JDTC getting ready ahead of Tuesday's primary

By day, John Dick – who owns and operates Atwood Florists on Atwood Avenue in Johnston – spends much of his day writing and filling orders for a number of floral pieces, arrangements and plants.

On Monday and Tuesday nights of this week, Dick joined other members of the Johnston Democratic Town Committee hand-writing post cards and letters they are hoping will drum up additional support for long-time Town Councilman Robert V. Russo and District 43 state Rep. Deborah A. Fellela.

“It is countdown time for Primary Day,” Richard J. DelFino Jr., who serves as the JDTC’s hard-working chairman, offered while overseeing a number of activities inside the group’s Mayor Joseph Polisena headquarters located in the Stonehill MarketPlace at 1386 Atwood Ave. “This is just one of the steps we take in working to get our candidates reelected.”

So Dick, along with Cheryl Jackson and Greg Russo, sat quietly at one of the 8-foot-long tables inside the JDTC headquarters, writing personal notes they hope will help Russo and Fellela with their re-election bids during next Tuesday’s Primary Day.

Meanwhile, long-time committee members and fellow Dems like Joe Grasso, Arnie Vecchione, Joe Quartino and Anthony Pilozzi discussed other strategy moves they hope will help Russo during his District 4 bid and Fellela’s District 43 primary contest.

Likewise, men like Fred Iafrate and Vince Baccari scanned the up-to-date voting lists for each of the town’s districts that are affixed to the walls inside the headquarters, recording the names and addresses of people in each of the primary day voting districts for other members to send requests for their support of Russo and Fellela next Tuesday.

“We do this every two years,” DelFino Jr., who doubles as vice president of the Rhode Island Democratic Committee, explained. “It’s real simple; our (volunteer) committee members – as well as family and friends – write personal notes on behalf of our candidates asking for their consideration and vote.”

The number of people increased from Monday to Tuesday as a result of an email JDTC Secretary and District 1 Town Councilwoman Linda Folcarelli sent on behalf of DelFino.

“Headquarters will be open [Monday and Tuesday nights] from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. for the writing of personal notes on behalf of Councilman Robert Russo and Rep. Deborah Fellela. Please make every effort to come by to fill out some postcards, especially in District 4 and District 43 for our valued candidates.”