U-Club is hot spot for meetings,
fine dining, cultural programs
KINGSTON, R.I. — November 26, 2002 — Whether hosting an anniversary party, a holiday buffet, or serving as a comfortable, functional site for private meetings, the University Club on URI’s Kingston Campus provides members and guests with a warm and bright gathering place.
The club consists of a members’ lounge, a new President’s Room complete with a gas fireplace, a kitchen, lobby, manager’s office and three more dining/meeting rooms.
The U-Club’s role is to serve current URI faculty and staff (both active and retired), alumni, graduate students, parents of currently enrolled URI students, and friends of URI. The club has about 800 members and continues to accept new applicants. For more information call the club at 874-2911 and speak to Mark Verdon, manager, or Mary Gray, executive director.
An additional membership feature includes entrée into the Brown Faculty Club and any other clubs that are members of the Association of College and University Clubs in the United States and other countries.
The club provides daily lunches, Friday night dinners, Sunday breakfast buffets and meeting facilities for groups of 10 to 150 people. Other membership benefits include invitations to special event dinners, along with holiday buffets and brunches and URI Theatre parties. Dues are $75 a year for a family and $100 a year for businesses and organizations.
“It’s a social and intellectual center and one of the few venues on campus capable of holding multiple functions for a wide variety of groups,” Gray said.
The club, which opened in 1969, ran into some operating struggles in 1999, but with a major renovation, and upgrade of its dining and banquet services the club is enjoying a dramatic increase in membership and bookings for functions and events. Funds were raised for the redecoration, which has transformed the appearance from worn out to bright and welcoming. In addition, the club hired husband and wife Rob deBont and Cheryl Lima, former owners and managers of the Red Rooster Tavern, as co-executive chefs of the U-Club. A legislative grant has provided the facility with state-of-the art audiovisual technology.
The U-Club now hosts a variety of events, including a breakfast series about issues affecting higher education and URI in general.
On Thursday, Dec. 5 at 6:30 p.m., the U-Club will present a cooking demonstration with chef raconteur and author Normand J. Leclair. Cocktails will be served at 4 p.m. Dinner and complimentary wine will also follow the demonstration. The cost is $35 and reservations must be made by Dec. 2.
A holiday brunch is also scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The cost is $15 plus tip and tax. Children 12 and under are half price and there is no charge for children 6 years old and under.