acorns

Community center feedback opportunity

The Community Center Building Committee will host an “open mic night” on Tuesday, April 4 at 7 p.m. in the Hartwell multipurpose room and via Zoom. ICON Architecture is ICON is now working on parallel tracks to help confirm essential and desired program needs and synergies, and to undertake necessary site-related assessments and open-space planning. Click here to join the Zoom meeting and type the passcode of 579905. Browse Lincoln Squirrel stories on this topic here.

Lincoln Climate Action Plan workshop #2

The town of Lincoln is gathering input for a Climate Action Plan that will guide efforts to reduce carbon emissions and increase the community’s resilience to climate change impacts. The second community workshop will take place twice — on Wednesday, April 12 at 7 p.m. and  Friday, April 14 at 8:30 a.m. (both via Zoom). The information shared will be the same, so you only need to attend one. Click here to register for the April 12 event, or click here to register for the April 14 event. Questions or comments? Email Jennifer Curtin at curtinj@lincolntown.org. 

Weaving at deCordova

The deCordova is offering weaving workshops and a guided tour of the park in early April. On Sunday, April 2 from 10-12:30 p.m. and also 1:30-4 p.m., join artist Mihoko Wakabayashi in exploring the practice of saori weaving. This freestyle contemporary weaving technique emphasizes the individuality of the maker through spontaneity and freedom of expression. Come for a half-day from session to produce a nature-inspired wall hanging or register for two half-day sessions (five hours total) to create a larger wall hanging, scarf, or placemat. Click on one or both times above to register.

Learn about Ukrainian egg-dyeing

Codman Community Farms will be getting crafty in its farm kitchen with two pysansky classes. On Wednesday, April 5 from 3­–4 p.m. and Saturday, April 8 from 11 a.m.–noon (click here to register), kids age 5­-10 can create natural dyes with plant materials to decorate one-of-a kind eggs from the Codman flock. Each participant will get a dozen hard-boiled farm eggs to decorate and dye in the class… and to snack on later in the week if they choose. Cost is $25; all materials included.

Using beeswax, traditional kistka tools, colorful dyes, and Codman-raised eggs, guest instructor and artist Gretjen Helene will teach “Pyansky Egg Happy Hour” for adults and teens, making both simple and complicated designs with an old wax-resist dyeing technique on Saturday, April 8 from 3–5 p.m. Farm snacks provided. Cost is $80; all materials included. Drop-off and pickup in the farm kitchen. Parents are welcome to pop in and watch as long as there is space for us to move around.

Click here to register for any of these classes.

Learn about No Mo May

On Tuesday, April 11 at 7 p.m., the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust and Lincoln Common Ground will host a town-wide Zoom event to raise awareness about the No Mow May campaign and answer questions. Leaving lawns unmowed, even for a month, allows flowers to bloom, which provides sustenance for bees and other early pollinating insects. Delaying the start of mowing season for just a month can make a positive difference in our local ecology and reduce the town’s carbon footprint by diminishing the use of gas and electric mower. Visit lincolncommonground.com to register. Questions? Email Robin Wilkerson at outsideinformation@gmail.com.

L-S superintendent finalists to meet with community

The three finalists for Lincoln-Sudbury regional high School superintendent/principal will meet the community at forums at 7:30 p.m. in the L-S auditorium on the following days:

• Tuesday, March 28 — Andrew Stephens
• Wednesday, March 29 ­— Allyson Mizoguchi
• Thursday, March 30 — Jamie Chisum

Click on a date to see the agenda for that forum. Biographies of the candidates are available here. During the day, the candidates will visit the L-S campus and meet with faculty and staff, administrators and students, and on Friday, March 31, with the L-S School committee.

González is next speaker in “On Belonging in Outdoor Spaces”

The final session in the “On Belonging in Outdoor Spaces” will take place via Zoom on Wednesday, March 29 at 7 p.m. José G. González, founder of Latino Outdoors and co-founder of the Outdoorist Oath, will speak on “Wayfinding and Belonging in the Outdoors.” As a Partner in the Avarna Group and through his own consulting, his work focuses on equity and inclusion frameworks and practices in the environmental, outdoor, and conservation fields. The series is organized by the Walden Woods Project, Mass Audubon, Farrington Nature Linc, The Food Project, the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, and the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust. Click here to register.

Sonic Liberation Players concert on Sunday

The Sonic Liberation Players present “Parable” on Saturday, April 1 at 7:30 p.m. in Bemis Hall. The works and composers include Marti Epstein’s “See, Even Night” with guest clarinetist, Yhasmin Valenzuela-Blanchard, John Luther Adams’ “Red Arc/Blue Veil” for percussion and piano, John Cage’s “Litany for the Whale” with guest vocalist, Maya Bloom, and Alvin Lucier’s “Love Song” for two violinists. Tickets are $25 (cash or check at the door, or online in advance). The Sonic Liberation players include Lincoln resident Joshua Jade and former Lincolnites Trevor Berens, and Jessica Tunick Berens.

McKibben author talk at First Parish

The First Parish in Lincoln will host a talk by Bill McKibben on his book, The Flag, the Cross, and the Station Wagon: A Graying American Looks Back at His Suburban Boyhood and Wonders What the Hell Happened at the white church and online on Sunday, April 2 from 3–4:30 p.m. McKibben helped found 350.org, the first global grassroots climate campaign, and recently helped found Third Act, which organizes people over the age of 60 for action on climate and justice. Click here for more information.

Learn about food at Codman Estate and farm

Historic New England is hosting two consecutive events at the Codman Estate and Codman Community Farms on Sunday, April 23 starting at 1:30 p.m. During “Sort Apples, Make Butter – Country Life!” Family Food Fun, adults on a special outdoor/indoor tour will learn what was grown and preserved on the estate and visit with Codman lead guide Camille Arbogast, who will discuss how the Codmans’ approach to food connects to present culinary attitudes. Meanwhile, kids age 6 and up will have fun in the kitchen with Codman site manager Wendy Hubbard, shaking, making, and stamping butter while eating apples. They can take home their work along with some tasty shortbread cookies from the Codman family’s recipes. Admission is $5 for kids and $10 for adults. Advance registration required; click here to register.

At about 2:30 p.m., the “Sow Seeds. Make Broth – It’s Spring on the Farm!” tour will highlight Codman Community Farms’ innovative and sustainable farming approach, highlighting its no-till market garden and historic barnyard, livestock, egg-washing process, and commercial kitchen. Participants will take home a seasonal farm treat. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children.

Volunteer sought for Conservation Commission

The Conservation Commission is seeking to fill a vacancy with a Lincolnite who is interested in wetland permitting and land management discussions and favors open space protection. For information about the commission’s roles and responsibilities, please visit the LCC website. Interested applicants are encouraged to contact the Conservation Department staff at 781-259-2612 or conservation@lincolntown.org.

L-S superintendent finalists named

The Lincoln-Sudbury Regional School Committee unanimously approved three local educational leaders as finalists for the position of superintendent/principal to succeed Bella Wong. The school committee took its vote after receiving a report and recommendations from its 11-member initial screening and interview committee. The candidates are Jamie Chisum, principal of Wellesley High School since 1999; Allyson Mizoguchi, who started teaching at Wayland High School in 1997 and has been principal for seven years; and Andrew Stephens, principal of Lexington High School since 2017.

“We were fortunate to have a great pool of applicants and a very hard working search committee,” said School Committee member Kevin Matthews who chaired the screening panel. “Each is an experienced building leader and school administrator.” During the last week in March, the candidates will spend a day at L-S meeting with faculty, students, and parents right through the evening session. The candidates will follow up with a formal public interview with the School Committee.

Learn how to “green up” older houses

“Case Studies in Retrofitting Your Older House” is the next event in the Lincoln Green Energy Committee’s “Getting to Zero” series on Thursday, March 30 from 7–9 p.m. on Zoom. Join CFREE and FoMA, and our panel of homeowners, builders, and architects, who will share their experiences with retrofitting their older houses and offer ideas on where to start and how to sequence renovation work. CFREE (Carbon Free Residential, Everything Electric) is a working group of the Lincoln Green Energy Committee dedicated to assisting homeowners work toward net-zero, all electric houses. Co-sponsored by FoMA (Friends of Modern Architecture/Lincoln). Click here to register.

“Breathe-Move-Pray” at St. Anne’s

St Anne’s St. Anne’s-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church will host “Breathe-Move-Pray” sessions on Sundays, April 2 and 16 at 4:30 p.m. by the font as we prepare for the quiet of the Contemplative Compline service with a guided practice of classic breath and movement patterns. Wear comfortable clothes and bring a mat if you’d like. For more information, visit StAnnesLincoln.org or the event calendar for additional dates.

Talk on vegetable gardening in containers

The Lincoln Garden Club invites the public to a lecture on vegetable gardening in containers with Sara Rostampour, director of horticulture at Green City Growers, on Tuesday, April 4 at 7 p.m. The lecture will be in person at Bemis Hall as well as on Zoom.  She will cover the basics of container growing such as location, design, and soil while considering garden goals. She will also talk about crop planning and show how to make a crop map for a successful experience. Click here for more information and to register. Click here to register.

Writers share their stuff
Saturday, April 22 at 2 p.m. (in person)
Lincoln’s literary talent will be center stage in the Tarbell Room at the library on Saturday, April 22 to read their own material in genres including memoir, poetry, essay, and fiction. Writers will comment on their selections, answer questions, and generally remove the mystery from how to take the first steps toward being an author. Among these is joining them by becoming a member of The Write Stuff, an accomplished but warmly collegial group that’s sponsoring this event jointly with the library staff.  

Intergenerational book/ice cream event at Bemis

Are you thinking about what to do over school vacation with the grandkids? Bring them to this intergenerational book intro, meet Lincoln resident Ruth Mendelson (author of The Water Tree Way), and enjoy ice cream sundae cups on Friday, April 21 at 1 p.m. in Bemis Hall. There will also be a short video of Jane Goodall, who volunteered to write the preface for the book. RSVP to reserve a free signed copy of the book by calling 781-259-8811 (limited to the first 20 callers; limit one book per household). Sponsored by the Council on Aging & Human Services and the Friends of the Lincoln Library.

St. Anne’s lecture series on encountering the divine

How might we encounter Jesus, and/or the divine more broadly, through faiths beyond Christianity? In this multi-week series, three religious scholars from Boston College will lead us in an exploration of how Judaism, Buddhism, and Islam might help us engage spiritual resources, in a responsible way, beyond the traditional boundaries of Christianity. All sessions are free and meet in Flint Hall at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church from 6:30–8 p.m. The schedule is as follows:

• Thursday, April 13 — “Encountering the Divine through Buddhism” with Yonder Gillihan, Associate Professor of Theology 
• Thursday, April 27 — “Encountering the Divine through Judaism” with Daniel Joslyn-Siemiatkoski, director of the BC Center for Christian-Jewish Learning 
• Thursday, May 4 — “Encountering the Divine through Islam” with Natana DeLong-Bas, Associate Professor of the Practice 

Lincoln Climate Action Plan discussion for kids and parents

Are you a kid — or do you know a kid — who is learning about climate change? The Town of Lincoln is gathering input for a Climate Action Plan that will guide efforts to reduce carbon emissions and increase our community’s resilience to climate change impacts. We want to hear from you! Please join us for a Climate Action Plan discussion at the Lincoln Public Library on Wednesday, March 22 from 12:30-1:30 p.m. Questions or comments? Email Jennifer Curtin at curtinj@lincolntown.org.

“Big Night” is coming

“Big Night” is often used to describe the annual ritual of certain frogs and salamanders when they migrate from their upland overwintering habitat towards their spring breeding ground. During Big Night, you have a chance of seeing spotted salamanders, wood frogs, spring peepers, and other amphibians heading towards a vernal pool (generally a small pond or wetland which dries up in the summer months and does not support fish populations). Big Night is hard to predict but it generally happens on the first few rainy nights in March when the night temperature is above 40 degrees. Most years, Lincoln does not have one “Big Night” but rather lots of smaller movements.

However, there are risks, especially to the amphibians crossing roads in the dark of night. The Conservation Department advises drivers to stay off the roads on rainy nights if at all possible, or at least avoid the three major salamander crossings on Conant Road, Lexington Road, and Silver Hill Road. If you see one, moisten your hands in a puddle and movie it off the road in the direction it’s heading. For more information, see Safety Tips for Big Night. If you’re interested in receiving emails from the Conservation Department about when Big Night(s) may be happening and/or if you’d like to help amphibians cross a Lincoln Road this year, watch this training video and fill out this online form.

Rep. Peisch to visit Lincoln

All Lincoln residents regardless of political affiliation are invited to a conversation with State Rep. Alice Peisch (D–14th Norfolk) on Monday, April 3 from 6:45–8 p.m. in the Lincoln Public Library’s Tarbell Room. Peisch represents Precinct 2 in Lincoln as well as Weston and Wellesley. Peisch was elected to the House of Representatives in 2002 and is currently the House Assistant Majority Leader. She served as House chair of the Joint Committee on Education from 2011-2023. This meeting offers an excellent opportunity not only to meet our new rep, but also to ask questions on matters of concern to Lincoln residents and hear her views on significant issues such as changes at Hanscom or the Housing Choice Act. Hosted by the Lincoln Democratic Town Committee.

Eighth-grader chosen for music festival

Lincoln School eighth-grader Shuman Yuan was selected through an audition process to participate in the Massachusetts Music Educators Eastern District Junior Festival that was held at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School on March 10 and 11. Shuman studies with Susan Gottschalk, violin teacher and Lincoln Middle School orchestra director. Over 900 outstanding music students in grades 7–9 from 30 school districts auditioned on January 28 and less than half were accepted.

Leadership change in Lincoln Democratic Town Committee

The Lincoln Democratic Town Committee (LDTC) welcomes Travis Roland as new co-chair, succeeding Barbara Slayter, who stepped down on March 1. Roland is a U.S. Navy veteran and has served as a docent at the American Heritage Museum in Hudson. He has two children in the Lincoln School. Kimball, a Lincoln resident since 1974, was president of the Lincoln League of Women Voters in the 1970s, served as chair of the 1977 Lincoln Land Use Conference, and was on the Conservation Commission in the early 1990s. Slayter, formerly a professor at Clark University, will continue as a member of the LDTC and its Executive Committee.

SVdP Society offers scholarships to adults

Supported by a generous grant from the Codman Foundation, the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lincoln and Weston’s scholarship program has given dozens of Lincoln adults better employment prospects in a range of areas from accounting and technology to nutrition and cosmetology. Students who live or work in Lincoln or Weston or whose children attend the public schools in either town are eligible. Scholarships range from $100 to $2,000. For more information and to apply, click here.

Enroll next year’s kindergarteners

If you or someone you know has a kindergarten-eligible student (5 years of age before October 1, 2023), let them know that they should register their child for enrollment in Lincoln Public Schools in 2023-24. See the Kindergarten Enrollment & Registration web page for details. Children of Lincoln residents, Boston residents through the METCO program, and children of Lincoln employees are eligible.  

Girl Scout cookies at transfer station on Saturday

Lincoln Girl Scouts will be at the transfer station this Saturday, March 11 from 10 a.m–noon selling all your favorite Girl Scout cookies. Come by and get your Thin Mints, Caramel Delights, gluten-free chocolate chip cookies and more for $5 per box. Cash, check, or Venmo are welcome. Donations will also be collected for St. Vincent dePaul food pantry.

Weekend activities at deCordova

Mini Greenhouse Workshop with Derby Farm
Saturday, March 11 from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Terrariums are self-regulating miniature ecosystems housed in a glass container. You can personalize your own miniature landscape and walk away with something alive, thriving, and beautiful to breathe fresh life into your home. They’re a wonderful and simple way to reconnect with the natural world. All supplies included. Click here to register.

Curator Tour of “New Formations”
Saturday, March 11 from 1-2 p.m.
Join Chief Curator Sarah Montross for a unique opportunity to explore the New Formations exhibition. Visitors will look closely at the artwork on view, learn about the artists and their processes, and hear from the experts about the process of making an exhibition come to life. Click here to register.

School of Honk at deCordova Sculpture Park
Sunday, March 12 from 2-3:30 p.m.
Celebrate music, dance, and spectacle with School of Honk at deCordova! Inside the galleries, visitors can explore the New Formations exhibition, which features human bodies in powerful athletic performance, ecstatic expressions of dance and collective procession. These artworks suggest our need for rituals, ways of gathering, and performing for ourselves and one another. Outside in the Sculpture Park, visitors can gather, sing, dance and enjoy the lively, spontaneous music of School of Honk. Join us for this unique and celebratory experience! Click here to pre-register. 

Presentation on going solar

“Adding Solar,” the third presentation in the “Getting to Zero” series, will be given by Roy Van Cleef, manager of sales for New England Clean Energy. Van Cleef will discuss recent technology in solar panels, how solar companies assess your solar panel needs, rebates and incentive programs, net metering, and more. Click here to register. Still to come: “Getting to Zero: The Historical Home presented by FoMA” and “Install Heat Pumps.” The Getting to Zero series is presented by CFREE (Carbon Free Residential, Everything Electric), a working group of Lincoln’s Green Energy Committee, helping resident’s affordably achieve energy-efficient, electrified, comfortable and healthy homes.

Take survey to help town’s Climate Action Plan

To reduce carbon emissions and increase the community’s resilience to climate change impacts, the town has embarked on creating a Climate Action Plan and is gathering input from residents. The plan aims to identify needs and goals and develop achievable strategies to increase resilience and sustainability while including equity and environmental justice throughout the process. Your feedback will directly inform the ​development of goals and strategies that guide the town’s future climate action work. ​The survey will close on March 27, 2023. Click here to take the survey.

There will be two additional workshops on Wednesday, April 12 at 7 p.m. and Friday, April 14 at 8:30 a.m. To register for either one or to join the mailing list to stay updated on the project, click here. Questions may be directed to Jennifer Curtin, Lincoln’s Assistant Director of Planning and Land Use, at curtinj@lincolntown.org.

“Newsies Jr.” musical by Lincoln School students

Inspired by the true story of newsboys in turn-of-the-century New York City, Disney’s “Newsies Jr.” is the tale of Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy and leader of a band of teenage “newsies,” the young people who sold afternoon editions of newspapers directly to readers on city streets. It’s loosely based on the real-life Newsboy Strike of 1899, when newsboy Kid Blink led a band of orphan and runaway newsies on a two-week-long action against Joseph Pulitzer, William Randolph Hearst, and other powerful New York newspaper publishers who had raised distribution prices at the newsies’ expense. More than one-third of all Lincoln School middle school students are involved in either the cast or crew. Show dates in the Donaldson Auditorium:

• Wednesday, March 29 at 3 p.m.
• Thursday, March 30 at 7 p.m.
• Friday, March 31 at 7 p.m.

Tickets will be sold at the door ($10 for adults, $5 for students/seniors/LPS employees; cash or check only). All proceeds go towards the show budget.

Rep. Gentile to hold office hours in Lincoln

State Rep. Carmen Gentile (13th Middlesex, which includes Precinct 1 in south and west Lincoln) will host in-person office hours for constituents at the Lincoln Town Hall on Friday, March 24 from 9–10 a.m. This is a great time to ask questions and share your thoughts about issues in our community and across the Commonwealth. An RSVP is requested by not required; contact his aide Ravi Simon at ravi.simon@mahouse.gov or 617-722-2810 ext. 8.

ZBA seeks alternate member

The Zoning Board of Appeals is seeking an alternate member. To learn more, visit the ZBA web page, and download, compete and return a volunteer application form.

“Getting to Zero — Upgrading Windows”

The second installment in the Getting to Zero series, “Upgrading Windows,” will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 28 at noon. Lincoln resident Patrik Muzila, president of European Architectural Supply in Acton, will talk about the benefits of upgrading your home’s windows, tax incentives, and what options to look for. Click here to register for the Zoom link.

The series is presented by CFREE, a working group of Lincoln’s Green Energy Committee, to help residents affordably achieve energy-efficient, electrified, comfortable, and healthy homes. They will record the event and posting it to the GEC website for later viewing. Those who register for the lecture will also be sent a link to the video. 

Celebrating Celtic history, music, and literature

The Lincoln Public Library will host a program celebrating Celtic history, music, and literature at an in-person event on Friday, March 10 at 1 p.m. in Bemis Hall. Jaimee Leigh will lead a journey through the history of the Celtic harp and share a few tunes and legends from the past. Actor, teacher and lecturer Stephen Collins will perform his one-man show on Irish writers of the 20th century. Made possible by the Council on Aging and Human Services and Friend of Lincoln Library.

“An America Divided”

A virtual program on “An America Divided” with New Yorker staff writer Emma Green will take place on Tuesday, March 13 from 7:30–9 p.m. Green will explore ways that Americans are divided — politically, religiously, economically, and even by community and family. What has caused these ruptures and what are some ways for us to come back together? Click here to register.

“The Softer Side of Celtic”

In “The Softer Side of Celtic” on Friday, March 17 from 1–2:30 p.m. in Bemis Hall, Jeff Snow will combine the music, stories, and history from Scotland, Ireland, and England into a program with singing, laughing, clapping and even a bit of foot stomping. Questions and input from the audience are encouraged and become part of the event. Made possible by the Council on Aging and Human Services and Friend of Lincoln Library.

Film: “Loving Highsmith”

The Lincoln Library Film Society will screen “Loving Highsmith” (2022) on Thursday, March 16 at 6 p.m. Eva Vitija directed this look at the life of celebrated American author Patricia Highsmith based on her diaries and notebooks and the intimate reflections of her lovers, friends and family. Most of Highsmith’s novels, including “Strangers on a Train” and “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” were adapted for the big screen.

Register kids for T-ball

Registration for T-Ball is now open to boys and girls in preK and kindergarten living or going to school in Lincoln. Sessions are on Saturdays from late April to mid-June, 10:15 to 11:45 at the Lincoln Schools. The emphasis is on having fun, making friends, practicing teamwork, and learning throwing, catching, and hitting a baseball. Coaching is provided by parent volunteers. Click here to register (scroll down for Lincoln). Questions? Email Travis Roland at travisroland89@yahoo.com or Chris Andrysiak at chris.andrysiak@gmail.com.

“What We Learn from Our Fathers about Being Parents and Partners”

The Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable and REACH Beyond Domestic Violence will present “Watching Dad: What We Learn from Our Fathers about Being Parents and Partners” on Monday, March 20 at 7 p.m. in the Community Meeting Room at the Goodnow Library (21 Concord Rd., Sudbury). David Adams, co-founder and co-director of abuser education program Emerge, will be the featured speaker.

The event is inspired by the White Ribbon Campaign, the world’s largest movement of men and boys working to end violence against women and girls, and promote gender equity, healthy relationships and a new vision of masculinity. The local men’s group has been meeting monthly since 2019. Click here to register. While the event is free of charge, donations are always appreciated. Click here to donate. For more information, email whiteribbon.dvrt@gmail.com.

“On Belonging” speaker series kicks off

The “On Belonging in Outdoor Spaces” series returns with three upcoming events:

• Lincoln School teacher and social justice activist Claudia Fox Tree — Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m.
• Leah Penniman, co-founder of Soul Fire Farm and author of Black Earth Wisdom — Wednesday, March 8 at 7 p.m.
• José G. González, founder of Latino Outdoors and co-founder of the Outdoorist Oath — Wednesday, March 29 at 7 p.m.

The free speaker series, which launched in 2021, seeks to feature individuals whose work is advancing efforts to strengthen belonging and connection between communities of color and the outdoors. Click here for more information and to register. This year’s series is sponsored by the Ogden Codman Trust, Freedom’s Way, and the Lincoln Cultural Council. The host organizations are Farrington Nature Linc, Lincoln Land Conservation Trust, Mass Audubon, Walden Woods Project, deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, and the Food Project.

Saturday ranger walks scheduled

Join Lincoln Conservation Ranger Will Leona to visit different trails in Lincoln on the first Saturday of each month (March 4, April 1, and May 6) from 9:30–11 a.m. Walks are generally two miles long and are appropriate for all ages. Click here for registration, which is required to keep group size under 15 people and to ensure we can contact you in case of cancellation due to weather.

Lincoln student featured in Concord theater production

Lincoln youth Huxley Jade is in the cast of the Concord Youth Theatre’s (CYT) Mainstage Company production of the musical “Robin Hood.” Robin Hood, Maid Marian, Merry Men, and other timeless characters in this classic story find new life through the original script and score written by Rene Pfister and Jan Mankowsky. CYT’s Mainstage Company includes young performers ages 10-18 from several towns. Performances are Friday, March 3 and 10 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, March 4 and 11 at 4 p.m.; and Sunday, March 5 at 2:30 p.m. at the theater 53 Church St. in Concord. Click here for more information and to buy tickets.

L-S Parents Night for incoming freshmen on March 9

Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School’s Eighth-Grade Parent/Guardian Night, will be held at Lincoln-Sudbury on Thursday, March 9 from 7–8:30 p.m. This evening is for parents and guardians only. The evening begins in the L-S Auditorium with an overview of the ninth-grade curriculum and the scheduling process, followed by an opportunity to visit faculty members of the various departments to ask questions about course selection and curriculum. 

Brush burning permits now available

To apply for a permit for outdoor brush burning, which is allowed until May 1, fill out this online form and mail a check for $5.00 to the Lincoln Fire Department, 169 Lincoln Rd., Lincoln MA 01773. Or if you prefer, send your name, address, phone number and email address along with a check for $5.00 to the fire department, or drop them in the red box in the lobby. All applicants are also required to call on the morning you plan to burn to ask permission and give the dispatcher your address.

Town library wins five-star rating

For 15 years, Library Journal has used statistics collected by the Institute of Museum and Library Services public library survey to score U.S. public libraries and award star ratings. The FY2020 scores and ratings were published in December 2022 and Lincoln Public Library received five stars, the highest rating, in its category. Libraries are put into peer groups based on their annual expenditures and Lincoln was one of 10 libraries nationwide to earn five stars in the $1 million to $4.9 million category. The survey looks at measures of service delivery including the number of checkouts (both physical and electronic), library visits, program attendance, website visits, Internet computer use, and public WiFi sessions.

Ash Wednesday at St. Anne’s

Join the St. Anne’s community for an Ash Wednesday evening service on Wednesday, Feb. 22 from 7–8 p.m. to mark the threshold to the season of Lent. We welcome everyone from all walks of life and faith. For more information, visit StAnnesLincoln.org.  

Event for new and expectant parents

Join LincFam for an upcoming coffee meetup at Twisted Tree on Saturday, Feb. 25 from 2-3 p.m. Little ones are welcome. LincFam is eager to update their New & Expecting Parents list of families with children under 2 or expecting a child. If you’d like to join the list for information on future events and meetups, please click here.

Session on home backup battery power

MetroWest Climate Solutions, of which First Parish in Lincoln is a founding member, is offering a webinar on “Backup Power: Battery Storage for Homes & Businesses” on Tuesday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. Onsite battery storage systems are seeing a spike in interest to power homes during blackouts and/or to make the most of an existing solar system. These battery systems often provide backup for 10 to 20 hours and can be charged either by solar panels onsite or electricity from your utility. In this session, Matt Honkonen of East Coast Solar will provide an overview of issues to consider when installing battery storage systems in your home and/or business, including cost. The session will also discuss the often-overlooked human rights abuses associated with cobalt/lithium mines in Africa. Two local residents will also share their experiences in evaluating vendors and installing battery storage systems in their homes. Click here to register.

Climate Action Plan workshops

Climate Action Lincoln is gathering input for a Climate Action Plan that will guide efforts to reduce carbon emissions and increase our community’s resilience to climate change impacts. Developing the plan involves community outreach and engagement, the identification of needs and goals, and the development of actionable strategies to increase resilience and sustainability. There will be two community workshops for the public on Wednesday, March 1 at 7 p.m. and Friday, March 3 at 8:30 a.m., with the same information shared and input welcomed at both.

• Register for the March 1 event
• Register for the March 3 event
• Subscribe to our listserv for email updates
• Email questions or comments to Jennifer Curtin at curtinj@lincolntown.org

Spring concerts at deCordova

Old-style Irish dance and music
Saturday, March 4 from 6–8 p.m.
Enjoy an evening of traditional and old-style Irish dance and music with a performance by the quartet Eight Feet Tall and social céilí dancing for all with live music to top off the night. The dances are fun and simple group dances, no experience is needed, and all dances will be taught – everyone is welcome. The event is liked to New Formations exhibition at the deCordova. Click here for tickets.

Musical performance with Antje Duvekot
Thursday, March 9 at 7 p.m.
Antje Duvekot has won some of the top songwriting awards including the Grand Prize in the John Lennon Songwriting Competition, the prestigious Kerrville (Texas) Best New Folk Award, and the Boston Music Award for Outstanding Folk Act. Click here for tickets.

Editor’s note: the first three items briefly appeared in News Acorns earlier, but due to a computer glitch, they disappeared from the Squirrel website so we’re posting them again, along with their accompanying calendar entries, which had also disappeared.

IDEA Committee forum

The Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Antiracism (IDEA) Committee will hold a public forum on Thursday, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. in the Lincoln School Learning Commons. Learn about the group’s work to date, plans for the coming year, and community engagement opportunities. This is a hybrid meeting, so you may join us in person or online over Zoom (passcode: 638410).

Film: “A Yak in the Classroom”

The Lincoln Library Film Society will show the Oscar-nominated “Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom” on Thursday, Feb. 16 at 6 p.m. in the library’s Tarbell Room. An aspiring singer living with his grandmother in the capital of Bhutan dreams of getting a visa to move to Australia. Dzongkha and English with subtitles.

Event on making your home greener

“How to Improve the Envelope of your Home,” the first presentation in the Getting to Zero series, will be led by Rachel White CEO of Byggmeister Design/Build, on Tuesday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. via Zoom. Learn how to make the walls, floors, roof and windows of you house more energy efficient. Click here to register. Other presentations in the series:

• Upgrading Your Windows (February 28)
• Go with Solar (March)
• Getting to Zero: The Historical Home, presented by FoMA (March)
• Install Heat Pumps (April)

The Getting to Zero series is presented by CFREE, a working group of Lincoln’s Green Energy Committee, to help residents affordably achieve energy-efficient, electrified, comfortable and healthy homes.

Library hosts kids’ events for school vacation week

Dance Party with Denise
Tuesday, Feb. 21 at 10 a.m.
Families will groove to children’s songs, oldies, and a few pop favorites. Best for ages 6 and under, but all kids who like to dance are welcome. Drop in.

The Awesome Robb Magic Show
Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 11 a.m.
The Awesome Robb Show is more than just a magic show; it’s a show that entertains everyone and will have you laughing right from the start. No registration necessary. Best for ages 4 and up but all are welcome.

The Case of the Haunted Hotel: An Escape Room Mystery
Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 5 p.m.
Join us for a fun Haunted Hotel Escape Room. For children ages 10-12. Please note: a caregiver (or older sibling) must attend. Registration required; email sfeather@minlib.net.

Buildwave: A Hands-on STEM Building Game
Thursday, Feb. 23 at 1 p.m.
Buildwave is a high-energy creative building event using over a dozen different building materials. The workshop features animations and music that guide kids through different building waves. Intended for kids in grades 1+. Registration required; email dleopold@minlib.net.

“Fort” Night at the Library
Thursday, Feb. 23 at 6 p.m.
Join us for a fun-filled night of making blanket forts in the library. Make sure to bring your own clean sheets and/or blankets. Pajamas encouraged. Bring a stuffed animal and a flashlight if you like. No registration necessary; All ages welcome.

Movies and Muffins
Friday, Feb. 24 at 10:30 a.m.
Join us to watch short film versions of classic picture books and enjoy muffins and juice. Intended for children ages 2+. No registration required.

For details, visit the Children’s Department web page.

Ash Wednesday at St. Anne’s

Please join the St. Anne’s community for an Ash Wednesday evening service on Wednesday, Feb. 22 from 7–8 p.m. on the threshold to the season of Lent. We welcome everyone from all walks of life and faith. For more information, visit stanneslincoln.org.

21-day challenge on inclusion, diversity, and equity

The Lincoln Public Schools have created a 21-day AIDE Challenge (Antiracism, Inclusion, Diversity and Equity) to deepen our community’s understanding of antiracism, inclusion, diversity and equity. While the challenge is meant for individual work, participation by groups and the whole community is ideal. AIDE recommends that groups meet several times during the 21-days challenge to consider, explore, and connect to what they are learning. WIDE Lincoln can help with general facilitation, targeted help connecting this work to your equity goals, answer questions, and provide guidance for navigating issues that arise within your organizational discussion during the 21 days. It can also help people who are not aligned with an organization for this purpose to join others in meeting. Please fill out this form to request assistance.

MMNHP talk on Concord’s role in the Revolution

The Friends of Minute Man National Park will host their winter lecture, “Minutemen Revisited: Rethinking Concord’s Role in the Revolution: A Conversation with Robert Gross and Friends,” on Sunday, Feb. 26 at 2 p.m. via Zoom. Gross will discuss his revised and expanded edition of The Minutemen and Their World in conversation with Joel Bohy, J.L. Bell, and Jim Hollister. Free; click here to register. The lecture is co-sponsored by the Friends of Minute Man and Minute Man National Historical Park and is also supported in part by a grant from the Concord Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

Scholarship and grant applications now being accepted

The Lincoln Scholarship Committee application is now open. Both merit-based and need-based scholarships and awards are available. The application deadline is March 31. More information on the various scholarships and awards as well as an application can be found on the Lincoln Scholarship Committee website.

The Lincoln Garden Club is offering project grants and its annual Gabrielle Brenninkmeyer Award. Examples of special projects that have received grants in the past include:

• Hiring an intern to develop a native plant bed in Station Park
• Providing funds to the town tree warden to plant the next generation of trees along Baker Bridge Road
• A partnership with the Lincoln Public Library Board of Trustees to care for and propagate the iconic catalpa (“twisted tree”) growing in front of the library

The club has set aside up to $4,500 to fund grant proposals in the 2023-24 fiscal year. Grant applications must be sponsored by a Lincoln Garden Club member; collaboration on the proposal with other community groups is welcomed and encouraged. Click here to apply.

The $500 Brenninkmeyer award supports projects that further the club’s twofold mission of providing community service to the town of Lincoln and giving members the opportunity to enhance and share their knowledge of such garden-related topics as horticulture, design, conservation, and beautification. The award is open to any Lincoln resident or Lincoln Public Schools student. Click here to apply.

School superintendent to be selected next week

The School Committee will hold a special meeting to deliberate and vote on the appointment of the next Lincoln Public Schools superintendent on Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 6 p.m. Click here to watch it live on Zoom. Final interviews are being conducted this week and recordings should be posted on the new town video website by Friday, Feb 3. Last week, the four finalists visited the schools and took part in forums with administrators, faculty, and community members.

Library opens late on Feb. 8

The Lincoln Public Library will open at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 8 rather than 9 a.m. due to staff training.

Sip, talk and learn at story-telling event

Lincoln residents are invited to listen and tell their three-minute story on Sunday, Feb. 12 from 4–5:30 p.m. in the First Parish in Lincoln’s Stearns Room. The church began the series in 2019 and has heard stories of adventures, passions, hobbies, unknown siblings, and more. Telling a story in three minutes is a challenge but it makes for a fun event with about 12-15 speakers. We will have a fire going and if you’d like to bring a beverage to share, we will provide some pre-Super Bowl nibbles. Please email tuckerwsmith@gmail.com to sign up to tell your story or if you have questions.

Events on love songs and Black History Month

All are invited to a program about the history and significance of the most cherished and enduring love songs of the 20th century at “The Greatest Love Songs of All Time” on Friday, Feb. 10 at 1 p.m. in Bemis Hall. Hear more about classics including Cole Porter’s “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Some Enchanted Evening,” Tony Bennett’s “The Way You Look Tonight,” and Nat King Cole’s “Unforgettable.” Presented by John Clark & the Great American Music Experience and hosted by the Council on Aging & Human Services.

The COA&HS will present “Black History Month in the Era of CRT Book Banning” on Friday, Feb. 17 at 1 p.m. in Bemis Hall. Lincoln resident Ray Anthony Shepard, author of several biographies for young readers, will discuss the current hot-button topic of what in American history should be taught to children and will share how he addresses race in his picture book, Runaway: The Daring Escape of Ona Judge. Questions? Call 781-259-8811.

Intergenerational events feature ice cream, maple tapping

All residents, especially parents and grandparents who are watching children during school vacation week, are invited to an intergenerational ice cream social on Tuesday, Feb. 21 from 1–2:30 p.m. and a session on tree tapping, sap collection, and maple syrup with Conservation Department Ranger Will Leona on Friday, Feb. 24 at 1 p.m. in Bemis Hall. On Tuesday, build your own sundae; on Friday, learn about how indigenous peoples in our area collected and boiled sap, sample some of Will and Abigail’s syrup, and then go outside to tap the sugar maples next to Bemis Hal with Nancy Bergen from Matlock Farm. Dress for outdoor weather.