FAMILIES FIRST

WASILLA — Tanaina Elementary School teacher and librarian Diane Firmani beamed beneath her large, red nose and tried not to trip over her oversized, floppy feet during Family Night Thursday as she stood among throngs of students and parents at one of the biggest school book fairs in Alaska.

Designed this year around a circus theme, Firmani was one of several clowns at the event that featured a clown class by Midnight Sun Learning Center teacher Jeanne Troshynski — a.k.a. “FRED and Co.” — and her students, face-painting, custom-made balloon objects by Marky and Friends, and a silent auction of dozens of items.

“I’m known for my book fairs,” Firmani said with pride as she shared scrapbooks from past fairs, explaining that the last one was all about 1950s diners and Elvis Presley. “As you can see, I’m all about Elvis. But I’m even more about books and reading; whatever I can do to spark that interest in young people.”

As an educator for the past 27 years, Firmani seemed in her element in a library she’d transformed into a bright, warm, fun atmosphere filled with racks and racks of books aimed at a wide range of reading skills, interests and topics.

On the other side of the room, mother of two Dawn Olmsted helped her daughter pick out a few books on horses and other animals.

“This is a great way for families to interact in a safe place,” said Olmsted as 6-year-old Aria ran off to visit a friend. “They have a lot of great activities here throughout the year. They have movie nights and Muffins for Moms and Pastries for Parents and Donuts for Dads. We’ve been to a few other book fairs here. They’re always fun.”

In a classroom downstairs, at least 50 children gathered around tables stocked with a variety of water-based paints with which to “clown up” their faces with the assistance of Midnight Sun Learning Center students.

Troshynski — or Fredrita Regina Eloise Doodleheimer — said she’s being teaching kids to be clowns for the past 30 years after being in a clown troupe in high school. She said there were three types of basic clown faces: the neat white, the hobo and the trickster “Auguste.”

Midnight Sun student Alexa Burris sported a blue peace sign on one cheek, a red heart on the other and “Groove” spelled across her forehead in yellow. Her nose was painted blue and her eyes were highlighted in green.

Burris, 8, instructed a first-time clown on how to apply the paint with a Q-tip as the father of another student, Brandon Haxton, kept an eye on his daughter across the noisy room as she smeared white paint on her cousin.

“Our next stop is to get balloons,” Haxton said. “The clown show was fun. I was surprised by how good it was. This whole thing is pretty cool.”

In the gym, the line to get a balloon sword and belt, funky unicorn hat or magic heart wand snaked across the room as the squeak-squeak sounds of an impromptu sword fight among a half-dozen energetic kids filled the air.

Ballloon artist “Marky d Clown” said he could do about 200 configurations, but was limiting that to a choice of six that night for time’s sake.

When a small girl ordered a sword with a belt, he told her to turn around. Puzzled, she obliged as he quickly whipped a long yellow balloon around her waist for the belt, making her laugh.

“I can see the end of the line now without goggles,” Marky joked.

One mom taking a breather as she watched her children play with their balloons said she thought this was the best book fair yet.

“There seem to be more activities this year,” Terri Edwards said as she tried to console her son when his balloon sword sprung a leak. “I loved the face painting. It was great that they got to do that on their own.”

Contact K.T. McKee at kate.mckee@frontiersman.com or 352-2252.