Sun Rise Scoops

By MERI R. KENNEDY

Business After Hours

On June 25, the North Central Chamber of Commerce will host its June Business After Hours from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Goodwill Industries of Rhode Island, 100 Houghton St. in Providence. One More Taco will provide some tasty treats to sample. Remember to bring plenty of business cards! For more information, contact Jamie at 401-349-4674 or email Jamie@ncrichamber.com.

Garden City Summer

Concert Series announced

Garden City Center has announced its Summer Concert Series, which will be held every Wednesday (with rain date of Thursday) for this season. Opening up the series on July 8 will be Front & Center. On July 15 will be Dan Moretti & the Hammond boys with Christine Fawson, and July 22 will feature Tat Holler. The July 29 concert will feature Nancy Paolino & the Black Tie Band, while Aug. 5 will feature The Barons and Aug. 12 will feature the Red Hot Horns. The series will conclude on Aug. 19 with the Timmy Maia Band. Please bring a lawn chair or blanket and a donation of peanut butter or tuna fish for the Rhode Island Food Bank.

Wine tasting at

Verde Vineyards

The Johnston Historical Society will present a wine tasting at Verde Vineyards, which will include a personal tour of the vineyard and a presentation on the history and process of winemaking by owner Jim Verde. Refreshments will follow.

The event is being held on June 27 from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Verde Vineyards located at 50 Hopkins Ave. in Johnston. The cost is $25 per person. Contact Anthony Ursillo at 401-764-5901 or email aursillo401@gmail.com to register.

Mohr Large Book Sale

The Friends of Mohr Library are hosting a Large Book Sale at the library, located 1 Memorial Ave., on June 19 from noon to 6 p.m. and on June 20 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

There are great bargains that would make awesome gifts or lovely additions to anyone’s collection. Great selections at great prices include hardcover 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. The Friends Bookshelf on the lower level of the library is open for browsing and sales every day during library hours. 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. For more information, contact the Mohr Library at 401-231-4980, ext. 6.

Charity Car Show

A Charity Car Show will be held June 28 at the Sprague Mansion in Cranston to benefit B’s Mobility Ride. The event is being hosted by Gina M. Sabitoni-Arakelian. The car show will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the mansion, located at 1351 Cranston St. Cars, trucks and motorcycles are invited, with a $20 donation per vehicle. There will also be raffles and trophies. Food will be provided by Ralph’s Catering and Kitchen. For more information, contact Shaun McDermott at 401-572-6647 or Joey DiTraglia at 401-641-4964.

Horse’n Around at

Confreda Greenhouses

& Farms

On June 27 from noon to 4 p.m., Confreda Greenhouses & Farms, located at 2150 Scituate Ave. in Cranston, will present Horse’n Around, a free day of fun at the farm that includes learning about harness racing, feeding and petting a real racehorse, sitting behind a harness horse in a jog cart, and much more. The event will also include educational sessions on horses.

$2,500 youth philanthropy scholarship offered

The Rhode Island Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals is offering a $2,500 college scholarship to a Rhode Island student graduating from a local high school in June 2016 who has demonstrated a history of philanthropy and volunteerism.

The Herbert E. Kaplan Youth in Philanthropy Scholarship will be presented to a Rhode Island high school student at the National Philanthropy Day Awards Ceremony on Friday, Nov. 20, 2015. It is the hope that the award winner’s chosen education area will nurture a continued interest in community service.

Applicants must be entering their senior year of high school and be preparing to graduate in 2016 to be eligible for the scholarship.

The award is named in memory of Herb Kaplan, a Rhode Islander well noted for his service to the community. Visit www.afpri.org or email info@afpri.org for a scholarship application. Applications are due by Aug. 1, 2015 to: Lisa Desbiens, CFRE, The Providence Center, 528 North Main St., Providence, RI  02904.

Magic at the Mohr

Join in with Malik the Magic Guy, who will be at the Marian J. Mohr Library on June 25 at 6:30 p.m. for a mixture of magic and comedy. This event is suitable for the whole family. Please note that free tickets for this program will be available starting on June 2. This program is made possible by The Andrew Greene Fund. For more information, contact the Mohr Library at 401-231-4980, ext. 5.

St. Brigid’s spring

yard sale

St.Brigid’s Church, 1231 Plainfield St. in Johnston, will be holding its spring yard sale on two consecutive Saturdays, June 20 and 27, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Featured will be an array of clothing for children and adults, shoes, purses, home items, toys, books, jewelry, pictures and numerous other items that are being reasonably priced for a quick sale. Children attending will be the recipient of a free token of appreciation. Snacks and drinks will be offered for your convenience. Admission is free. Any questions may be directed to Carol at 401-943-9057.

2015 Summer Reading

Program: ‘Every Hero

Has A Story’

Join the Mohr Library this summer for a live animals story time, Art Smart, games, music, an ice cream party and much more! All events are free. Some require registration or free tickets.

The statewide Rhode Island Summer Reading Program is supported by the RI Office of Library and Information Services with funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Pawtucket Red Sox, Citizens Bank and Pepsi. Local support includes RI Children’s and Young Adult Librarians, the Friends of Mohr Library and generous gifts in Memory of Andrew Greene.

How the reading program works: Children from infants to 12 years old can sign up for summer reading. Registration starts on June 15 and will continue to Aug. 11. For each chapter book or five picture books/easy readers kids read or listen to, they will be awarded a raffle ticket (see prizes at the library). Children who complete at least five chapter books or 25 picture books/easy readers will receive a free book, an ice cream party invitation, a variety of incentive coupons (free or reduced admission to the Providence Children’s Museum, Roger Williams Zoo, and other attractions), and a Certificate of Completion. The deadline for submitting completed reading logs is Aug. 19. For more information, call 401-231-4980, ext. 5.

Academic News & Notes

The spring semester president’s list at Bryant University includes Kenneth Joseph Carlson, a senior from Johnston studying information technology.

Brittany Tutalo of Johnston was named to the Emmanuel College dean’s list for the spring 2015 semester.

Congratulations to Yasmeen Luna of Johnston, a junior majoring in biology and biotechnology at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), who recently completed an intense, hands-on research project in Worcester. The project was titled “Planning and Publicizing the CHIP.”

The largest graduating class in WPI’s history, 1,680 students, received their degrees. Congratulations to Joseph DelPonte of Johnston, who was awarded a master of science degree in systems engineering.

On May 9, Keene State College’s commencement honored the graduating class of 2015. Congratulations to Christopher Colbert of Johnston, who graduated with a bachelor of science degree in safety and occupational health sciences.

Congratulations to John Gesualdi of Johnston, who has achieved dean’s list honors for the just-completed spring term at Nichols College in Dudley, Mass.

No Name Dog events

No Name Dog Foundation is holding an adoption event on June 20 from 11 a.m. through 3 p.m., and every other weekend going forward throughout the summer, at Pet Supplies Plus, located at 171 Sockanosset Cross Road. This is a great non-profit organization that usually has both puppies and adult dogs available. Anyone who wants a preview of what they have available or additional information can visit nndf.org or the group’s Facebook under No Name Dog Foundation (NNDF).

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.