National Night Out a success thanks to local businesses

CHUCK’S CREW: Johnston Police Patrolman Chuck Psilopoulos (right) is joined at the grill by Jeff Chiccitelli and his son Michael during the cent National Night Out celebration held inside War Memorial Park.

(Sun Rise photos by Pete Fontaine)

VALUABLE VOLUNTEERS: Ray Daquilla (left) has long offered his grilling talents – and is also among the list of important donors – who helped NNO a huge success while JPD Explorers Post members like Sophia Rengigas offered a helping hand delivering food and helping make sure people had enough food to eat.

Posted Thursday, August 10, 2017 1:22 pm

By Pete Fontaine

National Night Out was nearing an end and Chuck Psilopoulos, a veteran Johnston Police patrolman, was just beginning the second part the 17th annual Crime Fighting event.

“We’ve still got work to do,” Psilopoulos said. “First, we’ve got to clean these grills then pack up all the tables and chairs and put them into the trucks. It’s a lot of work – but well worth all the effort – especially since our business community has once again been generous and has played a huge role in making tonight special for everyone.”

National Night is, according to Johnston Police Department Chief Richard S. Tamburini, the single largest event that helps local police department’s fight crime in their towns, cities and states.

In Johnston, upwards of a dozen vendors donated everything from bottled water, paper goods, beef and rolls so for many of the town’s residents to enjoy at War Memorial Park.

“We couldn’t do all this without all the generous businesses that again stepped up to the plate,” Psilopoulos said. “It’s a special night made possible by some special people who really care about our citizens.”

Take BJ’s Wholesale Club, for example.

“They again gave us bottled water, all kinds of paper goods including plate and napkins and the tradition National Night Out cake,” said the veteran patrolman who was assisted throughout the three-hour event by his son Michael. “Then there’s Lil’ Rhody that provided the hot dogs.”

Johnston Dressed Beef, which has been a huge donor for previous NNOs, supplied the beef for the hamburgers dozens of people enjoyed.

Fed Rick Veal of Providence’s Federal Hill again donated sausage for the always-popular sausage and pepper sandwiches that cooks like Luca Lancellotti, Jeff Chiccitelli, Ray Daquilla and Psilopoulos placed carefully in rolls donated by Calise Bakery.

Christy’s Auto again donated the use of a truck to haul the entire NNO menu to the park and My Cousin Vinny’s Rentals donated and set up the ever-popular Bounce House that small children enjoyed for some three hours.

Psilopoulos also said that Palagi’s donated the use of another truck and Tony Cerbo, a native Johnstonian, answered the call to provide his music talents that he displayed inside the park’s Dunnell Building that even drew praise from Mayor Joseph Polisena.

Don DePetrillo – who is known as one of Johnston’s most generous business owners – delivered a number of huge boxes filled with pizza and the famous pizza chips that are on sale daily at The Original Italian Bakery on Atwood Avenue next to Saint Rocco’s Church.

Perhaps JPD Major Joseph Razza, who heaped words of praise upon the members of the Explorers Post 405 that helped make the night special, said it best, “We enjoy coming together and connecting with the community at this annual event. We see a lot of happy faces and we certainly appreciate all the special help we receive from our volunteers and long-time supporters.”