2019 RIFDA Annual Meeting & Holiday Gala
The 2019 Rhode Island Food Dealers Association Annual Meeting & Holiday Gala was held this year at the Newport Marriott in Newport, Rhode Island on November 23, 2019. The evening was very well received and very well attended. This event brings RIFDA members together in a festive holiday environment. The location was wonderful, the food was great, and the grand raffle and door prizes continue to get bigger and better each year. The music by Bob Tomassone was also very entertaining throughout the cocktail reception and the dinner. The event was a true success thanks to the Rhode Island Food Dealers Association’s members. Their support throughout the year is what makes these events happen.
The evening was inspired by a rustic fall theme. The evening was energetic and the ambiance was full of cheer and smiles. Fun and joy filled the cool November air.
The evening’s schedule started with a cocktail hour and entertainment at 5:30 PM, followed by the Annual Meeting at 7:00 PM. Steve Arthurs, President of RIFDA, gave an overview of the RIFDA’s activities and goals. At the end of the Annual Meeting, scholarship awards were distributed to the winning applicants. This year, RIFDA awarded four $1,000 scholarships to: Constantine Coclin (Coclin Associates), Amanda Lemos (Dave’s Marketplace), Cristofer Santilli (Dave’s Marketplace) and Joseph Sirr (Stop & Shop).
This excitement was followed by the installation of the appointed Officers and Board of Directors. A surf and turf dinner was served at 7:30 PM. The Newport Marriott did an exceptional job with dinner. The room was full and the guests enjoyed a delectable dinner in an ambient setting.
Coming up next was the centerpiece drawing, door prize raffle, and then the grand prize raffle. The Grand Prize Raffle consisted of 5 packages full of marvelous prizes: a Weekend in Newport, a Weekend in Cape Cod, a Family Package, a Sports Package and a Golf Package…each package was valued around $1,000. There were 30 Door Prizes…and almost everyone won something! Many attendees turned the special occasion into a weekend getaway with hotel accommodations at a group rate.
