R.I. city 'Bead It' to Guinness Record

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I., Oct. 25 (UPI) -- A Rhode Island education group beat the Guinness world record for making the longest strand of beads, the effort's organizer said.

The strand of red and white beads measuring 1,349.9 feet was displayed at the East Providence, R.I., annual Townie Pride Parade, The Providence Journal reported Saturday.

When the news was announced at the parade the record had been broken, Michael Jackson's song, "Beat It," was playing in the background, the newspaper reported.

The effort to break the record was sponsored by the East Providence Education Foundation, which raises money to benefit city school programs that are typically not financed in school budgets, the newspaper said.

Patti Streit, a board member of the East Providence Education Foundation and the event's organizer, said the city has had problems with police and firefighter layoffs, teacher disputes and budget issue, and the beading was "a fun, positive (moment) in the midst of all the negativity."

The group sold 10 beads for a dollar during school lunches, at high school events, and at the city's senior center. The beading began immediately after Guinness World Records granted permission in July to try to break the previous record, Streit said.