Good morning, America, Valley folks say from YSU

By KATIE SEMINARA

YSU students, Valley residents appeared on the national ABC broadcast.

YOUNGSTOWN — Cory Hayes and Dave Tofil got up before 5 a.m. hoping to hear what Sen. John McCain had to say to the Valley on Friday.

Unfortunately for them, McCain’s segment on ABC’s “Good Morning America” was barely visible to the audience, and audio was nonexistent.

McCain was a guest on the “GMA” television show, which broadcast from Youngstown State University’s Beeghly Center from 7 to 9 a.m.

“It’s nice to be here, but it would have been nice to see him better and hear what he had to say,” said Tofil.

Tofil and Hayes, both 19-year-old sophomores at YSU, went to the show in support of McCain and because it was an opportunity not many get to experience.

“It’s amazing to see that Youngstown is so important in this election,” said Hayes.

Doors to the Beeghly Center didn’t open until about 6 a.m., leaving an eager crowd of about 500 standing in the cold.

Lynn Parker of Warren said he wanted to go to “GMA” to see “the main man.”

Economic issues and how McCain plans to stabilize those issues were the topics of interest, said Parker.

“I’m not disappointed,” he said of not being able to hear McCain’s interview with “GMA” host Robin Roberts.

“I got to shake his hand.”

That was enough for the 58-year-old who was just happy to see both McCain supporters and Sen. Barack Obama supporters at the event.

“I think everyone should participate no matter who they’re supporting,” said Parker.

The show wasn’t all politics. It incorporated a YSU sorority and members of the YSU marching band.

“We’re here for breast cancer, not politics,” said Marla D’Andrea-Dull, district president of Zeta Tau Alpha.

A group of ZTA alumnae and collegians were invited to spread awareness about the disease and the sorority’s upcoming event called the “Pink Ribbon Cheer Classic.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, they raised major coin around here,” said Roberts while interviewing Kim Caputo, Youngstown alumni president of ZTA.

This year’s “Cheer Classic” will be No. 8 for ZTA, and the members are hoping to raise $80,000.

Roberts is a breast cancer survivor and thanked the young women between segments for their efforts.

Section leaders and certain members of the YSU marching band played for ABC viewers across the country showing their Penguin spirit.

“I just think it’s great that ‘Good Morning America’ is at YSU,” said junior Shanna Kelly, who is one of the band’s drum majors.

Halloween wasn’t forgotten in the mix of Friday’s show, and a few of the Mahoning Valley’s tykes in costume got their 15 minutes of fame.

Stacy Piersant of Austintown brought Tinker Bell and Peter Pan for their national television debut.

Piersant’s children, Hailey, 3, and Preston, 2, both attend the Wee Care Day Care on the YSU campus and were invited to be part of the “GMA” broadcast.

“It’s cool that something this big is in the area,” Piersant said.

The kids were part of the holiday flair on the show and stood with host Chris Cuomo as he aired live across the country. “Are you seeing these little gorgeous ones we have?” he said to America.