Sun Rise Scoops

By MERI R. KENNEDY

Chamber Board

of Directors

The Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors of the North Central Chamber of Commerce is scheduled to take place on Jan. 22 from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Regular business of the board will take place following the election of the slate of officers for 2015. All members are welcome to attend.

The meeting will be held in the North Providence Town Hall Assembly Room, located on the lower level through the second door on the left once entering the building’s lower level entrance. All attendees should utilize the rear parking lot. North Providence Town Hall is located at 2000 Smith St. in North Providence. For more information or to register, contact Deborah Ramos at 401-349-4674.

January Business

After Hours

The North Central Chamber of Commerce will hold its first networking event of 2015 with the monthly Business After Hours program, which will immediately follow the Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors. The Business After Hours will be held on Jan. 22 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at RI Billiard Bar & Bistro, located at 2022 Smith St. in North Providence.

Join in for some great networking, food and drinks, meet and mingle with the newly elected Board of Directors, and more. Begin 2015 by meeting some new folks and expanding your business leads. As always, Business After Hours is free for Chamber members, and $10 for non-members. Please register by contacting 401-349-4674.

Seeking RI’s

Funniest Females

The Rhode Island Comedy Hall of Fame is looking for the state’s Funniest Females to audition for future roasts and comedy shows. A show will be held at The Pub on Park, 661 Park Ave. in Cranston, on Friday, Jan. 23 at 8 p.m. Hosting the event will be Rhode Island’s own Doreen Collins (Rhode Bytes/Ocean State Follies). Up to 12 performers will have seven minutes each to show the Hall of Fame their stuff. Although this is not a comedy contest, the best performer of the evening will receive $100 prize, as determined by the audience. Those interested in performing are asked to write to RockinJoe@cox.net for more information. Admission is $10, and performers are admitted free. Seating is extremely limited, and it is expected the show will sell out. Tickets are available at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1065274.

Zumba by

Parks & Recreation

Beginning this week, Johnston Parks & Recreation will present Zumba Fitness, which will be an eight-week session at Rainone Gym located at 45 Mill St. in Johnston. Led by Roberta Preziosi, the classes are $80 per person or a $10 per class drop-in rate. Classes will meet Mondays and Wednesdays from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. All checks should be made payable to Johnston Adult Sports. Please wear exercise clothing and sneakers and also bring a water bottle and a towel.

Businesses renew

KDMF magnet

participation

Every two minutes, a person is injured in a drunk driving crash, and every day in America, another 28 people die as a result of DUI crashes. Those alarming statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have prompted Rhode Island businesses and organizations to team up with the Katie DeCubellis Memorial Fund (KDMF) to help remind motorists to drive responsibly throughout the year.

This New Year, KDMF will launch its third annual Auto Magnet Program, with AAA of Southern New England placing 85, 12-by-18-inch magnets on their vehicles statewide. The KDMF is also proud to announce that Big Blue Bug Solutions, Del’s Lemonade, Munroe Dairy, Almeida Plumbing, Yard Works and Cole Cabinets are all participants for the third year in this campaign to help keep the roadways safe.

John and Meg DeCubellis know first-hand of the devastating toll impaired driving can have on a family. On Oct. 29, 1999, a drunken driver killed 13-year-old Katie DeCubellis. Since then, the KDMF has strived to raise awareness about the dangers of driving under the influence and distracted driving.

Each month, one or more establishments will place the KDMF magnets on its vehicles, helping to encourage the public to take notice. The goal is to raise awareness and also thank the organizations that are donating some space on their vehicles.

The KDMF Auto Magnet Program provides an opportunity to continually convey this message to thousands of motorists and hopefully educate them on the importance of driving responsibly and positively influence their driving habits. To date, The KDMF has awarded more than $350,000 in scholarships, prizes and donations. For more information, please visit the KDMF website at www.kdmf.org.

At the Mohr Library

Radio Days will be held on Jan. 15 at 3 p.m. at the Mohr Library in Johnston. Come experience the New Age of Radio with the series that celebrates fantastic programs like “This American Life” and “Selected Shorts.”

The Play-Reading Group will be held on Jan. 27 at 6 p.m. Participants are invited to join others at the library for an evening with a group of local actors bringing a fantastic piece of theater to life. Post-reading discussions are also held with the actors and the audience.

For more information on these and other programs, contact the Marian J. Mohr Memorial Library, located at One Memorial Ave. in Johnston, at 401-231-4980.

Friends of the Mohr

Members of the Friends of the Mohr Library plan and run book sales and carry out other fundraising activities to allow the library to increase services and programs. The Friends welcome new members who are willing to provide support through donations, membership dues or volunteering their time. To find out more, contact the group or call the library director at 401-231-4980 and press 7.

There is an ongoing book sale in the lower level hall across from the meeting room. The Friends also hold larger sales two or three times a year. Great selections at great prices include hard cover and paperback books, fiction and non-fiction, for adults, children and young adults. Most prices range from 25 cents to $2. The Friends are a non-profit organization, with proceeds from fundraising supporting library programs and services.

Donations of gently used books are appreciated, and can be left at the library’s main desk during library hours. Receipts for tax purposes are available.

To submit your news from the community, e-mail 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. E-mail today and see your news in our column in the Johnston Sunrise! Please include a daytime telephone number in case we require any further information.