The Newport County Branch of the NAACP will hold its 90th anniversary awards dinner at 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Goat Island, Newport. Tickets are $60.

For more information, call the NAACP office at (401) 847-5570.

Children in kindergarten to grade eight are invited to take part in a playathon to benefit the Bread of Life Food Pantry, a joint effort of six East Providence churches, from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6 at Myron Francis Elementary School, 64 Bourne Ave., Rumford.

Hasbro Inc. will match up to $5,000 of funds raised. To pledge support, send a check payable to Newman Congregational/Bread of Life to Newman Congregational Church, 100 Newman Ave., Rumford, RI 02916, with playathon on the memo line.

For more information or pledge forms, e-mail: msadlier@addventures.com.

The Children’s Museum in Providence is hosting two sessions, one Thursday, Nov. 5, and another Dec. 2, during which participants will learn techniques for encouraging self-directed play activities.

“Making Places for Play” will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the museum, 100 South St. People who have created playgrounds, parks and gardens in several different communities will attend to share ideas with others.

On Dec. 2, “Building Community” will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. At this session, people who have organized a neighborhood block party in Barrington, a series of garden-related events in Providence and monthly nature hikes throughout the state will attend to share their experiences.

For more information or to RSVP, contact Megan Fischer at fischer@childrenmuseum.org.

Those who wish to donate items for holiday care packages for Rhode Island troops serving overseas are invited to drop off their donations at the North Main Street Armory in Providence between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 14.

The goal of Operation Holiday Cheer is to send packages to every Rhode Island National Guard or reserve component member stationed overseas. In addition, families with relatives overseas on active duty or in the reserves are urged to send their names and APO addresses to the following e-mail address: operationholidaycheer@ltgov.state.ri.us

Items needed include everything from coffee syrup and foot powder to DVDs and sunglasses. To view the entire list of requested items, visit www.ltgov.state.ri.us.

The program was launched recently by Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Roberts, working with the state National Guard’s Maj. Gen. Robert T. Bray.

After the Nov. 14 donation day, volunteers will meet to assemble the care packages on Nov. 21.

Money is also needed to help pay for the postage to ship the packages overseas. Checks should be sent to the American Red Cross Rhode Island Chapter, Attention: Operation Holiday Cheer, 105 Gano St., Providence, RI 02906.

The Domestic Violence Resource Center of South County is teaming up with Zero Wampum, a retail store, to collect paper goods, laundry detergent and household cleaners for its Safe Home.

Those who bring any of these items to the store at 161 Old Tower Hill Rd., Wakefield, Nov. 12 through Nov. 14, will receive a 20 percent discount on most merchandise, a purple ribbon magnet or posting notes as a thank you.