‘A Christmas Carol’

The Artists’ Exchange of Cranston is gearing up for another Christmas season with its production of “A Christmas Carol” from Dec. 11-20, with performances at both Theater 82 on Rolfe Square and the historic Park Theatre.

In addition, there will be a Holiday Gala on Dec. 20 from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Rhodes on the Pawtuxet prior to the performance of “A Christmas Carol” at the Park Theatre. 

There will be appetizers from local restaurants and a catered dinner provided by Russell Morin Catering, as well as wine bar and craft beer by the Rapscallion Brewing. Additionally, there will be fancy desserts, coffee and tea stations, and live music and entertainment. There will also be a silent auction and VIP seating at the performance. Tickets are $75 per person.

For more information on scheduling and Gala tickets, visit www.artists-exhange.org or call 490-9475.

Library holiday hours

The Cranston Public Library will have the following changes to its hours of operation over the holiday season. On Dec. 24 and Dec. 25, all library locations will be closed. On Dec. 28, there will be no Sunday hours at the Central Library. On Dec. 31, all library locations will be closing early at 5 p.m. On Jan. 1, all library locations will be closed. On Jan. 4, there will be no Sunday hours at the Central Library. For more information, please visit www.cranstonlibrary.org.

Hideous Holiday Sweater Celebration & Toy Drive

The Greater Cranston Chamber of Commerce will hold a Hideous Holiday Sweater Celebration from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. on Dec. 18 at the Corner Bakery Café in Garden City. Get into the spirit by wearing your most hideous holiday sweater and be eligible to win a prize. Do your heart good and help spread holiday joy by bringing an unopened toy to donate to SSTARbirth, the only residential substance abuse treatment program in Rhode Island specifically designed for women and their children. For more information, contact Stephen Boyle at 401-785-3780.

Blue Christmas gathering

At 7 p.m. on Dec. 19, the congregation of Woodridge United Church of Christ at 546 Budlong Road invites the wider community to take part in an informal gathering to provide comfort and support for those who are struggling during the holiday season. This could be a meaningful and a comforting experience for those who have lost a loved one or are dealing with other losses amidst the wider celebrations of our society at this time of year.

“Over the many years of my ministry, I have time and time again heard the quiet sadness that many feel while everyone around them is celebrating the holidays, seeing family, attending parties and joyfully anticipating Christmas Day. What I have discovered is that for some this will be the first Christmas without a loved one present, or that they don’t have family near and that they will be spending the holidays alone. Still others have broken relationships that have not yet healed or are estranged through struggles with addiction. What these people have in common is that they often suffer quietly so as not to disturb the happy celebrations going on around them. On Dec. 19, we want to provide a safe and comforting place for those who are quietly struggling to receive support, prayer and fellowship,” said the Rev. Scott Spencer.

The gathering is open to anyone who would like to come to talk about and share their feelings, to give comfort and support and to think about how this holiday season might be different.

Seeking RI’s Funniest Females

The Rhode Island Comedy Hall of Fame is looking for the state’s Funniest Females to audition for future roasts and comedy shows. A show will be held at The Pub on Park, 661 Park Ave. in Cranston, on Friday, Jan. 23 at 8 p.m. Hosting the event will be Rhode Island’s own Doreen Collins (Rhode Bytes/Ocean State Follies). Up to 12 performers will have seven minutes each to show the Hall of Fame their stuff. Although this is not a comedy contest, the best performer of the evening will receive $100 prize, as determined by the audience. Those interested in performing are asked to write to RockinJoe@cox.net for more information. Admission is $10, and performers are admitted free. Seating is extremely limited, and it is expected the show will sell out. Tickets are available at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1065274.

Academic News & Notes

The following Cranston students earned honors at New England Institute of Technology for the fall semester: Maria Almeida, Anthony Badessa, David Balls, Matthew Boccanfuso, Caleb Bradford, Jasmine Chin, Kristiana DellaPosta, John DiVerdi, Edward Eacueo, Amanda Handfield, Alicia Hartman, David Jimenez, Matthew LaBianca, Tiana Lonardo, Francisco Marquez, Alexander McIntosh, Martyna McMahon, Fabrizio Mesiti, Rebecca Nickson, Tom Rawlinson, Alexandra Shea, Cambria Tisdale and Sara Welton.

The University of Maine is pleased to announce that Emily Trainor of Cranston was recently initiated into Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. Trainor is pursuing a degree in business at MCPHS University.

Honoring 25 years of service

At a ceremony last month, Citizens Bank CEO Bruce Van Saun unveiled 138 specially inscribed bricks honoring colleagues who have been with the company for 25 years. The bricks, each bearing the name of an honoree – including Cranston resident Karen Lotti – will be installed outside Citizens’ headquarters at One Citizens Plaza. More than 2,200 colleagues have been honored with bricks since the bank started the tradition in 1999.

Winter Wonderland coming to Praise Tabernacle

Praise Tabernacle Church, located at 330 Park Ave., will present “Winter Wonderland” at 7 p.m. on Dec. 19 and Dec. 21, free of charge. There will be seasonal performances and live animals in a petting zoo, live music, drama, comedy, dance giveaways and concession stands. There will also be a matinee show at 2 p.m. on Dec. 20. There is no admission for any of the concert performances.

200 children

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ocean State is continuing its drive to recruit male and female mentors for the 200-plus kids who are currently on the waiting list. Boys & Girls ages seven to 15, throughout the state of Rhode Island are waiting to be paired with a volunteer for six to eight hours a month for a minimum of a one-year commitment. For information on how you can be a mentor, contact a BBBSOS match support specialist at mentoring@bbbsos.org or 401-921-2434.

Did You Know?

On Dec. 6, 1964, television audiences watched “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” for the first time. Fifty years later, the TV special continues to be a Christmas tradition as beloved as caroling and putting out cookies for Santa. Rudolph measured four-inches high and Santa stood eight inches. And though he appears relatively large on screen, the Bumble figurine stood 14 inches tall. (Source: Christmas Fun Facts)

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