Sun Rise Scoops

Tomorrow Fund Stroll

The Tomorrow Fund Stroll will mark its 17th year on Sunday, April 7, at Garden City Center in Cranston. Check-in begins at 8:45 a.m. and the stroll takes place at 10 a.m., with festivities continuing until noon.

The goal is to raise $100,000 to support children with cancer and their families through The Tomorrow Fund. Individual participants and teams are welcome. Trophies will be awarded to the top fundraisers in the following categories: Individual (Non-Team), Team, School and College/University.

Registration fees are $20 per stroller on a team or as an individual. There is no charge for children under 10 years of age.

Registration forms are available at tomorrowfund.org. Walk-in registration is also available at the event.

For more information about the Stroll and The Tomorrow Fund, call 444-8811 or visit tomorrowfund.org.

Community Shred Day

On April 13, Washington Trust will host a Shred Day at its location at 1383 Atwood Ave. in Johnston from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Washington Trust will also be collecting jars of peanut butter at its various location to benefit the 2019 Washington Trust Peanut Butter Drive. Learn more by visiting washtrust.com.

New Hope Gallery spring opening

The spring opening of New Hope Art Gallery will be held April 2 from 4-7:30 p.m. at the Cranston Enrichment Center, located at 1070 Cranston St., Cranston. The Spring Show will feature more than 400 pieces of 2D and 3D art – including ceramic pieces, digital works, drawings, fabric and furniture, glass pieces, mixed media, mosaics, paintings, photography and sculpture – from 95 senior, special needs and student artists.

The evening will also include music by Jim Chapin, Mark Greenwood, Bob Ruzzo and friends.

The show will additionally feature 15 artist tables of original art and fine prints at affordable prices. All art purchased is tax free. Enjoy a night of art, music, conversation, refreshments and free portrait drawings by Jack Lai.

The Spring Show runs until early July. Regular gallery hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except holidays.

Mohr Library Genealogy Group

The Marian J. Mohr Memorial Library hosts a Genealogy Group on the second Wednesday of each month at 4:30 p.m. The Library has yearly subscriptions to Ancestry.com and New England Historical Genealogical Society databases 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 nationality, and much more.

The group’s meetings are open to all. For more information, call 231-4980, email info@mohrlibrary.org or visit mohrlibrary.org. 

Johnston T-Ball 2019

The Johnston Parks and Recreation Department has announced that T-ball registration has begun and will be held through April 6. The program is for boys and girls who will be ages 5 and 6 as of May 1. The fee is $60 per individual and $40 each additional child.

T-ball will begin on May 4 and end on June 22. Participants will play on Saturday mornings (50-minute sessions), learn fundamentals, become comfortable with the ball, develop skills such as catching, throwing, swinging the bat and more.

Sponsors and volunteer coaches are needed.

Registration can be made at the Parks and Recreation Department. Please call 272-3460 for more information.

Omelet-eating competition at Character’s Café

Character's Café, 82 Rolfe Square, Cranston, will host an omelet-eating competition on Saturday, March 30, from 10-11 a.m.

Entrants will compete against 15 other people to see who can eat a 16-egg omelet – filled with cheese and breakfast meats – the fastest. The cost to enter is $20. The winner will be awarded a $50 gift certificate and a T-shirt. To register, call 781-2200.

Character’s Cafe is a full-service, nonprofit restaurant owned and operated by Gateways To Change Inc.

Programs and more at Mohr

The Marian J. Mohr Memorial Library, located at 1 Memorial Ave. in Johnston, has announced both children’s events and vacation events.

Storytime, which includes stories, songs, rhymes and puppets for kids and their caregivers, will run on Tuesdays for babies to 2-year-olds at 10:30 a.m. and Wednesdays for 3- to 5-year-olds at 10:30 a.m. through March 27. There is no need to register.

Lego Club is held every second Thursday of the month through June from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The club has more than 10,000 LEGO bricks donated by LEGO Systems.

Saturday Family Crafts is held every Saturday through June. Drop in anytime between 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. and enjoy several self-directed projects for kids and parents to do together. There is no need to register. This program is not appropriate for children under 3, as small parts might present a hazard.

Science Club will meet on March 6 at 6:30 p.m. Stack and drink layers of fruit juice to investigate how to make liquid denser and thicker and witness the process of diffusion. The program is for children in grades K-3, and families are welcome. Registration is required.

Johnston Historical Society

The Johnston Historical Society’s museum barn is open Tuesdays from 9-11 a.m. and 6:30-8:30 p.m., Thursdays from 2-5 p.m., or by appointment for those who would like to visit the museum or examine the society’s collection of printed materials. Just in case, call ahead to confirm they are there.

Society dues cost $20 per year for an individual and $30 per year for a family (two adults and children under 18) membership. The purpose of the Johnston Historical Society is to identify, preserve and promote the history of the town. It is located at 101 Putnam Pike in Johnston and can be reached by calling 231-3380.

Book Sales

Members of the Friends of the Mohr Library plan and run book sales and carry out other fundraising activities to allow the Marian J. Mohr Memorial Library to increase services and programs. The Friends welcome new members who are willing to support either through donations, membership dues, or through volunteering their time. To find out more, contact them, or call the library director at 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 hard cover and paperback books, fiction and non-fiction, for adults, children, and young adults. Most prices range from $.25 to $2. The Friends are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit 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.

MS Dream Center to kick off Saturday program

The MS Dream Center has announced that they will be adding a Saturday program to their weekly schedule. Beginning on Saturday, April 6, and continuing on the first Saturday of the month thereafter, the program will run from 10 a.m. through 1 p.m.

The April 6 program will include Chair Zumba with Michelle Calise at 10:30 a.m. followed by socialization and light refreshments.

This program is free and offered to those with Multiple Sclerosis and their loved ones. 

Their normal business hours are Tuesday’s, Wednesday’s, and Thursday’s from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The center is located at the Peter T. Pastore Youth Center, 155 Gansett Ave. in Cranston.

Transportation will be provided via the RIDE Bus for those that are unable to get there on their own. Contact donna@msdreamcenter.org for assistance with transport arrangements.

The MS Dream Center was founded in April 2010 with a mission of engaging all members of the MS community in purposeful activity, while promoting a spirit of camaraderie. The Center offers a wide range of activities from support groups and exercise programs to educational seminars and various therapies. Visit www.msdreamcenter.org for more information.

Did You Know?

Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales (1392) contains the first recorded association between April 1 and foolishness. In Chaucer’s tale, the vain rooster Chauntecleer is tricked by a fox. (Source: April Fools Fun Facts)

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