MAKER: The screen printers in Stonington responsible

Screen Stars

A small print shop by the sea puts the T in community

Chances are good that you’ve seen the work of Poor Morgan at your favorite local spot – or sported it yourself. Savoy Bookshop and Cafe in Westerly, Nico Scout in South Kingstown, and Yellow Kittens Tavern on Block Island are among their long roster of customers. For over a decade, the Stonington-based biz has been o ering graphic design and screen printing services on a wide range of fabrics, from T-shirts and tea towels to sweatpants and totes (essentially any flat fabric surface free of seams).

Morgan King and Bekah Kepple founded Poor Morgan in 2012, excited to see how King’s art and screen printing background and Kepple’s non-profit experience would blend to bring their shared vision of entrepreneurship to life. As Kepple puts it, “all the ingredients were there. The timing, knowledge of the local market, merging of our skills and a heavy dose of good fortune propelled us to take the leap.”

Previously located in the Stonington’s Velvet Mill, King and Kepple moved the shop to their home last year, which grants them greater flexibility and more time to share the trade with their son. They are true partners, Kepple says, who make sure to compliment each other continuously and find opportunities for growth. Another key asset to their team is employee and artist, Elvira E. Ormaechea. “There is not a day she doesn’t show up with positivity and humor and love for our cat Sushi,” Kepple says.

Friendship, family, and community are pillars to the Poor Morgan business. Having grown up in the Stonington area, they’ve known some of the organizations they work with today since childhood, while others are establishments they frequently patron. Being so close to the border, the Poor Morgan team is happy to have clients located throughout Rhode Island as well. As Kepple puts it, “This region is so rich with creatives it’s a real pleasure to support one another, regardless of where your zip code finds you.”

With a heart for community and an artist’s eye, it’s no wonder Poor Morgan has retained many of its early customers and continues to form lasting relationships, even through hard times.

“In this climate of pandemic stress, we are even more grateful for the ability to work together, for our clients’ loyalty and for the decision we made long ago to stay small but mighty. We have been able to weather some tough times and we are acutely aware that not every business was able to do that over the last couple years. So a huge thank you to our community, families, and friends,” Kepple says.

AS SEEN IN

BarreCoast, Block Island Fishworks, Captain Nick’s, Cinder Restaurant, Farm Fresh RI, The Gordon School, High Tide Juice Bar, Highlander Institute, The Knickerbocker Music Center, Mr. Pizza, Nico Scout, Paddle Surf RI, The Providence Athenaeum, Providence Children’s Film Festival, Savoy Bookshop and Cafe, Stock Culinary Goods, Yellow Kittens Tavern, and others. Learn more at PoorMorgan.com

The Curiosity Chaser

With over 100 species of aquatic animals, BIOMES Marine Biology Center boasts the largest collection of New England animals in the world. Most of the sea creatures are rescued – many o fishing vessels – and the ones that can survive in the wild are rehabbed and released. BIOMES is a great way for kids to get up close and personal to all sorts of aquatic life. There’s even a petting pool filled with small sharks, stingrays, and horseshoe crabs. Hard to miss is the 23-year-old tortoise, Darwin, whose presence is awe-inspiring.

“Our main goal is for the kids to have an appreciation for the animals,” says owner Mark Hall. “They can’t get that without a personal interaction. Even if you can’t touch them, just being in close proximity creates a connection.” North Kingstown, Biomes.org

While there are no live sharks at the Living Sharks Museum in Westerly, there’s plenty to learn about these majestic creatures. Among its several exhibits is one that’s all about prehistoric shark fossils, one that explores the technology behind shark research, and one with artifacts from the 1975 movie Jaws. The museum is hosting a special Paint Your Own Megalodon workshop on February 23, which includes a lesson in shark dental anatomy while painting a prehistoric tooth model to take home. Westerly, LivingSharks.org

RI Riddle Room’s two locations have brain-busting riddles for the whole family to solve. Choose from an interactive who-done-it at the Murder Mystery – A Killer’s Revenge in East Greenwich or ride the nostalgia wave to Warwick to try out their Rocky Point room. East Greenwich, RIRiddleRoomEscapeGame.com

Biomes has the largest collection of New England animals in the world, including this local octopus

Photos courtesy of Biomes

Kids getting their craft on.

Photo courtesy of Harbor Creative Arts Kids can channel their inner master chef

Photo courtesy of Taste Buds Kitchen

The Budding Artist

For creative kids, South County is a playground. From theater arts to fine arts, there are camps, classes, and exhibitions galore. Harbor Creative Arts is holding three days of fun-filled themed workshops over the vacation week that include a mix of projects like painting, collage, and sculpture. Vacation week themes are Kitty Camp (art featuring your fave felines), Galaxy Camp (an artful exploration of the cosmos), and Interior Design Camp (filled with drawing, design, pattern, and play). HarborCreativeArts.com

Both the Hera Gallery in Wakefield and the Jamestown Art Center are hosting student exhibits in their gallery spaces throughout the month. Hera celebrates their 30th Biennial Children’s Exhibition, which features kindergarten through eighth grade artists from across the state. At the Jamestown Art Center, work from students at the Melrose School’s pre-K through fourth grade is on display. HeraArtGallery.org, JamestownArtCenter.org

For your budding Master Chef, Taste Buds Kitchen in East Greenwich o ers three-hour camps for kids during the February break: the morning session is devoted to younger kids (ages four through eight) while the evening session caters to the nine through 14 crowd. Three to four from-scratch recipes are made during each daily session. “We don’t just do sweets,” owner Ann Wiard says, adding that even picky eaters find that they actually like spinach in spanakopita or broccoli in the broccoli flatbread. “[The kids] are usually very surprised,” she says. They also make healthier versions of things that they already love, like chicken nuggets – some kids say they’re even better than the ones they get at the drive-through.

Kids love the team environment and they enjoy seeing separate ingredients come together in the finished dish. Wiard notes that “kids are willing to try new tastes and flavors” if they make it themselves. “They are willing to eat outside of their comfort zone.” TasteBudsKitchen.com

Contemporary Theater Company in Wakefield is holding a winter break version of their popular summer camp. On the first day, kids create their own unique characters. Then, together, everyone brainstorms a story featuring their creations. Two adult playwrights go o and start the script, with scenes ready for rehearsal the next day. The week-long camp culminates in a full performance of the original play, which friends and family can attend.

Young thespians love the chance to create stage-worthy performances, but kids don’t need to be budding Meryl Streeps to take part. “You can do any job if you don’t want to go on stage,” says CTC general manager Maggie Cady, noting that some kids prefer behind-the-scenes work like running lights and sound, being part of the stage crew, or creating the sets and costumes. “Whatever inspires and is exciting for kids is the focus.”

Cady points out that theater is a great way for kids to gain confidence and a safe place for them to break out of their shells. “Theater is a place for people who don’t know where they belong to find themselves,” she says. “It’s a comforting thing. You see it in the kids’ eyes when they figure it out.” ContemporaryTheaterCo.com

For cold weather-loving families, there are plenty of options to take it outside. In Westerly, ice skaters glide along at the Washington Trust Community Skating Center (OceanCommunityYMCA.org). If the weather’s not cooperating, head indoors to URI’s Boss Ice Arena (BossIceArena.com) in Kingston. Of course, there’s snow tubing, skiing, and snowboarding at the venerable Yawgoo Valley (Yawgoo.com). With 36 acres of skiable terrain, there are plenty of trails to make it a fun day. Night owls can try Snowshoeing by the Full Moon with the Audubon Society of RI at Fisherville Brook Wildlife Refuge in Exeter (ASRI.org).

For thrill seekers who prefer a backwoods adventure, sledding at the sand dunes at the Big River Management Area is unparalleled. Created from a former stone quarry, this desert-like setting becomes a mountainous winter wonderland when the white stu hits. Sledders love the steep hills and ungroomed paths. For a tamer ride, try Wilcox Park in Westerly. Its smaller hills are better suited to littler kiddos. RIParks.com

For those who still have energy to burn, but don’t appreciate the relentless blast of winter cold, indoor options are plentiful. Coastal Ninja Warriors in Ashaway (CoastalNinjaWarriors.com) has open gym times and classes for kids during the week; reservations are required. Extreme Airsoft (ExtremeAirsoftOfRI.com) in South Kingstown is offering two vacation camps; one uses Nerf guns for the under-13 set.

Rock Spot Climbing in Peace Dale has COVID-compliant camps in both full- and half-day options for ages six and up. “It’s for all experience levels,” explains gym manager Heather DeSantis. “No previous climbing experience is necessary.” The day is split between climbing and games on the ground as well as arts and crafts to mix it up.

Besides being fun, rock climbing instills confidence in kids. “You can walk o the street with zero athletic ability and you can climb,” says DeSantis. “The nice thing about climbing is that it’s not a team sport but it is community based. Everyone cheers each other on and helps each other get over a hard move. They get that boost of energy from their friends.” RockSpotClimbing.com

Snow many ways to enjoy the slopes at Yawgoo

Photos courtesy of Yawgoo Valley

The Sportster

There’s plenty of more traditional indoor sports to keep active kids moving during the month. Shanks Clubhouse in East Greenwich and Westerly Virtual Golf are great ways to get on the linx when the real ones are covered in the white stu . Play 18 holes on courses from anywhere in the world or take a lesson from one of the on-sta pros. ShanksClubhouse.com, WesterlyVirtualGolf.com

South County boasts four bowling alleys, one of which – Wickford Lanes – is a duckpin alley, one of only 60 left in the entire United States. If you’re missing the splash of summer, URI’s swimming pool at the Tootell Aquatic Center has open swim times for families during the holiday week. RIDBA.net, URI.edu

Introduce kids to diverse film o erings from around the world at the Providence Children’s Film Festival. Shown: A STONE IN THE SHOE (Un caillou dans la chaussure) by Eric Montchaud

MAMMA HAS A MUSTACHE by Sally Rubin

The Film Buff

Calling all little cinefiles! South County kids are ready for their close up with several cinematic options to choose from over February break.

With the lingering pandemic, Providence Children’s Film Festival is planning at least a partial, if not fully, virtual fest this February, which is great news for SoCoers who won’t travel past the Tower. Festival artistic director Eric Bilodeau called the virtual option “a silver lining to a dark cloud,” noting that last year’s virtual event was a hit.

“The film line-up this year is lovely,” he says, noting that every year is different. “I can never predict the narratives or topics.” As in past years, the festival will screen 10 family-friendly feature films and 10 shorts programs. The short films all fit into a “thematic bucket,” which this year includes Passionate Pursuits, Gender Journeys, and CinemaEspañol, which features films from Uruguay, Columbia, Spain, and Mexico, as well as the return of Cinema Oh La La, a reel of French shorts.

There is also a Youth Filmmaker Showcase, which features films made by local kids as well as from all over the world. “It’s fun to see what kids from other cultures are thinking about,” he says. “The similarities and contrasts are so interesting. Youth can be very passionate about movies.” ProvidenceChildrensFilmFestival.org

Craving an in-person option? Little film bu s (kindergarten through fifth grade) can head to the United Theatre in Westerly for a threeday multi-media camp, which includes a daily film screening followed by a discussion about the movie and fun activities throughout the day, including crafts. The slate of films include How to Train Your Dragon, Rise of the Guardians, and Happy Feet. UnitedTheatre.org

Check out these local cafes to grab a warm, chocolatey bevvie and a snack to fuel up for cold weather adventuring.

Audrey’s Co ee House and Lounge South Kingstown, AudreysRI.com

Caf Bar

Wakefield, CafBarRI.com

Cool Beans Cafe | Narragansett, CoolBeansCafeRI.com

Coy Cafe

Westerly, CoyCafe.com

Dave’s Co ee

Charlestown, DavesCo ee.com

Fresh Cup Café

Westerly, FreshCupCafe.com

Fuel Co ee Bar | Narragansett, FuelCo eeBarOnline.com

Higher Grounds Community Co ee House | Richmond, Facebook: HigherGroundsRI

Jitters Cafe | North Kingstown, JittersCafeRI.com

Junk & Java

Westerly, JunkAndJava.net

Rachel’s Cafe | South Kingstown, RachelsCafeRI.com

Silver Spoon Bakery

East Greenwich, SilverSpoonBakery.com

Slice of Heaven

Jamestown, SliceOfHeavenRI.com

Something’s Brewing

North Kingstown, SomethingsBrewingRI.com

Sophie’s Brewhouse

Exeter, SophiesBrewhouse.com

Surfside Co ee | South Kingstown, SurfSideCo eeMtk.com

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