Town Hall Lanes welcomes Chamber’s Business After Hours

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Good food, good event, great crowd.

That’s the way area business professionals – and their guests – assessed the North Central Chamber of Commerce’s October Business After Hours last Thursday evening at Town Hall Lanes in Johnston.

For starters, Warwick state Rep. Frank Ferri, who recently made a bid for the lieutenant governor’s office, threw strike after strike in his first attempt at hosting the Chamber’s networking night.

Ferri, who owns and operates the spacious 32-lane duckpin bowling establishment at 1463 Atwood Ave. in Johnston, treated five dozen or so Chamber members to some good food and bowling during last Thursday evening’s pre-league event.

There was pizza – cooked fresh in the Town Hall Lanes kitchen oven – along with small, bite-size meatball and chicken parmesan sandwiches, fresh fruit with dip and chocolate chip cookies.

“This is an outstanding evening,” Deborah Ramos, the Chamber’s executive director, said after knocking over seven of the 10 pins on one of six alleys Ferri opened exclusively for his fellow Chamber members. “I wish more business professionals would come out and give the North Central Chamber a try.”

Everyone from Nancy Rosedale of Bank of America to Patti Avin – a.k.a. the Tutor Doctor – and Rosemarie Borengasser of RTS Embroidery & Promotional Solutions concurred with Ramos, especially during and after last Thursday evening’s most recent networking night.

“This is a wonderful turnout,” Rosedale said. “I’m thrilled that there are so many new faces here tonight.”

Ramos, meanwhile, agreed wholeheartedly and told the night’s attendees, “the best part of this evening is seeing some unusual first-time Chamber networkers, and that’s always such an inspiring part of my job as executive director.”

During the official business part of the night’s program – which included announcements of upcoming Chamber events – Ferri made a pitch to each and every attendee.

“Please, don’t ask what the Chamber can do for you, but what you can do for the Chamber,” he said.

Ferri, you see, is a new member of the organization’s Board of Directors, and he would like to see more membership and more people at such events as the social networking nights.

Ramos, who has headed the Chamber’s day-to-day operation for the past six years, added: “Try it, you may like it!”

Moreover, as people like Washington Trust Vice President/Branch Manager Dan Orovitz and Johnston Historical Society Board Member Anthony Ursillo added: “These type of events are fun and beneficial to each and every business. Let’s all help grow the Chamber in memberships and events.”

With that, Ramos offered an example of what’s coming up, beginning with the Nov. 6 Taste of North Central Rhode Island.

“This promises to be another fun-filled evening,” Ramos said. “We’ll hop on shuttle buses and go from restaurant to restaurant sampling their fare.”

To date, Pete Matteo’s Bar 101 – which is celebrating its fifth anniversary in Johnston – along with Enchanting Cake, The Revolutionary Pizza Company and KOI Japanese Restaurant have confirmed their participation.

“There are still more to come, so please stay tuned,” Ramos said.

For more information about the Chamber or its member benefits, please call Ramos at 401-349-4674 or stop by the Chamber office at 255 Greenville Ave. in Johnston.

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