Goodfellas Motorcycle Club run revs up $14K for Hasbro

CAL’S CORNER: Kevin Hanlon (left) and Justin Poland (right) are all smiles while registering for Saturday’s 4th Annual Goodfellas Motorcycle Run, which raised a record $14,000 for Hasbro Children’s Hospital. Looking on are Linda Calabro, Ann Banz and Cal Calabro, who took registration for 220 bike owners.

(Sun Rise photos by Pete Fontaine)

FOUNDING FATHER: Mike Ottone, president of the East Providence Elks Motorcycle Club – which was the first nonprofit of its kind in the country and has since swelled to 165 different clubs – is joined by his daughter Morgan prior to Saturday’s Goodfellas Run.

GRAND GARB: This is an example of the leather vest-clad motorcycle owners – and riders – that represented numerous clubs throughout Rhode Island and neighboring states in Saturday’s 4th Annual Goodfellas Motorcycle Run.

POPULAR PROPRIETOR: Stephanie Harris, who owns and operates Strings Bar & Grille in Johnston, is joined by Joe Pingitore (left) — who she rode with during Saturday’s Goodfellas Motorcycle Run – and her chef Al Forte, who helped make the pre-fun festivities a special success.

Posted Friday, September 18, 2020 10:01 am

By PETE FONTAINE

To say that the Gene Benedetti-led Goodfellas Motorcycle Club is unique would be an understatement.

For starters, the Goodfellas have raised and donated a total of $18,000 to Hasbro Children’s Hospital after hosting just three motorcycle runs in as many years.

Saturday, though, was a shining example of the respect motorcycle enthusiasts, riders from a number of clubs, business owners and even corporate executives have for the fun-loving folks known as the Goodfellas.

Bolstered by the generosity of four major donors, motorcycle clubs from all over the state and even some from Massachusetts, the Goodfellas 4th Annual Run had a record 220 bikes show up Saturday morning at Stephanie Harris’ String Bar & Grille parking lot at 183 George Waterman Road in Johnston. When the day was over, as organizer Cal Calabro said with excitement ringing in his voice: “We really roared today!”

So much so that after the 90-minute run into Connecticut, which was cut short because riders couldn’t make stops at some places along the route due to COVID-19, the Goodfellas raised an extraordinary total of $14,000. Club officials will soon present to Hasbro officials during their annual check presentation at David Levesque’s original Brewed Awakenings on Atwood Avenue in Johnston. The funds will help children who are battling cancer.

“This was our biggest and best run ever!” Calabro, the one-time super softball slugger who was recently inducted into the RI Softball Hall of Fame, said. “But wait ‘til next year; the run will be bigger and even better.”

To which people like Joe Pingitore, who owns and operates Pingitore & Sons Construction and Paving and his sister Dr. Fran Pingitore – a psychiatrist at Hasbro Hospital – and others related: “Cal and his club members don’t blow a lot of smoke; the Goodfellas take tremendous pride in raising money to help children who are battling cancer.”

The Goodfellas Motorcycle Club thanked the generous visiting riders by way of a food-and-fun-filled post-run party at their headquarters that’s located in the Silver Lake section of Providence the famed Rosario Club.

At that time, Benedetti – who serves as the Goodfellas president alongside Calabro – said “thank you” to the 220 bikers, their accompanying riders and businesses and others who helped make Saturday’s run a success.

Every biker as well as his or her rider paid $20 each to participate in the run, which also featured the customary 50/50 drawing that the winner donated back for the overall donation to Hasbro.

“We have to give a huge shout out to the Johnston Police,” Calabro wanted it known. “The JPD helped with traffic when the bikes were leaving Strings and everyone said how much they appreciated the police being on hand; they helped make the run much more special.”

Likewise, Calabro and Benedetti thanked to four major donors – Coventry Donuts/The Henderson Family, R.A. DeCesare Builders, Rosciti Construction of Johnston and AGI Construction of Smithfield – for their generous sponsorships.