Portsmouth

Portsmouth Free Public Library’s annual Touch-a-Truck fundraising event is almost here!  Touch-a-Truck will give the community’s children (and adults) a chance to get up close and personal with all kinds of big and fascinating vehicles. From a school bus to a police car, from a race car to a fire truck, everyone will have the opportunity to see, touch, blow horns, and learn about dozens of cool vehicles. Giant trucks and equipment volunteered by municipal and commercial organizations will be on display.

The event will take place on Saturday, May 5 from 10 AM to 2 PM at Glen Park in Portsmouth.  New this year is a quiet time from 1 PM to 2 PM when no horns or sirens will sound!

Admission charge is $3 per person for the day. In addition to the vehicle display, there will be various activities for the children including a karate demonstration.  Food will be available for purchase from the Portsmouth Lions Club. Proceeds from the event will go toward Library purchases.

Ryan Belmore

Ryan Belmore is the Owner and Publisher of What'sUpNewp.  He has been involved with What’sUpNewp since shortly after its launch in 2012, proudly leading it to be named Best Local News Blog in Rhode Island by Rhode Island Monthly readers in 2018, 2019, and 2020 and an honorable mention in the Common Good Awards in 2021.

He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Potter League For Animals. He previously served on the boards of Fort Adams Trust, Lucy's Hearth, and the Arts & Cultural Alliance for Newport County.

In 2020, he was named Member of the Year by LION and won the Arts & Cultural Alliance of Newport County's Dominque Award.

He is a member of Local Independent Online News (LION) Publishers, the Society of Professional Journalists, and the North American Snowsports Journalists Association.

Born and raised in Rhode Island, he spent 39 years living in Rhode Island before recently moving to Alexandria, Virginia, with his wife and two rescue dogs. He still considers Rhode Island home, and visits at least once a month.