Cranston Chatter

By MERI R. KENNEDY
Posted 9/18/19

By MERI R. KENNEDY City to mark Hispanic Heritage Month A celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month will be held Thursday, Oct. 3, at Cranston City Hall, located at 869 Park Ave. The City Council in August adopted a resolution joining the national

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City to mark Hispanic Heritage Month

A celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month will be held Thursday, Oct. 3, at Cranston City Hall, located at 869 Park Ave. The City Council in August adopted a resolution joining the national observance of Sept. 15-Oct. 15 Hispanic Heritage Month, and the event at City Hall will include an exhibition of work from Latino artists, a Latino-inspired poetry slam and performances from local folkloric groups. For more information, visit the event’s page on Facebook, titled “Join Us: City of Cranston Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month.”

Pickleball this fall

The Cranston Parks and Recreation Department will be offering Pickleball at the Pastore Youth Center, located at 155 Gansett Ave., starting this fall. Games will be played Mondays and Wednesdays, noon to 2 p.m., from Sept. 30 to March 23, and Saturdays, 8 -11 a.m., from Oct. 5 to Nov. 16. If there is demand, additional time on Sunday afternoon/evening can be added once this session ends.

The fee is $3 per person per day. The program is open to Cranston residents and nonresidents. Three courts will be available to accommodate people of all skill levels.

For more information, visit the Parks and Recreation page on the city’s website, cranstonri.com.

Caregiver Support Group

The Cranston Enrichment Center, located at 1070 Cranston St., will hold a Caregiver Support Group meeting on the fourth Wednesday of each month from 1:15-2:15 p.m., beginning Wednesday, Sept. 25. Learn productive strategies for dealing with conflicts or tensions and seek out other caregivers. For more information, call 780-6253. ‘Crane Flight’ to be unveiled On Sunday, Sept. 22, the Cranston Historical Commission and the city of Cranston will be holding a celebration of the mural “Crane Flight” created by Amy Bartlett Wright. The mural is located on the outside wall of Crosstown Press at 829 Park Ave. The celebration will be held at 11:30 a.m., with opening remarks from Mayor Allan Fung at approximately 11:40 a.m. after he brings greetings at the Fall Out Of Summer Arts Festival on Rolfe Square. Bulky waste pickup During the month of September, the city’s Department of Public Works offers residents an opportunity to have bulky waste items picked up free of charge, with certain restrictions.

Residents must call Waste Management at 800-972-4545 to schedule a free bulky waste pickup. Pickups are limited to one scheduled trip with up to three items per residential unit. Bulky waste does not include mattresses, construction debris, TVs or electronic goods, white goods or any household trash/garbage bags that would fit into a city-provided 65-gallon trash cart or overflow bags.

For more information, visit the city’s website, cranstonri.com. Caregiver volunteers needed Volunteers are being sought to provide respite services for homebound seniors. Services include providing companionship, running errands and providing transportation to medical appointments.

If you are interested in becoming an RSVP caregiver volunteer, contact Karen at 780-6159 for an interview. Volunteers must be 55 years of age or older and a BCI check is required. A mileage reimbursement is provided to cover the cost to travel. New theater program

The Cranston Parks and Recreation Department, in partnership with Living Arts Theater, will be offering an eight-week acting class for students in grades two through 10 at all experience levels. Through these process-based classes, students will learn acting techniques and build scene study and improv skills, as well as building ensemble-based collaboration skills.

The classes will be taught by the Living Art Summer Theater teaching artists and will culminate with an acting showcase for friends and families in Pastore Youth Center’s acting classroom.

The fall session will run on Saturdays at the Pastore Youth Center from Oct. 19 through Dec. 14. There will be no class on Nov. 30. Sessions run from 9 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. for grades two through five and from 10:30 a.m. to noon for grades six through 10.

The cost of the class is $110. There is a strict limit of 10 participants for each class. Once a class is filled, we will accept people on a wait list.

To register, please return the form on Parks and Recreation Department’s page on the city’s website, cranstonri.com, along with a check made payable to “City of Cranston” to the Parks and Recreation Department. Youth basketball program Registration is open for the Saturday Morning Basketball Program, which runs Saturday mornings from Nov. 23 through March 14.

This is an instructional program designed to teach the fundamentals of basketball. It is not a league and no teams will be formed.

The program will be held at the following times and locations:

Pastore Youth Center: grades one and two, 9-10 a.m.; kindergarten through grade one, 10:30-11:45 a.m.

Western Hills Middle School: grades three through five, 9-10:30 a.m.; grades six through eight, 10:30 a.m. to noon.

Park View Middle School: grades three through five, 8-9:30 a.m.; grade six, 9:30-11 a.m.

The registration fee is $25 per child. Registration forms are available for download on the Parks and Recreation Department’s page on the city’s website, cranstonri.com. Forms may be returned to the department’s office at the Pastore Youth Center. Culinary training class The Community Kitchen based at the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, 200 Niantic Ave., Providence, is now accepting applications for its next 14-week culinary training class that begins at the end of September 2019. The course runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

This job-training program is intended for low-income, unemployed and underemployed adults. Learn kitchen, cooking, and safety skills (including ServSafe training) from experienced chef instructors. Practice your new skills at an internship in the local community. Get assistance with resumes, interviewing and your job search.

For more information and to apply, visit rifoodbank.org. Free Jazz Concerts in Garden City

Celebrate the weekend with Garden City Center’s Free Jazz Concerts on Friday nights. Enjoy dinner at Bistro 22 or Applebee’s Grill & Bar, bring chairs and listen to the smooth sounds of jazz. 

All concerts are held 6 to 8 p.m. in the courtyard. The schedule includes the Cranston Jazz Quartet on Sept. 20 and Classic Five Quintet on Sept. 27. There are no rain dates.

For more information, visit gardencitycenter.com. Wine & Dine Extravaganza for MS Dream Center

The MS Dream Center of Rhode Island and Accessible Rhode Island will host a Wine & Dine Extravaganza on Saturday, Sept. 21, at the Crowne Plaza in Warwick. Proceeds from the event will benefit the MS Dream Center, which is dedicated to supporting individuals with multiple sclerosis and other disabilities.

The event, sponsored by Bob Gasbarro’s Oaklawn Liquors, will include a wine and beer tasting along with a variety of food from some of Rhode Island’s best known restaurants. The event will also include entertainment from the Ambrosiani Italian-American Band, raffles, a live auction, a 50/50 raffle and a mystery wine and dine pairing.

Tickets cost $60 each or 10 for $500 and can be purchased at msdreamcenter.org. To learn more, visit access-ri.org or msdreamcenter.org. Call out for girls and boys for Cub Scouts

There will be an open house on Monday, Sept. 23 for boys and girls interested in learning more about becoming a Cub Scout. Openings are available for students in kindergarten through grade five. The open house will begin at 6:30 p.m. at St. David’s on-the-Hill Church, located at 200 Meshanticut Valley Parkway, Cranston. Library plans to register voters On Tuesday, Sept. 24, Americans will celebrate National Voter Registration Day with a massive 50-state effort to register voters before Election Day this November.

With local elections happening in a few weeks, every eligible American voter should exercise his or her right to be heard at the ballot box this year and next. National Voter Registration Day is the right place to start by getting registered.

That is why communities across the country are planning to use National Voter Registration Day to increase voter participation.

Thousands of national, state, and local organizations and volunteers will be the driving force behind National Voter Registration Day 2019. Partner organizations will coordinate hundreds of National Voter Registration Day events nationwide and leverage #NationalVoterRegistrationDay on all social media platforms to drive attention to voter registration and the November elections.

Cranston Public Library is proud to be a National Voter Registration Day partner. On Sept. 24, Cranston Public Library will engage its constituency and community and register voters at the Central Library, James T. Giles Community room, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.

The effort’s website, NationalVoterRegistrationDay.org, provides a listing of National Voter Registration Day events across the country.

Founded in 2012, National Voter Registration Day is designed to create an annual moment when the entire nation focuses on registering Americans to exercise their most basic right – the right to vote. More than two million Americans have registered to vote on this day since the inaugural National Voter Registration Day. Taste of Pawtuxet Village The ninth annual Taste of Pawtuxet Village event will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 24, from 5:30-8 p.m. at the Imperial Room at Rhodes Place, One Rhodes Place, Cranston.

Organized by the Friends of Pawtuxet Village, the event will include samples of foods and drinks from local eateries in Pawtuxet Village, along with music by Czésare Santana.

Tickets cost $25 per person in advance and $30 at the door. There will be a cash bar and door prizes donated by local merchants.

For more information, visit friendsofpawtuxetvillage.org or contact Marta V. Martinez at info30-7:30 p.m. The program will be held in the James T. Giles Community Room at the Central library, located at 140 Sockanosset Cross Road.

In “The Civil Rights Kid,” Rickman recounts his early activism in the civil rights movement. As a young student, Rickman fought to integrate the Detroit public schools, leading citywide walk-outs and bringing a federal lawsuit. As a teen, against his mother's better instincts, he participated in the March Against Fear in Mississippi with civil rights giant James Meredith and was jailed and beaten nearly to death for “trespassing.” This exciting one-man presentation, filled with surprising humor and insight, provides a look at an America that may not be so far in the past as we think.

This event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit cranstonlibrary.org. Zumbathon to celebrate the life of Mariella Major

The Cranston YMCA, located at 1225 Park Ave., will hold a Zumbathon charity event to celebrate the life of Mariella Major on Friday, Sept. 27, from 6-8 p.m.

Mariella was a beloved Zumba instructor at the Cranston YMCA. She fought a long, hard battle with cancer and sadly passed away at a young age. The YMCA was a huge part of her life, and she spent countless hours there making memories with the members.

All proceeds from Zumbathon event will support special projects at the Cranston YMCA that were near and dear to Major’s heart. This year’s project will focus on renovations the Kids Care/Babysitting Room.

To purchase tickets, visit the Cranston YMCA Welcome Center, call the branch at 943-0444 or go to YZumba.org. Defenders of Animals yard sale Defenders of Animals will hold its annual Community Yard Sale at the Edgewood Congregational Church, located at 1788 Broad St. in Cranston, on Saturday, Sept. 28, from 8 a.m. to noon. Bowl For Kids’ Sake

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Rhode Island will host the fourth annual Bowl For Kids’ Sake event on Saturday, Sept. 28, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Lang’s Bowlarama, 225 Niantic Ave., Cranston. Participants are encouraged to register teams of five to participate in a private bowling party and raise donations from family, friends and colleagues leading up to the event with a fundraising goal of $100.

The fundraiser is being presented in part by MetLife Auto & Home, Savers and the Wireless Zone Foundation for Giving. Cindy and Anthony Capobianco are mentors and longtime supporters of BBBSRI, recognized in 2018 as Big Couple of the Year.

To participate in Bowl For Kids’ Sake, or to learn more about BBBSRI and the role that mentoring plays in the community, visit bigsri.org, email mentoring@bigsri.org or call 921-2434, ext. 101. 11th Holly Charette Motorcycle Run The 11th annual Holly Charette Motorcycle Run will be held on Sunday, Sept. 29.

The ride will begin at the post office on Rolfe Square in Cranston and travel along scenic roads to the Rhode Island Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Exeter to honor Charette. The ride will then continue to Narragansett Town Beach before returning to the Crowne Plaza in Warwick for a dinner, raffles and the presentations of this year’s college scholarship recipients.

Charette, who joined the U.S. Marine Corps after Sept. 11, 2001, was 21 when her convoy was struck by a suicide bomber in Iraq in 2005. She was the first female Marine to lose her life during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

All proceeds from the event will benefit the Lance Cpl. Holly Charette Scholarship fund. This nonprofit organization was started in 2006 to remember and honor Charette. Each year, a student from Cranston High School East and Coventry High School receives a college scholarship in Charette’s name.

Registration begins at 8 a.m. and kickstands go up at 10 a.m. Tickets cost $30 a person and includes the ride, a T-shirt and dinner.

To purchase tickets, contact Ray Charette at 347-9619, Regina Roberts at 615-9265 or Ed Roberts at 623-1164. Cranston East class of 1974 reunion

Cranston High School East’s class of 1974 will hold its 45th reunion on Friday, Oct. 4, at the Alpine Country Club, 251 Pippin Orchard Road, Cranston, beginning at 6 p.m. The cost is $65 per person, which includes a dinner buffet. Checks should be payable to Denise Beauvais, 301 Oaklawn Ave., #205, Cranston, RI 02920. For more information, contact Sherry Caliri Ferdinandi at sherryferdinandicpa30-7:30 p.m. in the James T. Giles Community Room at the Central Library, located at 140 Sockanosset Cross Road. This program will be presented by Jan Hilfer, a financial advisor at Edward Jones Investments.

Through the program, attendees will learn about the differences between fixed and variable annuities, how annuities guarantee an income stream, the concept of annuitization, payout types, sub-accounts in variable annuities, and the liquidity of annuities.

The program is free and open to the public. To learn more, visit cranstonlibrary.org. Cookbook Club at the library The Cranston Public Library is excited to announce its new book club. Cookbook Club is a new book club for adults with a tasty twist. In this club, participants will read a different cookbook each month and come together to share the tasty recipes that lie inside their pages.

For October, the club will be sampling recipes from “Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking” by Marcella Hazan. The October meeting will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 9, from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Central Library, located at 140 Sockanosset Cross Road.

For more information or to sign up, contact Corrie at 943-9080, ext. 129, or calves@cranstonlibrary.org. Pilgrim High School class of 2009 reunion The class of 2009 from Pilgrim High School in Warwick will celebrate its 10-year reunion on Saturday, Oct. 12, from 6-10 p.m. at Chelo’s Waterfront Bar & Grille, 1 Masthead Drive, Warwick.

Tickets cost $25 per person and must be purchased before Oct. 6 to guarantee entrance. Attendees are welcomed to bring a guest with the purchase of a separate ticket.

Tickets can be purchased at eventbrite.com. For more information, visit the class Facebook page or contact Jennifer Rawson (Kennedy) at jrkennedy81930 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Cranston Public Library’s Central Library, located at 140 Sockanosset Cross Road.

Attendees will have the opportunity to receive a free, private consultations with highly qualified professionals. In addition to one-on-one consultations, there will be workshops on a variety of financial topics throughout the day.

One-on-one consultations and workshops are free and attendees will be seen on a first come, first served basis. No registration is required.

For more information, visit cranstonlibrary.org. St. Xavier class of 1969 reunion St. Xavier Academy’s class of 1969 will celebrate its 50th reunion on Sunday, Oct. 20. Classes who graduated in years ending in 9 and 4 will be honored as well. A Mass will be held at 11 a.m. at St. Timothy Church in Warwick followed by lunch at Quidnessett Country Club in North Kingstown. All graduates are invited to attend. For additional information, call Margaret Mathias at 232-9006. Cranston High School class of 1960 reunion Cranston High School’s class of 1960 plans to hold its 60th reunion on Sept. 12, 2020, at the Cranston Country Club. The cost will be $50 per person. For more information, contact Joan Farmanian Fratterelli at 349-3922. St. David’s hall rentals St. David’s on-the-Hill Episcopal Church, located at 200 Meshanticut Valley Parkway in Cranston, offers affordable rates to rent its upper and lower halls for events of all kinds. For more information, visit stdavidsonthehill.net/hall-rental or contact the church office Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at 942-4368. Family health services at CCAP Tired of ineffective yet expensive medical care? Check out Family Health Services at the Comprehensive Community Action Program. CCAP offers affordable, 24/7, professional family health and dentistry services. The experienced staff includes physicians, nurse practitioners and other health care professionals who are caring, compassionate and highly skilled. New patients are welcome. For more information, call 384-6007. Did you know? Have a birthday this month? September’s gemstone is the Sapphire and the flower is the Morning Glory. More people are born in September than any other month.

To submit your news from the community, email Meri R. Kennedy at CranstonChatter@aol.com. Photos in jpg format are accepted and news can include community events, promotions, academic news and nonprofit events. Email today and see your news in our column in the Cranston Herald. Please include a daytime telephone number in case we require any further information. Be sure to check out our website at cranstononline.com.

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