Salzillo game dinner a big win
“Ricky was really looking down upon us today,” Stephen W. Placella said Sunday afternoon. “The response from this year’s dinner has been absolutely unbelievable … overwhelming to a point!”
Vin LaFazia, Placella’s long-time friend and committee mate, said, “If we had more room, we probably could have filled another hall!”
Those two statements spoke volumes about the Richard “Ricky” Salzillo Memorial Game Dinner that was held Sunday for the 42nd time since the late and fun-loving Johnstonian was killed in a fatal automobile accident on Route 295 back on Feb. 10, 1976.
There are many reasons why upwards of 300 people jammed into every nook and cranny of the famed Kelley-Gazzerro VFW Post 2812 that’s at 1418 Plainfield Street on the Cranston-Johnston line Sunday.
For some, it’s to help non-profits like Hasbro Children’s Hospital provide programs for youngsters who are battling cancer. For others, it’s to help college-found Johnston High School students with the ever-increasing costs of a post-secondary education.
It’s also a rare opportunity to break bread – as the old adage goes – and share what people like Anthony “Cal” Calabro said was “classic camaraderie” with people who in some cases haven’t seen each other for years but still want to honor the legacy of the late Salzillo, who was loved by people of all ages who were infected by his special smile and sparkling personality.
It was a tribute of sorts to the tireless committee headed by Placella and an army of friends that produced what may have been the biggest and best event in the Ricky Salzillo Memorial Game Dinner’s history.
“I’ve never seen so many prizes,” said committee member John Graham, as he separated ticket after ticket for another round of multi-prize raffles. “We just may have as many prizes as there are people here today.”
In all, Placella raffled off 75 regular raffle prizes plus five grand raffle prizes that helped net nearly $10,000 for the multi-course game dinner event that was prepared and served by Ralph’s Catering and Kitchen that makes its home inside the VFW Post.
Those inside the Kelley-Gazzerro Post, event Ralph’s super staffers, were in awe of the valuable prizes in this year’s mega-raffle.
There were small and large coolers, snow surf boards, grills, bicycles, apparel and of course a variety of beverages from fine wines to whiskies that were, in some cases, nicely displayed in a variety of different size racks.
“The raffle is always very popular,” Placella explained. “We wouldn’t be as successful without it and we have the Fede – Frank and Nick – who own and operate Kingstown Liquor Mart on Post Road in North Kingstown to thank for that.”
And that’s another part of the Salzillo Memorial Game Dinner that sets the annual event a step above the norm. Because people recognize the committee’s tireless works each and every year and fact that every penny raised from net profits of the dinner are awarded annual to non-profits, many of the Fede’s suppliers donate special and valuable prizes each year for the raffle.
“We love this day,” Frank Fede said while presenting another prize to a man who has attended the bash for years but never won a prize before. “Today is again special; just look around at all these happy people who turned out to support our group and honor the legacy of our late friend, Ricky Salzillo.”
