Providence church to bless animals

In celebration of the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, St. Martin’s Episcopal Church invites you to bring your dogs, cats, birds and other pets to a blessing of the animals ceremony at 10 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 4, at Parkside Park, near the corner of Parkside Road and Orchard Avenue in Providence.

Hunter Pace set for Oct. 4 in Portsmouth

The Aquidneck Island Horseman’s Association is staging its annual Hunter Pace Sunday, Oct. 4, at Glen Park, Glen Road, Portsmouth. In the Hunter Pace, equestrians follow an 8- to 10-mile cross-country trail with various terrain.

Riders must check in sometime between 7:30 a.m. and noon so they are on the course no later than 12:30 p.m. The participation fee is $30 for members, $35 for non-members. Attire is informal, but both boots and helmets are required.

Prizes will be awarded at approximately 3 p.m. under the pavilion.

For more information, call Barbara L. Plante, (401) 846-8445 or visit www.orgsites.com/ri/aiha.

Grants available for artists-in-residence

Artists and school personnel are invited to apply for an Access the Arts grant to provide an artist-in-residence program for special-education students in mainstream or self-contained classrooms. Prospective applicants may attend an orientation workshop for assistance in planning, designing and completing an application Oct. 15 at 4 p.m. at Independence Square, 500 Prospect St., Pawtucket.

For more information, contact VSA arts of Rhode Island at (401) 725-0247 (voice and TTY) or by e-mail at programs@vsartsri.org. Application and guidelines are also available on their Web site: www.vsartsri.org. The application deadline is Thursday, Nov. 12.

Little Compton puts history online

Residents of Little Compton, and other history buffs, are invited to try out and evaluate a new online resource featuring material from the Little Compton Historical Society’s collection. The newly developed online resource is in its testing phase and the society is seeking feedback from those who use it.

No previous experience is necessary to be part of the society’s focus group. Anyone willing to volunteer is asked to call Managing Director Marjory O’Toole, (401) 635-4035.

Support group for grieving parents

Home & Hospice Care of Rhode Island is offering a free support group in Providence for parents who have lost adult children. The sessions will be held every Wednesday at 6 p.m. from Nov. 4 through Dec. 23 at the organization’s new facility, 1085 North Main St. It is estimated that one in 10 parents over 60 years of age have experienced the loss of a child.

To register, call (401) 415-4300.

YMCA offers before, afterschool programs

The Providence YMCA provides before and afterschool programs Monday through Friday at the following locations:

Robert Bailey Elementary School, 64 Gordon Ave.; Anthony Carnevale Elementary School, 50 Springfield St.; BJ Clanton Complex (Woods/Young schools), 674 Prairie Ave.; Lima/Fortes Annex, 65 Greenwich Ave.; Lima/Fortes Elementary School, 222 Daboll St.; and Martin Luther King Elementary School, 35 Camp St.

Transportation is provided from participating schools to each of the individual sites.

Financial assistance is available for those who qualify.

Before-school programs run from 6:30 to 9 a.m. and after- school from 2 to 6 p.m.

Activities include homework help, study skills building, physical fitness, arts, music, and cooking. Community service projects also are included.

For more information or to enroll, contact Providence YMCA Youth Services, (401) 456-0604.

Women’s health forum planned

Medical topics of particular interest to women, from osteoporosis and menopause to thyroid problems and unusual chest pain, will be covered in a community education forum Oct. 1 at the Nardone Conference Center at Westerly Hospital. Led by Dr. Stefana Pecher, a family medicine physician, the session will begin at 6 p.m.

To register, visit www.westerlyhospital.org or call the community education office at (401) 348-2303, or (800) 933-5960, extension 3423.