Historical Society schedule changes

The planned March 24 Cranston Historical Society meeting with speaker Nina Dillon has been canceled. The next membership meeting is scheduled for May 19 at 7 p.m. and is open to the public.

Additionally, the spring cleanup and beautification event at Sprague Mansion, originally scheduled for March 28, has been delayed until Saturday, April 4, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

For more information, call 944-9226.

Easter Egg Hunt

The city of Cranston and Cranston Parks & Recreation Department will be hosting an Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 4, at the Cranston Stadium. It will begin at 10 a.m. and conclude by 11:30 a.m. and is meant for Cranston children in grade two and younger.

Toddlers who need assistance will be allowed on the field first. The Easter Bunny plans to visit and photo opportunities will be available. There will also be several Easter baskets to be won.

A rain date has been set for the following day, April 5. For more information, visit the city’s website, cranstonri.com, or follow the Parks & Recreation Department on Facebook.

Earth Day cleanup

For the second consecutive year, Ward 3 City Councilman John Donegan will host an Earth Day bike path cleanup on Saturday, April 19, starting at 10 a.m. Participants will meet in the parking lot on Trainor Street, next to the Bain Middle School track. The goal is to clean up any trash around the park and along the bike path between Gansett and Dyer avenues. Please bring gloves and a friend! For more information, contact Donegan at JohnDoneganForCranston@gmail.com.

New Hope Art Gallery opening on hold

The New Hope Art Gallery located at the Cranston Enrichment Center has postponed its Spring Show opening scheduled for Tuesday, April 7, and its open call for art scheduled for Monday, March 16, and Tuesday, March 17. New dates will be announced as they become available.

Statewide Business After Hours rescheduled

The Statewide Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours event originally scheduled for March 26 has been postponed until Tuesday, May 19, at Rhodes on the Pawtuxet. The event will run from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Those who have purchased a ticket or display table for this event will be contacted regarding the new date and arrangements. Chamber members and non-members are invited to attend.

For more information, contact your local Chamber of Commerce.

Bulky waste pickup in March

During the month of March, 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.

Front entrance temporarily closed at Hall Library

The front entrance to the William Hall Library, located at 1825 Broad St. in Cranston, closed March 9 due to construction. The closure is anticipated to last two to three weeks as the work continues. Patrons may enter the building through the rear entrance by the parking lot. Visit cranstonlibrary.org for updates.

Cranston Rotary scholarships

Once again, the Cranston Rotary Club will award four scholarships to one graduating senior from each of the four Cranston high schools.

Students are invited to apply to their scholarship before April 10. Awards will be made at Rotary dinner meeting on June 10 at the Edgewood Yacht Club. The award amount varies each year based on the success of the club’s fundraising efforts. Each award will be at least $1,000.

All applications will be reviewed by a committee of Rotarians. Students can download an application for the scholarships at rotaryclubofcranston.org.

Citizens Police Academy

Cranston residents interested in law enforcement and public safety are encouraged to apply for the city’s Citizens Police Academy, a 10-week program that will begin in April. Registration will be open until March 31.

The free program will meet on Tuesday nights at 6 p.m., starting April 7. All applicants must be at least 18 years old.

The hands-on curriculum will include classroom presentations and demonstrations of “real-life” police scenarios. Through the program, the department hopes to offer a better understanding of the world of law enforcement to the general public.

Topics covered will include patrol functions, detectives, BCI, guns and weapons, K-9 officers and more.

Applications can be submitted on the Cranston Police Department’s website, cranstonpoliceri.com. For more information, contact Officer Glenn Cipalone at gcipalone@cranstonpoliceri.com or call 477-5153.

‘Chester Loves Mabel’ at Historical Society

The Cranston Historical Society, located at the Governor Sprague Mansion Museum on Cranston Street, will be hosting “Chester Loves Mabel” on Tuesday, March 24, at 7 p.m.

Nina Dillion will present “Chester Loves Mabel” from her current blog following the life and love of two Cranstonians based on their letters starting in 1907.

Both of these Cranstonians lived on Gladstone Street. Mabel, a music teacher, boarded at 116 Gladstone St., and Chester lived with his parents and brothers at 79 Gladstone St. A romance developed between them.

In the summer of 1907, Mabel went on a vacation with her parents to Alton, New Hampshire, leaving behind a heartsick Chester. He wrote her a series of impassioned letters that Nina later found. What makes the blog interesting is that Nina has added photos of the places and things that Chester mentions in his letters, providing added insight into life in 1907.

The meeting is open to the public, and light refreshments will be served. For more information, contact 944-9226 or visit cranstonhistoricalsociety.org.

Sprague Mansion spring cleaning

The Cranston Historical Society welcomes volunteers to join in for its annual Spring Clean Up & Grounds Beautification, to be held on both March 28 and April 4 on the grounds of Governor Sprague Mansion, 1351 Cranston St., Cranston. Clean ups will be held 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day.

Youth Art Contest at zoo

Roger William Park Zoo’s third annual Youth Art Contest on Endangered Species is underway. The zoo is currently closed; however, the contest continues.

In celebration of Endangered Species Day on May 15, the zoo is accepting art entries from local K-12 students and homeschoolers in the New England area depicting threatened/endangered species. Endangered Species Day is an opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of protecting endangered species and their habitats, and what can be done to help protect them.

All entries are to be submitted electronically. Students’ artwork must be original. Computer-generated and traced images will not be judged.

All artwork must depict threatened/endangered species. Each art entry must also include a short explanation as to why saving the chosen species/subject from extinction is important.

Entries must be received by April 19. Late entries will not be judged.

All artwork becomes the property of Roger Williams Park Zoo. Submission of the artwork grants the zoo a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to publish a student’s/child’s artwork in its editorial, educational, and promotional print and digital materials, and on social media. All published artwork will be credited “Artist’s Name.”

For additional information, visit rwpzoo.org.

Surveys for Health Equity Zone

The Cranston Health Equity Zone community surveys are now live. There is an adult survey (available in English, Spanish, and Khmer) and a teen survey. The survey will ultimately be used to inform initiatives to improve health in Cranston. Everyone who takes the survey will be entered in to win one of five raffle prizes. Results will be reported back to the community in the spring.

The adult survey can be found at surveymonkey.com/r/9SYXM3W, while the teen survey is available at surveymonkey.com/r/35SB2SX.

For additional information, contact karrington@comcap.org or 714-7004.

Diversity Commission survey

The city’s Diversity Commission has been meeting for several months to ensure that the city is effectively reaching out to its citizens regarding employment opportunities for all. It is currently asking for input from residents and participation in a three-minute community assessment survey regarding the city’s employment strategies. The survey is available in multiple languages and can be found at bit.ly/2RiYOZc.

Osteoporosis prevention program

An osteoporosis prevention exercise program based on the guidance of Dr. Miriam E. Nelson and Strong Living Program of Tufts University will be held every Monday and Thursday from 10-11 a.m. at Edgewood Congregational Church, located at 1788 Broad St.

To attend the classroom in the church, participants must be in good health to climb the stairs. Participants should bring hand and/or ankle weights specifically appropriate for their own ability, as well as water and comfortable clothes.

A donation of $5 is requested. These one-hour classes include a combination of weight bearing, balance and stretching exercises. They also include standing and sitting exercises, using hand weights and ankle weights for resistance training.

Most exercises will be seated (think “chair yoga”) with some gentle aerobic exercises.

For more information, contact the instructor, Alisson Walsh, at 451-2172 or alissonbw@gmail.com.

50th reunion for Cranston East

Cranston High School East class of 1970 will hold its 50th reunion on Aug. 8 at the Cranston Country Club. Cocktail hour starts at 6 p.m. followed by a buffet dinner and music by Tommy Tunes. The Reunion Committee is seeking help in locating classmates. Please send information to Jim Brailsford at jimbo521@cox.net or Barbara Russo at twinn52@yahoo.com.

Call for poetry

Cranston-based nonprofit Notable Works has announced a call for poetry submissions for consideration in its next publication. The theme is “Voices of the Earth: People Helping People/Resilience.”

Poetry submissions may be emailed to noreeninglesi@cox.net or mailed to Notable Works Publication and Distribution Co. Inc., PO Box 8122, Cranston, RI 02920. Those whose work is selected for publication will receive a complimentary copy of the book upon its release.

The deadline for submissions is May 1. For more information, visit notableworks.org.

Winter story times at Hall Library

The William Hall Library will offer winter story times each week. The library will be offering Discovery Storytime on Monday mornings at 10:30 a.m. for ages 3-5, and Babies in the Hall on Thursday mornings at 10:30 a.m. for ages 0-2. No registration or tickets will be required. For more information, visit cranstonlibrary.org.

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.

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.

Did you know?

Social distancing is a term applied to certain actions that are taken by public health officials to stop or slow down the spread of a highly contagious disease. Please stay home if you are sick or at risk.

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