Disney on Ice visits Boardman library


By Ashley Luthern

aluthern@vindy.com

BOARDMAN

Scott Cross has read about Disney characters and seen them on screen, but Thursday was the first time he met them in person.

Cross was one of more than 75 children who gathered at the Boardman Library on Glenwood Avenue to hear a story, celebrate a Hawaiian Christmas and meet Mickey and Minnie Mouse.

“My favorite part was seeing Mickey Mouse,” said Scott, 8, of Columbiana.

Scott was at the program with his brothers, Dominic, 5, and Lou, 3, and the trio was supervised by their mom, Sharon Cross.

Sharon said her family uses the library frequently. Her children are home-schooled and take advantage of the library’s resources, including educational videos and books on tape, she said.

“We’ve never been to Disney World. Lou’s face just lit up when he saw Mickey and Minnie because he hasn’t had those experiences before,” she said.

The event was organized by the Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County, First Book- Mahoning Valley, Disney on Ice and the Covelli Centre.

“Disney on Ice: Mickey and Minnie’s Magical Journey” will be at the Covelli Centre until Sunday. Tickets are still available for some shows.

This was the third Disney-related event in the library system this year, said Deborah Liptak, library development director.

Library patrons participated in a contest to win a family four-pack of tickets to the ice show, and a “Disney Prince and Princess Night” at the Austintown Library served as a library fundraiser, Liptak said.

Josephine Nolfi, the library’s children’s-services manager, said Disney stories and cartoons often are based on fairy tales that children can find at the library.

“Children have such a love for the Disney characters, and these programs bring them into the library, and they have fun and associate reading with fun,” Nolfi said.