About Us

Kelso Rotary focuses on projects to benefit the youth of the community.   Research revealed that on-time graduates are significantly less likely to be engaged in the criminal justice system and drug addiction.  The best strategy to assure on-time graduation is a student who arrives in Kindergarten ready to learn in order to be reading at grade-level by third grade. 
 
To address the need to prepare preschoolers for school, Kelso Rotary partnered with United Way of Cowlitz and Wahkiakum Counties to bring the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program to the two counties. 

United Way of Cowlitz & Wahkiakum Counties is proud to champion: Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Program to children in Cowlitz and Wahkiakum Counties! The program offers Cowlitz and Wahkiakum resident children ages birth-5 years old, a brand new, age appropriate book every single month until their 5th birthday month. 

Books are delivered directly to the child's home! Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is considered a world-class program for childhood success and preparing children to enter kindergarten ready! Data has shown participating children have higher kindergarten assessment scores that non-participants, and family engagement in reading is also higher. United Way's impact goal is to get all students prepared for diverse post secondary opportunities and beyond in our communities and we are starting with our early learners kindergarten preparedness!