TELUS Optik TV Says Hello Dolly Parton!

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, TELUS announced that ?Goodnight With Dolly,' Dolly Parton's series of Imagination Library bedtime stories for children, is now available on Optik TV. Snuggled in her bed, Dolly Parton narrates ten inspiring childhood books aimed at bringing positivity, love, and hope to viewers during these challenging times. The first five episodes are now available for free on Optik TV, with the remaining episodes being rolled out weekly for five additional weeks alongside Imagination Library, Dolly Parton, World Choice Investments, and Dollywood channels.

"We are thrilled to showcase legendary singer, songwriter and amazing humanitarian Dolly Parton and her uplifting video series to Canadians, particularly during a time when we need her inspiration the most," said Darren Entwistle, President and CEO, TELUS. "The first five episodes have already received millions of views and terrific feedback online, and we are delighted to bring ?Goodnight with Dolly' directly to our customers' homes through Optik TV."

"This is something I have been wanting to do for quite a while, but the timing never felt quite right. I think it is pretty clear that now is the time to share a story and to share some love. It is an honor for me to share the incredible talent of these authors and illustrators. They make us smile, they make us laugh and they make us think," said Dolly Parton.

The featured books include:

• "There's a Hole in the Log on the Bottom of the Lake" by Loren Long
• "Llama Llama Red Pajama" by Anna Dewdney
• "I Am a Rainbow" by Dolly Parton
• "Pass It On" by Sophy Henn
• "Stand Tall Molly Lou Mellon" by Patty Lovell
• "Violet the Pilot" by Steve Breen
• "Max & The Tag-Along Moon" by Floyd Cooper
• "Last Stop on Market Street" by Matt de la Peña
• "Coat of Many Colors" by Dolly Parton
• "The Little Engine That Could" by Watty Piper.

"At Imagination Library, we have gifted more than 135 million books to children and are currently gifting books to 1.5 million children worldwide each month, aiming to inspire children to achieve educational success. This series is an extension of this goal and that is why we are so excited to have TELUS on board, allowing us to connect with even more children and families in Canada," said David Dotson, CEO, The Dollywood Foundation.

TELUS is now offering more than 70 free channel previews on Optik TV, including many family and educational channels like Family, Family Jr, BBC Earth, and National Geographic. A list of all channels now in free preview and full details can be found here, and customers can also visit the Stay Educated section of telus.com/stayconnected.

For the latest information about TELUS' support during the COVID-19 pandemic, visit telus.com/covid19.

About TELUS
About TELUS TELUS (TSX: T, NYSE: TU) is a dynamic, world-leading communications and information technology company with $14.7 billion in annual revenue and 15.2 million customer connections spanning wireless, data, IP, voice, television, entertainment, video and security. We leverage our global-leading technology to enable remarkable human outcomes. Our longstanding commitment to putting our customers first fuels every aspect of our business, making us a distinct leader in customer service excellence and loyalty. TELUS Health is Canada's largest healthcare IT provider, and TELUS International delivers the most innovative business process solutions to some of the world's most established brands.

Driven by our passionate social purpose to connect all Canadians for good, our deeply meaningful and enduring philosophy to give where we live has inspired our team members and retirees to contribute more than $700 million and 1.3 million days of service since 2000. This unprecedented generosity and unparalleled volunteerism have made TELUS the most giving company in the world.

For more information about TELUS, please visit telus.com, follow us @TELUSNews on Twitter and @Darren_Entwistle on Instagram.

About The Imagination Library
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is a book gifting program that mails free, high-quality books to children from birth until they begin school, no matter their family's income. After launching in 1995, the program grew quickly. First books were only distributed to children living in Sevier County, Tennessee where Dolly grew up. It became such a success that in 2000 a national replication effort was underway. By 2003, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library had mailed one million books. It would prove to be the first of many millions of over 135 million books gifted to children around the world. Dolly's home state of Tennessee pledged to pursue statewide coverage in 2004 and global expansion was on the horizon. After the United States, the program launched in Canada in 2006 followed by the United Kingdom in 2007, Australia in 2013 and the Republic of Ireland in 2019. For more information visit imaginationlibrary.com.

For media inquiries, please contact:

TELUS Public Relations
Brandi Rees
[email protected]

The Dollywood Foundation and Imagination Library
David Dotson
865-755-7548