Senior Center hosts first-ever Holiday Bazaar

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If the Johnston Senior Center presented prizes for the best booth at last Friday’s first-ever Holiday Bazaar, Assistant Director Millie Santilli wouldn’t have had enough awards.

“We’ve got 15 vendors here today,” Santilli said while chatting with her long-time friends Ron and Cindy Galipeau. “What’s really special is that each and every display is unique.”

Take the rather interesting area that featured Candles by Ron, for example.

“People drink ’em and I make ’em,” he mused about the classic collection of wine and beer bottles he turns into unique candles using such ingredients as soy wax.

He uses a glass cutter – and boiling and cold water – while cutting each bottle in half, and then uses Gorilla Glue to fuse the top half of the bottle with the former bottom that’s used as the holder.

“I try to get every cut straight,” Galipeau went on. “I don’t always succeed. I’d say that I get about six complete candles out of every 10 I try.”

Last Friday’s highly-successful and well-attended Holiday Bazaar also featured another type of candle, as Robin Montecalvo set up a unique display of Scentsy Wickless Candles she markets as an independent consultant for the flameless, wickless and safe candle systems.

Even the jewelry that was on display was priced for people to purchase.

And that display belonged to none other than Jackie’s Jewelry Parties owner and native Johnstonian Jackie Pari, who set up shop with her mother and has a reputation for selling affording items under $5.

Melissa Pallotta had quite the offering of gourmet chocolate covered apples. Lynne Watson provided Holiday Bazaar goers with a variety of crafts, which ranged from Santa pictured on a sled to a number of specialty items that people ordered.

The Holiday Bazaar also featured Beverly Scuncio’s handmade dish cloths and face cloths, Joyce Draine’s eyeglass and Kleenex cases, Anna Coriann’s bingo bags and ornaments and a health-oriented display set up by registered nurse Dawn Spolidoro entitled “Juice Plus.”

Doreen Cunnion, who heads the senior center’s craft group, set up her unusual collection of “Arts on Fire.”

Even Chris Giardina, a long-time volunteer at the senior center who is famous for making such items as screen printed T-shirts and aprons, was among the vendors that offered a variety of men’s clothing.

“There was something for everyone,” Santilli said. “We are all grateful for the large turnout and very much looking forward to a bigger and even better bazaar next year.”

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