Guidelines issued for trick-or-treating
Lincoln will continue the tradition of trick-or-treating on Halloween night (Saturday, Oct. 31), but residents are being asked to follow state public health protocols to minimize the spread of Covid-19.
For children and families:
- Trick-or-treat in small groups
- Maintain social distancing as per guidelines and do not crowd doorways
- Wear masks (costume masks are not a substitute!)
For those passing out candy:
- Consider “one-way” trick-or-treating — leave treats on trays (not bowls) on porches/front stairs
- If you greet people at the door, wear a mask and social distance
- Pre-wrapped treats ONLY – no homemade goodies or items wrapped at home
- Indoor parties are discouraged and maximum gathering sizes must be maintained
Presentation on saving Lincoln’s twisting catalpa tree
Sean Halloran of Arnold Arboretum with a cutting from Lincoln’s twisted tree.
The Lincoln Garden Club is sponsoring a virtual talk by Sean Halloran, Arnold Arboretum’s plant propagator, on Sunday, Nov. 1 at 1:30 p.m. Sean has been instrumental in efforts by the Garden Club and the Lincoln Public Library to preserve Lincoln’s iconic twisting catalpa tree. As the tree is well beyond its expected life span, he is also working with a community group trying to produce a twisting clone of the tree for the library. He will be speaking about those efforts as well as the biology of twisting characteristics in trees. He will also discuss the latest research into tree planting. This topic relates to a proposed community effort to raise a twisted tree from the cloned seedlings. Click here to register for the meeting on Zoom; you’ll then receive a confirmation email with information about joining the meeting.
Middle-school book group forming
A new book share for children in seventh grade and above will met on the third Wednesday of each month starting on Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 6 p.m. We’ll share what we’re reading, what we’re making, and how we’re changing the world. Please email sfeather@minlib.net to register or for more information.
Pandemic increases need for diaper donations
The annual Metro-Boston Diaper Drive has begun, and the need is greater than ever due to families affected by Covid-19. The diaper drive, which runs through October 25, is organized by Lincoln mothers Kerstin Sinkevicius and Kim Jalet. All diapers will be donated to the Somerville WIC office, which serves Lincoln as well as Somerville, Cambridge, Arlington, Watertown, Belmont, Bedford, and Lexington. Donors can visit the diaper drive’s website at mbdiapers.org for links to Amazon and Target registries to send donations directly to the WIC office. They also have a Facebook page.
“In normal times, we have about 40 collection sites for diapers in the Metro-Boston area, and we are able to take opened packages of diapers,” Jalet said. “However, the drive has to be entirely virtual this year, so we worry that donations may be down even though need is higher than at any time since the drive started nine years ago.” WIC reports that, due to Covid-19, many income earners in families served by WIC have lost jobs but did not qualify for relief benefits, resulting in difficult decisions between food, diapers, and other needs, as diapers are not covered by WIC and SNAP benefits.
Cultural council invites grant applications
The Lincoln Cultural Council (LCC) is accepting grant proposals until November 15. Submit your request via this link. Based on community input, the LCC gives priority to projects that provide work for performing artists severely impacted by the pandemic, show an ability to successfully present a virtual experience or have secured a local venue, serve families and/or the elderly, or focus on local history, environmental issues, and the natural world. Questions? Please contact Meg Ramsey at meg.ramsey@verizon.net.