By MERI R. KENNEDY Community Art Exhibit After over a year apart, the Cranston arts community is reconnecting for a unique curated show exhibiting some of the city's greatest artists. The Cranston Arts Commission's first Cranston Community Art Exhibit
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After over a year apart, the Cranston arts community is reconnecting for a unique curated show exhibiting some of the city’s greatest artists.
The Cranston Arts Commission’s first Cranston Community Art Exhibit will be on display at the Central Library, 140 Sockanosset Cross Road, through Sept. 30. Hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday through Saturday.
Featured artists are all Cranston residents, hand selected by the commission for their exceptional work across numerous artistic mediums.
“Following a tumultuous and at times very dark year and a half, we at the Cranston Arts Commission have a unique opportunity to reintroduce ourselves, our mission and our commitment to the artists and community members of Cranston,” said Danielle Izzi-St. Pierre, chair of the commission. “This gallery will bring folks together to facilitate networking amongst Cranston residents, and hopefully inspire younger artists to follow their passions. The artists we have selected to exhibit are diverse, both in backgrounds and artistic mediums, and this gallery will be an excellent first step in what will surely be an arts renaissance in our city.”
To learn more, visit www.cranstonartscommission.org.
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, www.cranstonri.com.
The Fall Festival is back at Confreda Greenhouses & Farms, located at 2150 Scituate Ave. in Cranston.
This year’s festival theme is “Rhode Island Strong.” The activities include hayrides, the Corn MAiZE, the Animal Backyard and Pumpkin Patch.
For full information on the Fall Festival, visit www.confredasfallfest.com.
A free farmers market with fresh vegetables, courtesy of CCAP and the OneCranston Health Equity Zone, is available from 4:30 to 6 p.m. every Thursday through Oct. 28. The market is located at the Oak Street parking lot at Bain Middle School.
The Cranston Public Library is pleased to welcome Connelly Akstens, author of “Without Shame: Learning to Be Me,” to the Central Library on Tuesday, Sept. 28, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Akstens’s groundbreaking transgender memoir has been called “intimate, bold, relevant to our time and funny as hell … an extraordinary journey … a sharp and beautifully-written book.”
Connelly will read from “Without Shame” and will lead a discussion of transgender experience as it continues its dynamic evolution. A book signing will follow. Copies of the book will be for sale.
This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required. For more info and to register, visit www. cranstonlibrary.org/connelly.
Connelly Akstens has been a recording artist and concert performer, college professor, writer, Adirondack fly fishing guide, college basketball player, market gardener, and vocal advocate for transgender people. Originally from Boston, Connelly now lives in East Greenwich with spouse Susanne Murtha, a certified health coach and book designer of Without Shame.
This event is presented as part of CPL’s Visiting Author Series and is made possible through generous funding from the Cranston Public Library Association.
In honor of Library Card Sign-Up Month, the Cranston Public Library is hosting a library card design contest. One winner from each age group (0-13 and 14-plus) will be chosen to have their artwork featured on a limited-edition Cranston Public Library card.
The contest is open to Cranston residents of all ages. You must have an OSL library card to enter. Those who do not have a library card can stop by any Cranston Public Library branch or visit www.cranstonlibrary.org/get-library-card to sign up for a library card, today.
Entry forms are available at any Cranston Public Library branch or can be printed at home at www.cranstonlibrary.org/library-card-contest. Submissions may be in any art medium (pencil, pen, paint, crayon, digital art, etc.) The entry deadline is 5 p.m. on Sept. 30. No late submissions will be accepted.
For full contest rules and information, visit www.cranstonlibrary.org/library-card-contest.
The Cranston Parks and Recreation Department is excited to announce the return of its Women’s Fitness program for women age 18 and older.
The program will run through June 24, 2022. Classes will be held at the Pastore Youth Center, 155 Gansett Ave.
Mondays will be “Dance Aerobics” with Cathy from 5 to 6 p.m. Wednesdays will be “Tunes and Tone” with Kristin from 6 to 7 p.m. Please bring one- to three-pound weights for Kristin’s class.
Please note the day and times for each class, as they have changed from previous years. When there is a Monday holiday, class will be held on Tuesday of that week from 5 to 6 p.m.
The registration fee is $40 for both nights and $20 for one night for each 10-week session. There will be four sessions total.
Session dates are as follows: Sept. 13 to Nov. 17 (Oct. 11 moved to Oct. 12); Nov. 29 to Feb. 2 (Jan. 3 and 17 moved to Jan. 4 and 18); Feb. 7 to April 13 (Feb. 21 moved to Feb. 22); and April 18 to June 22 (May 30 moved to May 31).
Register through the Google Form available at this link: www.forms.gle/M6CfsuqaeaMJwAdXA.
Payment in the form of a check or money order can be brought to class or mailed to the Recreation Department.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and its Rhode Island chapter are offering some new youth content that may be helpful to local families as students return to school.
NAMI has completely overhauled the Kids, Teens and Young Adults section of its website, nami.org/youth. There are sections written for caregivers of children and sections written for teen and young adult audiences. Topics include when/how to ask for help and how to get it, what to do in crisis situations, how to talk about mental health, mental health and school, and so much more.
For more information on local resources, visit the Rhode Island chapter of NAMI at namirhodeisland.org, call (401) 331-3060, or email the local office at info@namirhodeisland.org.
The General Federation Cranston Women’s Club is sponsoring a Meet and Greet on Wednesday, Sept. 22 in Chelo’s Banquet Room, 1275 Reservoir Ave. in Cranston, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Come see what these clubwomen do for your community. Appetizers and soft drinks will be served. Bring a friend. RSVP to Paula Andrews, club president, at (401) 451-5073.
A walk to call attention to food insecurity and raise funds for local pantries is being planned by a group of area churches, including Woodbury Union, Lakewood Baptist, St. Benedict, St. Kevin, and St. Mark’s. The walk will be held on Saturday, Oct. 16. An informational planning meeting will be held on Saturday, Aug. 28 at 10 a.m. at Woodbury Union Church at 58 Beach Ave. in Warwick. All interested community churches, organizations and individuals are invited to attend. Call (401) 737-8232 or email woodburychurchri@gmail.com for more information.
On Saturday, Sept. 25, from 6 to 11 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza in Warwick, the MS Dream Center will hold “An Evening To Remember” to raise much needed funding for the center and its programs and services.
Come and enjoy a multi-course sit-down dinner provided by some of Rhode Island’s most well-known restaurants and accompanied with a selection of wines and beers. Entertainment will be provided by Steven Palumbo.
The donation for attendees is $100 per person and reservations are being taken. For more information or to reserve seats or a table, visit www.msdreamcenter.org/an-evening-to-remember-event.
After over a year apart, the Cranston arts community is reconnecting for a unique curated show exhibiting some of the city’s greatest artists.
The Cranston Arts Commission’s first Cranston Community Art Exhibit will be on display at the Central Library, 140 Sockanosset Cross Road, through Sept. 30. Hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday through Saturday.
Featured artists are all Cranston residents, hand selected by the commission for their exceptional work across numerous artistic mediums.
“Following a tumultuous and at times very dark year and a half, we at the Cranston Arts Commission have a unique opportunity to reintroduce ourselves, our mission and our commitment to the artists and community members of Cranston,” said Danielle Izzi-St. Pierre, chair of the commission. “This gallery will bring folks together to facilitate networking amongst Cranston residents, and hopefully inspire younger artists to follow their passions. The artists we have selected to exhibit are diverse, both in backgrounds and artistic mediums, and this gallery will be an excellent first step in what will surely be an arts renaissance in our city.”
To learn more, visit www.cranstonartscommission.org.
For the month of September, the Cranston Public Library Association will receive a $1 donation from each purchase of the $2.50 reusable Community Bag at the Stop & Shop store located at 200 Atwood Ave. in Cranston. The Community Bags are located on displays around the store and at the checkout.
Join Garden City Center and Avvio Ristorante for a summer sendoff you won’t want to miss.
The finale of Beer Garden City is this weekend, Sept. 24-26, featuring Whalers Brewing Company.
Hours are Friday from 4 to 9 p.m., Saturday from 1 to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 7 p.m.
This family (and dog) friendly beer garden will also feature fun and games, live music and bites from Avvio, all located in your favorite Rhode Island home-away-from-home.
The Beer Garden is open to the public and there is no cover charge. Seating is available on a first come, first served basis and operating hours will be weather permitting. Customers must show a valid ID in order to purchase an alcoholic beverage.
On Sunday, Oct. 3, the group Hey 19 from Rhode Island, The Midnight Callers from New York City, and Soul Box and The Deluxtones from Boston will join in for a Rock & Roll Music Fest to benefit children in treatment at the Shriners Hospital for Children in Boston. Tickets cost $20 per person. The event will be held at Rhodes on the Pawtuxet, located at 60 Rhodes Place in Cranston. For tickets and more information, follow the event’s Facebook page or visit www.eventbrite.com.
The Cranston High School East Thunderbolt Marching Band Invitational is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 16, at 6 p.m. at Cranston Stadium. More details to follow.
The Cranston Senior Enrichment Center has announced that the Cranston Senior Golf Tournament is back. The event will be held at the Cranston Country Club on Oct. 4-5 with an 8 a.m. shotgun start. Registration costs $85 per person and includes 18 holes of golf with cart, continental breakfast, grilled hot dog and chips, a banquet immediately following play, and a great day of fun for all. For more information, call Jane at the center at (401) 780-6220.
Our Lady of Grace Church, located at 4 Lafayette St. in Johnston, would like invite vendors to participate in its Holiday Bazaar on Oct. 17. There will be crafters, vendors, a penny social, food and more. For information, contact Pat Leon at (401) 529-7592.
The 50th class reunion for Mt. Pleasant High School will be held on Oct. 29 at the Santa Maria DiPrata Society, located at 29 Walnut Grove Ave. in Cranston. The evening will begin at 6:30 and run through 11:30 p.m.
Tickets cost $50 per person. Please contact Vin DeTora at (401) 232-0856 or Joan LaVallee Gelfuso at (401) 578-2220 and RSVP by Oct. 5.
This September, the Rhode Island Historic Preservation and Heritage Commission will present four weekly 60-minute virtual celebrations on their new YouTube channel each Saturday at 7 p.m. The weekly programs will feature “Heritage Highlights” from different cultural performance groups, heritage organizations, and hands-on activities like cooking and dance demonstrations.
You can sneak a peek of the celebrations by visiting their YouTube channel, RI Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission.
This is a free family-friendly event.
The Cranston Senior Enrichment Center’s RSVP program needs volunteers to help in many ways in the community. One is to transport homebound seniors to medical appointments or run errands for them.
The program is also seeking RSVP school readiness volunteers to assist Glen Hills Elementary School’s staff and students with an array of school activities and events.
Also needed are RSVP recycling volunteers who educate the community with assistance and guidance from Rhode Island Resource Recovery professionals on a variety of topics such as waste reduction and reuse, recycling and composting. Learn more about Resource Recovery – who they are, what they do, how they work, and much more, including a tour of the facility.
If you are interested in becoming a Cranston RSVP volunteer, contact Karen at (401) 780-6159 for an interview. You must be 55 years of age or older to volunteer and a BCI is required. A mileage reimbursement is given to cover your travel cost. RSVP also provides insurance protection in the event that your or someone else is injured while performing your volunteer duties.
What if you do not drive or do not have a vehicle? No worries. RSVP will provide you with transportation to your volunteer station.
The East Greenwich Art Club will be exhibiting members’ work at Crestar Picture Framing, 51 Liberty St. in East Greenwich. The public is invited to the opening on Tuesday, Oct. 5, from 6 to 8 p.m., to meet the artists. It is a free event. The artwork may be viewed at Crestar until Monday, Oct.18, during their open hours.
The club will also be exhibiting small works at North Kingstown Free Library, 100 Boone St., North Kingstown, during the library’s hours, from Saturday, Oct. 2, until Friday, Nov.19.
New members are encouraged to join the club. For more information about the two exhibits or becoming a member, email info@eastgreenwichartclub.org or visit www.eastgreenwichartclub.org.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Rhode Island will host its fifth annual Bowl for Kids’ Sake (BFKS) event on Saturday, Sept. 25, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Lang’s Bowlarama in Cranston.
Participants can sign up in teams of five to participate in a private bowling party, and raise donations from family, friends and colleagues leading up to the event – with a fundraising goal of $100 for each participant.
You’ll also have the chance to win raffle prizes … and really great karma for giving back to local kids!
No experience is required – just a desire to have fun and support youth mentoring. All of the proceeds from this event stay in Rhode Island and help Big Brothers Big Sisters fulfill its mission. Donate today or register your team at www.secure.qgiv.com/event/bbbsri2021.
September is graced with having two different birth flowers. The two flowers are the vibrant aster and the beautiful yet resilient morning glory. The significance of both flowers is actually very similar, with the aster being said to represent love, while the morning glory represents affection.
To submit your news from the community, email Meri R. Kennedy at CranstonChatter@aol.com. This includes virtual events which should be submitted two to three weeks ahead of the event. 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.
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