SNA

A crew works Sixth Street near Hope

The power saw cuts through the pavement before backhoes dig a trench.

A company employee displays the identification badge all legitimate utility workers must have. She said residents should not admit anyone who does not have such a badge.

A sure sign that winter is over is the appearance of work crews in Summit tearing up the streets to improve services.

Already sharing the neighborhood with the first robins are employees of AGI construction who are cutting the road surface in preparation for National Grid to replace gas lines and install outdoor meters.  The backhoes are scheduled for next week to dig the trenches outlined by the street saws.

The companies have hung yellow tags on the doors of houses on the streets where the work is to be done, notifying residents to expect the crews. In addition, in response to fraudulent attempts to gain access to homes by people posing as workers, the utilities have issued identification badges to their personnel with the name and picture of the worker and the name of the company. A representative of AGI said no resident should allow anyone into his or her home who doesn’t have such an ID.

If in doubt, residents can call National Grid or even the police. The construction supervisor stressed that no one should let anybody in without the proper identification.

The annual meeting is tonight (Monday, March 3) at 7 p.m. at The Highlands on the East Side, 101 Highland Ave. It is NOT at the old location in the Summit Commons.

There will be wine, beer, coffee and gourmet snacks to accompany your one-on-one meetings with elected representatives and candidates for mayor. Also, a new slate of directors will be voted on.

Please join SNA at its annual meeting for an evening of relaxed socializing with elected representatives, political candidates and neighbors over wine, beer and snacks.

The event will begin at 7 p.m. Monday, March 3, in the first-floor reception and dining rooms of The Highlands on the East Side, 101 Highland Ave. There is ample parking in the facility’s lots.

The elected officials who have already confirmed their intention to attend are State Rep. Gordon Fox and State Sen. Gayle Goldin. Mayoral candidates who have confirmed include City Council President Michael Solomon, Lorne Adrain, Daniel Harrop and Brett Smiley.

At some point during the meeting, there will be a vote on a slate of SNA officers and new members of the board of directors. There will be information sheets about these people available.

Jerry’s Citgo, a stalwart in Summit for decades, sits boarded up the day after a fire Friday, Jan. 31, severely damaged the building at 1101 Hope St., at the intersection with Blackstone Boulevard. According to the Providence Journal, the blaze started when a light fell while a fuel pump was being repaired. The newspaper quoted Alain Edouard, identified as the 14-year manager of the station, as saying employees tried to fight the fire but it got out of control quickly. No one was injured. Retired owner Peter Bennett told the Summit Neighborhood Association newsletter in 2012 that he took over the family business in 1947. He has for years assisted in the distribution of the newsletter.

The parking lot of Seven Stars bakery on Hope Street was the site of the final carols.

More than 50 people turned out Sunday night to sing Christmas carols to their neighbors in Summit.

Starting at Miriam Hospital, which provided hot drinks and cookies, about 5 p.m., the merry group, organized by SNA for the first time this year, sang a few non-denominational carols in the cafeteria, then headed up Sixth Street, laughing, and caroling, all the way.

Various residents came out onto their porches in the unseasonably warm night to join in the choral celebration and to call out thanks to the people in the street. The group, westward leading, still proceeding, wished the neighborhood a holly, jolly Christmas along Bayard and Summit, Fifth and Fourth, until a cold rain began to fall about 6:30 p.m.

A final stop was made in the parking lot of Seven Stars bakery and the grand finale of the evening was the Jewish seasonal Dreidel Song. With joyous wishes of “Merry Christmas!” to each other, the carolers dispersed to Hope Street restaurants and shops or home to dinner, vowing to meet again next year.

Carolers in the neighborhood last year.

WHO: Anyone interested, no singing ability required (there will be leaders.)

WHEN: Sunday, Dec. 22, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

WHERE: Area roughly bounded by Summit to Hope, Sixth to Lauriston

HOW: Meet in Miriam Hospital cafeteria at 5 p.m. for refreshments and a few songs. At 5:30, follow leaders out into neighborhood, caroling on the way. Finish about 6:30 to 7 on Hope Street. Stay to patronize the local restaurants or shops.

WHAT TO BRING: Enthusiasm, plus flashlights to read the provided songbooks.

COMFORT DETAILS: Dress warmly enough for about an hour or so outside. Bathroom availability in Miriam, which will never be far away.

In keeping with the holiday spirit, The Miriam Hospital is inviting its Summit neighbors to a musical celebration of Hanukkah. Later in the month it will host the start of Christmas caroling in the surrounding area.

Local resident Fishel Bresler will play in the hospital lobby, where a large menorah stands, at 12:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 2, followed by refreshments. Rabbi Avraham Rosenthal of Miriam’s Spiritual Care Office will officiate.

The event celebrates the Jewish eight-day festival of lights that began at sundown Wednesday and marks the triumph of light over darkness. It commemorates the regaining of the temple in Jerusalem more than 21 centuries ago and each day a light of the menorah is lit.

Then on Sunday, Dec. 22, Miriam will be the beginning point of Christmas caroling organized by the Summit Neighborhood Association.

Participants will gather in the hospital cafeteria beginning at 5 p.m. for light refreshments and some warm-up singing before setting out through the neighborhood. The carolers will finish about 7 p.m. near the restaurants on Hope Street so participants can linger for dinner. More details will be published as they develop.

On the Saturday morning before Easter, more than 100 neighborhood youngsters fanned out in Lippitt Park to hunt for eggs.

In a first-time venture for the Summit Neighborhood Association, a total of about 2,000 plastic Easter eggs were scattered in three zones – marked off by yellow tape – for children to search and crack open eggs with prizes ranging from jellybeans and candy to gift certificates for local merchants.

There was a section for toddlers up to two years old (where the eggs didn’t contain anything so there would be no choking hazards), one for kids two to four years old and one for those older than four. Special eggs had tickets inside that were redeemed at the registration table near the park’s fountain for larger gifts and the certificates from Three Sisters, Frog & Toad, Kreatelier and Creatoyvity.

A total of 134 children were registered, beginning at 8:30 for the hunt that began at 10. Each child got a green admission wrist bracelet, some of which were presented by Cara Jayne Lustig, Miss Rhode Island United States 2013, wearing her badge of office, a jeweled tiara.

Unfortunately, there was some confusion about which children should be where when the searching started. Eggs in the older kids’ section were quickly gathered up and the eager hunters spilled over into the toddler area, resulting in empty eggs in some baskets. Within about 10 minutes, all the eggs “hidden” in all the zones had been discovered.

As the finders of the special eggs were turning in the tickets for their prizes, Mayor Angel Taveras arrived to congratulate the participants and mingle with his constituents. The mayor and Miss Rhode Island posed for pictures with several of the green-shirted SNA volunteers plus other people enjoying the beautiful spring day. Food trucks parked along the adjacent streets offered the opportunity for lunch in the park.

Event organizers acknowledged some difficulties with the process and encourage neighborhood residents to make suggestions on the SNA listserv about how to do it better next year.

Event organizer Anthony Arrigo, left, is joined by Miss Rhode Island United States Cara Jayne Lustig and Providence Mayor Angel Taveras.