Firefighters union provides Thanksgiving dinner baskets for 33 local families

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To say that the Johnston Association of Fire Fighters Local 1950 has an unmatched, heart-warming tradition would be an understatement.

Sometime around 11 a.m. Tuesday, Local 1950 said “Happy Thanksgiving” to a total of 33 Johnston families who otherwise might not have had turkey with all the trimmings on Thursday.

“Today, we’re breaking our own record,” Cherra Wheeler, captain of the Rescue Division, told some Local 1950 members and a half-dozen representatives from various schools in Johnston. “We are providing 33 families with a complete Thanksgiving dinner, and we’re doing so because of some huge and generous donations.”

Wheeler also announced that this year’s Thanksgiving baskets – which included everything from the frozen turkey to stuffing, potatoes, corn and green beans – totaled 11 more than Local 1950 made up a year ago.

“And it’s all because of donations,” Wheeler said. “What’s especially nice is that each and every Johnston firefighter was part of the annual donation list. It is our hope that these baskets will take a load off Johnston families who are in need and have children in our school system.”

“This is special … really super special,” said Zach Farrell, Johnston High’s principal, who was on hand to pick up baskets for students at the school. “This is vintage Johnston. Where there’s a need, you’ll always find good people like the firefighters.”

Ladies like Karen Pezzulo, a guidance counselor at Nicholas A. Ferri Middle School, and her counterparts Dina Needham and Doreen Hudson of Winsor Hill Elementary School and Debbie Gannon of Thornton Middle School concurred, while thanking each and every Local 1950 member who was on hand Tuesday morning at the Fire Department’s headquarters on Atwood Avenue.

“This is a great program that reaches out into our community,” added Fire Chief Tim McLaughlin, past president of the Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Association who is also part of the award-wining Honor Flight program that sends World War II veterans to Washington, D.C., to view their monument. “The giving of these baskets make Thanksgiving special for all our firefighters.”

Local 1950 is fresh from its annual Thanksgiving basket drive and first-ever Fire Bowl, which generated a lot of food – and some big bucks – for the Tri-Town Community Action Agency’s Food Bank.

“What’s next?” someone asked a group of firefighters.

Local 1950 Vice President Jonathan V. Pistacchio quickly replied: “It’s our Local 1950, the JPD Local 307 and Bar 101’s Toys for Tots fifth annual Toy Drive.”

That event, Pistacchio announced, is set for Saturday, Dec. 13 at Pete Matteo’s Bar 101, located at 1475 Atwood Ave. And if previous performances are any measuring stick, the firefighters – along with the town’s police officers – may just set another record just in time for Christmas.

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