2/25 Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library – Kathy Martell & Lisa Harnisch
Inspired by her father’s inability to read or write, Dolly Parton launched her Imagination Library in 1995 to gift free books to children in her home county. Today, the program spans five countries and delivers millions of free books each month to children from birth to age five, made possible through funding shared by Dolly Parton and local community partners.
We are pleased to welcome Kathy Martel, Regional Director for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, and Lisa Harnisch, Executive Director for Marion & Polk Early Learning Hub, as they share how this wonderful program is impacting our local community.
Program Chair – Melissa Mauer
President’s Message
Oregon Rotary Clubs Champion 308-Mile Peace Pilgrimage
February has been designated as Peace Building and Conflict Prevention month by Rotary International. Consistent and supportive of this theme, we have recently become aware of the Oregon Peace Trail. This trail is a 308-mile peace pilgrimage from Oregon City to Ashland and is modeled after the famous, Camino de Santiago in Spain. The Spain trek has been the subject of several weekly meeting program presentations by former Rotarian, Marc Wulf and current Rotarian, Ron Keleman.
The Oregon Peace Trail begins in Oregon City, which is the western terminus of the Oregon Trail. The trail’s 308 miles culminates in Ashland at the World Peace Flame – a sacred site dedicated to peace.
Rotary’s involvement is all about Peace Poles and their locations along the 308-mile Oregon Peach Trail. The website for the Oregon Peace Trail describes 7 Peace Actions:
- Empowerment: empowering yourself as an agent of change
- Oneness: Befriending the other
- Unity: Celebrating our common humanity
- Cooperation: working together for the common good
- Abundance: supporting organizations creating peace on earth
- Love: praying for and visualizing peace on earth
- Faith: engaging others to play the peace game
The 308-mile length of this pilgrimage/trail has been divided into 7 segments that are approximately 45 miles each. Rotary clubs along these 308 miles have placed Peace Poles in various places. Each 45-mile segment is dedicated to one of the 7 Peach Actions.
Use this link to learn more about the Oregon Peace Trail, which was inspired by the Historic Oregon Trail and linked to the World Peace Flame located on the campus of Southern Oregon University in Ashland. The website includes a link to a 6-minute video about the eternal flame, Rotary’s involvement, and peaceful actions and mindsets each of us can carry out.
Rotary Clubs are the backbone of the Oregon Peace Trail. Oregon Rotary Clubs have truly demonstrated how to UNITE FOR GOOD and empower change for PEACE.
See you on Wednesday!
President Doug Parham
Rotary Club of Salem
2025-2026
