'LIBRARYLICIOUS' New ice cream flavor is tasty way to raise funds for library

The next library fund-raiser is a yard and craft sale Sept. 10.
By NANCY TULLIS
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
NEW MIDDLETOWN -- Apparently, area residents have been relaxing this summer with a good book in one hand and an ice cream cone in the other.
Bob McAllister, owner of Giering's Homemade Ice Cream at 10829 Main Street, said the library-inspired flavor "Librarylicious" has been a hot item since he began offering it in July.
McAllister's business and the New Middletown branch of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County are benefiting from the sale. McAllister created the flavor after local library aficionado Michele DeRhodes asked if he would help the library effort by donating 10 cents a cone. He not only created the flavor, but said he would donate 25 cents for each Librarylicious cone sold.
The cherry vanilla ice cream packed with whole pecans is a winner for both McAllister and the library patrons waiting for the New Middletown branch to be moved to its new location in October.
"We get a lot of business from Boardman, Youngstown and Pennsylvania," McAllister said. "Everyone loves this flavor. We are very pleased with it and we are happy to be supporting the community.
"Sales started out slow at first around the 4th of July, but Librarylicious is selling really well now," he said. "I think the key is the whole pecans. We dump in the whole pecans into the cherry vanilla, just like we do for our chocolate pecan and butter pecan."
DeRhodes said construction crews have been working for about a month to renovate the building at 10418 Main St., the former site of Heaven Sent Cards and Gifts, to be the new library location.
Local efforts
Local library patrons raised $1,200 for the construction effort with a spaghetti dinner last month at St. Paul's Catholic Church here. Library trustees awarded nearly $500,000 to six contractors in May.
The New Middletown branch is in the municipal building. DeRhodes said the new building will offer about three times the space.
The next fund-raiser for the library will be a yard and craft sale from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 10 in Welker Park behind the New Middletown municipal building. Reservation forms are available at the New Middletown branch.
People who want to offer items for sale can do so for a donation of $10 or $30 depending on how much space they want.
There will also be a raffle for a gift basket of candy, muffins and gourmet food. Tickets will be sold at Springfield High School home football games and the winner will be drawn at the Oct. 14 game. Tickets are $1 each or six for $5, she said.