East Providence
250th Celebration
About the East Providence
250 Celebration Commission
The East Providence 250 Celebration is a year-long tribute to the resilience, progress, and unity of our community. This historic milestone serves as a bridge between our storied past and our promising future, bringing neighbors together through civic engagement, shared history, and a communal vision for the city’s next chapter. Join us as we honor the generations that built our foundation and inspire the youth who will shape our tomorrow.
Commission Charge
As an advisory body we will plan, coordinate, and promote City-sponsored events and forums to commemorate this nation’s semiquincentennial through inclusive, educational, and celebratory programming related to the 250th anniversary of US independence.
Events will reflect East Providence’s history, diversity, and civic values; promote public understanding of the American experiment in self-government; and encourage community engagement and pride.
Commission Members
Commission members were selected to collectively reflect expertise or experience in history, education, arts and culture, veterans’ affairs, civic engagement, community organizing, public events management, communications, and reflect the diversity of the East Providence Community.
Voting Members:
Chair, Meredith Bonds-Harmon, East Providence Public Library
Vice-Chair, Sandra Turgeon, East Providence Historical Society, Friends of Newman Cemetery
Secretary, Patrick Hanner, City of East Providence, Planning Department
Deborah Ormerod, Historic District Commission
Nancy Moore, East Providence Historical Society
Jeff Faria, East Providence Historical Society Co-President
Cheryl Faria, East Providence Historical Society Co-President
Onna Moniz-John, Historian
James Moran, Sowams Heritage Area
Elmer Pina, Affirmative Action, EEO Office
Sheryl Hack, PreserveRI
Non Voting Members and Guests:
Andre Herrera, City of East Providence, Office of the Mayor
Matt Paddock, City of East Providence, Office of the Mayor
Andrea Vargas, City of East Providence, Office of the Mayor
Council Vice President Rego, East Providence City Council
Council President Rodericks, East Providence City Council
Tom Warzeka, Historic District Commission
Brian Turgeon, East Providence Historical Society
Eric Underhill, Historic District Commission
Laura McNamara, Blackstone Valley Tourism Council
Kristine Rose, Wampanoag Women’s Club
Barbara Traverse, Wampanoag Women’s Club
Harry Hawk Edmonds, Pokanoket Nation
Carol Morning Star Brown, Pokanoket Nation
Patricia Gentle Rain Baptiste-Booker, Pokanoket Nation
Commission Meetings
The third Thursday of every month at 3:00pm
East Providence City Hall, room 306
145 Taunton Ave, East Providence, RI 02914
https://opengov.sos.ri.gov/OpenMeetings
Search “East Providence Semiquincentennial Commission” open meetings for agendas and minutes.
Meetings are open to the public.
Contact Info
eastprovidenceri250@gmail.com
Chair, Meredith Bonds-Harmon mbondsharmon@eastprovidenceri.gov
Secretary, Patrick Hanner
Find us on Facebook at East Providence 250th Celebration