2025 Fourth of July Parade

This year’s parade was a great success and continues to break attendance records for participation and spectators alike. We did make a few changes this year that we hope helped to improve our beloved parade.

First we added an impressive new sound system courtesy of Phil Percuoco. With the help of Massood Abolfazli and Tim O’Connor the new audio system could easily be heard at both ends of Carpenter Drive. Second we added volunteers in green shirts to help with questions, directions and overall safety. Third we renamed the “Best Family Theme” prize to “The Colonel’s Prize” to honor Colonel Ron Dubois who helped establish and grow our parade.

This year the newly renamed Colonel’s Prize went to the family whose theme was “Del’s”, another beloved Rhode Island tradition. The award for best wagon or bike went to “Melting Pot”. And the best vehicle honor was awarded to “USA Basketball “ which was complete with uniforms, balls and a basketball hoop!

A very special thanks to Tim O’Connor for emceeing and along with his team organizing the event. Tim made sure that the crowd remembered why we celebrate the 4th from his opening remarks to the fun announcement of prizes at the end.

Pictures can be found here

Thank you to everyone, organizers, decorators, marchers and spectators alike!
-Linda O’Conner

Vision 2030 Update

Hello GHCA Members,

Here are the Vision 2030 work presentations we discussed with you at the June 15, 2024 member meeting.  Based on your input and hopefully, as you will see as you look through these presentations, there are some very exciting initiatives underway to enhance our beautiful GHCA community in the future.

Below you will find 5 presentations here:  An overview of the Vision 2030 work to date, and individual summaries of the work of the four Vision 2030 teams:  Beach, Recreation, Pond, and Health and Safety.  

To view each presentation, click on each title below:


Please feel free to reach out to me, or any of the team leaders, if you have any questions or are interested in engaging in this work moving forward. We can use your help and insights. You can find our email addresses on the last slide of the “GHCA Vision 2030 Update” slide deck.

On behalf of the Vision 2030 Work teams,

AJ Emanuel

2024 Annual Picnic

Maureen

A heartfelt thank you to everyone for making this year’s GHCA Annual Picnic the best one yet! From the enthusiastic Social Committee planners to the amazing team who set up tents and tables on Saturday, the Rec Area looked incredibly inviting. A special shoutout to all the attendees and their fantastic array of food, which made the afternoon truly memorable. It was wonderful to see so many new faces and reconnect with old friends, all sharing in the community spirit.

Congratulations to Mike Bird and his brother Tim, who walked away with the Cornhole honors! 

Check out more photos on the Green Hill Civic Association Photo Gallery page.

2024 Horseshoe Tournament

The weather cooperated and everyone had a great time at our 2nd annual Horseshoe Tournament on August 10th!  Eight teams battled it out with the team of Joan Jackson and Suzanne Werth taking first place –  and the 2nd place winners were Jack Grzelak and Harry Morse.  Highlights of the day included many new players both young and old and some highly skilled players as well.  The Tournament winning throw of “double ringers” by Joan Jackson capped off the fun day! Special thanks to Marcia Ryter for once again securing some great prizes!  

Check out more photos on the Green Hill Civic Association Photo Gallery page.

2024 GHCA Porchfest

On Saturday, July 27th, the fifth annual Porchfest open mic session was held in Mal and Bonnie O’Connor’s backyard at 17 Border Avenue. It was a beautiful day for live music outdoors. Approximately 100 people brought their lawn chairs and snacks into the backyard to hear local musicians and the O’Connors’ friends from New Mexico sing and play guitars, banjo, fiddle, drums, and piano.  This year’s offerings included several sing-alongs led by Dawn McCabe and Tim O’Connor, and by Bonnie O’Connor. It was a lot of fun, and we’re looking forward to doing it again next year.  Please come join in Porchfest 2025, on the stage in the yard. You have a whole year to practice!

Check out more photos on the Green Hill Civic Association Photo Gallery page.

Food Truck Night

Marcia Ryter

On July 11, the Civic Association hosted our first “Trucks in the Park” event. We estimate approximately 150 people attended the event, and we received a great deal of unsolicited positive feedback.  It was a big success!

Four food trucks; Alexerod’s Fry Shack, Hot Potato RI,  The Burrito Bowl, and Newport Creamery Ice Cream delivered delicious and generous fare.

Another first was the collective participation of all local associations. GHCA invited all associations in Green Hill to participate in the event, including, The Hill Assoc,  Land ‘n Sea, Mautucket by the Sea, Ocean and Land, and ORCA and others.  Thank you to all associations for promoting the event with their membership, via a flyer developed by the GHCA Social Committee.  In keeping with our long-term goal to create a sense of community, for our Green Hill residents, we are very excited to have delivered such a well-received event. 

A special shout out to Linda O’Connor, Maureen Morse, and Mary Ann Emanuel for their hard work and support along with the many other Social Committee members who helped make this event possible and successful.

Check out more photos on the Green Hill Civic Association Photo Gallery page.

2024 Fourth of July Parade

Linda O’Connor

The 4th of July parade has evolved from a three-family event led by Colonel Ron Dubois over 35 years ago to the centerpiece of the Green Hill summer.

Tim O’Connor as our new emcee introduced The DuBois Family Singers, Danielle, Lauren, and Giuliana, to lead the crowd in the Star Spangled Banner followed by AJ Emanuel and Judy McGovern leading the first of many cars, golf carts, wagons, bikes, and marchers through the parade route.

Prizes were awarded for the best Wagon – an artful rocket theme carrying three adorable astronauts, best Bike – ridden by Connor dressed in red, white, and blue from head to toe. Next came best vehicle won by the Spillane Family for their creative Uncle Sam theme, and last for best Group Costumes won by an amazing group honoring the Olympics…that’s a lot of T-Shirts!!

With so many creative fun decorations the judges had a hard job deciding!

This event takes hours of preplanning to make it a success. Special thanks to Tim O’Connor, Massood Abolfazli, Meg O’Connor, Mary Ann and AJ Emanuel, Marcia Ryter, Linda and Steve Shaknaitis, and all who helped during the parade.

Check out more photos on the Green Hill Civic Association Photo Gallery page.

2024 Chalk Day

Linda O’Connor

It was a perfect morning for Chalk Day 2024. Neighborhood children, parents, and grandparents all came out to the corner of Land ‘n Sea and Carpenter Drives to show off their artistic talents with sidewalk chalk.

Thank you to Brickley’s Ice Cream for the gift certificates used at the raffle with this year’s winners being William M, Ryder, and Caden.

This event comes together with the help of volunteers from the Green Hill Social Committee as well as those parents who help with traffic control during the event. Thank you to everyone!

Check out the Photo Gallery for more photos!

Early Winter Storms Damage Green Hill

by Mal O’Connor

The first of three recent storms pummeled our coastline on December 18th, a week before Christmas. Then we got hit again on January 5th, and once again on the 13th-14th. Accumulated damage from the storms flooded Green Hill Ocean Road and caused severe erosion along the beach, from the rocky GHCA beach all the way to the Breachway. It looks like it will take a great deal of work to bring the Breachway itself back to normal functioning. We are just at the beginning of winter, and there may be more storms ahead. Hopefully, the worst has passed.

Below are a few photos and video clips that people have taken that show some of the effects of the storms on our community. Special thanks to Bethany Alvord, Kathy Conlin, Craig Leroy, Bonnie O’Connor, and others who took these photos and video clips. Some of these were submitted by local area residents to NextDoor.com

More videos of Green Hill Beach, GHCA Beach, and the kayak area showing the impact of the storm surge are available here.

Rock Art at Green Hill

There is a special treat awaiting you along the right-a-way trail between Bayberry Street and Border Avenue. On this special passageway, you will find many beautifully painted stones hidden among the trail that were left by talented artist(s). Bonnie was able to find 20 colorful stones. Can you find them? Are there more hidden among the rocks and vegetation?

More pictures can be seen in the rock art photo gallery.