“Getting children involved with raising funds for charities that help kids is an amazing thing to do,” said Kristy Pistachio, a mother, wife, and manager at Walgreens on Plainfield Street. “This helps open up a conversation that otherwise may be difficult for a parent to have.”
There was plenty of talk across all age levels last Friday during the unique, heart-warming Red Nose Day in Johnston.
While Walgreens, the nation’s oldest operating pharmacy chain, spearheads Red Nose Day at the national level to help fight childhood poverty, Pistacchio coordinated the day’s effort in Johnston with the assistance of many dedicated adult volunteers.
One was Sheri LaFazia, a parent involvement coordinator at Johnston’s Thornton Elementary School, who helped pass out dozens red noses to starry-eyed, excited students who were all dressed in some sort of red apparel.
LaFazia and Pistacchio, in fact, wore red from head-to-toe and enjoyed dressing in red T-shirts and even sneakers.
“The children here at Thornton had a wonderful time,” LaFazia said. “They are all looking forward to next year’s Red Nose Day that will no doubt double and triple in size.”
In what may have been her most emotional moment last Friday, LaFazia wanted it known: “We were extremely happy that Kristy made sure that red noses were given to all the children who were unable to donate to the charity so that our whole Thornton family could celebrate and be silly together.”
Pistacchio, meanwhile, reported that “we sold upwards of 1,100 red noses,” which are exclusively sold at Walgreens locations in Johnston and throughout the country. “It was so much fun seeing kids from ages one to 18 get seriously silly – as the program slogan says – and also how the children were all dressed in some sort of red piece of clothing.”
The Walgreens manager, who thanked the Early Childhood Center, Brown Avenue, Winsor Hill, Thornton, and Sarah Dyer Barnes elementary schools, Johnston Senior High School, and even It’s a Small World Day Care for participating in the nationals program, added: “It was so much fun for us as adults to see the children’s reactions when we showed up with red noses. That was the best part of the day.”
Yet another plus on Red Nose Day in Johnston came from what Pistacchio called “super and special assistance from each and every teacher and their assistants for helping unwrap and pass out the rubberized noses to each and every child.”
“We are hoping to make this an annual event in all Johnston Schools,” Pistacchio said. “Today we raised over $1,100, and that amount will not only help fight childhood poverty but help important children-related programs such as Feeding America, Charity Water, and Children’s Health Fund.”
Pitsacchio did not know just how much money Red Nose Day brought in this year, but offered: “We’re all hoping that the total surpasses the $8.7 million that Walgreens raised last year with help from NBC en route to a record-setting $23-million year.”
On Thursday night, May 26, at 9 p.m., NBC will air a two-hour special featuring some of the biggest stars of comedy, film, and music who’ll also talk about the importance of Red Nose Day in America.
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