Brown Street Park / RISD Community Build: Students and staff from the RISD Architecture Department will join volunteers from the community and Friends of Brown Street Park to create a permanent structure for Brown Street Park from recycled materials Saturday at 9:30 a.m. The bench is the winning design from this spring’s temporary student exhibition at Brown Street Park. The design was selected to be a permanent part of Brown Street Park based on its utilitarianism, fun factor and visual appeal. Materials were donated by BB & S Lumber and Douglas Lumber.

Brown Street Park is located on College Hill behind Hope High School, at Brown Street and Creighton Street.

Friends of Brown Street Park is an all volunteer 501c(3) organization dedicated to revitalizing Brown Street Park by using all repurposed and recycled materials and establishing innovative programming. The space is an example of what urban parks can be when needs of the community are heard. To learn more about Brown Street Park or to see pictures of the spring installation, visit www.FriendsofBrownStreetPark.org.

Community initiative for Elmwood residents: Community Works of RI (CWRI) is working in collaboration with the Brown University Center for Environmental Studies Project 20/20 to provide free, energy-efficient light bulbs to households in the Elmwood neighborhood. This collaboration is part of CWRI’s Resource Conservation Program to promote economic and environmentally friendly energy use.

With the rising costs of energy, many people are sacrificing necessities to cover the cost of utilities. The installation of energy-efficient light bulbs can help families save on energy costs and better manage their family budgets without making major lifestyle changes.

This initiative is open to all Elmwood residents.

For information, contact Jerome Thompson, community organizer, at (401) 273-2330, ext. 106. Signup sheets are located at 36 Parkis Ave. and 693 Broad St. in Providence.

Those outside the Elmwood area may learn more by contacting Project 20/20 c/o Brown University Urban Environmental Lab at (401) 863-7976, or e-mail proj2020@gmail.com.