Clowning around at the Waldinger library

Who has red hair, a white face and recently visited the Henry Waldinger Memorial Library? Ronald McDonald, of course.

The fast food icon visited children in Valley Stream on July 30, telling stories, performing tricks and pushing the importance of reading. The library was one of only a few places in Nassau County to receive a visit from Ronald McDonald this summer.

Paul Hendel, owner of the Valley Stream fast food restaurant and president of the McDonalds Tri-State Region Cooperative, said one of the reasons the Henry Waldinger Library was chosen because of the high participation in the summer reading program. More than 680 children have signed up.

Library Director Mamie Eng said every year she has asked to have Ronald McDonald come visit, and this year Valley Stream was lucky enough to be selected. About 45 children and 30 parents came to the event, which encouraged children to pick up a book while school is out.

After the performance, each child took home a booklet about a McDonalds sponsored reading program. If a kid reads five books, they can have their parents complete the paperwork and get a free Happy Meal or another prize. Hendel said more than 200,000 booklets have already been given out to children in the tri-state area. “It’s one of the things that we do to encourage kids to read,” he said.

Hendel, who saw the Ronald McDonald program for the first time at the Waldinger Library, said he was impressed. “I think the thing that made my day,” he said, “was seeing the kids so involved.”

Ronald McDonald asked many children to be part of the act. Those who didn’t get to come up front got to help him fill in the blanks for a story. That was 5-year-old Joshua Prasad’s favorite part of the show. “He said funny stuff about himself,” Joshua said.

Amanda Rogawski, 9, said the whole program was very funny and noted that Ronald McDonald looks exactly like he does in the commercials.

Eng said she was pleased that the program was a success. “The children were very enthusiastic,” she said. “Anything that encourages kids to read is great.”