By mid-afternoon Saturday, it was snowing everywhere in Johnston and that set off an alarm of sorts for Lt. Jon Pistacchio, who serves as Vice President of the Association of Firefighters Local 1950.
“I admit I was worried that the snow storm would put a damper on our event,” Pistacchio said of Saturday’s 7th Annual Toys for Tots Drive that was held inside Bar101 on Atwood Avenue. “But I should have known better, a little snow wasn’t going to stop all the great people who came out and support this event.”
Make that what Pistacchio and other Johnston Firefighters and members of the Johnston Police Local 307 said “we received an insane amount of toys this year!”
Although no one knew if Saturday’s 7th Annual Toys for Tots Drive set a record, people who brought toys and jammed into Bar 101 where they enjoyed camaraderie and Chef Jaime Beaulieu’s classic cooking, were in awe of the total collection Saturday night.
So was Pistacchio and Keith Calci, President of the Johnston Association of Firefighters, who likened the night’s toy donation to the snow by saying, “Like the snow, people keep coming and coming …”
“This is absolutely awesome…super as well as special,” offered Frank Lombardo, a veteran Johnston State Senator who along with his wife Patty continued their tradition of giving to the Toys for Tots Drive and like everyone else inside Bar 101 were thrilled to see the overflowing of toys, bicycles, and more.
It seemed as though people were coming everywhere with toys, tricycles, bicycles, games, dolls and just about everything that will make Christmas merry for children from families in need.
“We owe a special thank you to the people who live in The Ledge Apartments,” Pistacchio said. “They had a pick-up truck full of toys including four bicycles that created some teary eyes of joy Saturday night. This town is, and always has been, a group of incredibly giving people.”
Even Cardsmart at 1507 Atwood Avenue set up boxes for the drive and added 323 toys and games to the 2017 collection.
“We would also like to thank Councilman Richard DelFino for his contribution of toys,” Pistacchio said. “He had some friends visiting his wife Ariana and son Richard yet took time to stop buy and make a generous donation of toys.”
Likewise, JFD Chief Tim McLaughlin made what Pistacchio and Calci called “’a generous donation’ and we want to thank the Johnston Police Officers Local 307 and of course, Pete (Matteo), Justin Lemieux and Chef Jamie (Beaulieu) for all they did to help make this 7th Annual event an overwhelming success.”
Even people who were affiliated with either union who showed up kept saying how impressive the Toy Drive was, as the JFD Rescue was overflowing with toys and it seemed as though there were bicycles and tricycles everywhere inside Bar 101.
There were many moving moments Saturday night, like when Santa (retired Firefighter Jerry Porter) Claus arrived at Bar 101 and joined two other retired brothers – Frank Leone and his father Frank Leone Sr., who once served as President of Local 1950.
“We started this year’s drive by purchasing $1,000 worth of toys thanks to donations from every single member of Local 1950 and Chief McLaughlin,” Pistacchio explained. “The JPD Officers Local 307 added to the total but many, many people in Johnston helped fill the back end of a rescue with toys, bikes and more. They did so like never before and for that we say thank you and Merry Christmas to All!”
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