Cranston Chatter

By MERI R. KENNEDY
Posted 9/11/19

By MERI R. KENNEDY Bulky waste pickup During the month of September, 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

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Bulky waste pickup

During the month of September, 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.

Free Jazz Concerts in Garden City

 Celebrate the weekend with Garden City Center’s Free Jazz Concerts on Friday nights. Enjoy dinner at Bistro 22 or Applebee’s Grill & Bar, bring chairs and listen to the smooth sounds of jazz. 

All concerts are held 6 to 8 p.m. in the courtyard. The schedule includes Project Flynn on Sept. 13, Cranston Jazz Quartet on Sept. 20 and Classic Five Quintet on Sept. 27. There are no rain dates.

For more information, visit gardencitycenter.com.

Welcoming Week Fall Festival at YMCA

On Saturday, Sept. 14, the Cranston YMCA at 1225 Park Ave. will host its Welcoming Week Fall Festival. The event runs from 9-11 a.m. and is open to the public. Participants will enjoy a variety of activities that celebrate different countries and cultures while welcoming the fall season. Activities will include face painting, children’s games and crafts, an international cook-off and vendor booths. For more information, visit the Cranston YMCA’s Facebook page.

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.

New theater program

The Cranston Parks and Recreation Department, in partnership with Living Arts Theater, will be offering an eight-week acting class for students in grades two through 10 at all experience levels. Through these process-based classes, students will learn acting techniques and build scene study and improv skills, as well as building ensemble-based collaboration skills.

The classes will be taught by the Living Art Summer Theater teaching artists and will culminate with an acting showcase for friends and families in Pastore Youth Center’s acting classroom.

The fall session will run on Saturdays at the Pastore Youth Center from Oct. 19 through Dec. 14. There will be no class on Nov. 30. Sessions run from 9 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. for grades two through five and from 10:30 a.m. to noon for grades six through 10.

The cost of the class is $110. There is a strict limit of 10 participants for each class. Once a class is filled, we will accept people on a wait list.

To register, please return the form on Parks and Recreation Department’s page on the city’s website, cranstonri.com, along with a check made payable to “City of Cranston” to the Parks and Recreation Department.

Youth basketball program

Registration is open for the Saturday Morning Basketball Program, which runs Saturday mornings from Nov. 23 through March 14.

This is an instructional program designed to teach the fundamentals of basketball. It is not a league and no teams will be formed.

The program will be held at the following times and locations:

Pastore Youth Center: grades one and two, 9-10 a.m.; kindergarten through grade one, 10:30-11:45 a.m.

Western Hills Middle School: grades three through five, 9-10:30 a.m.; grades six through eight, 10:30 a.m. to noon.

Park View Middle School: grades three through five, 8-9:30 a.m.; grade six, 9:30-11 a.m.

The registration fee is $25 per child. Registration forms are available for download on the Parks and Recreation Department’s page on the city’s website, cranstonri.com. Forms may be returned to the department’s office at the Pastore Youth Center.

Scary Acres seeking actors, actresses

Scary Acres at Confreda Farms, located at 2150 Scituate Ave., is hiring actors and actresses to scare guests during its upcoming 17th season.

Pay begins at $10.50 per hour and applicants must be 18 years of age or older. Applicants must also have a valid government-issued ID and either a birth certificate or Social Security card.

All actors and actresses must be available on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights in September, through Oct. 6, from 6 p.m. until the closing time of 10 p.m. or longer. There will be paid training and rehearsals for all those who are hired.

Applicants may apply at Confreda Farms between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., seven days a week. Positions are also available working at the kiosk at the front door.

The number of available positions is limited. For more information, email brianscaryacres@gmail.com.

Culinary training class

The Community Kitchen based at the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, 200 Niantic Ave., Providence, is now accepting applications for its next 14-week culinary training class that begins at the end of September 2019. The course runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

This job-training program is intended for low-income, unemployed and underemployed adults. Learn kitchen, cooking, and safety skills (including ServSafe training) from experienced chef instructors. Practice your new skills at an internship in the local community. Get assistance with resumes, interviewing and your job search.

For more information and to apply, visit rifoodbank.org.

Cranston High School class of 1959 reunion

The 60th reunion of Cranston High School’s class of 1959 will be held on Sunday, Sept. 15, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Eleven Forty Nine Restaurant, 1149 Division St., Warwick. Registration costs $50 per person. Send checks payable to “Class of Cranston High School 1959” to Dianne Apici, 573 Cedar Ave., East Greenwich, RI 02818, by Aug. 24. For more information, contact Dianne Apici at dapici@cox.net or 885-4595.

Job Search Seminar series

The Cranston Public Library will host a Job Search Seminar series, scheduled to take place across three sessions. The series is free and open to the public through funding from the American Library Association, the Public Library Association’s Lead with Digital Skills Initiative and Grow With Google.

All sessions will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Central Library, located at 140 Sockanosett Cross Road. No registration is required.

Part one, titled, “Effective Resumes and Cover Letters,” will be held on Monday, Sept. 16. Part two, titled “Interviewing and Social Media,” will be held Monday, Sept. 23, and part three, titled “How to Search Smart,” will be held Monday, Sept. 30.

The series will be presented by Jean Baur, a career coach, writer and speaker with 20 years of experience in the outplacement industry. She is the author of extensive publications on managing job loss and creating effective search strategies.

For more information, visit cranstonlibrary.org.

Celebrating Sprague’s 189th birthday

On Tuesday, Sept. 17, the Cranston Historical Society will host its 189th Birthday Benefit in honor of its 70th anniversary and the late Governor William Sprague IV. The event begins at 6 p.m. and will be held at the Governor Sprague Mansion, located at 1353 Cranston St. in Cranston.

Guests will enjoy the company of history enthusiasts and marvel at the fascinating objects that will be on display from the Sprague family collection. Visitors can also view the Cranston History Network signage dedicated last spring by the city of Cranston, describing the history of the neighborhood.

Seating is limited, and tickets cost $18 per person. To reserve a place, call 944-9226. Checks must be sent by Sept. 13 and be payable to Cranston Historical Society, 1351 Cranston St. Cranston, RI 02920. After Sept. 13, anyone interested in attended is asked to call 944-9226 to inquire whether seats are still available.

For more information, visit cranstonhistoricalsociety.org.

Wine & Dine Extravaganza for MS Dream Center

The MS Dream Center of Rhode Island and Accessible Rhode Island will host a Wine & Dine Extravaganza on Saturday, Sept. 21, at the Crowne Plaza in Warwick. Proceeds from the event will benefit the MS Dream Center, which is dedicated to supporting individuals with multiple sclerosis and other disabilities.

The event, sponsored by Bob Gasbarro’s Oaklawn Liquors, will include a wine and beer tasting along with a variety of food from some of Rhode Island’s best known restaurants. The event will also include entertainment from the Ambrosiani Italian-American Band, raffles, a live auction, a 50/50 raffle and a mystery wine and dine pairing.

Tickets cost $60 each or 10 for $500 and can be purchased at msdreamcenter.org. To learn more, visit access-ri.org or msdreamcenter.org.

Call out for girls and boys for Cub Scouts

There will be an open house on Monday, Sept. 23 for boys and girls interested in learning more about becoming a Cub Scout. Openings are available for students in kindergarten through grade five. The open house will begin at 6:30 p.m. at St. David’s on-the-Hill Church, located at 200 Meshanticut Valley Parkway, Cranston.

Library plans to register voters

On Tuesday, Sept. 24, Americans will celebrate National Voter Registration Day with a massive 50-state effort to register voters before Election Day this November.

With local elections happening in a few weeks, every eligible American voter should exercise his or her right to be heard at the ballot box this year and next. National Voter Registration Day is the right place to start by getting registered.

That is why communities across the country are planning to use National Voter Registration Day to increase voter participation.

Thousands of national, state, and local organizations and volunteers will be the driving force behind National Voter Registration Day 2019. Partner organizations will coordinate hundreds of National Voter Registration Day events nationwide and leverage #NationalVoterRegistrationDay on all social media platforms to drive attention to voter registration and the November elections.

Cranston Public Library is proud to be a National Voter Registration Day partner. On Sept. 24, Cranston Public Library will engage its constituency and community and register voters at the Central Library, James T. Giles Community room, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.

The effort’s website, NationalVoterRegistrationDay.org, provides a listing of National Voter Registration Day events across the country.

Founded in 2012, National Voter Registration Day is designed to create an annual moment when the entire nation focuses on registering Americans to exercise their most basic right – the right to vote. More than two million Americans have registered to vote on this day since the inaugural National Voter Registration Day.

Taste of Pawtuxet Village

The ninth annual Taste of Pawtuxet Village event will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 24, from 5:30-8 p.m. at the Imperial Room at Rhodes Place, One Rhodes Place, Cranston.

Organized by the Friends of Pawtuxet Village, the event will include samples of foods and drinks from local eateries in Pawtuxet Village, along with music by Czésare Santana.

Tickets cost $25 per person in advance and $30 at the door. There will be a cash bar and door prizes donated by local merchants.

For more information, visit friendsofpawtuxetvillage.org or contact Marta V. Martinez at info@friendsofpawtuxetvillage.org. Advance tickets are available at Cork & Brew, 2200 Broad St., and Twice Told Tales, 2145 Broad St., both located in Pawtuxet Village.

‘The Civil Rights Kid’ with Ray Rickman

Cranston Public Library will host “The Civil Rights Kid” with Ray Rickman on Tuesday, Sept. 24, from 6:30-7:30 p.m. The program will be held in the James T. Giles Community Room at the Central library, located at 140 Sockanosset Cross Road.

In “The Civil Rights Kid,” Rickman recounts his early activism in the civil rights movement. As a young student, Rickman fought to integrate the Detroit public schools, leading citywide walk-outs and bringing a federal lawsuit. As a teen, against his mother's better instincts, he participated in the March Against Fear in Mississippi with civil rights giant James Meredith and was jailed and beaten nearly to death for “trespassing.” This exciting one-man presentation, filled with surprising humor and insight, provides a look at an America that may not be so far in the past as we think.

This event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit cranstonlibrary.org.

Zumbathon to celebrate the life of Mariella Major

The Cranston YMCA, located at 1225 Park Ave., will hold a Zumbathon charity event to celebrate the life of Mariella Major on Friday, Sept. 27, from 6-8 p.m.

Mariella was a beloved Zumba instructor at the Cranston YMCA. She fought a long, hard battle with cancer and sadly passed away at a young age. The YMCA was a huge part of her life, and she spent countless hours there making memories with the members.

All proceeds from Zumbathon event will support special projects at the Cranston YMCA that were near and dear to Major’s heart. This year’s project will focus on renovations the Kids Care/Babysitting Room.

To purchase tickets, visit the Cranston YMCA Welcome Center, call the branch at 943-0444 or go to YZumba.org.

Defenders of Animals yard sale

Defenders of Animals will hold its annual Community Yard Sale at the Edgewood Congregational Church, located at 1788 Broad St. in Cranston, on Sept. 28 from 8 a.m. to noon.

11th Holly Charette Motorcycle Run

The 11th annual Holly Charette Motorcycle Run will be held on Sunday, Sept. 29.

The ride will begin at the post office on Rolfe Square in Cranston and travel along scenic roads to the Rhode Island Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Exeter to honor Charette. The ride will then continue to Narragansett Town Beach before returning to the Crowne Plaza in Warwick for a dinner, raffles and the presentations of this year’s college scholarship recipients.

Charette, who joined the U.S. Marine Corps after Sept. 11, 2001, was 21 when her convoy was struck by a suicide bomber in Iraq in 2005. She was the first female Marine to lose her life during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

All proceeds from the event will benefit the Lance Cpl. Holly Charette Scholarship fund. This nonprofit organization was started in 2006 to remember and honor Charette. Each year, a student from Cranston High School East and Coventry High School receives a college scholarship in Charette’s name.

Registration begins at 8 a.m. and kickstands go up at 10 a.m. Tickets cost $30 a person and includes the ride, a T-shirt and dinner.

To purchase tickets, contact Ray Charette at 347-9619, Regina Roberts at 615-9265 or Ed Roberts at 623-1164.

Cranston East class of 1974 reunion

Cranston High School East’s class of 1974 will hold its 45th reunion on Friday, Oct. 4, at the Alpine Country Club, 251 Pippin Orchard Road, Cranston, beginning at 6 p.m. The cost is $65 per person, which includes a dinner buffet. Checks should be payable to Denise Beauvais, 301 Oaklawn Ave., #205, Cranston, RI 02920.

Pilgrim High School class of 2009 reunion

The class of 2009 from Pilgrim High School in Warwick will celebrate its 10-year reunion on Saturday, Oct. 12, from 6-10 p.m. at Chelo’s Waterfront Bar & Grille, 1 Masthead Drive, Warwick.

Tickets cost $25 per person and must be purchased before Oct. 6 to guarantee entrance. Attendees are welcomed to bring a guest with the purchase of a separate ticket.

Tickets can be purchased at eventbrite.com. For more information, visit the class Facebook page or contact Jennifer Rawson (Kennedy) at jrkennedy819@gmail.com.

St. Xavier class of 1969 reunion

St. Xavier Academy’s class of 1969 will celebrate its 50th reunion on Sunday, Oct. 20. Classes who graduated in years ending in 9 and 4 will be honored as well. A Mass will be held at 11 a.m. at St. Timothy Church in Warwick followed by lunch at Quidnessett Country Club in North Kingstown. All graduates are invited to attend. For additional information, call Margaret Mathias at 232-9006.

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.

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?

Although it has felt like fall, it is still summer! In the Northern Hemisphere, summer ends and autumn starts at the moment of the September equinox, which occurs every year on Sept. 21-23. This year, summer officially ends on Monday, Sept. 23. (Source: Summer 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 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.

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