Tea Time

Donning a vintage-style, periwinkle dress, Mimi Bogard regales her audiences with tales of working in the Philippines, founding the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and bringing thousands of cherry trees from Japan to line Washington, D.C.'s Tidal Basin. Her performance as Helen "Nellie" Taft returns to Canton's National First Ladies' Library April 6 for Helen Taft's Cherry Blossom Tea. "I try to share that spirit that I find within her. She was full of excitement," says Bogard, who first took on the role of the Ohio-born former first lady for the library in 2008. The playful history lesson includes a Mrs. Taft-worthy high tea, complete with scones and tea sandwiches. "Her story, from beginning to end, is fascinating," says Lucinda Frailly, director of education and special events coordinator at the National First Ladies' Library. "Just because we grow up, doesn't mean we can't have fun learning." firstladies.org