Citizen’s Police Academy

Beginning on April 4 and for 10 consecutive Tuesday nights at 6 p.m., the Cranston Police Department will conduct their Citizen’s Police Academy. This program is for citizens who want to know more about the police department and how it operates.

It will provide a hands-on learning experience about patrol tactics, detective investigations, BCI, Canine and more.

This program is free for any R.I. resident who are 18 years or older. For information, please contact officer Glenn Cipalone at 401-477-5153 or please email gcipalone@cranstonpoliceri.com. To submit a registration, visit www.cranstonpoliceri.com.

St. David’s preschool registration open

St. David’s Preschool has opened registration for the 2017-18 school year. St. David’s is holding several school “play tours” over the next few weekends, starting this Friday from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Any interested parents and their children can explore the school and its classrooms, as well as have the opportunity to sing a song or make some art.

The other tour dates for the program, which is for children ages 2 to 5, are Tuesday from 9 to 10:30 a.m. and Saturday, April 1, from 9 to 11 a.m.

If you are interested in registering, call 944-5377 or send your RSVP to stdavidspreschoolri@gmail.com.

 At the Senior Center

Come join in with the Annual St. Patrick’s Day Celebration Luncheon this Friday at 11:30 a.m. at the Cranston Senior Enrichment Center located at 1070 Cranston St. in Cranston. Suggested donation is $3.

Remember, everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day. Wear your green, come and enjoy the sounds of Mike DiNardo while enjoying an Irish feast provided by our “chefs extraordinaire.” Call for your reservation 401-780-6134.

The Annual St. Joseph’s Day Luncheon will be held on March 20 at 11:30 a.m. at the Cranston Senior Enrichment Center located at 1070 Cranston St. in Cranston. Suggested donation is $3. On St. Joseph’s Day, everyone is Italian.  Come, enjoy and celebrate with your friends. There will be Italian food and fun music with all your favorites. Reservations are necessary call 401-780-6134.

It’s Show Time on March 21 at 1 p.m. with “In the Heart of the Sea” showing at the Cranston Senior Enrichment Center located at 1070 Cranston St. in Cranston. This is an incredible true story about the sinking of the American whaling ship Essex in 1820, an event that inspired the book Moby Dick. 

Herbals & Complimentary Medicine will be discussed on March 22 at 10:00 a.m. as part of the URI Pharmacy Outreach Program. What are herbals and why should you be careful using them?  Review of some of the most popular herbals on the market.  This presentation will also cover the definition of complementary medicine.

Laughter Yoga will be held on April 2 at 1 p.m. Laughter Yoga???  If you have never heard of it, you are missing out.  It is one of the most stress-free hours you will spend.  Come and participate with Larry, a certified Yoga Laughter Instructor; it will make you feel like a new person.

Mark Your Calendar – Register early for a four-part wellness series which will introduce you to alternative treatments available to help manage stress, anxiety, strains and pains. This program will be held on the following Wednesdays at 1 p.m.: April 5th…. Benefits of Acupressure, April 12th...Techniques to Overcome Back Problems, April 19th…Exploring Functional Nutrition and April 26th…Prayer, Meditation, Mantras & Chanting. Call now to register for this very informative series 401-780-6000. 

Technology HELP by URI Engaging Generations will present Cyber Seniors every Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Do you have questions about how to use or best utilize your smart phone? Laptop? Tablet? Computers?  Email? Storing photos? Facebook? URI students are available to meet with you on a one-to-one basis to go over your concerns and answer your technology questions. You may drop by or call for an appointment by calling 401-780-6000.

Bank RI supports Books are Wings

As children across the country kick-off National Reading Month, Bank Rhode Island (BankRI) is continuing its local support of improving childhood literacy with the launch of its 7th annual Book Drive in partnership with Books Are Wings. 

Throughout the entire month of March, each of BankRI’s 20 branches across the state will host a collection to benefit Books Are Wings, offering members of the community a convenient way to help foster a love of reading among Rhode Island youth by making a donation of new or gently used children’s books.

BankRI began its book drive partnership with Books Are Wings, a Pawtucket-based nonprofit whose mission puts free books in the hands of children from some of the state’s neediest communities, in 2011. Over the effort’s first six years, Bank customers and staff have donated more than 12,000 books, including 2,300 in 2016. For 2017, BankRI has set a goal of collecting 2,500 books. 

BankRI’s 7th annual Book Drive will run through Friday, March 31. To find the BankRI branch closest to you, visit www.bankri.com/locations. To learn more about Books Are Wings, visit www.BooksAreWings.org.

Spring Concert Series Returns to William Hall Library

The Spring Concert Series returns to the William Hall Library in Cranston. The library welcomes musical groups Ten Strings, the Baker Brothers Band, and the Aristocats to their auditorium stage for three free concerts for the public. The performances will take place Saturdays, March 25 and April 15 from 2 to 3 p.m.

On March 25, the Baker Brothers Band performs a musical tribute to jazz great George Benson. This jazz trio consists of Mark Baker (guitarist and arranger), Dick “Papa” Souza (upright bass), and Paul Marcil (drums). The ensemble focuses on improvisation and tasteful interpretations of melodies from the 1940s-1980s.  For this series, they will be performing a tribute to jazz guitarist George Benson featuring his instrumental music from the 1960s to the 1974 crossover album Breezin’.

On April 15, the Aristocats rounds out the series with a combination of Dixieland and swing (a genre the band calls “Swixie”), performing pieces from the Great American Songbook. Currently, the Aristocats features 96-year-old Nat Piccirilli on guitar and banjo, Dennis Pratt on the upright bass and vocals, premier jazz drummer Joseph Holtzman, and Lloyd Kaplan on clarinet and saxophone.

The William Hall Library is located at 1825 Broad St., Cranston.

Free Yoga for breast cancer survivors

The Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Foundation and Yoga at Studio Exhale offers yoga for breast cancer survivors every Sunday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. 

Yoga at Studio Exhale, 1263 Oaklawn Ave., Cranston is the place to be to explore slow flow, gentle movement to create space in the body and eliminate stress. This class is designed to restore the nervous system and help release deeply held tensions from the body and mind. 

Visit GloriaGemma.org for more details.

St. Pat/St. Joe Celebration in Cranston

Kelley-Gazzerro VFW Hall, located at 1418 Plainfield St., Cranston will hold a St. Patrick/St. Joseph Celebration on March 18 at 7 p.m.

In addition to being served the following Italian favorites: Salad, Pasta, Veal & Peas, Sausage & Peppers Coffee and Zeppole you will also enjoy Boiled Dinner.

Entertainment by Vini Ames during the event and tickets are $25 per person. 

Reservations must be made by March 15. Tickets will not be sold at the door. For reservations, call 401-942-9500. Tickets can also be purchased at the Kelley-Gazzerro VFW Hall.

Community Health & Safety Fair

There will be a Community Health & Safety Fair, presented by the Family Center/Coz at George J. Peters School, 15 Mayberry St. on April 26 from 5 to 6:30 p.m.

Please come and join us with more than a dozen vendors and everyone that registers for ride your bike to school day will receive a raffle ticket to be entered to win a new bike

Please visit the Family Center table for more information.    

Troop 6 Cranston 26th Annual Macaroni Dinner/Fundraiser

Join in with Troop 6, Narragansett Council for their 26th Annual Macaroni Dinner/Fundraiser on March 19 from 3 to 6 p.m. The dinner will be held at the Church of the Annunciation, 175 Oaklawn Ave. in Cranston.

Enjoy an afternoon of family fun with great food and auction items from businesses around New England. Sit and relax as the Troop 6 Scouts serve you! Donation is $10 per person (children age 5 and under eat for free). For tickets contact: Paula Cardi at 401-942-4425 or Val Lisi at 401-261-7843 or Barbara Smith-White at 401-944-4047.

It’s Prom Time at CCAP

Prom Time is a program in which donated prom dresses, tuxedos and accessories are offered free of charge to teens in CCAP’s Youth Center Programs.

CCAP’s Operation Prom Dress has over 400 new or gently used dresses and a limited number of tuxedos (various sizes), along with accessories for Prom Time.

Dresses and tuxedos are available on a first-come, first-served basis and you must be registered in a CCAP Youth Center Program to participate.

A special thank you to the CCAP Operation Prom Dress partners: Alexandra’s Boutique, Carl Anthony Tuxedo, FAF-Fashion Accessories First and Paul Mitchel the school Rhode Island. For more information give us a call at 401-562-8325.

To submit your news from the community, e-mail Meri R. Kennedy at CranstonChatter@aol.com. Photos in jpg format are accepted and news can range from community events, promotions, academic news and non-profit events. E-mail 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 www.cranstononline.com.