Weekend Spotlights

Nov. 18, Armenian Evangelical Church Holiday Bazaar will be held on Sat., Nov. 18, from 12-7 p.m., at the church, 180 Oaklawn Avenue, Cranston. Half Roasted Chicken, Losh Kebab, Kufta, and Kheyma dinners will be served with pilaf, green beans, salad, and bread. American and Armenian pastries and delicacies including Choreg, Bourma, Paklava, Yalenche, Khadaif, Boreg, Stuffed Mussels and more, plus the always popular Penny Social. Please contact MaryAnn: (401)751-4568 with any questions.

Nov. 18, Family Day for Heroes Veterans Expo at 1418 Plainfield Pike. Food, fun, raffles and prizes! IPODS for Wounded Veterans and Century 21 Divine Group Homes for Heroes will be supporting and honoring veterans with a 50" TV as a grand prize. Veterans get in for free. For more information call Mike (401) 265-9437 or Paul (603) 770-5336.

Nov. 19, Phillips Memorial Baptist Church Holiday Bazaar will be held on Sat., Nov. 19, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the church, 565 Pontiac Ave., Cranston. From 9 to 10:30 a.m., coffee and goodies at the “Coffee Nook,” and 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., lunch “to go.” Featuring basement bargains and treasures, toys, puzzles, games, books, baked goods, crafts, jewelry, needlework, “oldtiques,” animal items and more. The church is handicapped accessible.

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Nov. 21, Constitution is the Solution, a video lecture, is being hosted by The John Birch Society on Tues.,  Nov. 21, from 6 pm to 7:30 p.m. at the Cranston Public Library, Branch Central Library, Seminar Room, 140 Sockanosset Cross Rd, Cranston. Sitting is limited to ten (10) people.

Invitees will be provided with a practical understanding of how the Constitution is intended to work.

Study material and writing tools will also be available. For more information , call Marian Juskuv at 401-425-8025 or aa1vu@yahoo.com.  All are welcome.

December 3, Holiday Open House at Governor Sprague Mansion Museum on Sat., December 2, 1353 Cranston St., Cranston, Grand Ballroom Entrance. Accessible entrance and parking in back of Mansion. Victorian splendor decorations by Western Cranston Garden Club. Visit Museum Shop. 3 to 5p.m. in the Sprague Mansion: Music and punch. Musical selections by pianist Andrew Kaplan on CHS rare 1880s Grand Steinway Concerta D. 4 p.m. Greetings from City & State:  Mayor Kenneth Hopkins & Senator Jack Reed. 5 p.m. Outside Tree Lighting: Sponsored by Ward 3 Councilman John Donegan.  Bain Choir provides holiday tunes at Mansion Gazebo! Visit Sprague Carriage House for hot cocoa provided by teachers/parents. Visit OneCranston Health Equity Zone & Cranston Public Library info tables.  Open to the public.

Dec. 2 & 3, Open Table of Christ United Methodist Church Holiday Bazaar will be held on Sat., Dec. 2, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on Sun., Dec. 3 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 1520 Broad Street, Providence.  Featuring Children’s Pancake Breakfast with Santa at 10 a.m. $3 per child, 4 – children $10.  11 a.m. to 12 p.m. take your own picture with Santa.  Children’s gift shop & wrapping station, bake table, wish table (drawing at 1 p.m.).  Food available.  Open closet with clothing, holiday items and jewelry.  More information:  Helen 401-864-9603.

Dec. 6, Nonfiction@Brown lecture Series presents: Georgia Wright. On, Wed., Dec 6 at 6 p.m. the Nonfiction@Brown presents the audio storyteller and producer Georgia Wright. This event is free and open to the public! The reading will be held in Pembroke Hall Room 305, 172 Meeting Street Providence. 

Dec. 7 through Dec. 10, , “Oh? What Fun!”  will be performed by the Rhode Island Gay Men’s Chorus on Thurs., Dec. 7, Fri. Dec. 8, Sat. Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. and Sun., Dec. 10 at 3 p.m. at Beneficent Congregational Church, 300 Weybosset St., Providence.  Combining traditional holiday favorites, the chorus is proud to be honoring the diverse heritages of choral members with songs of the French, Italian, Portuguese, Jewish, Czech, Irish, Latina, East Asian ethnicities. Join them in their celebration of each other’s unique qualities.  This is sure to be a sparkling concert filled with music of the season.  Tickets are on sale now: Adults $30, Seniors $25 and Students $20.  To purchase tickets, please visit: rigmc.org.

Dec. 9, St. Lucia Fest sponsored by the RI Swedish Heritage Assoc. will be held on Sat., Dec. 9, at 4 p.m., at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 99 Peirce St., East Greenwich.  Adults: $12, Ages 5-14: $5, Under 5 – Free.  Reception following with Swedish refreshments.  Questions or information:  Astrid at 401-350-9688 or astrid.m.drew@gmail.com or Merlene Mayette at 401-783-2242 or merleneinri@verizon.net.

Dec. 9, Sprague Mansion End of Season Grounds Beautification Day, will be held at the Mansion, 1351 Cranston Street, Cranston, from 12 to 2:30 p.m. If you need volunteer hours, contact the Cranston Historical Society to register.  Dress warmly, bring gloves, and a rake. Weather permitting. 401-944-9226 www.facebook.com/cranstonhistoricalsociety.

Dec. 14,  Holiday-Time Tour with Tea at Governor Sprague Mansion will be held on Thurs., Dec. 14 at 6:30 p.m., at Governor Sprague Mansion, 1351 Cranston Street, Cranston. Call to reserve $18; $16 CHS members  401-944-9226.  Seating for 10 only. Enjoy a relaxing evening with tea of the night and a sweet treat. A brief introduction about the Sprague family and A&W Sprague Textile Manufacturing Co. will be shared. Checks payable to: Cranston Historical Society, 1351 Cranston St., Cranston 02920. Sorry, we cannot accommodate food sensitivities. After Dec. 8, call to inquire if seating is available. Accessible entrance and parking at back of mansion. Weather permitting.

Until 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.

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.