Fireside Inn Buys An Edmond Town Hall Seat

By KAAREN VALENTA

Published: Nov 18, 2005 12:00 am

The Fireside Inn has joined the list of businesses, organizations, and individuals who have purchased a seat in the Newtown Lions Club Edmond Town Hall Theatre seats program.

The Fireside Inn has been owned and operated by Don Pullieri and Josie Ricciardi and her son, Jim Ricciardi, for 19 years

Specializing in community activities, the Fireside Inn currently hosts the monthly meetings of the Lions Club, the Rotary Club, and the Working Womenâs Forum, formerly known as Newtown Business & Professional Women. Recently the Chamber of Commerce held its largest event, Destination Newtown, in the Fireside Inn ballroom. The Fireside also has sponsored evenings of line dancing and dinner theater as well as hosted numerous wedding receptions and corporate functions.

The event that Josie Riccardi has enjoyed the most is the Wednesday night ballroom dancing.

âI think we provide a good service to people by offering this opportunity,â she said. âMany people come alone, not knowing anyone. Pretty soon they make good friends and then they keep coming back week after week. Before the regular dancing begins, we have lessons and we have a fine DJ who provides very danceable music. We even have fostered some romances!â

The Newtown Lions Club, which adopted the replacement of the seats in the town hall theater as its major tercentennial project, expressed its appreciation to the Fireside Inn for paying for the 305th seat.

âThere are just 106 seats to go,â said Lion Gordon Williams, project coordinator.

The cost of each seat is $300, which includes removal of the old seat, replacement of the floor, installation of the new seat, and an inscribed plaque on the back of the seat.

A large plaque in the town hall will honor those who donate $5,000; who purchase a row of 14 seats, and those who purchase half a row. Although the Lions Club plans on selling every seat, they welcome all donations, large and small.

For more information, contact Mr Williams at 426-6443. Checks should be made out to Edmond Town Hall Board of Managers, with a seats notation on the memo line. They should be sent to the Newtown Lions Club, Attention: Gordon Williams, PO Box 218, Newtown 06470.

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My darling, You were the best GRANDmother a child could ask for. You created so many great memories & traditions that I have passed down to your Great grandchildren. You brought joy into every room you stepped into. Your laughter, singing, whistling and the signature Rockettes high kicks, is something I will always hold in my heart. There was something about walking into your home and being greeted by your beautiful face. *kiss on each check* followed by HELLOOOOOO Darling! The classical music playing softly in the background and your love and comfort made your home, a safe space. Somewhere, where love knew no boundaries. It was so much more than a home. I aim for the same in my home, and play the classic music 24/7, but it will never be the same. I pray I can be 1/4 of GRAND, you put in GRANDmother. You were so resilient. You found the positive in every situation. I look up to you so much. I remember begging Mom and Dad for years to change my name to “Carmen”. They didn’t officially change my name, but eventually started calling me “Carmenita” as I am a little you. THE HONOR. You were there for me, no matter the day or hour. You were always the one who would talk me through whatever hard situation I was going through. When my baby passed away, I refused to talk to anyone for 3 weeks. Except for you. You said to me “Better days are coming, babes. There’s always a rainbow after the storm”. Of course, you were right, because you are GRAND. I picture you in heaven dancing and laughing with him. Uncle Jay playing the money game with him. To know you are with your children again & with mine does bring me some joy. Twas the night before Christmas & New Year’s Eve, will never be the same. Another tradition you created. A memory that will last forever. Not just with me, but for generations to come. It may not be the same, but we won’t let it die. It will live on, in your name. To be your first GRANDchild was a blessing. I could write an entire book about you & all the amazing things about you. Even though we were robbed of time together & it makes me angry, I know I will see you again. This isn’t a goodbye, but a “see you later”. Just like we ended every phone call. Ciao, darling. I love you. MWAH MWAH! Love your GRANDchild, Kimberly aka Carmenita

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To add context that did not occur at the meeting would not be an accurate representation of the meeting and would, in fact, be editorializing to shape public opinion. The editorial staff here do not consider ourselves to be final arbiters of what the truth is (and if we did, it would make us partisan and biased), and we would need to provide a source for any dissenting information (sourcing all information in an article is literally Journalism 101). There were no such sources present at the meeting in question, and so it would not be appropriate to include such information in an article about the meeting. Dissenting voices appear in meeting stories when there were active participants with dissenting opinions, such as during public participation or the words of a council member who disagreed. It should be noted that the Interfaith Council, like many local boards and commissions, conduct meetings that are open to the public. This was not an article on the actions of the Greater Danbury Area Unites for Immigrants, or on immigrants, or on ICE's actions in the community, where including other voices or perspectives would be appropriate. We appreciate your opinion, but we stand by our meeting coverage and consider this discussion closed.

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Fireside Inn Buys An Edmond Town Hall Seat

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