Bar 101 hosts Ladies Night benefit to boost Red Nose campaign

Bar 101’s Ladies Night has never been like it was last Thursday evening.

It was an event that featured many different vendors and independent consultants who teamed up for a fundraiser that netted $1,000 to support Red Nose Day.

In the middle of it all was Kristy Pistacchio, the manager of Walgreens on Plainfield Street in Johnston, who like her firefighter husband Jon Pistacchio has held other fundraisers at Pete Matteo’s popular watering hole at 1478 Atwood Ave. Her employer is in its second year of being affiliated with the Red Nose Foundation.

“Bar 101 hosts Ladies Night every Thursday,” she said. “This gave us the perfect opportunity to team up together and have fun while raising money for the Red Nose campaign.”

It didn’t take long for word to spread about the event. Many vendors jumped at the chance to set up shop inside Bar 101 and showcase their wares.

Independent consultants from Pampered Chief, Athena’s, Thirty-One Gifts, Jamberry, and Pure Haven Essentials were among those who came together in support of the night, and each donated a percentage of their proceeds to the Red Nose Day campaign.

“All the ladies shopped and wore red and purchased the all-important red noses in support of this great cause,” Kristy said. “We were all thrilled with how many people turned out and that we raised $1,000.”

Kristy also spend some of the time last Thursday evening thanking each and every person who walked into Bar 101. She explained how valuable the Red Nose Foundation is for multiple charities in the United States and abroad, including the Boys & Girls Club of America, Charity Water, Children’s Healthy Fund, Feeding America, and Save the Children.

In Johnston, Friday, May 13 is Red Nose Day, and students, teachers, and administrators will wear some sort of red clothing and purchase a red nose for just $1.

At Thornton Elementary School, PTO representative Sheri LaFazia said a notice has been posted to send in $1 by May 8 to receive a red nose.

“All the children and staff will receive their noses that morning,” she said.

Red Nose Day, as Kristy explained, was started over 30 years ago in the U.K. by Comic Relief, an organization that uses the power of entertainment and laughter to help fight child poverty.

In 2015, she said, Walgreens raised over $8.7 million for the cause, and along with NBC, over $23 million in total was raised to help fight kids’ poverty.

The whole event will culminate on Thursday, May 26, with a live, two-hour special at 9 p.m. on NBC featuring some of the biggest stars of comedy, film, and music.