Talk on end of slavery in Mass.
Elizabeth Freeman
In 1781, Elizabeth Freeman, known as “Mum Bett,” successfully sued for her freedom from the bonds of slavery in a pivotal case argued before the Massachusetts courts. That same year, Quock Walker also sued for his freedom and won. The winning argument in both cases was that slavery was unconstitutional under the Massachusetts Constitution. Lincoln resident Ron Chester, a professor at the New England School of Law, will discuss these cases and their importance on Friday, March 4 at 1 p.m. Email gagnea@lincolntown.org to sign up for this Zoom session.
Get ready for Town Meeting and election
The deadline for registering to vote at the March 24 Annual Town Meeting in the newly renovated Donaldson Auditorium and the March 26 town election is Friday, March 4. Click here to check your current registration status. If you need to update your registration to reflect your current Lincoln address, in most cases it can be done quickly online at this link.
The town election has four contested seats: Lincoln School Committee, Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School Committee, Select Board, and Planning Board. The PTO is planning to hold a candidates’ forum on Wednesday, March 16 (details TBA). Voting will take place in the Reed Gym at the Lincoln School from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Residents will receive a warrant booklet with a list of all the articles that will be considered and voted on at the Town Meeting as well as the Report of the Finance Committee. If you can’t get to the polls on March 28, you may request an absentee ballot by visiting the Town Clerk’s office clicking here.
T-Ball registration now open
Youth baseball in Lincoln starts with T-ball. The program is open to boys and girls currently in kindergarten and those starting kindergarten in the fall. Players will meet on various Lincoln fields each Saturday morning from 10–11:30 a.m. The basic mechanics of baseball are taught, and each week features a practice followed by a game. Opening Day is April 30 and the season runs through June 18. Registration and more information can be found at www.sudburybaseball.org, or contact Chris Andrysiak at chris.andrysiak@gmail.com.
Two Lincoln firefighters graduate
Lincoln firefighters James Black and Javier Gonzalez Morales
Lincoln firefighters James Black and Javier Gonzalez Morales are among the 21 newest graduates of the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy’s Call/Volunteer Firefighters Recruit Training Program. After 24 hours of training, they are now qualified as Firefighter I and II and Hazardous Materials First Responder Operations Level by the Massachusetts Fire Training Council.
Students receive classroom and hands-on training during controlled fire conditions in life safety, search and rescue, ladder operations, water supply, pump operation, and fire attack operations ranging from mailbox fires to multiple-floor or multiple-room structural fires. Firefighters also train to respond to a variety of non-fire incidents including chemical, environmental, and medical emergencies, rescue situations ranging from a child who’s fallen through the ice to people trapped in stalled elevators or in vehicle crashes. They also test and maintain equipment including self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), hydrants, hoses, power tools, etc.
New library reading challenges underway
Through the generosity of the Friends of the Lincoln Library, the Lincoln Public Library is now offering two reading challenges through Beanstack, a free online reading tracking service. Celebrate Women’s History Month in the Women Changemakers Reading Challenge running though March 31 by reading stories of inspirational creators, brave leaders, and bold changemakers. Choose from titles on our Women’s History Month reading list and log your reading to earn badges. Learn more about the town by reading books about the history of Lincoln and fiction and nonfiction by local authors in the Read Local Challenge runs through November 30 (participants can join any time).
Earn badges for each completed title. There will be a prize drawing at the end of each challenge and one lucky participant will be the winner. The more you read, the more likely it will be you. Register online here or download the Beanstack mobile app to get started.
Friends of Lincoln Library seek volunteers
The Friends of the Lincoln Library (FOLL) is a nonprofit organization that raises funds to support the library by funding items not included in the town budget — special programs, equipment to make library services and programs more accessible to all, and offerings to encourage lifelong learning. FOLL works to stimulate use of the library and encourage broad-based community involvement in library programs and events.
Each year at this time, FOLL reaches out to the community to find residents interested in volunteering to support its work and being considered for future openings on the board of directors. Self-nominations are welcome. The FOLL board meets monthly from September to June. Volunteers with various skills are welcome to join us in fundraising projects throughout the year. Anyone interested should email the FOLL Nominating Committee at diana.beaudoin@rcn.com.