City Hall Menorah lighting

In celebration of Hanukkah, the city will host its annual menorah lighting ceremony on Monday, Dec. 23, at 5 p.m. at City Hall, 869 Park Ave. All are welcome. For more information, visit cranstonri.com.

Village Menorah to be lit in Pawtuxet

The Friends of Pawtuxet Village will host the annual lighting of the Village Menorah on Saturday, Dec. 28, at the Pawtuxet Park Gazebo. Members of the community will gather at 6:45 p.m., following by the lighting at 7 p.m. After the lighting, participants will enjoy hot latkes, gelt, dreidel games and Hanukkah songs led by Rabbi Yossi Laufer. The event will be held rain or snow. For more information, visit friendsofpawtuxetvillage.org.

Historical Society selling special holiday ornaments

The Cranston Historical Society is starting a new holiday tradition. Each year, it will be creating and selling a Christmas tree ornament celebrating a remarkable aspect of Cranston.

This year’s ornaments depict Sprague Mansion. Proceeds from the sale of the ornaments will support the society’s programs and preservation efforts.

To purchase a limited-edition ornament, visit cranstonhistoricalsociety.org or call the society at 944-9226.

In addition, the society’s gift shop at the Sprague Mansion, located at 1351 Cranston St., has a number of items for sale, including history books, toys, china, candles, soaps, note cards and more.

The shop is open Thursdays and Saturdays from noon to 3 p.m. and will be open during the same hours on Monday, Dec. 23.

Theater program

This winter, the Cranston Parks and Recreation Department will be offering a 10-week theater program for students in grades 2-10 at all experience levels. Rehearsals will be held on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon in the Pastore Youth Center’s acting studio. Rehearsals begin Jan. 4 and run through March 15.

Rehearsals will be led by the Living Art Summer Theater teaching artists and will culminate with a performance of the musical “Cinderella” in the Hugh B. Bain Middle School Auditorium on Saturday, March 15, at 11 a.m.

The fee for this program is $115. There is a limit of 30 participants. For more information, visit the Parks and Recreation page on the city’s website, cranstonri.com, or follow the department’s page on Facebook.

New Hope Art Gallery

The New Hope Art Gallery’s Holiday/Winter Show remains open at the Cranston Enrichment Center, located at 1070 Cranston St. The show features hundreds of pieces of artwork from a range of artists and provides a great opportunity for holiday shopping. To learn more, visit the gallery’s Facebook page.

Traffic pattern change at Hall Library

Through the month of December, there will be a new traffic pattern at the William Hall Library as the library’s trustees embark on a major landscaping master plan.

The main entrance to the parking lot will be closed as new and improved drainage for the building is installed. The exit to the library parking lot will be a two-way entrance/exit while the drainage is installed.

The library asks for patrons’ patience while this important work is completed to improve parking and drainage and plant new trees and gardens on the grounds of the library.

The William Hall Library is located at 1825 Broad St. Visit cranstonlibrary.org for updates.

Christmas meals for seniors

The Cranston Department of Senior Services is seeking community volunteers to deliver Christmas meals to local seniors. Last year, more than 250 seniors received meals through the effort.

Meal deliveries will take place on Monday, Dec. 23, starting at 10 a.m. They will be distributed from the dining room of the Cranston Enrichment Center at 1070 Cranston St.

For more information or to volunteer, contact Karen Porto at 780-6159 or kporto@cranstonri.org. Volunteers are asked to provide their name, address and phone number in a voicemail or email.

Pickleball schedule change

The Cranston Parks and Recreation Department is offering Pickleball at the Pastore Youth Center, located at 155 Gansett Ave. It will be held on Sundays from 4:30-7:30 p.m. through March 21. Monday and Wednesday times of noon to 2:15 p.m. will remain unchanged through the winter.

The fee is $3 per person per day. The program is open to Cranston residents and nonresidents. For more information, visit the Parks and Recreation page on the city’s website, cranstonri.com.

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.

Toys and Tunes

Drop by Oak Lawn Branch Library, 230 Wilbur Ave., on Friday mornings from 10-11:30 a.m. this fall for Toys and Tunes, a play time program with music and stories. The program is open to ages 0-5 with a parent/caregiver. Registration is not required. For more information, visit cranstonlibrary.org.

Cookbook Club at the library

The Cranston Public Library’s 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 more information or to sign up, contact Corrie at 943-9080, ext. 129, or calves@cranstonlibrary.org.

Delivery of library books

The Cranston Public Library will deliver any item that has a three-week loan period. Patrons never pay a late fee or fine because the library picks up all the materials within that three-week time frame.

Volunteers deliver books in regular or large print, as well as audiobooks, magazines, music CDs and documentary DVDs, to any homebound Cranston resident living in their own home. Due to concerns about chain of custody, the library is unable to deliver to nursing homes or assisted living facilities. To register or to become a volunteer driver, contact Karen McGrath at 781-6116 or karenmcgrath@cranstonlibrary.org.

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.

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?

In 1836, Alabama was the first U.S. state to set Christmas as a legal holiday, and in 1907 Oklahoma was the last.

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.