The illiteracy rate in Etowah County is 26.46 percent. This number can be reversed if more children are introduced to books and the love of reading at an early age.

Over 1161 children in Etowah County are now receiving books from United Way's Success by 6 Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.

A few years ago, two friends decided that they wanted to do something to give back to their hometown of Gadsden, and the Girlfriend Gala idea was born.

This is an elegant ladies' evening celebrating friendships and child literacy. The cost of the evening's ticket sales goes to Success By 6 to help pay the cost of mailing each book that each child receives through the Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. It only costs $35 a year for a child age birth to 5 to get a beautiful hardbound book each month. In Etowah County we have 1,161children receiving books each month.

Our Girlfriend Gala goal is to double the number of children receiving books. Every child deserves to enter kindergarten ready to learn and succeed. These books can make that possible.

Children that are nurtured and healthy are ready to enter school...and that is our goal at Success By 6.