Community News

ST. XAVIER ACADEMY HOMECOMING St. Francis Xavier Academy Alumnae Association (SXA) Homecoming is October 23, with an 11AM Mass at St. Timothy Church, Warwick, followed immediately by lunch at the Crowne Plaza, Warwick. This year, due to prior COVID restrictions, the classes of 1970, ‘71 & ‘72 will be honored for their 50th Anniversary. Scholarships are announced during lunch. Alumnae may sponsor students for scholarships to Catholic High Schools. For more information contact Margaret Mathias, 232-9006.

SWING INTO SUMMER BREAKFAST AT CORNERSTONE OF FAITH UMC Cornerstone of Faith UMC, 1081 Main Street (next to the Police Station), Coventry, will hold a Swing Into Summer Breakfast on June 4 from 8-11AM. Menu includes Johnny Cakes, homefries, bacon, sausage, eggs, juice & coffee. Also come and check out the Bake Sale! Cost is $6/adult, $3/child (ages 5-10).

WEST WARWICK MANOR SEEKING VENDORS West Warwick Manor, 62 Roberts Street, West Warwick is seeking Vendors for their Bloomin’ Rose Craft Show on June 18 from 10AM-3PM. Call Joann 602-1059 or Debbie 828-2255 for table sizes and price.

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. 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 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 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.

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 PAWTUXET VALLEY ROTARY CLUB The Pawtuxet Valley Rotary Club is looking for individuals or businesses who are interested in helping the local communities of West Warwick, Coventry & West Greenwich! For more information please email pvrotaryevents@gmail.com or call 401-589-1321.

WEST WARWICK AARP CHAPTER West Warwick AARP Chapter is looking to expand their membership. Meetings are held at 1PM on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at St. Mary’s Church Hall, 70 Church Street, West Warwick. All are welcome to come enjoy a cup of coffee and chat with new friends.

MARINE CORPS LEAGUE The Marine Corps League will hold their meeting the 1st Wednesday of each month at 7PM at VFW Post 9404, 29 South Main Street, Coventry. Members join in camaraderie and fellowship for the purpose of preserving traditions and interests of the United States Marine Corps.

JOIN CUB SCOUT PACK 13, CENTREVILLE Adventure is waiting! Build Yours. Join Cub Scout Pack 13, Centreville. We meet every Wednesday at 130 Legris Avenue, West Warwick. Please contact James Mclellan at 401-5235723 or jimmac54@cox.net Find us on Facebook, Pack 13 Centreville.

HOPE LIBRARY HOURS Hope Library, 374 North Road, Hope, is open on Mondays & Fridays from 10AM-5PM, Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays from 10AM-8PM & Saturdays from 10AM-2PM. The Library is closed on Sundays. For more information, call 821-7910.

FREE LEGAL CLINIC AT THE COVENTRY RESOURCE & SENIOR CENTER The Coventry Resource & Senior Center, 50 Wood Street, Coventry, will offer a free “One on One” Legal Clinic on May 20. RI Legal Services will be on site to resolve your Civil (not Criminal) legal issues. Call 822-9175 for an appointment.

25TH ANNUAL ECOLOGY DAY CELEBRATION The JAYCEES of Kent County invite you to their 25th Annual Ecology Day Celebration on May 14 at 10AM at Riverpoint Community Park, 110 Hay Street (Rtes. 115W/33E) in West Warwick along the Greenway. The Celebration will include Military Honors, Spiritual Presentations, Station Fire Memorial and Public Plantings. Bring your favorite garden tool! Call 8289191 or email wwjayceeskc@aol.com for more information.

SACRED HEART GOLF TOURNAMENT Our Annual Golf Tournament will be held on Monday, June 27, at Valley Country Club in Warwick. The day will start with a Putting Contest at 11AM, followed by lunch at 11:30AM. Lunch will consist of hot dogs, hamburgers (grilled outside), chips, soda and water. Shotgun start will be at 12:30PM followed by dinner at 6PM. Dinner will be a family style Italian dinner. Golf awards following dinner. All for the cost of $140. Don’t golf? Come join us for dinner for $35. To register or for more information, call the Rectory at 821-4184 or Edward at 578-6877.

CORNERSTONE OF FAITH SPRING FESTIVAL

CRAFT FAIR & BAZAAR - RESCHEDULED Cornerstone of Faith United Methodist Church, 1081 Main Street, Coventry HAS RESCHEDULED their Spring Festival Craft Fair & Bazaar to May 14 from 10AM-4PM. There will be a White Elephant Sale, homemade soups & baked goods (in sealed containers), live music & games, spring plant sale and burgers & dogs available for purchase. 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). ADDICTION SCREENINGS If you or a loved one is struggling with substance abuse, take the first step towards overcoming addiction. Call today for free screenings or referrals. 1-800-431-1754

COVENTRY PUBLIC LIBRARY SERVICE SPOTLIGHT: FISHING POLES Planning a fishing trip and need some extra poles? Visit the Library! The Coventry Public Library has fishing poles and tackle boxes available for public use. These items can be checked out just like books, DVDs, etc. There is no limit on the amount of supplies you can check out. To check these materials out, simply ask at the Circulation Desk. Poles and tackle may be borrowed for three weeks with the option to renew once, and fishing poles are now fine free. For more information about borrowing fishing poles, call the Circulation Desk at 822-9100 and press 1.

MEDICAL EQUIPMENT In need of medical equipment? The following locations are good resources: Robert J. Allen Masonic Medical Equipment Distribution Center, 116 Long Street in Warwick (across from St. Rose & Clement Church). Open Fridays from 9AM12PM, pre-owned equipment - loaned at no cost. 451-0184. Ocean State Center for Independent Living, 1944 Warwick Avenue in Warwick. In need of wheelchairs, grab bars, walkers, transport chairs, toilets, wheelchair ramp, etc.? Call 738-1013, Ext. 13 or visit www.oscil.org

Meet the Star of Your Mother's Day Brunch

This Sunday is Mother's Day! Here's the plan: Let's "take" Mom to her own personal French bistro for brunch.

Place a table somewhere unexpected, like your garden or in front of the fireplace or a pretty window. Set a lovely table with flowers, coffee and mimosas. Add some twinkle lights and music. To complete the Mother's Day bistro experience, have her wait outside for an hour to be seated. Just kidding! Don't do that.

Here's a lovely recipe perfect for Mother's Day (or any day!). We have a decadent dish that's fancy pants, frugal and fabulous. Drum roll please ... Clafouti!

Clafouti (pronounced kla-foo-TEE) is a simple French dish that serves as dessert, a special breakfast or the star of your next brunch. It's extremely versatile, very inexpensive and certainly elegant. Did I mention it's easy? If you can make pancakes, you can make clafouti.

You make this classic French dessert by pouring a sweet crepe-like batter over fruit in a baking dish and baking. The eggy batter cooks around the fruit, resulting in a light, airy, flanlike texture. Use whatever fruit you have on hand, whip up a quick batter in your blender, and bake to impress. It is delicious warm, at room temperature or straight from the fridge.

I'm using fresh strawberries in this recipe because they're coming into season, so they'll be affordable, abundant and delicious. Frozen strawberries are available year-round.

STRAWBERRY CLAFOUTI Yield: 4 brunch or 6 dessert servings Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 45 minutes Softened butter for the baking dish 1½ cups half and half or whole milk 1/3 cup white sugar 1/3 cup brown sugar 3 eggs 1 tablespoon vanilla 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup flour 1 pound frozen or fresh strawberries 2 teaspoons cornstarch, if using frozen berries Powdered sugar, for garnish

www.JasonCoblentz.com

If you can make pancakes, you can make this elegant French dish.

berries with 2 teaspoons cornstarch to help absorb some of the remaining juices. If your berries are whole, slice them in half. 4. Place berries, cut side down, in your baking dish. Pour the batter over the berries. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes, or until it's puffed up, browned and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the clafoutis from the oven and allow it to cool for a little while, during which time you'll see it deflate and settle a bit, so have your camera ready. 5. Serve warm or at room temperature, dusted with powdered sugar and whipped cream if desired.

Now, once you know how to make this batter, it's a perfect blank canvas for almost any fruit you can think of. Cherries, bananas, plums, peaches, nectarines, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries can all get into the clafouti club. Depending on the season, enjoy sauteed apples and pears, dried figs, raisins and cranberries.

This is an excellent place for thawed frozen fruit to shine; just make sure to drain the liquid off before using them, or it will compromise the setting of the custard. And, because the recipe calls for a small amount of flour, you can easily make it gluten free; just swap an equal amount of brown rice flour.

Give your next soiree French flair with this versatile frugally fabulous dish. Happy Mother's Day from all of us at Divas on a Dime. ***

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