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The Johnston Parks and Recreation Department will present its Youth Fishing Derby on April 17 at Johnston Memorial Park. Ages seven to nine will fish from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.; ages four to six will fish from 10:30 a.m. to noon; and ages 10 to 13 will fish from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. Please remember this derby is meant for children and please let them to all the fishing. You can help cast and release fish if needed. For more information, contact 401-272-3460.

Recreation registrations

The Johnston Recreation Department is currently accepting registrations for youth tennis, T-ball, track, and summer day camp. For more information, visit johnstonrec.com.

At the Mohr for children

Storytime has started again with stories, songs, and rhymes for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers with a caregiver. The schedule is as follows:

Sessions for newborns to three-year-olds will be held on Tuesdays.

Sessions for those ages two and three will be held on Wednesdays.

Sessions for those ages three to five will be held on Thursdays.

All sessions begin at 10:30 a.m., and there is no need to register.

Pajama storytime for families with children ages four and older will run every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. through April 12. Join Ms. Dolores for stories, songs, puppets, and literacy activities. No need to register.

Tri-Town Head Start

recruiting new students

Tri-Town Community Action Agency CEO Joseph DeSantis has announced that the agency’s Head Start program is recruiting new students for spots at its four local sites.

“We’re continuing our efforts to identify more children who can benefit from this high-quality early education program,” DeSantis explained. “Since we recruit on a rolling basis, parents should take this opportunity to start the application process.”

Head Start is a free program for children from families who meet federal income guidelines – a family of three with annual income of $20,160 would qualify, for example – or other qualifications.

“Aside from wages, we screen families for homelessness, recent loss of residence, Supplemental Security Income, and other factors that may still qualify their children for Head Start,” explained Family and Community Outreach Specialist Barbara Chadwick. “Even if someone thinks they may not qualify under the income guidelines, I always encourage them to call us so that we can do a full review of their circumstances.”

Tri-Town runs Head Start centers at its main office, 1126 Hartford Ave., Johnston; 79 Waterman Ave. and 2204 Mineral Spring Ave. in North Providence; and 185 Main St. in Burrillville. All centers are accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and rated by the Bright Stars Quality Rating and Improvement System, Chadwick noted.

In addition to the host communities, the local program also serves North Smithfield, Foster, Glocester, and Scituate.

Currently, Tri-Town has an enrollment target of 134 preschool students in Head Start and 58 children from birth to 5 and expectant mothers in the Early Head Start program, Chadwick explained.

To start the application process, contact Tri-Town Community Action Head Start at 401-519-1979 or Barbara Chadwick at bchadwick@tri-town.org. More information, including the Parents Handbook and annual report, is available on the Tri-Town website, tri-town.org.

Walgreens hosts Goodwill donation bin

Walgreens, located at 25 Putnam Pike, Johnston, is the home for a Goodwill Industries of Rhode Island clothing and textile donation bin. All clothing and textile items are accepted, including shoes, belts, purses, backpacks, linens, towels, and the like. Donations may be ripped, stained or worn-out, but should be clean and odor-free.

The funds raised from donated items will be reinvested in the training programs offered by Goodwill Industries of Rhode Island, furthering its mission to provide job-training opportunities for youth and adults with disabilities and other barriers to employment.

Tomorrow Fund Stroll

On April 10, join in for the 14th annual Tomorrow Fund Stroll at Garden City Center in Cranston. Enjoy fun, food, and family festivities.

The Tomorrow Fund is a non-profit organization that provides daily financial and emotional support to children with cancer and their families as they are treated at The Tomorrow Fund Clinic located in the Edwin Forman Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Center at Hasbro Children’s Hospital in Providence. Kids can come from anywhere for the clinic’s services.

Check-in and registration begins at 8:45 a.m. “Tomorrow Fund Stroll” T-shirts will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration fees are $20 per person and $20 per team member.

The Stroll begins at 10 a.m. and participants, can walk as few or as many laps around the shopping center as they wish. There will be refreshments and entertainment, including clowns, face painters, and music. Trophies will be awarded to the team and individual raising the most money.

Community service hours are available. For more information or to receive a registration and pledge form, please call The Tomorrow Fund at 401-444-8811 or visit tomorrowfund.org.

 

Genealogy Group

at the Mohr

The Mohr Library Genealogy Group meets on the second Wednesday of each month at 4:30 p.m. Mohr Library has yearly subscriptions to Ancestry and also New England Historical Genealogical Society databases (NEHGS) on all library computers. The library also publishes a monthly newsletter outlining upcoming program details and includes tips for searching. Former programs include field trips to the State Archive and Swan Point Cemetery, as well as speakers on cemeteries, medallions found on gravestones, how to search for a particular nationality, and much more.

Meetings are open to all. Join avid ancestral sleuths. Learn tips from others. All nationalities are discussed. The April meeting will be Wednesday, April 13, at 4:30 p.m. For those interested, Grayce can take one-on-one sessions on Saturdays by appointment only for basic Ancestry class. For more information about the Genealogy Group and to receive the monthly newsletter, email Grayce at gmoorehead@mohrlibrary.org, or contact Grayce or Lori at Reference. The Marian J. Mohr Memorial Library is located at 1 Memorial Ave. in Johnston, and can be reached at 401-231-4980, ext. 6.

 

Networking at Night

Join the Northern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce for a night of networking at the Johnston Historical Society on May 9 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The Johnston Historical Society is located at 101 Putnam Pike. The cost is $10 for members who pre-register, $15 for members at the door, and $30 for non-members. For further information or to place a reservation, call 401-334-1000.

Junior River Rangers

The Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council (WRWC) plans to hire four new Junior River Rangers this spring and summer. WRWC Jr. River Rangers are land and water stewards and ambassadors on the Woony Bike Path and Greenway. WRWC particularly aims to hire youth from areas surrounding the Woony Greenway, such as the Providence neighborhoods of Olneyville, Manton, Valley, Hartford, Smith Hill, and all of Johnston. Our best stewards are those who know the Woony is also their own backyard. This year, four 18- to 24-year-olds will join the River Ranger ranks. They will learn skills in landscaping, parks maintenance, community engagement, and volunteer leadership. Junior Rangers will help make the bike path and greenway a cleaner, safer, and more beautiful place to enjoy. The River Ranger program, over 10 years old, is a training and outreach program for local youth. Rangers work with the WRWC leadership team, partners from the Rhode Island Department of Transportation, Providence Parks and our many friends and neighbors along the Greenway. Apply now! Applications are available online at wrwc.org/employment.php, at the WRWC offices at 45 Eagle St. Suite 202, and via email. Contact Derek Corsi for additional information at dcorsi@wrwc.org or 401-861-9046.

Gentian Garden

Club to meet

The Gentian Garden Club will welcome plant collector, landscape horticulturist, and garden designer Warren Leach for a program titled “Plant Combinations for a Long Season of Bloom.” Leach is also co-owner of Tranquil Lake Nursery, in Rehoboth, Mass. The program will be held on Tuesday, April 19, beginning at 7 p.m. at the Community House, located at 546 West Greenville Road in North Scituate. Refreshments to follow. For more information, contact Linda Proulx at 401- 647-3730, or email bogcrawler@msn.com. Also that evening, club member Cindy Gianfrancesco will be speaking on “Searching for the Perfect Tomatoes.”

Craft Show for

RI Dream Center

On April 30, the third annual Craft Show to benefit Hope for the Homeless will be held to support their 10th year of backpack outreach. Join in time for Mother’s Day shopping while helping to support a great community effort. It will be a full day of buying, selling and meeting new people. The craft show fee is to help the Dream Center supplement the cost of items to fill 300 to 500 backpacks that are passed out in the fall during National Homeless and Hunger week.

This is an outside event (with a rain date of May 7) and vendors must provide their own table and tent. Space is limited. Register at ridreamcenter.com or email Sharon Cogean at sharoncogean@gmail.com for an application.

There is a non-refundable fee for a 10-by-10 rental space of $30 with 100 percent supporting the backpack outreach. The Dream Center is located within Praise Tabernacle Church, 330 Park Ave. in Cranston. The deadline to rent space is April 22. For more information, call Sharon Cogean at 401-529-2973.

Coloring for Grownups

Every Monday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Mohr Library, you may enjoy a therapeutic, relaxing, and enjoyable evening through adult coloring. Many choices of designs including stylized drawings, florals, and mandalas, with 100 beautiful markers and 100 colored pencils to choose from. Come early or late. The program is free. The Marian J. Mohr Memorial Library is located at 1 Memorial Ave., Johnston.

COPSA Scholarship

The Chiefs of Police Secretaries Association (COPSA) is awarding a $500 scholarship to a high school senior or anyone possessing a GED from any Rhode Island high school – public, private, or parochial – accepted in a business program and with a good scholastic average. This is a one-time scholarship award and must be utilized during the year it is awarded. Applications must be postmarked by May 16, 2016. Applications, selection criteria, and contact information can be found on the following police department websites: Cumberland, Johnston, or Smithfield.

Foster parenting

An informational open house for anyone interested in learning about foster parenting will be held Wednesday, April 20 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Family Service of RI, located at 134 Thurbers Ave. in Providence. Foster parents receive tax-free dollars to support the placement, free medical coverage for the child, and a clothing allowance, along with 24/7 support. Anyone interested in foster parenting may attend the open house or contact Family Service at their convenience by calling 401-331-1350, ext. 3305, emailing wrightgr@familyserviceri.org, or visiting familyserviceri.org.

Bringing the world to RI

Cranston resident Everett McCurdy is bringing the world to Rhode Island, one international teenager at a time. McCurdy is an area representative of the ASSE International Student Exchange Program, whose primary goal is to contribute to international understanding by enabling foreign students to learn through active participation in family, school, and community life.

McCurdy will be interviewing families in the area to host exceptional high school students from Europe, Asia, the Americas, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the Middle East, and Scandinavia. Again this year, the ASSE Program is proud to also include students from the republics of the former Soviet Union on its roster. These students stay with volunteer host families for one academic school year and arrive with insurance and their own spending money.

For more information, contact Everett McCurdy at 401-481-2533 or visit host.asse.com.

Pink Heals Ball

Tickets are selling fast for the fifth annual Pink Heals Ball to be held on April 30 at the Crowne Plaza Grand Ballroom beginning at 6 p.m., with dinner served at 6:45 p.m. Meal choices are boneless chicken, baked scrod, prime rib, or vegetarian. Tickets are $50 per person/$55 for prime rib dinner. It will be an evening of dinner, dancing, and fun, with music by DJ Eric Anthony of Sounds Spectacular DJ Service. Support Pink Heals as it supports women with cancer around the state. For tickets, contact Matt Medeiros at 401-692-0772 or Chris Seelenbrandt at 401-578-5498. Rooms may also be booked at a discounted rated using the code RPH.

Pasta Fest

There will be a Pasta Fest from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on April 16 at the Edgewood Congregational Church, located at 1788 Broad St. The event will benefit Defenders of Animals. Registration is $10 per person, and the evening will also include raffles. Please call Defenders of Animals at 401-461-1922 to place your reservation.

Did You Know?

If Pope Gregory XIII would not have established the Gregorian calendar, which most of the world now observes, in 1582, then every 128 years the vernal equinox would have come a full calendar day earlier, eventually putting Easter in midwinter. (Source: Spring Fun Facts)

To submit your news from the community, email Meri R. Kennedy at SunriseScoops@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 Johnston Sun Rise! Please include a daytime telephone number in case we require any further information.

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