JYF holds annual banquet

The old theory that “there’s strength in numbers” could, as people like Matthew Clements recently learned, be troublesome for groups like Johnston’s youth football and cheerleading organization.

Simply put, there are few – if any banquet facilities in-and-around Rhode Island – that can accommodate the Panthers annual awards affair that was held Saturday at famed White’s of Westport, Ma.

“Today, we’ll have upwards of 410 people here,” Clements, who doubles as the outstanding organization’s president and a coach, told the Sun Rise. “It’s somewhat scary; we have always treated our players and cheerleaders to a banquet but this year we had trouble finding a place.”

One reason, Clements related, “is obviously the expense of the dinners and as we all know food costs keep going up everywhere” so that presents a problem. Then, if you have as many kids as we do, it gets down to where you can hold the dinner.”

That’s because many famed banquet facilities such as West Valley Inn and the Villa DiGiorgio, which were both located in West Warwick and well-known for being able to host large banquets, are no longer in business.

Nevertheless, the Panthers 2020 awards dinner will be long remembered for the fine food and awesome accommodations at White’s of Westport offered Saturday where head coach John Costa’s undefeated Super Bowl football champions were honored along with almost every boy and girl that participated in the well-organized Panthers program.

“We also honored two state champion cheerleading squads,” said Clements with a smile on his face. “We have great leadership from the board to our coaches and it seemed as though not one person minded what was a short drive to come here 6to Westport and honor our all our kids.”

Saturday’s dinner also featured mega raffle prizes as well as the traditional 50/50 drawing going home with $440 and the grand prize being a Lenovo Chromebook Laptop.

“Everyone seemed to enjoy the family style dinner,” Clements noted of the pasta, chicken parmesan, meatballs and corn. “The most important thing, though, is that all our kids – the football players and cheerleaders – had a great time and that’s what we’ve always been about. This was a great family affair!”