Events scheduled to benefit Cady’s Cause

Cadence Smith (Cady, as she is known) was born with brain damage and cerebral palsy. She is scheduled to go to North Carolina in July where Dr. Joanne Kurtzberg will re-infuse the child with her own umbilical cord blood in the hopes that the stem cells in the blood will regenerate brain cells and reverse the damage. Born with Meconium Aspiration Syndrome, Cady, who is the granddaughter of Cranston residents John and Donna Burns, spent her first 12 days of life on oxygen and nearly six weeks in the NICU at Women and Infants' Hospital in Providence. While recovering from the MAS, nurses began to notice things weren't right with the child and an MRI confirmed doctors' suspicions: the knot found in the child's umbilical cord at birth had been tugged, brain damage resulting. Cady, who will turn 2 while in North Carolina, cannot walk, talk, sit up or even eat. Certain the procedure will help their daughter in at least some way (if not giving her a full recovery), Kelly and her husband Corey were excited to get Cady into the trial and, after learning it will cost roughly $12,000 (not covered by insurance), set out to host several fundraising events to send her there. Kelly is a former reporter with the Cranston Herald. One of the first in line to help the little girl was Kelly's aunt and uncle, Cranston residents Bob and Karen Burns. Determined to see Cady's procedure paid in full, the couple began brainstorming and aside from hitting the pavement for raffle donations and sending more than 30 letters to area businesses asking for donations, Karen, a city employee, along with co-worker Terri Bucci, was successful in getting this month's Dress Down Day at City Hall dedicated to Cady's Cause. If that wasn't enough, the couple is planning a yard sale and bake sale this Saturday, June 20, on their front lawn. Stop by and see them at 140 Eldridge Ave. for some delicious homemade baked goods and maybe even score some cool stuff for your house. There are other events planned for Cady as well. On Sunday June 28, from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. there will be a breakfast at Dave's Bar & Grille in Warwick. Tickets to the breakfast buffet (which includes, but is not limited to, fruit, coffee, juice, cereal, eggs, toast, sausage and bacon) are $15 and can be purchased by e-mailing Cady’s mom, Kelly, at ksmith1027@gmail.com or by calling 615-1986. (Tickets are not available at the door.) There will be a raffle at the event with some great prizes given away. Be sure to check back with Cranston Chatter in the next week or two for information on the final event planned for Cady's Cause at Texas Roadhouse on July 11 in Cranston. Details are still being hammered out, but we understand it will include a Classic Car Show and a Silent Auction, so be sure to save the date. For more information on Cady, visit her blog at www.cadyscause.blogspot.com.

CLCF awards Leo J. Castiglioni Jr. Scholarships

Congratulations to Sara Larrabee and Shaun Holt from Cranston East and Laura Thompson and Stephen Peltier Jr., who all received the Leo J. Castiglioni Jr. Scholarship Awards. The scholarships are dedicated to the founder of Cranston League for Cranston Future and were established to celebrate Leo’s life and to honor Cranston high school graduating seniors who emulate the community service, civic dedication and selflessness – all character traits that Leo was known for. He founded CLCF in 1953 as a youth sports organization. Sadly, Leo Castiglioni passed away in July of 2002.

Awards at Providence Country Day School

Nine Cranston area residents were awarded prizes at the Providence Country Day School Prize Assembly on Friday, June 5. Both middle and high school students received distinction for academic excellence and athletic and civic accomplishments. Congratulations to Nicholas J. Calvino (’09), who received a Coaches’ Citation for his commitment to the basketball program; Madeline B. Chase (’13), who received the Middle School Award for Outstanding Effort and Achievement in History and the Middle School Award for Outstanding Effort and Achievement in Music; Nigel H. Edwards (’09), who received a Head of School Citation for his spirited participation in many areas of school life and his leadership by example, showing kindness and caring to others; Christopher K. Janigian (’09), who received the Sandstroem Book Award for Excellence in English and the Award for Excellence in Spanish; and Patrick J. Rock (’09), who received the J. Roderick Eaton Sportsmanship Award, presented to senior athletes whose sense of fair play, teamwork, and dedication to sports is in keeping with the high standards of sportsmanship established by Coach Rod Eaton, PCD Lacrosse Coach from 1967-1998. Congratulations also to Devin Samuels (’10), who received the Brown University Book Award, given to the top junior who combines a high degree of ability in the field of English (both written and spoken); Nicholas S. Sienkiewicz (’10), who received the Dartmouth Alumni Association of Rhode Island Book Award, given “to that junior who ranks in the top 10 percent of his/her class and who best combines the qualities of scholarship, leadership and achievement,” the Award for Excellence in History and the Award for Excellence in Chemistry; Tyler T. Sienkiewicz (’09), who also received the J. Roderick Eaton Sportsmanship Award and a Faculty Citation for providing the model of the scholar-athlete with insight, hard work, integrity, and showing the meaning of teamwork; and Benjamin A. Wilcox (’09) of Fiskeville, who received the Gerald B. Woodruff Progress Award, given to that student in the graduating class who in his or her years at PCD has displayed the greatest personal growth as an individual and a member of our community.

Local children invited to honor their active duty dads

What is Father’s Day like for children whose fathers are active duty military and possibly serving away from home? More importantly, what is everyday like for these children? To celebrate Father’s Day, U.S. Family Health Plan will honor children whose fathers are serving in the Armed Forces. Children from Massachusetts and Rhode Island are invited to participate in U.S. Family Health Plan’s Father’s Day Writing and Drawing Contest and express their appreciation for their fathers on active duty. In the past, children have written about their feelings that ranged from pride to gratitude to loneliness. Many have described how their fathers have influenced their lives. Children ages 6 to 11 are invited to draw a picture and/or write a short story about their father; ages 12 to 14 may submit 400- to 500-word essays; and those ages 15 to 18 are asked to write essays that are between 800 and 1,000 words. Essays will be judged on the nature of the content and the quality of writing. One child from each category, in each state, will be chosen as the winners. U.S. Family Health Plan provides healthcare for retired uniformed services members and the families of those currently serving the military and currently serves 11,000 in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Prizes include a family day outing near the families’ hometowns. The contest is open to any child who has a father serving in the military. Essay submissions are due by Father’s Day, Sunday, June 21, and can be submitted to Andrea D’Iorio at Andrea@teakmedia.com. The typed essays should be double-spaced and include the name of the student, age, school, home mailing address, phone number, and email address. Drawings may be mailed to: Andrea D’Iorio, Teak Media Communications, 416 West Broadway, South Boston, MA 02127.

Cranston student-athlete wins college scholarship

A Cranston High School West student was recently awarded a $500 college scholarship sponsored by Cranston-based Zorian Sport. Shane O’Connell, a senior, was chosen among 100 applicants in a statewide search. O’Connell, an honor roll student, plays catcher for Cranston West High School. With a .371 batting average, O’Connell made this year’s First Team All-Division for the second straight year, boasting a .468 slugging percentage and a .976 fielding percentage. O’Connell plans to attend the University of New Haven in the fall. He was presented the scholarship and an official Zorian bat at an event held in his honor at McFadden’s in Providence. The event, hosted by Zorian Sport and Universal Wealth Management, marked the second annual event by the bat company.

Did You Know?

Sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi was commissioned to design a sculpture (with the year 1876 in mind for completion), to commemorate the centennial of the American Declaration of Independence in 1776. The statue was a joint effort between America and France and it was agreed upon that the American people were to build the pedestal and the French people were responsible for the statue and its assembly here in the United States. However, lack of funds was a problem on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. Financing for the pedestal was completed in August 1885, and pedestal construction was finished in April of 1886. The Statue of Liberty was completed in France in July 1884 and arrived in New York Harbor in June of 1885 on board the French frigate "Isere" which transported the Statue of Liberty from France to the United States. In transit, the statue was reduced to 350 individual pieces and packed in 214 crates. The statue was re-assembled on her new pedestal in four months’ time. On Oct. 28, 1886, the dedication of the Statue of Liberty took place in front of thousands of spectators. She was a centennial gift 10 years late.

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