Cranston Chatter

Library to hold Passport Day

The Cranston Public Library will hold its annual Passport Day on Saturday, Oct. 8. U.S. citizens planning international travel may apply for their passports at the Central Library between 2 p.m. and 5 pm.

Passport agents will be at the library during those hours to process applications for individuals and families, and answer any questions about the passport application process. They will also be able to take passport photos for a fee of $10.

Applicants need to bring proof of U.S. citizenship, a valid photo ID (for adults), and a personal check or money order. Detailed information on the documents required can be found at cranstonlibrary.org or at the Cranston Public Library’s Central Library. The Department of State’s website also offers complete information about the passport application process at travel.state.gov.

The Central Library is located at 140 Sockanosset Cross Road, in Cranston.

Teams for Tarps competition

The Cranston East Indoor Percussion Ensemble needs your vote! The group is in the running for a new floor tarp for indoor percussion through the third annual Teams for Tarps competition, and the Cranston East Alumni Band Association is calling on all students, parents, friends, and alumni to vote through the Winter Guard Tarps page on Facebook through Oct. 14. Information is also available on the Alumni Band Association’s Facebook page.

Adopt-A-Pup

Scrub-A-Pup Self-Serve Dog Wash, located at 2244 Plainfield Pike in Cranston, will present an Adopt-A-Pup event on Sunday, Oct. 2 from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The event will feature some of New England’s most deserving adoptable pets, with the Friends of Homeless Animals RI (fohari.org) on hand along with special guest host Jess from 92 PRO-FM. The event is being sponsored by Moriarty’s Fence Company. Free nail trims will be offered for pets. Along with the adoption component, there will be food trucks, a bounce house, face painting, and raffle prizes from sponsors including Moriarty’s Invisible Fence, John Paul Pet, Paul Mitchell the School RI, Caffe Dolce Vita, Hotel Dolce Villa, Biergarten, Blend PVD, and more. The Cranston and Warwick police K-9 units will also be on hand to do a search and rescue demonstration from noon to 2 p.m.

Help build a hiking trail

Help build a hiking trail in western Cranston, Saturday morning Oct. 8. The mile and a half long trail, recently permitted by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, is on city owned conservation land. Most of the trail work is clipping branches and small plants on the pre-marked trail. We will meet at the corner of Laten Knight and Beachwood roads at 9 am. Volunteers are needed. Children are welcome. If you have clippers or loppers, please bring them. We will have some tools. Please do not bring axes, chainsaws or other machine-powered equipment. Gloves and long pants are recommended. For more information, contact Steve Stycos at 461-2618 or sstycos 26@gmail.com.

INSIGHT support group

INSIGHT hosts a monthly support group at the Cranston Senior Center, 1070 Cranston St. in Cranston, on the first Friday of each month. The next meeting of the group is Friday, Oct. 7 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The meetings are free and open to anyone living with vision loss as well as sighted family members and friends.

The group is facilitated by staff from INSIGHT and includes a presentation about a topic related to vision loss as well as the opportunity for group participants to ask questions and seek advice from the INSIGHT staff as well as other group members.

The September meeting will focus on a variety of easy strategies for tactilely marking items and appliances to make them easier to find, identify and use.

For more information about the support group or any other programs at INSIGHT, contact Richard Andrade at 401-941-3322 or visit in-sight.org.

Cranston Hall of Fame

The Cranston Hall of Fame Foundation has announced its 2016 class of inductees. Established in 1980 by the Cranston City Council, the foundation has inducted five new members each year into its Hall of Fame at its fall induction dinner ceremony.

This year the new inductees are: Michael Crudale, Cranston; Dennis DeJesus, Cranston; Mrs. Wanda S. DeRouin (posthumously) Cranston; Ronald DiOrio, Cranston; and Susan Soscia, East Greenwich.

To qualify for induction, persons must have graduated from the Cranston Public School System at least 10 years ago and have distinguished themselves on a local, state, regional or national level in their field of choice.

The 36th induction dinner will be held on Sunday, Oct. 16 at the Cranston Country Club, 69 Burlingame Road in Cranston, starting at 5 p.m.

For more information, contact Fred Vincent, president of the Cranston Hall of Fame, at 401- 943-5950 or via email at fjvincent27@yahoo.com.

Sunday hours at the Central Library

Beginning Sunday, Oct. 2, the Cranston Public Library’s Central Library will resume Sunday hours. The Central Library will open from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. every Sunday until Dec. 18, with the exception of a holiday closure on Oct. 9. The Central Library is located at 140 Sockanosset Cross Road.

Library locations closed for Columbus Day

All Cranston Public Library locations will be closed Sunday, Oct. 9 and Monday, Oct. 10 in observance of Columbus Day. Regular hours will resume Tuesday, Oct. 11.

Chamber Fall Business Growth Seminar Series

On Oct. 3, from 10 a.m. to noon, the Greater Cranston Chamber of Commerce will hold the Fall Business Growth Seminar Series presented by Bob Salvas and Michelle Girasole at Cranston Chamber of Commerce/Garden City Center, 100 Midway Road in Cranston.

The first in the series is “Making a Digital First Impression.” First impressions matter. How are you doing with your emails?  This seminar will help you avoid common mistakes and maximize your digital presence for a powerful impact.

Please register at tinyurl.com/firstimpressioncranston or call the Chamber at 401-785-3780.

Cranston East fall yard sale

Cranston High School East will hold its annual fall yard sale on Oct. 1 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The cost to rent a spot is $10. Contact Andrea DiCicco by email at adicicco@cpsed.net or call 401-270-8126. The rain date is scheduled for Oct. 8.

Dog adoption event

Defenders of Animals will host an Adopt a Shelter Dog Month event on Oct. 16 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. They will have Rhode Island dogs up for adoption at the Pet Supplies Plus store at 171 Sockanosset Cross Road in Cranston.

Blessing of the Animals

Defenders of Animals will hold its Blessing of the Animals on Sunday, Oct. 2, at Edgewood Congregational Church, located at 1888 Broad St. The event begins at 10 a.m. with an outdoor worship service, and the blessing will be held at 11 a.m. Defenders of Animals will be available to take pictures of pets being blessed, and photos will be made available for a $10 donation to Defenders of Animals. Animals are welcome to come.

Tiger’s Den needs your help

Tiger’s Den Animal Rescue is a Rhode Island-based, non-profit, no-kill, 100-percent volunteer organization that assists families and their pets with fundraising for veterinary bills and providing pet food. In addition to its family-based program, the organization maintains the largest cat sanctuary in Rhode Island.

Tiger’s Den requires additional funding for its cat sanctuary. The goal is to make director Melissa Davis’ dream a reality – to allow Tiger’s Den to provide the animals under her care a second chance at life.

Should you wish to donate, please contact Melissa Davis at Tiger’s Den, 55 Caporal St., Cranston, RI 02910, or contribute through PayPal at tigersdenrescue.com. To volunteer, call 401-439-5443. All donations are tax deductible.

Join Cub and Boy Scouts in Cranston

Cub Scout Pack 22 and Boy Scout Troop 22 have begun the 2016-17 season. Both meet in St. Matthew School at 7 p.m. on Thursdays. They offer trained leaders and planned schedules. They are holding an open house for new members on Thursday, Oct. 6. Any boy from grade one through age 17 is welcome to come with a parent to learn more. For more information, contact Scoutmaster Paul Kelley at 401-941-7225.

Goodwill clothing bin

Goodwill Industries of Rhode Island has placed a clothing donation bin at Midas Cranston, located at 525 Reservoir Ave. Clothing and textiles may be donated even if they are torn or stained, as long as they are dry, clean, and odor-free. Donations of clothing and textiles to Goodwill help Rhode Island youth and adults with disabilities and other barriers to employment find their place in the work force. For more information, contact Kevin Fisette at kfisette@goodwillri.org.

State Ballet makes Cranston new home

Cranston and the Park Theatre are honored to be the new home for the 57th performing season of The State Ballet of Rhode Island. Starting Dec. 2-3, there will be three performances of “Coppelia,” an enchanting love story of a dancing doll, a Rhode Island tradition since 1975. The first show will be a “pay what you can” performance open to schools, senior centers, and other municipal organizations, as well as the general public. In March 2017, Herci Marsden’s “Phantomgreen,” based on “The Princess and the Pea,” will be performed. For more information, visit stateballet.com.

Did You Know?

Columbus Day is coming up! Did you know that people have been commemorating this event since colonial times, but Colorado was the first state to make the day an official holiday in 1906? (Columbus Day 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 range from community events, promotions, academic news, and non-profit 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.