Weekend Spotlight

Oct. 7, Spartan DEKA MILE: Operation Enduring Warrior (OEW) Fundraiser will be held on Oct. 7, at It Starts Here Fitness (ISHFitness), 380 Jefferson Blvd.,  Suite G, Warwick, from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.  Looking for police, fire, military, troopers, and civilians to compete in a friendly competition for a great cause.  Race individually or with a partner, and each racer will receive a DEKA T-shirt and medal.  50% of all ticket profits to benefit Operation Enduring Warrior (OEW). Spartan DEKA MILE consists of (10) functional training zones each preceded by a 160-meter run (1 mile of total distance running).   Tickets: $35 single and $49 2-person teams.  Registration: https://tickets-usdk.spartan.com/event/DM328.  Operation Enduring Warrior: https://www.enduringwarrior.org.  Donations: https://enduringwarrior.networkforgood.com/projects/199435-it-starts-here-fitness-s-fundraiser?from_wicked_finish=true.  For more information: https://ishfitness.com/ or call 401-447-4620.

Oct. 5 thru Oct. 23,  Flu Shot Clinics The OneCranston HEZ is hosting 4 Flu Shot Clinics this October, these are all free and no insurance is needed.  For more information contact Ivy at iswinski@comcap.org or at 401-862-3811:

Oct. 5, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., Orchez Farmers Market, The Bain Track, 87-103 Gansett Ave., Cranston

Oct. 14, 12:30 to 2 p.m., Solar Eclipse Party at Bain Track, 87-103 Gansett Ave., Cranston.

Oct. 19, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., Cookie Decorating & Free Flu Shot Clinic  will be held at the Huddle Center, 70 Gansett Ave, Cranston.

Oct. 23, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at the Comprehensive Community Action Plan, 1090 Cranston St., Cranston.  Covid Vaccines will also be available. 

Oct. 7, NAMI Walks Rhode Island on Sat., Oct. 7, the local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness will hold its annual walk starting from Roger Williams Park, Providence; 9 a.m. check-in and 10 a.m. walk.  Join the NAMI for more than just a walk; it’s a powerful, community event where awareness is raised surrounding mental illness, fighting the stigma and supporting free programs and support groups.  Walk solo, start a team or join a team.  For more information to register for the walk visit www.namirhodeisland.org. Donations are accepted through Dec.

Oct 7, Author Talk and Book Signing will be given by Alexia Williams, author of her new children’s book, “Livyloo’s Quiet Morning.”  The event will be held at The Marian J. Mohr Memorial Library, 1 Memorial Ave., Johnston, Sat., Oct. 7, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.  All are welcome.

Oct. 7, Johnston Historical Society Yard Sale will be on Sat., Oct. 7, from 8 a.m.  to 1 p.m. at the society’s Museum, 101 Putnam Pike (Route 44) in Johnston. A Sunday, Oct. 8 rain date has been set (same times). The historical society is also offering spots at the sale for a $25 donation (one 6-foot table; bring your own). Those interested in “renting” must contact Anthony Ursillo at 401-764-5901 or aursillo401@gmail.com. The Johnston Historical Society is a 501 (3C) non -profit organization.

Oct. 11, Gorton Luncheon Classes 1941 – 1955 will be held on Wed., Oct. 11, at Tavolo Wine Bar and Tuscan Grille, 2099 Post Road Warwick, at 1 p.m. Choose from the menu. $30pp. Call for reservations: Barbara Kane 401-821-0161 or barbarkane14@gmail.com; Fran Allin 401-463-8679; Nat Nazareth 401-742-7433.

Oct. 12, FASFA Workshop will be held on Thurs., Oct. 12, from 5 to 6:30 p.m., at The Huddle Center, 70 Gansett Ave., Cranston.  Learn about FASFA with Education Writer: Geoff Decker who has been working to provide informational help for students and families on how to navigate the financial aid process! Register by contacting Jill at jsparaco@comcap.org or 401-258-3084.

Oct. 14, October Open Forum: Rhode Island Memorabilia will be hosted by The Hope Historical Society, on Sat., Oct. 14 at 2 p.m., at the Howland Barn on 35 Ryefield Road in Hope. HHS members and guests are invited to display, discuss, and share their own memorabilia from Hope and its surrounding RI areas. HHS will show a short movie “Report from Rhode Island” produced during World War II to keep up morale in 48 states. Intrigued by the topic but cannot attend “Rhode Island Memorabilia”?  No worries!  Share in being part of the living history by posting a picture and/or story on their Facebook page “Hope Historical Society, Hope, RI”.  Pictures and stories must be posted at least 72 hours before the meeting to be included at the Open Forum. Not a Facebook user? Pictures or stories can be emailed to the HHS at hopehistoricalsociety@yahoo.com.

Oct. 14, Coco Family Movie Night will be on Sat., Oct. 14, starting at 4:30 p.m. for Coco-themed crafts, games, snacks and family fun at the Gazebo, Garden City, 100 Midway Road, Cranston. Movie will be once the sun sets (around 6 p.m.), (run time: 1h 49m, rated PG). To ensure we have enough craft supplies and snacks for kids, tickets cost $5 per child. Parents, guardians and grown-ups who really like Coco (no shame, us too!), no need to buy tickets. 100% of your ticket sales will go directly to Adoption Rhode Island. Event capacity is limited, and movie nights sell out quickly, so be sure to pre-register today! Registration on Facebook. No payments at the event. Recommend bringing a folding chair or blanket to sit on and get cozy while you enjoy the show

Oct. 14, Annual  No More Hunger Walk  to call attention to food insecurity and raise funds for local food pantries  will be held on Sat., Oct. 14. Registration is at 9 a.m. and the walk begins at 10 a.m. Over $20,000 has been raised in the past two years. The walk will begin at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 111 West Shore Road, Warwick and proceed along West Shore Road to Donovan Park, in Conimicut Village.  Any interested churches, organizations, and individuals are invited and encouraged to join.  Call 401-737-8232 or e-mail  WoodburyChurchRI@gmail.com for details.

Oct 14, Walk to End Domestic Violence for the Elizabeth Buffum Chace Center will be held on Sat., Oct. 14, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. starting at Rocky Point State Park, 1 Rocky Point Ave., Warwick.  The walk brings awareness to domestic violence and raises money for services which directly impact victims and survivors in the community.  The Elzabeth Buffum Chace Center provides free, confidential services to over 3,500 victims of domestic violence and sexual assault each year throughout RI.  For more information: www.ebccenter.org/walk.

Oct. 15, Greenwood Fire Company and Museum Bingo on Sun., Oct. 15, at the Greenwood Fire Hall, 45 Kernick Street in Warwick.  Everyone is invited.  Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and bingo starts at 6 p.m.  Registration is recommended; space is limited to 50 guests.  Reserve your spot by leaving a message or text to Diane at 401 241-7203 or email greenwoodvfc1@gmail.com.  You must be 18 to play.  Snacks and drinks and bingo markers are also for sale.  Cash prizes, door prize and 50/50 special.  Price of admission is $15pp.

Oct. 15, Central Falls High School, Class of 1963 Reunion  will hold a  60th  Class Reunion  on Sun., Oct. 15, 12 – 4 p.m. at Chelo’s Banquet Hall, 2225 Post Rd., Warwick.  Tickets: $60 for buffet and dancing. Please send checks to: Patricia (Guillette) Mannix, 111 Col. John Gardner Rd.,  Narragansett, RI 02882. Please include maiden name and phone number on check. For more information call or email  Patricia Mannix 401-789-0451; Patriciagmannix@gmail.com or Nancy Dube Brazeau  401-789-0304; nancybraz@gmail.com.

Oct. 17, Cranston Historical Society General Membership Meeting, will be held on Tues., October 17, from 7 to 8 p.m., at the Governor Sprague Mansion Museum, 1353 Cranston Street, Cranston.  Guest Speaker: James Ignasher, “The Corpse That Drove a Hearse & Other True N.E. Tales of the Macabre.”   For details call: 401-944-9226.

Oct. 18 NAMI-RI: Registration open Family-to Family Course The Rhode Island Chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI-RI) is now accepting registration for their next session of NAMI’s Family-to-Family course which begins Wed., Oct. 18, at 6:30 p.m. This is a free and virtual, 8-session educational program for family, significant others and friends of people with mental health conditions. It is a designated evidence-based program, which means that research shows that the program significantly improves the coping and problem-solving abilities of the people closest to a person with a mental health condition. NAMI-Rhode Island's Family-to-Family course is taught by trained family members who have lived experience with a loved one, and includes presentations, discussions and interactive exercises. For more information on the Family-to-Family curriculum and registration, visit www.namirhodeisland.org or call 401-331-3060 or email beth@namirhodeisland.org

Oct. 19, Cookie Decorating & Free Flu Shot Clinic  will be held at the Huddle Center, 70 Gansett Ave, Cranston, on Thurs., Oct. 19, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Participants will be able to decorate a cookie and offered a Free Flu Vaccine. Appropriate aged vaccines for newborn through seniors will be made available.

Oct. 21, Trinity Treasures Online Auction, Trinity Episcopal Church, 139 Ocean Avenue, Cranston is featuring its first online auction.  The Preview and Kickoff is Sat., Oct. 21, from 5 to 7 p.m.  Participants

can view over one hundred items, sip beverages, and snack on light appetizers. Bring a smart phone to register. Bidding goes live at 7 p.m. and ends on Wed., Nov. 1, at 11:59 p.m. Can't make the Preview? Register at: www.biddingowl.com/trinitychurch. For more information call 401-575-7009.

 Oct. 21, Holidays-On-The-Hill Bazaar will be held on Sat., Oct. 21, at St. David’s Episcopal Church, 200 Meshanticut Valley Parkway, Cranston, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Oct. 22, St. Francis Xavier Academy Alumnae Association (SXA) Homecoming celebration will be on Oct. 22, with an 11 a.m. Mass at St. Timothy Church, 1799 Warwick Ave., Warwick, immediately followed by lunch at the Crowne Plaza, 801 Greenwich Ave, Warwick. The class of 1973 will celebrate their 50th anniversary.  Gold rosaries will be blessed and distributed to graduates during Mass.  Scholarships will be announced during lunch.  For more information contact Margaret Mathias, 401-232-9006.

 Oct 26, Trick or Treat at The Huddle Center, 70 Gansett Avenue, Cranston, on Thur., Oct. 26 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. The Center will be transformed into a safe and comfortable place to trick or treat room by room. Various community partners in each room will be distributing candy and resource material.

Oct. 28, Annual Free Coat & Blanket Distribution will be held on Sat., Oct. 28, at St. John & St. James Church, School Cafeteria, 17 St. John Street, West Warwick, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Other clothing will be available such as scarves, gloves, mittens, etc.

Month of Oct., Cranston Tree will hold a fall planting in October. Free trees are now available for Cranston property owners. The seven- to eight-foot-tall trees are planted by a nursery in front yards, but not between the sidewalk and the street. The effort is a project of the West Bay Land Trust.  Application forms are available by emailing  cranstontree@gmail.com or calling 941-1264. Forms may also be downloaded at westbaylandtrust.org/cranstontree. The planting program, financed by the City of Cranston and the West Bay Land Trust, has planted more than 300 trees in Cranston parks and front yards. Trees lower the temperature nearby, reduce storm water runoff, clean the air and help combat climate change.

 October 1 to March 1, Community Builders Grant Program  OneCranston HEZ's Community Connectors Committee is pleased to continue our Community Builders Grant Program. Through the program, OneCranston HEZ seeks to identify and partner with residents interested in bringing their neighbors together to complete projects that improve their communities. This year we will have rolling grants: 6 grants of $300 will be disbursed. OneCranston HEZ will be awarding one grant per a Cranston Ward, with applications opening October 1 and going until March 1 or all grants have been awarded. To apply go to this link: https://forms.office.com/r/2yXDwmWUVt or reach out to jfulbright@comcap.org. 

Nov. 1, Brown University: Nonfiction@Brown Lecture Series on Nov. 1, at 6 p.m., Nonfiction@Brown presents the New York Times best-seller author Ross Gay. This event is free and open to the public! Please visit https://Rossgay.eventbrite.com to reserve your ticket. The reading will be held in Pembroke Hall Room 305, 172 Meeting St., Providence.

Nov. 4 & 5, St. Francis Xavier Holiday Bazaar will be held at the church, 81 No. Carpenter St., East Providence, Sat., Nov. 4, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sun., Nov. 5, from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. There will be something for everyone including: Grand Prize Raffle, Christmas Booth, Attic Treasures, Silent Auction,  Raffle Baskets, Liquor Raffle Baskets, Wine with a mystery gift card, Hand knitted & crocheted Items, Home Decor, Craft Supplies, Baked Good Booth, Lucky 7's, Games and Prizes, Kids Corner, Youth Group and more. After shopping, enjoy a delicious lunch or dinner at the food court and don't forget to pick up some famous Portuguese malassadas.

Every Monday, Parent Support Group takes place from 10 – 11 a.m., at The Huddle Center, 70 Gansett Ave., Cranston.  All Cranston parents, grandparents and guardians are invited to take part in this parent-led support group.  Discussions include: challenges, issues and concerns that all caregivers encounter.  Activities will be available for children while the meeting is taking place. Registration is required.  Contact Carol:  401-465-4593 or cpineda@comcap.org.

Every Monday,  Gaspee Celtic Jam - The Gaspee Celtic Jam meets at the Pawtuxet Village Baptist Church, 2157 Broad St., Cranston, every Mon. from 7 – 9 p.m. Do you play fiddle, guitar, Irish flute, pennywhistle, bodhran, mandolin, banjo, concertina, accordion, folk harp, hammered dulcimer, Appalachian dulcimer, banjo, acoustic bass, ukulele, keyboard, recorder, or sing? All skill levels welcome. Visit www.gaspeecelticjam.org for more info (including the current tune list/tune book) or to send us any questions. No specific Celtic music experience is required.

Every Second and Fourth Tuesday the Fall River Toastmasters Meeting, serving both Rhode Island and Southern Mass the Fall River Toastmasters holds its meetings. Doors open at 6 p.m. and meeting is from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Join us at The Chamber, 200 Pocasset St, Fall River, MA, 2nd floor. For more information, call Sean DaCosta at (508)-840-6621. All are welcome!

Every Thursday, Pick-Up Hockey 55 and older, coed: $5pp. Thayer Ice Rink, 975 Sandy Ln., Warwick, from 8:45 to 10:00 AM.  Full Equipment required.  For more information contact:  Lon Krueger 302-229-3457 or bethlon@verizon.net.

Every Thursday,  Get-a-Job-Thursdays - We Make RI, an organization that provides free manufacturing training, hosts a series of job fairs every Thurs. from 11 a.m. to noon, 200 First Ave., Cranston. We Make RI offer job seekers a chance to meet with employers, get career counseling, resume help and more. Some employers include Swissline Precision, Admiral Packaging, KB Surfaces, Warwick Hanger and Hitachi Cable. For more information about this event or other training opportunities, visit www.wemakeri.com/get-a-job-thursday or contact Mike at (401) 232-0077 x109.  

Every Saturday, Pawtuxet Village Farmers Market - The Pawtuxet Village Farmers Market, every Sat., 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., offers locally grown vegetables, eggs, fruit, meat, honey, cheese, baked goods, prepared foods, locally roasted coffee, and local packaged foods (kimchi, hot sauce, marinara, sauerkraut, seitan). The market features vegan and gluten-free options and local handmade goods. There will also be food trucks, live music, and occasional visits from community groups.

Oaklawn Grange Used Clothing Donation Shed in need of used clothing items at the Oaklawn Grange Donation Shed, 24 Searle Ave., Cranston.  Accepted items only: Used Clothing, Shoes, Sneakers, Belts, Purses, Linens, Pillowcases, Blankets, Curtains, and Stuffed Animals. All items must be in useable condition. Your donations will be distributed as whole garments locally and worldwide. Contact oaklawngrangeinfo@gmail.com for more information.

Humans of Cranston is back for a second year after a successful first season, and is now accepting nominations! Over the last year, the project featured 19 resident stories in a Herald column, on OneCranston HEZ social media, and in a final book with the goal of showcasing and celebrating residents' community involvement, diversity, and unique life perspectives. This is an initiative of the OneCranston Health Equity Zone at CCAP in partnership with the Cranston Herald and local photographer, Tim McFate. If you know a Cranston resident who has a story to tell, please nominate them via this form: https://forms.microsoft.com/r/s8cnBuGhtB (Or scan the QR code).

Questions? Contact JB Fulbright, Community Outreach Coordinator for the OneCranston HEZ at jfulbright@comcap.org.

NAMI-RI Offers Family Support Groups The RI chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI-RI) offers free support groups for families and friends of loved ones who are struggling with their mental health. The groups are led by trained facilitators who also have lived experience as family members themselves. The group meetings last about 1.5 hours, and everyone who participates in the meeting gets a chance to share.  The other members of the group try to offer help and resources, when appropriate, based on their own experiences. More information and full schedule can be found at namirhodeisland.org. or call 401-331-3060. No pre-registration for these monthly groups is necessary.

First Thurs. at 6 p.m.  IN PERSON ONLY at the Rochambeau Library in the Community Room, Rochambeau Library, 708 Hope Street, Providence (NEW-starts Aug.)

Second Tues. at 5 p.m.  IN PERSON ONLY at the Middletown Public Library in the Community Room. Middletown Library, 700 West Main Road, Middletown.

Third Tues. at 6:30 p.m. MEETS VIA ZOOM ONLY. Please call 401-331-3060 or email info@namirhodeisland.org for the Zoom link

Fourth Wed. at 6 p.m. IN PERSON ONLY at the Hope Valley Grange, #71116 Main Street, Hope Valley.

Amenity Aid – Volunteers Needed - We are looking for volunteers that would like to help us plan and staff community events, organize hygiene product collection drives and raise funds for Amenity Aid. If you are interested in doing any of the above or would like to be a member of our Community Outreach Committee, please contact Stacey Silva, Community Outreach Chair at Stacey@AmenityAid.org.

 Amenity Aid’s mission is to improve the health and wellbeing of vulnerable populations by creating access to essential hygiene products. Serving all of Rhode Island, we distribute toiletry necessities to those most vulnerable through our network of direct service agencies.

Hearts for Hospice - Visiting Nurse Home and Hospice (VNH&H) is asking for individuals to support their hospice programs by giving $20 or more to their Hearts for Hospice campaign. People can dedicate their gift to a loved one who is always in their heart; all dedications are listed on the organization’s website. You can make your donation at www.visitinghursehh.org/giving/ or by calling 401-682-2100 extension number 1631.

To submit your news from The Chatter to: Ida at idaz@rhodybeat.com. This includes virtual events, which should be submitted two to three weeks ahead of the event.  Can include community events, promotions, academic news and nonprofit events. Email, or scan the QR code below, today and see your event in our column in the Cranston Herald.