Girls, dolls attend show

By ELISE McKEOWN SKOLNICK

news@vindy.com

BOARDMAN

Girls and their dolls filled the banquet hall. Blonde, brunette, dressed up, dressed down — there was a bit of everything.

But they shared a love of American Girl dolls.

The girls and their dolls were at Mr. Anthony’s Saturday for the Angels of Easter Seals 2nd annual American Girl fashion show and luncheon fundraiser.

“It’s a chance for young girls to help with the community, to learn volunteerism,” said Mary Celeste VanSickle, chairwoman of the event. “And they’re having fun doing it. And they’re learning history, also.”

American Girl offers historical character and contemporary dolls, as well as a line of baby dolls. The historical versions come with a back-story that explains the way a girl would have lived in that time period.

The fundraiser included raffles of American Girl dolls and accessories, a book sale, lunch and a fashion show. It continues today.

Area girls donned clothes matching those worn by their dolls and modeled for the crowd. The show began with models carrying Bitty Baby dolls and continued with girls portraying the American Girls historical characters such as Kaya, an American Indian growing up in the 1700s. The show also included girls showing off contemporary fashions.

Reagan Smith, 5, and her Bitty Baby, wearing matching lavender-trimmed sundresses, were models.

“She loves her Bitty Baby,” said her mom, Amy Smith, of Poland.

Reagan said the doll is her favorite.

“I like playing with her,” she said. She also enjoyed modeling.

The event is a good way to raise money for Easter Seals, Amy Smith said.

“It’s a very important organization. It helps a lot of people,” Smith added. “It’s good to be here to help out. And they get to have fun, and we get to have some girl-time together.”

Kara Peters, 9, and her grandmother, Susan English, came from Mercer, Pa., for the event.

“I have two American girl dolls, and I like them,” Peters said. Both of her dolls are contemporary. She shared the day with her doll, Sara, and let a friend borrow the other.

“I like to dress them up,” she said. “I like to have a doll big enough that I can carry and take it places.”

She has a lot of accessories and clothes for the dolls, she said, including matching pajamas and dresses.

Last year’s event raised $30,000 for Easter Seals of Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties.

Easter Seals provides services to people living with disabilities or who have special needs.