Boughs of fun had at JHS Holly Fair

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When Lori Agnew said Johnston High School’s 7th Annual PTSO Holly Fair would be “bigger and better” than previous events, she wasn’t just hyping the well organized event that featured a record number of vendors.

For starters, the Parent-Teacher-Student-Organization’s annual affair had everything from waffles to warm weather wear that was on display inside the JHS cafeteria.

In keeping with tradition, “Manny Claus” – Jolly Ole Saint Nick and JHS senior Manny Lourenco – and Mrs. Claus Breana Podmaska along with a few of Santa’s Elves, made their annual trip from the North Pole to the Saturday.

However, the combined forces of the classes of 2019 and 2020 supplied much of the event’s young power and as usual sold baked goods and helped man the highly-popular booth where parents could have their child photographed with Santa Claus.

The 2017 Holly Fair also offered holiday shoppers as well as staffers a rare and first ever visit by Poppy’s Waffles, a mobile catering truck owned and operated by Steve Gilman of Warwick that offered a variety of waffles and toppings.

As Gilman said to many customers who visited Poppy’s Waffles that was located outside the JHS cafeteria Saturday, “you might know the name Poppy’s from my Gourmet Kettle Corn business. That’s a name that has become somewhat synonymous in and around Rhode Island wherever there are outdoor events such as car cruises and concerts.

“I started Poppy’s Gourmet Kettle Corn back in 2009,” Gilman said while taking a waffle order. “When I retired a year ago I decided to try this … another way to keep busy.”

Many of the vendors that displayed their wares featured lots of local products from candles to honey that made the 7th Annual Holly Fair a great place for people to start their holiday shopping.

“We even had our [Johnston] Girls Softball League set up a special booth and offer their official league blankets,” Agnew said. “Thank You to [President] Lisa Calabro and her family for supporting our event.”

The 2017 Holly Fair also featured a specialty booth by L & M Jewels that featured jewelry and rosaries.

“Thank you to all the vendors and shoppers for their continued support at our Holly Fair and we look forward to next year’s event on November, 17, 2018,” Agnew said.

Patrone, who like other PTSO volunteers, has pumped new life into the important JHS non-profit in recent years, added, “I would like to thank our vendors for their participation. It was their talent 6hat ensured the success of our Holly Fair. We can’t forget the students from the classes of 2019 and 2020, for without their enthusiasm and positive spirit, the school halls would have been missing the holiday atmosphere.”

Those JHS students who helped make the event a special success were: Lauren Campagnone, Manny Lourenco, Jessica Watson, Zachary Zambarano, Olivia Gasbarro, Ana Petrella, Alfredo Garcia, Eric Messier, Zach Morin, Robert McGuirl, Carlos Fragoso, Isabella Nastasi, Demetri Demetropoulos, Jane McHale, Samantha Gobielle, Gianna Vittorioso and Emily Raposo.

The co-chairwoman also wanted its known: “But most of all I can’t forget to thank all the volunteers. They key to our success rests in people like them who embody the spirit of greatness by saying: ‘Yes we can, and you can too.’”

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