Slew of events upcoming at Johnston Senior Center

The Johnston Senior Center is hosting a slew of events throughout the last half of July, beginning with a follow-up to its successful wine and paint night in April.

The next installment will take place this coming Monday, July 22, at 5 p.m. with Cherry Hill Manor director of marketing Loraine DiLorenzo leading the class yet again. Admission costs $20 and includes two glasses of wine, painting supplies and cheese and crackers.

The event is held on a first-come, first-served basis, and seats fill up quickly.

“Last time we had the event, we had about 30 people and we had to actually turn people away because it’s such a popular event, but unfortunately she can’t take any more than 30 people,” Johnston Senior Center assistant director Millie Santilli said. “It was a fun night, everybody had a ball and that’s why we repeated it so quickly, because it was a great night.”

On July 27, the center will hold a charity car show featuring Rhode Island Cowboy Cruisers. Santilli said about 70 cars will be parked in the back lot, and muffins, hot dogs, coffee, water and other amenities will be available. It’s the first event of its kind that the center has hosted.

Santilli said DiLorenzo is donating the hot dogs and buns for the car show. The theme of giving is vital considering the main purpose of the event.

“The car show people will be giving us food for our food bank at the end of all this, which is really good because before you know it the holidays will start to be coming up and we’re pretty depleted on our food in the closet right now,” Santilli said of the car show, which has a $15 admission fee.

The center will keep the wine flowing to round out the month. Santilli said they will welcome Merrill Lynch’s Lisa Picillo and Sherwin Vargas for a Wine and Finance night, answering any questions that participants have during a one-hour session from 5-6 p.m. on July 30.

“If they want to go one-on-one on trying to talk about different things, different financial [needs] … It’s going to be about anything that they want to talk about,” Santilli said.

Santilli said there are plans, but no official date set, for a pet photography event featuring Laura Santilli. Millie said she’s been asked on several occasions where people can go for pet photos, but soon the wellness center will double as a studio.

“We have a ton of people in here that have animals and are animal lovers and they’re always asking me if I know anybody, do you have anybody, where can I go because every place has closed down now,” Santilli said. “Even regular photography, this person does not only pet photography but they do families and all of that stuff. I think it’s going to be an interesting thing. It’s going to be fun.”

She said dates will be coordinated soon and more information is to come.

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND:

Cherry Hill Manor director of marketing Loraine DiLorenzo, seen here working with painters during the first wine and paint night on April 30, will once again take the reins of the class when the next installment is held this coming Monday, July 22, at 5 p.m. at the Johnston Senior Center. Space is limited. (Sun Rise photo)