Nick Blanchard tumbled out of bed and poured himself a cup of ambition Friday morning, then headed straight to a table in front of the Wake County Express Library in downtown Raleigh.
Blanchard and his friend Kelly Forbes were presiding over a children’s book drive to honor the late music icon and philanthropist Dolly Parton.
Gov. Josh Stein declared September 25th, or 9/25, officially “Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Day of Reading” across North Carolina in memory of the Tennessee musician, her hit song “9 to 5,” and her philanthropic generosity to Helene victims as well as young readers…