Disney on Ice Characters Host an Up Close and Personal Meet n' Greet

Harrisburg, PA -- Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy and Jiminy Cricket were all on hand to meet and greet a large group of visibly excited children from the Tri-County Association for the Blind ( TCAB) and the Susquehanna Association for the Blind and Vision Impaired (SABVI).

The children, many of whom were donned in Mickey Mouse T-shirts and Princess Tiaras, wiggled in their seats as they waited for the characters to appear. Many curious youngsters approached the rink to get a feel for the cold icy surface. Disney staff, channeled pre performance energy by warming up the crowd with a practice marching session.

Soon enough, the characters appeared and performed a marching song from the Disney On Ice show. The group of 80 children including families cheered and clapped for the Disney characters. The performance soon ended and then came the segment that the children were really excited about. The characters lined the edge of the rink and gave each child the opportunity to come up and personally greet them. Cameras intermittently flashed as parents took the opportunity to capture this rare opportunity for their children to meet the characters up close and personal.

Many of the children who are blind or visually impaired squealed with delight as Donald Duck encouraged them to touch his tail feathers as he did his "signature tail feather shake". Minnie Mouse offered many of the children a chance to touch the hem of her satin and sequined dress. Touch enabled the children to feel a visual perception of the characters.

Many of the children couldn't decide which character they liked best. Lucas Leiby, a 9 year old boy from TCAB, found the whole event exciting and liked meeting all of the characters. Visually impaired 8 year old twin brothers, Slade and Skylar Doolittle, decisively chose Mickey Mouse as their favorite character. Each child had their own reaction to the characters. Some children were bold in their approach while other children gingerly reached forward to touch Donald's beak or Mickey's nose. One thing was clear, each child seemed to enjoy the experience.

Coordinating special events for children who are blind or visually impaired is just a small fraction of the services provided at TCAB whose mission is to :" support and promote the interests of people who are blind, visually impaired or otherwise disabled, and to prevent blindness throughout Cumberland, Dauphin and Perry counties.

TCAB hosts two week-long summer camps for elementary aged and teenagers who are blind or visually impaired. The annual "Upward and Onward transition camp is for teens and the "Out of Site Club" Jr. camp is for elementary aged students.

Both camps provide the teens and children with developmental experiences that encourage them to push their boundaries and provide them with opportunities to bond with others who are blind or visually impaired like they are.

If you would like to learn more about the children's programs and other services provided by TCAB in Cumberland, Dauphin and Perry Counties, please visit our web site at www.tricountyblind.org, e-mail info@tricountyblind.org or contact us at 717-238-2531.