Phot Provided by Kathy Webb
Washington County, OH – If you flip to the first page of many children’s stories, you will often find it beginning with ‘once upon a time.’ Flip to the back and you might get ‘and they lived happily ever after.’
While each story has its own beginning and ending, it’s the pages in between that stick with us. Whether the story focuses on a courageous knight fending off a beast to rescue a young maiden, or a daring princess defying expectations to display true strength, the pages in between often shape our understanding of the world around us.
However, there are obviously no dragons to be fought and very few princesses walking around, but that doesn’t mean that courage and strength can’t be displayed in the real-world. What would happen if a child’s understanding of the world around them was shaped by a more tangible source?... Perhaps a parent?
The Webb siblings didn’t have to look far to see a real-world example of courage and strength. Their mother, Marian Webb, was an active community member, volunteering for local groups such as the Girl Scouts, Marietta Welfare League, The Betsey Mills Club, Hill ‘N’ Dale Garden Club, and many more.
When she wasn’t volunteering to make her community a better place for others, she could usually be found with a book in her hand. Marian enjoyed a lifetime love of reading.
“She was a true gem,” said Amy Mitchem, one of the five Webb children. “Because she was an avid reader, she belonged to many book clubs over the years. I don’t remember a time when she wasn’t involved in a book club… She was even an original member of the Betsey Bookers!”
Marian was the last surviving member of the Betsey Bookers until her passing in October of this year, but her legacy continues… her children have made sure of it.
In lieu of flowers and other gifts at her memorial, the Webb children requested that donations be sent to Marietta Community Foundation.
“It was heartwarming to see the donations pouring in, and realizing our mother touched the lives of so many people in our community,” said Mitchem.
As a graduate from Kent State University with a Bachelor of Arts in English, she grew to love all types of genres and authors, a love that she would come to share with her children and grandchildren.
“She passed along her love of reading to us,” said Kathy Webb, the eldest Webb sibling. “Most of us are avid readers and we spent many hours talking with Mother about books. Once COVID shut everything down, we talked by phone every day and she always wanted to know what I was reading. It’s one of the things I miss most.”
Now, thanks to her children, Marian’s legacy will continue to inspire a young generation of readers throughout Washington County.
To honor the beginning, the end, and the pages in between of their mother’s story, the Webb children decided all donations from Marian's memorial would be given to a cause she would appreciate: The Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library [DPIL].
The DPIL allows local families to enroll their children, ages birth to five years old, into the program through a local affiliate. The Foundation is the Washington County affiliate for the program and they currently serve approximately 30% of the eligible population.
“We appreciate the variety of programs available at Marietta Community Foundation and that they all give back to our local community,” said Kathy Webb. “There were many options that would have honored the memory of our mother but none more so than supporting literacy for children.”
Children enrolled in the program receive a high-quality, age-appropriate book in the mail each month. If a child is enrolled through their full-term of eligibility, then they will have built their first library, comprised of 60 books, by the time they are five years old.
The DPIL allows children to reach early childhood developmental milestones, but also, like Marian, enjoy a lifetime of reading.
Thanks to Marian’s legacy, the Foundation has taken one step further toward their goal of serving every eligible child in Washington County… and that is truly a ‘happy-ever-after.’
If you would like to honor the memory of a loved one by creating a philanthropic legacy or would like to donate to the sustainability of the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Program please contact Heather Allender, President & CEO of Marietta Community Foundation at heather@mcfohio.org.