Community News

RI COMMUNITY FOOD BANK If you are in need of food, you can call the RI Community Food Bank at 942-6325 or you can visit www.rifoodbank.org for a complete list of open pantries statewide. COVENTRY PUBLIC LIBRARY NEW CHAT FEATURE! At home in your slippers, but need to ask us a question? Try our new chat service! Click on the chat bubble logo on the bottom right corner of our website and ask away. If the library isn’t open, it will let you email us. Chat hours are: Monday through Wednesday 9AM-7:30PM, Thursday and Friday 9AM4:30PM, and Saturday 9AM-4:30PM (9AM-12:30PM during Summer Hours). WEST WARWICK PUBLIC SCHOOLS MENTORS NEEDED West Warwick Public Schools is in need of in person volunteer mentors for students in Grades K-12. The time commitment is 1 hour per week. Anybody who is interested in volunteering can call or email me, Dana Papitto, Mentor Coordinator, at: (401) 825-6530 or dpapitto@ww-ps.com SIGN UP FOR IMPORTANT TOWN INFORMATION ALERTS CodeRed is a very helpful service in which you can receive important town information in a timely manner. Alerts include important town matters, COVID-19 vaccinations, weather emergencies, sex offender notifications, etc. To sign up for automated calls and/or texts on your cell phone or landline, register your phone numbers at the town’s website, www. coventryri.org or through the Coventry Police Dept. website, www.coventrypd.org WEST WARWICK FOOD CUPBOARD The West Warwick Assistance Agency operates a food cupboard at 1293 Main Street serving all West Warwick residents living at or below three times the federal poverty level. We are open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10AM-2PM, unless there is a town-wide parking ban in effect. We offer standard amounts of core groceries based on household size as well as self serve selections of produce, bread and assorted other noncore grocery items we have on hand. If you have any questions, feel free to call us at 828-0310, and no appointment is necessary to visit our facility.

DO YOU WANT TO LEARN TO KNIT? If you knit or you would like to learn, join the Knitting Group at the Coventry Senior Center, 50 Wood Street, Coventry. The group meets on Wednesday mornings at 9:30AM. This is a great way to socialize and make new friends.

COVENTRY RESOURCE & SENIOR CENTER OFFERS FREE NOTARY SERVICE The Coventry Resource & Senior Center, 50 Wood Street, Coventry, offers free Notary Services to Coventry residents. Please call 822-9175 to ensure a Notary is available for you. THANKSGIVING BASKET DONATIONS REQUESTED Thanksgiving Basket Drive for residents of West Greenwich only. For more than 30 years, the Office of Human Services in the town of West Greenwich has put together Thanksgiving Dinner Baskets for families in town who find themselves in need of assistance. Please take a moment to remember families in the community who may find themselves in need of support this holiday season. If you or your organization would like to donate a complete Thanksgiving Dinner Basket or if you find yourself in need of assistance this year, please call Marge Gartelman at 397-4234. “Share the Blessings of the Season and Help a Neighbor” PROJECT FRIENDS Project Friends is a State of RI licensed community based day service program developed in 1992 for adults with developmental disabilities. Each individual has a plan that offers choices of activities which build independence, adult daily living skills, socialization, self-esteem and confidence. Participants are supported by case aides. If you would like more information about Project Friends, please feel free to call Marlena or Lisa at 822-9144.

VOLUNTEER TOUR GUIDES NEEDED The Paine House, 7 Station Street in Coventry is looking for volunteer Tour Guides to share this unique historical site with the general public. Can you spare a few hours once or twice a month? All training and materials will be provided, no special skills required. This opportunity is suitable for High School students to adults. Training classes for the 2022 season will begin soon. If interested, call Bob at 439-7513 or email info@ westernrihistory.org VETERAN BENEFITS & INFORMATIONAL EXPO MARINE CORPS LEAGUE AT COVENTRY SENIOR CENTER The Marine Corps League will hold their meeting the 1st The Coventry Resource & Senior Center, 50 Wood Street, Thursday of each month at 7PM at VFW Post 9404, 29 Coventry, will hold an informational Expo to discuss benefits South Main Street, Coventry. Members join in camaraderie available to Veterans on November 17 at 1PM. Benefit and fellowship for the purpose of preserving traditions and entitlements include aid & attendance, housebound benefits, interests of the United States Marine Corps. survivors benefits, Dependency Indemnity Compensation WEST WARWICK PUBLIC LIBRARY (DIC) and caregiver support program. The primary emphasis HOMEBOUND OUTREACH SERVICES is to ensure Veteran awareness of benefits entitled to and how The West Warwick Public Library offers free delivery of most to navigate the application process. Library materials to the homebound, free of charge. If you COVENTRY PUBLIC LIBRARY are either permanently or temporarily unable to come to the STUDIES IN CRIME BOOK CLUB Library, and you are a resident of West Warwick, this program Join us for our next meeting on November 16 at 5:30PM as we is for you. To sign up or for more information, contact Anne discuss Susan Jonusas’ Hell’s Half Acre. In 1873, countless at 828-3750, Ext. 11 or email anne@wwlibrary.org bodies were found on a homestead in Kansas. When a family EXETER GRANGE “GO BANANAS CHALLENGE” of four was accused of the slayings, the case was catapulted Exeter Grange is working on a new challenge. The Grange to infamy. Part gothic western, part literary whodunnit, and is participating in the ìGo Bananas Challengeî for Project part immersive study of postbellum America, Hell’s Half- Saving Species in conjunction with the Cincinnati Zoo. They Acre sheds new light on one of the most notorious cases in are asking for donations of used and broken cell phones, smart our nation’s history. New members always welcome! Call phones, IPAD/IPODS, tablets and charging accessories. Many 822-9105 to join. of these items contain metals and materials that need to be

COVENTRY PUBLIC LIBRARY PRESENTS... recycled and not tossed in the landfill. Eco-Call, a Louisville Coventry Library Presents: Pirates, Pirate Hunters, and the based company, will break down and recycle the items and Lasting Impacts on RI and the World on November 22nd has a no landfill policy. Donations can be left on the steps of at 6PM. Join us as we learn about historical piracy, ye Exeter Grange Hall, 469 Ten Rod Road (Rte. 102) in Exeter. If landlubbers! Registration for this event is not required, but there are any questions or a donation is left, please feel free to recommended. To register, contact the Reference Desk at call Amanda or Peggy at 401-397-8058 and leave a message. 822-9105 or email kbutler@coventrylibrary.org SGTS. DAVID LANGEVIN & ARMAND BOUDREAU COVENTRY PUBLIC LIBRARY SERVICE VFW POST 449 TURKEY TROT HOLIDAY RAFFLE SPOTLIGHT: VIDEO GAMES Sgts. David Langevin & Armand Boudreau VFW Post Did you know that Coventry Public Library has a wide variety #449, 197 Providence Street, West Warwick, will hold their of video games available to borrow for Nintendo Switch, PS4, Annual Turkey Trot Holiday Raffle on November 12 at 7PM. PS5, and Xbox One? Video games can be pricey - Why buy Admission is free and refreshments will be served. Seating when you can borrow? Video games check out for 21 days is on a first come basis, so early attendance is recommended. Call 828-9715 for more information. and can be put on hold, but cannot be renewed. Video games FROM KING FEATURES WEEKLY SERVICE, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803 are fine free! For more information, call the Circulation Desk at 822-9100 and press 1. CUSTOMER SERVICE: (800) 708-7311 EXT. 257 SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY UMC

DIVAS ON A DIME #12345_20221031 BREAKFAST & APPRAISAL FAIR Shepherd of the Valley United Methodist Church, 604 Seven

FREE NOTARY SERVICE ATFOR RELEASE OCT. 31, 2022 Mile Road, Hope will hold a Breakfast & Appraisal Fair on COVENTRY LIBRARY November 19. Breakfast will be served from 8-11AM, cost Free notary services are available at the Coventry Public By Patti Diamond is $12/adult & $5/child (10 & under). Bring your treasures as Library. Proper governmental identification with a signature is required and all documents must be signed in the presence of PHOTO CREDIT: www.JasonCoblentz.com Bruneau and Company Auctioneers will be appraising from 9:30-11AM. Cost is $10/1 item or $20/up to 3 items. Proceeds to benefit the church. Visit www.sovumc.org, call 821-8217 or the notary. Please call ahead to be sure the notary is available PHOTO CAPTION: Save time with these make-ahead meals at 401-822-6200. email sovumcri@gmail.com for more information.

It’s Time for MakeAhead Meals for the Holidays

Have you ever wished the dinner fairy would appear with an effortless dinner for your family? I sure have, usually at 8 o’clock in the evening, dying of hunger, with 100 plates spinning and none of them dinner plates! ’Tis the season for busyness beyond belief, but here’s a solution: Spend time prepping meals now in anticipation of the busy season ahead. Let’s cook pork and rice in quantity and stash them in the freezer with recipes to use them when you need a quick dinner fix.

To keep costs low, use boneless pork sirloin roasts. These small roasts are packaged in large vacuum-sealed bags and are (historically) very inexpensive. I find 6 pounds of pork yields four generous meals for a family of four. You’ll adjust the amounts to suit your family’s needs. OVEN ROAST PORK

Yield: 12 cups/16 servings

Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes 6 pounds pork roast 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic

Preheat oven to 375 F. Place pork in large baking pan, season and cover with foil. Roast for one hour, then lower the temperature to 275 F for an additional hour. Check for a temperature above 165 F.

Let cool completely. When cool, cut your pork into cubes and divide into portions of about 3 cups each. Place the portions into zippered freezer bags. Divide any pan juices between the bags. Label and freeze. BIG BATCH RICE

Yield: 12 cups/16 servings

Total Time: 47 minutes 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon olive oil 4 cups white or brown rice

Heat 8 cups of water to boiling.

Add salt, butter, oil and rice. Return to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer.

Simmer for 20 minutes for white rice, or 45 minutes for brown rice. Next, remove from heat and let stand, covwww.JasonCoblentz.com

Save time with these make-ahead meals

ered, for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork. Let cool completely and divide into 3-cup portions. Freeze in zippered bags.

For each recipe, defrost one bag each pork and rice, overnight in refrigerator or defrost in microwave. EASY PORK CHILI VERDE

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Total Time: 15 minutes 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 cup chopped onion 3 cups cooked pork, cubed 1 (28 ounce) can green chili enchilada sauce 1 (15.5 ounce) can great northern beans, drained and rinsed 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth 3 cups cooked rice

In a large skillet, saute onion in olive oil until soft. Add pork, green chili enchilada sauce, beans, broth and rice. Bring to a simmer and serve (pictured). CREAMY PORK AND

MUSHROOM CASSEROLE

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Total Time: 15 minutes 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 cup onion, chopped 1 cup celery, chopped 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced 3 cups cooked pork, cubed 3 cups cooked rice 1 (10.5 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup 1/2 cup sour cream 3/4 cup milk 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce 1 cup frozen peas

In a large skillet, heat olive oil and saute onion, celery and mushrooms. Add pork and rice, stirring to combine. In a bowl, stir together cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, milk and soy sauce. (If you don’t use cream soups, increase sour cream to 1 cup and add salt to taste.) Add the soup mixture to the skillet, add peas and stir. Heat through and serve.

Other recipe ideas would be BBQ pork sandwiches, stir fry, burritos or burrito bowls.

With these easy recipes you can be your own dinner fairy! Now we need a dish-washing fairy. ***

Lifestyle expert Patti Diamond is the penny-pinching, party-planning, recipe developer and content creator of the website Divas On A Dime — Where Frugal, Meets Fabulous! Visit Patti at www.divasonadime.com and join the conversation on Facebook at DivasOnADimeDotCom. Email Patti at divapatti@divasonadime.com