When the staff at Donnelsville Elementary heard that the New Carlisle Library did not have enough funds to fully implement Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, they took action.

The Imagination Library provides a free book each month to registered children from birth to age 5 years.

Principal Jay Burkholder issued a challenge to the students. If they raised enough money to fund 120 kids, he would do the Chicken Dance.

Once they reached that goal, he issued a further challenge. If the students raised enough money to fund 140 kids, the teachers would do the Chicken Dance with him.

The students raised $4326.80 – enough to fund 173 kids.

“When I think about what you did for other kids in our community, I get all teared up,” said New Carlisle Library Children’s Librarian Maggie Bollar.

On Monday, Burkholder donned a chicken suit, provided by Lee’s Famous Recipe, and did the chicken dance with the teachers and the students.

The top readers in the Read-A-Thon were Nolan Cornett (5th place), Aubrey Willhoite (4th place), James Henry (3rd place), Bailee Martin (2nd place) and Brayden Johnson (1st place).

Top Fundraisers were Riley Olinger (5th place), Lilian Emberton (4th place), Hannah Timmons (3rd place), Brooke Bowen (2nd place) and Trinity Albaugh (1st place).

Second Grade teacher Debbie Wright purchased the costumes for the top fundraisers and arranged for the chicken costume.

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First Group 2x2
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