Dolly Parton Mystery in the El Cerrito Hills

Sensational revelations are not normally on the menu at Rotary Club luncheons.

But at the weekly lunch gathering of El Cerrito Rotarians yesterday, September 2, the attention level in the room seemed to rise appreciably at one point in a  presentation by Jack Freethy, former owner of now-closed El Cerrito Lumber.

He was reporting on the Rotary International convention attended by more than 18,000 Rotarians from around the world in Montreal in June and noted that the guests included singer Dolly Parton. Freethy then pulled out a photo of Parton on a page taken from a magazine. On the photo was a handwritten inscription in green ink, which he read aloud:

Howdy Jack!

You were sure cute sitting in the audience. I hope my show set your toes to tapping.

Love ya,

Dolly

He then passed the photo around the dining room at the Mira Vista Golf and Country Club. Some of those in the audience handled it as gingerly as they would have a religious relic.

Patch asked afterward if he was present when the photo was signed. He acknowledged that he wasn't and that someone had presented it to him later at the hotel where he was staying.

Does he think it's genuine?

"I doubt it," he said.

Parton, who promotes children's literacy, attended the convention of the international service organization as a keynote speaker. She also performed her popular song, "9 to 5."