday to unveil a new trail that works to bring books to life for children and families.
The site is part of the Storybook Trails program that was launched in 2019 by ODNR in partnership with the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to promote the importance of literacy, a healthy lifestyle and connecting with nature. DeWine played a large role in starting the state s imagination library which provides children one free book a month from birth to age five.
“Ohio s Storybook Trails bring families together for lifelong memories of fun and active learning in the great outdoors,” said First Lady DeWine. “We’re excited to add more trails at parks around the state so even more Ohioans can discover the joy of reading.”
Imagination Library reaches hundreds of children in Ottawa County
United Way welcomes donations to help keep the pages turning
PORT CLINTON - Thanks to the efforts of the United Way in Ottawa County, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has filled the bookshelves of hundreds of local children, offering kids literary escape amid the pandemic.
Since launching the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library locally in September, the United Way in Ottawa County registered a more than 650 children for the literacy program, which provides free books for kids ages 0-5.
But local organizers are hoping to reach even more children with the free program open to all, regardless of family income.