Almonte’s local roots highlighted at meet and greet

Daniel Sidney “Danny” Brown is known for his wonderful work as vice president of the Johnston Historical Society.

Townspeople also know the long-time Graniteville resident is a window and blinds salesman for Landmark Inc. in Boston, that he holds a part-time position at Robbins Funeral Home in North Providence and that he’s well-versed in history when it comes to many parts of Rhode Island.

They also know Brown is not a political activist.

But that changed – briefly – last Thursday evening when Brown and his wife Nancy hosted a gathering for Ernie Almonte who’s running for the office of general treasurer as an independent against Democrat Seth Magaziner in the Nov. 4 election.

Nearly two dozen people showed up at Brown’s spiffy Victorian home – which was built in 1917 – at 94 Putnam Pike to meet and greet Almonte and his wife Kathy, who had to hustle back to Johnston from a previous speaking engagement in South Kingstown.

But the night was much, much more than a political party.

“I’ve known Ernie and his wife Kathy for 30-plus years,” Brown said. “I wanted everybody in the neighborhood to know who Ernie is … He’s a hometown guy and graduate of Johnston High School. He’s been part of the town since his days with the fire department.”

Stu Pearson, Brown’s brother-in-law and a former Johnston fire chief, said Almonte’s “roots run deep here in town. What most people probably don’t known is that back when he was in school he was a volunteer with the fire department.”

Back in those days, Almonte was considered a “callman,” the kind of person who’d fill in at different stations and perform whatever was needed.

In fact, Pearson – who is now the Glocester’s fire chief – and retired Johnston firefighter Vin Crosby enjoyed reminiscing with Almonte about his days as a volunteer and in general about his undergrad years at Johnston High and growing up in town.