Cranston Chatter

By Meri R. Kennedy
Posted 6/29/16

Summer Concert Series Cranston Public Library is pleased to announce that the free Summer Concert Series will return to the William Hall Library beginning Thursday, June 30. This series, sponsored by the Cranston Parks and Recreation

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Cranston Chatter

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Summer Concert Series

Cranston Public Library is pleased to announce that the free Summer Concert Series will return to the William Hall Library beginning Thursday, June 30. This series, sponsored by the Cranston Parks and Recreation Department, will offer weekly concerts on the front lawn of the library. Attendees are invited to bring their own blankets, chairs, and snacks. Concerts will begin at 6:30 p.m. Performers will appear as follows:

June 30, Transmission (Classic Rock); July 7, Night Life Orchestra (Big Band); July 14, Branded (Country and Oldies, sponsored by Webster Bank); July 21, John Connor & the Irish Express (Irish); July 28, Phenix Avenue (Music of the ’60s and ’70s); Aug. 4, Gemini (Oldies)

Library locations closed Independence Day

All Cranston Public Library locations will be closed Monday, July 4 in observance of Independence Day. Regular hours will resume at all locations on Tuesday, July 5.

40th reunion

The Cranston High School East class of 1976 will hold its 40th reunion at 6 p.m. on July 30. The event will be a traditional New England clambake held at Kempenaar’s Clambake Club in Newport. To sign up or for any questions, contact chsereunion@gmail.com. Boys’ summer basketball

The Cranston YMCA will be offering a boys’ summer basketball league this year in the Peter Pastore Youth Center. The league will be broken into divisions by grade, ranging from grades three to nine.

Players should register based on the grade they will be entering in the fall. Each division will only have four teams with eight players per team so space is limited. Games will be once per week on either Tuesday or Thursday and will start between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. The season will only be six weeks starting the week of July 11 and running until the week Aug. 15. The cost is $30 for YMCA members and $45 for non-YMCA members. Call the Cranston YMCA at 401-944-0444 to register.

The Cranston Youth Girls’ Basketball Association will also be running a girl’s league in the Pastore Youth Center. Anyone interested can visit cygba.org for more details.

Diabetes Support Group

On Wednesday, July 6 at 10 a.m., meet with the Diabetes Support Group at the Senior Enrichment Center. The facilitator will be Mario Casinelli, CVS pharmacist.

Are you diabetic? Is a loved one diabetic? It’s normal for people to feel frustrated being a diabetic. It is also important to get support from others with diabetes. These people truly understand, motivate, and will encourage you. Stop by the center for one of our Diabetes Support Group meetings. They meet once a month on the first Wednesday at 10 a.m.

Painting for PAAWS

PAAWS RI will be hosting a Paint and Wine Fundraising Night on Friday, July 15, at Paint the Town Studios in Cranston. For $35, you can paint and sip while enjoying a night out with friends. You’ll get step-by-step instruction to create a beautiful painting. There is room for 42 participants. All money raised will help cats and dogs in need. The night includes alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, cheese, cured meats, crackers, fresh popcorn, and more. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and painting is from 7 p.m. to 9:15 pm. We will also be having a 50/50 raffle along with awesome raffle prizes. Visit paintthetownstudios.com to register.

Summer Concert Series announced

Garden City Center in Cranston has announced its Summer Concert Series, which will be held each Wednesday night at the Gazebo in July and August. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets, and donations of peanut butter and tuna fish are being collected for the food bank each week. All concerts are free of charge and are held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The lineup is as follows:

July 6, Scarab (Journey tribute band); July 13, Front & Center (variety of pop, oldies, jazz); July 20, Neil and The Vipers (blues, rockabilly); July 27, World Premiere Band (pop, funk, dance); Aug. 3, Steve Smith and The Nakeds (rhythm and blues); Aug. 10, Down City Band (pop, soul, disco); Aug. 17, Timmy Maia Band (NYC high-energy contemporary)

5th Pagano Charity Golf Tournament date announced

The fifth annual Lt. Jim Pagano Foundation Charity Golf Tournament & Champions Dinner, presented by Cranston Firefighters Local 1363 and Sports Illustrated, will be held Monday, Aug. 8, at the Alpine Country Club. It will be a fun-filled day with golf, great food, raffles, silent auction, and good old-fashioned neighborhood camaraderie. For more information or to make reservations, visit jimpaganofoundation.com.

Proceeds from the event this year will be used to fund academic STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) programs in the community.

Cranston YMCA announces Joe Fogel Campers

Dean Fogel, son of Joe Fogel, has announced a donation to the Cranston YMCA in memory of his father. The donation will support 10 campers for 10 weeks and will be known as Joe Fogel Campers program. The announcement comes almost 20 years to the day that Joe was named “Outstanding Senior of Cranston” by then Mayor Michael Traficante.

“Since the award was bestowed, June 20 has been celebrated as Joe Fogel Recognition Day in the city. How fitting that June 20 is our opening day of summer camp for 2016,” YMCA Executive Director Cory Guglietti said.

Joe Fogel, a 54-year resident of Cranston, who passed away in 2010, could be found swimming laps in the Cranston Y most mornings. Joe devoted a major portion of his time to improving the quality of life for Cranston citizens. He was a board member of both the Cranston and Greater Providence YMCAs. Joe also worked as a volunteer for March of Dimes, Ronald McDonald House, and Meals-on-Wheels. As an employee of the city of Cranston for many years, Joe was a member of the Governor’s Council on Aging and supervisor for Cranston Community Action Nutrition Program for seniors.

Dean Fogel, a resident of Dallas, Texas, and Park City, Utah, made the donation to honor his father’s commitment to helping others and hopes his donation will inspire other Cranston citizens and business leaders to also give.

Dean, who hasn’t lived in the city since 1964, was surprised to learn about the need in the community while touring the YMCA facility where his dad spent so many years. Dean has made a commitment to support the Joe Fogel Campers program through 2018.

Additional support for summer campers is needed to keep Cranston youth engaged in positive activities and give working parents peace of mind their kids are in a safe environment. According to Guglietti, the Y is working to raise nearly $50,000 for those in need of camp assistance. Said Guglietti: “The Y views summer camp as not only a safe place for kids but as a program to positively impact summer learning loss that occurs with many students.”

Mulligan’s Island Golf Academy

The Golf Academy at Mulligan’s Island has announced its 2016 Summer Camp schedule. This year’s camp lineup is structured around the award-winning U.S. Kids Golf Program and led by academy director and U.S. Kids certified teaching professional Todd Campbell.

The U.S. Kids Golf Learning Program is a proven method to introduce golf to young players. The program becomes more difficult as players advance through each of the three levels.

Each camp is five days for three hours per day (9 a.m. to noon) and camp participants will be grouped by age, if possible. The camp dates are: Level 1 U.S. Kids Golf Camp, Monday June 27 to Friday, July 1, 9 a.m. to noon daily; Level 1 US Kids Golf Camp, Monday, July 11 to Friday, July 15, 9 a.m. to noon daily; Level 1 & 2 U.S. Kids Golf Camp, Monday, July 18 to Friday, July 22, 9 a.m. to noon daily; Level 1 & 2 U.S. Kids Golf Camp, Monday, July 25 to Friday, July 29, 9 a.m. to noon daily; Level 2 & 3 U.S. Kids Golf Camp, Monday, Aug. 8 to Friday, Aug 12, 9 a.m. to noon daily; and Level 2 & 3 U.S. Kids Golf Camp, Monday, Aug. 15 to Friday, Aug. 19, 9 a.m. to noon daily.

The fee is $199 per Junior Golfer, per week of camp. To sign up, come to or call the Mulligan’s Island Pro Shop at 401-464-8855. Space is available on a first-come basis.

Child Development Program

Attention, Cranston residents. Will your child be four years old by Sept. 1, 2016? If yes, CCAP’s Child Development Center is recruiting children for our 2016-17 Pre-K Program. Children eligible for this state-funded program are selected via a lottery. You may also be eligible for a free, federally funded preschool program. We are recruiting children in Cranston for our Head Start/Early Head Start programs. For more information, contact CCAP’s Child Development Center at 401-943-5160.

Academic News & Notes

Congratulations to Kerri Cerra of Cranston, who received a master of health administration from St. Joseph’s College.

Two Cranston residents earned their degree at the University of Vermont. Congratulations to Alicia Accetta, who graduated with a bachelor of arts in Chinese, and Jessica Mulveny, who graduated with a bachelor of science in public communication.

The following Cranston residents received a degree from Clark University on Sunday, May 22. Congratulations to Jacob G. Dinerman, who graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor of arts in psychology. Dinerman is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa honor society. Also congratulations to Lelani S. William, who graduated with a master of business administration.

The University of Rhode Island recently selected 40 students for its 2016 Orientation Team. Cranston’s Albert Kyei-Poakwa was chosen for the orientation leader role.

Congratulations to Tiana Kibbe of Cranston who was named to the Merrimack College dean’s list for spring 2016.

Tori Bassett, a senior American Sign Language-English Interpreting and American Sign Language-Deaf Studies double major from Johnston, received the Irma Young Outstanding Senior Award in Interpreting during Maryville College’s annual Academic Awards Ceremony that was held April 23. Bassett, a 2012 graduate of Cranston High School West, is the daughter of David Bassett and Sherry Aravjo of Johnston.

Saint Raphael Academy congratulates students from Cranston who have achieved honor roll status for the fourth quarter marking period in academic year 2015-16. They are:

Highest Honors

Grade 9: Isabelle Lucca, Emma McDonough

Grade 10: Oluwatoyin Okele

First Honors

Grade 9: Michael Harris, Sofia Quinn, Aurelie Sylva

Second Honors

Grade 10: Benjamin Bradley, Maddison Cocca, Angie Medina

Grade 12: Jacob Heard, Katherine Milson

Alexander Arnold of Cranston graduated from Union College as part of the college’s 222nd commencement ceremony. Arnold received a bachelor of arts degree while majoring in economics and classics and graduated cum laude.

Nichols College has recognized 460 students who achieved dean’s list honors for their academic work during the spring 2016 semester. Congratulations to Ryan Perry of Cranston, a marketing major who was named to the dean’s list, and Anthony Rodi of Cranston, a sports management major who achieved dean’s high honors.

Stephen D. Giarrusso of Cranston has been named to the dean’s list at Western New England University for spring semester of 2016. Giarrusso is working toward a degree in electrical engineering.

Combined class reunion

On Saturday, Aug. 13, beginning at noon, there will be a joint class reunion for the Cranston High School East classes of 1966 and 1981 at the Masonic Youth Center, 116 Long St., Warwick. There is no fee. Bring your own food and beverages. They will be celebrating their 50th and 35th year reunion, respectively. The events are for classmates and invited guests only. Richard Carlson is serving as the class administrator for 1966 and Glenn Carlson for 1981. Richard may be reached at 401-744-8635, or you may contact Greg Oden at 401-965-0983. Glenn may be reached at 401-641-8251. For further details, visit classreport.org.

Bringing the world to RI

Cranston resident Everett Mccurdy is bringing the world to Rhode Island, one international teenager at a time. Mccurdy is an area representative of the ASSE International Student Exchange Program, whose primary goal is to contribute to international understanding by enabling foreign students to learn through active participation in family, school, and community life.

Mccurdy will be interviewing families in the area to host exceptional high school students from Europe, Asia, the Americas, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the Middle East and Scandinavia. Again this year, the ASSE Program is proud to also include students from the republics of the former Soviet Union on its roster. These students stay with volunteer host families for one academic school year and arrive with insurance and their own spending money.

For more information, contact Mccurdy at 401-481-2522 or visit host.asse.com.

Garden plots available in Edgewood

The Edgewood Community Garden at Cherry Woods, next to Edgewood Highlands School off Pawtuxet Avenue, still has plots available. Please contact garden leader Lisa Gibb at lisagibb2@verizon.net for more information.

Pawtuxet Farmer’s Market is open

The Pawtuxet Village Farmers Market is open every Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon through Oct. 29. It is located at Rhodes on the Pawtuxet, 60 Rhodes Place, Cranston.

Did You Know?

The Fourth of July became a legal federal holiday in 1938. Most of the signers of the Declaration of Independence signed the document on Aug. 2. (Source: Fourth of July Fun Facts) To submit your news from the community, email 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. 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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