A Moving World- Wide Tribute to Dolly Parton A Legend and a Legacy!
- Dr Theresa Phillips
- 15 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Oh, what a remarkable gift God bestowed upon us.
Sadly, we have lost a wonderful voice and a compassionate humanitarian.
Dolly Parton was truly a character, but she was genuine.
Raised with 11 siblings in a modest home, it was rich with love and music!
From humble beginnings to stardom, she not only brought the world a beautiful soul but also left a legacy.
She wrote her first song at age 6, made her own homemade guitar at 7, appeared on TV at 10, and became a professional songwriter by 16.
A bit of background...
She came from a Pentecostal background, attending church regularly with her family. Her grandfather was a Pentecostal preacher, which meant holiness and spirit-filled preaching.
Raised in the Church of God, she had an upbringing that allowed her to shine in church, singing and worshipping.
Later in life, she began to expand beyond the confines of a sheltered church life and broadened her horizons.
Her appearance and actions were discussed for 70 years, but that didn't stop her. She remained true to herself. Personally, I adored her! (The first song I played on my guitar was "9 to 5")
She became a country star (Grand Ole Opry), a movie star (many films), an entrepreneur (Dollywood), and a great humanitarian.
Dolly was one of the first to donate to Hurricane Helene
Dolly Parton personally donated $2 million to Hurricane Helene relief efforts. [1]
Breakdown of the Funding
Her total contribution was distributed in stages to the Mountain Ways Foundation, a nonprofit organization providing immediate assistance to flood victims across East Tennessee and Western North Carolina
$1 Million Initial Personal Donation: Parton contributed this amount directly out of her own bank account. [1]
$1 Million Corporate Match: Her East Tennessee business ventures—including Dollywood Parks & Resorts, Dolly Parton's Stampede, Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show, and the Dollywood Foundation—fully matched her initial personal donation.
$1 Million Subsequent Personal Donation: As recovery efforts extended, the executive director of Mountain Ways verified that Parton privately contributed an additional $1 million to the ongoing relief fund. [1]
Additional Support Provided
Beyond direct monetary funding, Parton and her associated entities coordinated physical resources to aid devastated Appalachian communities: [1]
Partnered with Coca-Cola to dispatch a semi-truck entirely filled with drinking water to Cocke County, Tennessee.
Donated millions of safety masks and protective cleanup garments.
Set up a major donation drop-off center at the entrance of her Dollywood theme park to collect emergency items like baby formula, tarps, food, and personal hygiene supplies.
Everyone loved Dolly because she never took sides on politics or anything else. She loved her fans and did not become political over them Just loved. She was an inspiration for anyone who is willing to stay close to what you are to be.
Throughout her life, Parton gave back through philanthropic efforts that supported childhood literacy, medical research and people in need, particularly in her home state of Tennessee.
We are seeing the tributes come in from around the world from The President of the United state lowing flags for 1 week to Buckingham Palace band playing her music inside palace gates.
People from all walks of life are remembering her.
Here are some snip- its Following Parton's death, the Library of Congress remembered her in a post on X as a "music legend and titan of children's literacy."
The Library of Congress noted that Parton's Imagination Library received multiple Library Literacy Awards and that in 2018, Parton visited the library to donate the program's 100 millionth book to its collection and host a story time.
Sally Field (Steel Magnolias co-star): Wrote on Instagram, "If there are truly angels on earth, then we have just lost one, Dolly Parton".
Julia Roberts (Steel Magnolias co-star): Said, "Dolly was a magical and joyous human... The sun has dimmed today".
Reba McEntire (Country Singer and Friend): Shared on Instagram, "There will never ever be another you...".
Billy Ray Cyrus shared a heartfelt tribute on Instagram remembering Dolly Parton after her passing, calling her a lifelong inspiration and sharing that she recently sent him a message telling him she loved him with her whole heart
Headline from Today.com
Yet i cant close this out without saying Her much touched us all
From That child to Whitney Houston's rendition of Ill Always Love you
And my personal Favorite Islans In the Stream with Kenny Rogers
Here is her song Lets Remember how much Dolly Love all.
Yet what did Dolly Say about God
Here are her words From People Mag.
Dolly Parton frequently spoke about God as a comforting, guiding, and active presence in her daily life, describing her faith as a foundational sense of "knowing" and intuition rather than rigid rules.
Key Beliefs and Statements About God
Daily Guidance: She shared that she talked to God every day and asked for direction in her choices. She explained that guidance came to her not as spoken words, but as deep inner feelings and a sense of knowing what path to take or avoid.
Her Life's Calling: She viewed her career and platform as a ministry, stating that God gave her a specific calling to uplift mankind and make the world a little better. She famously noted, "I feel like God told me early on... that I was supposed to go until he told me to stop, and he ain't said nothing yet about quitting."
Choosing Belief: In various interviews, she mentioned that even if she somehow learned there was no God, she would still choose to believe because having something bigger than oneself provides vital hope and strength.
An Open Heart: Raised with a mix of Pentecostal and Baptist traditions (which she humorously called "Bapticostal"), Dolly believed a true spiritual person keeps an open heart to everyone rather than using religion to judge or condemn others.
Rest in peace Dear Dolly we shall miss you in every way
DrTheresa Phillips
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