Sun Rise Scoops

St. Brigid’s cookie sale

Parishioners of St. Brigid’s Church at 1231 Plainfield St. in Johnston will be having their annual homemade Italian and traditional cookies on sale Saturday, Dec. 19, prior and after the 5 p.m. Mass, and Sunday, Dec. 20, prior and after their 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Masses. Half-pound trays are $20, while trays of one pound are $15. Smaller trays of specialty cookies will also be offered. All trays are beautifully gift wrapped and can be purchased either in the foyer of the church or in the church hall. Please call Angela at 401-944-3945 to reserve your tray.

Holiday open house

Please join the Johnston Historical Society for a holiday open house, taking place Sunday, Dec. 20 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Come in from the cold and join in for yuletide music, local history, light refreshments, and cheer in the society’s restored and decorated 1824 farmhouse. The adjacent Johnston History Museum, housed in a replica post-and-beam barn, will also be open. The event is free, and donations are welcome. The Johnston Historical Society is located at 101 Putnam Pike.

Ocean State Toastmasters

The Ocean State Toastmasters will hold a public meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 5, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Warwick City Hall, 3275 Post Road. Regular meetings are held on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. For more information, contact Gail Clarke, vice president of membership, at 401-884-2065 or ghclarke@verizon.net.

Cheese 101

Edgewood Cheese Shop and Eatery presents Cheese 101 on Jan. 22 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at its 1828 Broad St. location in Cranston. Participants will learn a bit about how cheese is made, and different styles of cheese. The event is BYOB. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased at Edgewood Cheese Shop. For more information, contact Adrienne D’Arconte at 401-261-9756 or adrienneam@cox.net.

Job Ready at Tri-Town

Tri-Town Community Action Agency will accept applications on an ongoing basis to its “Job Ready” career exploration program for upcoming sessions. The program kicked off in October, and is expected to be held quarterly during the year as needed. Jobseekers from 18 to 24 years of age who are not attending school can apply to the five-week, free program that helps candidates find a career path that matches their skills and interests.

A 20-hour orientation program is presented during the first week, including lessons on improving “soft skills,” like work ethic and problem solving; enhancing work readiness; understanding financial literacy; preparing for job interviews; and completing CPR, First Aid, and AED training.

Other program highlights include a 100-hour paid job shadow opportunity, with the potential to participate in the On the Job Training [OJT] or Work Immersions program offered by the Rhode Island Department of Employment and Training.

A work-eligible Social Security number and eligibility to work in the U.S. are required. Participants must also be available for the entire length of the program, 25 hours per week for five weeks. Paid work experience can take place at nights and weekends.

Residents of Rhode Island except Cranston and Providence – who can participate in programs in those cities – are eligible to take part in the Tri-Town hosted program.

Contact Jamie Sisto at Tri-Town Community Center, 33 Maple Ave., North Providence, at 401-519-1929 or jsisto@tri-town.org for more information.

New Family Performance Series

Families are invited to the new Family Performance Series, perfect for all ages, from the young to the young at heart. The series is hosted Saturdays from 11 a.m. to noon, September through May, at Theatre 82 & Cafe at 82 Rolfe Square in Cranston. Entertainment will include puppetry, magic, storytelling, improv, music, and more. There is something new each Saturday, with performers and acts changing each week. Some upcoming performers include Jason Andrews Magic, BIG NAZO, and Sparky’s Puppets. Attendees pay what they can for admission, with a suggested donation of $5 for most performances. Visit www.artists-exchange.org for dates and the complete list of upcoming performers. For more information, contact 401-480-9477.

Friends of the Mohr Public Library

Members of the Friends plan and run book sales and carry out other fundraising activities to allow the Mohr 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 them, or call the library director at 401-231-4980 (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 hardcover and paperback books, fiction and non-fiction, for adults, children, and young adults. Most prices range from 25 cents to $2. 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.

Mentor recruitment continues

The Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ocean State continues mentor recruitment for more than 200 children on the current waiting list. Boys and girls ages seven through 15 throughout the state of Rhode Island are waiting to be paired with a volunteer for six to eight hours a month for a minimum of a one-year commitment. For information on how you can be a mentor, contact a BBBSOS match support specialist at 401-921-2434 or visit Mentoring@BBBSOS.org.

Ocean State Job Lot kicks off ‘Three Square Meals’ drive

Ocean State Job Lot is beginning its annual “Three Square Meals” food and fund drive. Customers at all Ocean State Job Lot stores are invited to make a donation at the registers, a portion of which will be matched by Job Lot to help combat food insecurity in their community. The chain wide in-store fundraising effort supports Ocean State Job Lot Charitable Foundation’s Three Square Meals family assistance program, which benefits food banks throughout the Northeast, and local food distribution programs. All 120 Job Lot stores in eight states are participating. Donations taken at all stores through Dec. 31.

Did You Know?

The sending of Christmas greeting cards began in the Victorian era. Although engravers produced prints with religious themes in the European Middle Ages, the first commercial Christmas and New Year’s card is believed to have been designed and printed in London, England in 1843. John Callcott Horsley (1817-1903), a British narrative painter and a Royal Academician, designed the very first Christmas and New Year’s card at the request of his friend Sir Henry Cole (first director of the Victoria and Albert Museum). Cole suggested the idea of a specially designed form of greeting to send to friends at Christmas. In 1843, an edition of 1,000 of these Christmas cards were printed and placed on sale in London. (Christmas 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 Sunrise! Please include a daytime telephone number in case we require any further information.