WARREN — The Laurel Park Improvement Association celebrated the 100th anniversary of the community organization Thursday night, July 3, during a cookout held in the neighborhood's Luther Park off Laurel Lane and only a few hundred yards from the Kickemuit River.

The evening included proclamations from local politicians, one given to the group recently by the Warren Town Council as well as those from the Rhode Island General Assembly by Rep. June Speakman and Jason Knight in the House and in the Senate by Walter Felag, himself a Laurel Park neighborhood resident.

A commemorative plaque, denoting the group's centennial, was also unveiled, which was placed on a large rock at Luther Park. Group vice president Connie McGreavy compiled a display of newspaper articles, photos and hand-written LPIA ledgers among other momentos for those in attendance to view.

Serving as the master of ceremony for the evening, McGreavy concluded her introductory remarks by mentioning to her neighbors, "To keep the fabric of this community together is really important, and that's why those of us are here. And thanks for joining with us for this commemoration."

The eldest member of the current LPIA, 92-year-old Kenneth Morrill, born and bred in the neighborhood, addressed the gathering last week as well, regaling them with his reminiscences.

Morrill, who was joined by five generations of his kin at the cookout, spoke about the somewhat mysterious "casino" many of the younger generation have heard of, but never knew.

He recalled it as a building on Munro Avenue where the association used to congregate for such things as bingo, theatrical plays and even school proms.

It had a "big stone fireplace," he said, over which the LPIA charter was hung, and a stage. It was eventually sold — Morrill saying so the association "could pay its taxes" — and converted into a residence that still stands today.

Morrill also reflected on a bit of good fortune and timing he had in the neighborhood as a young boy. He was home alone, his parents still at work, when the throes of the 1938 Hurricane struck the town.

A woman, whose name he could not remember and who never received any notoriety, walked the shore of the Kickemuit collecting all the children she could find and brought them to her home. She kept them safe in her attic dormer until the storm passed and their parents could collect them.

The organization actually derives from a group of Pawtucket residents who used Warren as their summer playground and eventually incorporated the LPIA on June 8, 1925.

The aim of the founders was “promoting the interests of the community known as Laurel Park on the Kickemuit River, in the town of Warren, Rhode Island.” A fee of $5 was paid to the Office of the Rhode Island General Treasurer on June 1, 1925 to formally recognize the association.

McGreavy said she gained great satisfaction in preparing the commemorative display, unearthing forgotten writings and activities of the group.

"For me, the fun was reading past meeting notes and learning about how vibrant and lively the association used to be when there was a building (the aforementioned "casino") for people of all ages to do stuff in year round," McGreavy explained.

Among other tidbits, McGreavy discovered minutes from a 1935 LPIA meeting when a motion was made to write a letter of complaint to the Chief of Police regarding "foreigners who have been seen clamming in the nude on our beach."

Its July 4th Social, akin to last week's cookout, held that year at the shore of the Kickemuit included a menu of chowder and lollipops, cake, ice cream, frankfurts, rolls, clam cakes and lemonade. It raised a grand total of $40.48 for the organization.

The LPIA was bustling with activities during that time period, leading it to have 10 separate committees to deal with matters in 1937. It also fielded a baseball team and had regular card games moving to different member residences, calling the traveling contests a "Porch Whist."

All of the sleuthing has inspired McGreavy to potentially seek a state grant for an archivist to compile and itemize all of the LPIA's historic belongings.

With a century as its foundation, the LPIA shows no signs of dissipating. Current president of the organization Daniel Karten is an example of how and why the LPIA endures. He, his wife and daughter have resided in the neighborhood for seven years. They've been LPIA members all seven.

"I wanted to be more neighborly. I wanted to have a neighborly feel to my community. You know, we joke about our police blotter being 'Mayberry,'" Karten said, referencing the bucolic fictional town in the Andy Griffith television show of the 1960s. "And at times this is like the most tame place in the world. But we've forgotten about neighborliness. And I think neighborliness is really important."

There are currently 89 families involved in the LPIA. Karten expects that number to rise to around 100 before the year is out, which represents nearly half of the actual homes in the neighborhood, which stretches from Metacom Avenue to the river and from Overhill Road to Homestead and Lincoln Avenues.

"Well, the thing that draws people in is the beach, obviously. But the idea of community and continuing a community in times when communities become smaller and less involved, we're actively working to build our community back up and get in-person interaction. That's our goal. That's part of our statement, that and the preservation of the marsh," added Karten, who was born in Newton, Mass. and grew up on Long Island, N.Y.

The celebration didn't stop Thursday. The group formed a human "100" figure on the beach Saturday morning, July 5, to be photographed with a drone owned by one of its members, Jeff Burock.

On a side note from last week, while the event as a whole was a terrific success, it was dampened significantly by the severe thunderstorm that quickly struck the area later last Thursday evening.

McGreavy reported downed tree branches, tents blown over and other debris draped in and around Luther Park. In addition, Laurel Park was one of the neighborhoods in town to sustain power loss. Several residences remained without electricity into the Fourth.

Those wishing to learn more about the past and present goings-on of the LPIA can visit its website, https://www.laurelparkwarren.com.