The Lincoln Squirrel – News, features and photos from Lincoln, Mass.

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Church holiday events scheduled

St. Anne’s-in-the-Fields

The church’s annual Christmas Lessons and Carols service is Sunday, Dec. 16 at 5 p.m. This annual service features stories read by clergy and parishioners, anthems sung by the choir, and hymns sung by everyone. Bring a treat to share afterwards at the festive reception. Christmas Eve services on Monday, Dec. 24 will be at 3 p.m. (family service), 7:30 p.m., and 10 p.m.

First Parish in Lincoln

Karin Levy and Nancy Fleming, co-chairs of the First Parish in Lincoln’s Touch of Christmas Fair that takes place on December 8 from 10 a.m.– 1 p.m. in the parish house.

Touch of Christmas Fair (Saturday, Dec. 8 from 10 a.m.–1 p.m.)
Shop local for antiques, tableware, costume jewelry, crafts and baked goods. There will be many hands-on activities for children including Christmas cookie decorating, a fishing tree, a decorate-your-own-ornament activity, and a special children’s shopping room complete with holiday wrapping help. Santa will arrive at 11 a.m., and children can have photos taken on Santa’s lap. The fair will feature homemade holiday wreathes and centerpieces for sale made by dozens of volunteers the week of the fair. A lunch featuring Psalm soup, salad, and pita bread will be available for purchase at noon. Admission is free. 

Hand bell choir concert (Tuesday, Dec. 18 at 7 p.m.)
The First Parish hand bell choir presents its holiday concert in the Parish House auditorium. 

Handel’s “Messiah” (Saturday, Dec. 22 at 3 p.m.)
“Live in Lincoln Center” presents Handel’s Ian Watson and select members of the Handel and Haydn Society orchestra and chorus will perform this iconic and moving piece. Suggested donation: $30 per person.

Nativity pageant (Sunday, Dec. 23 at 10 a.m.)
A traditional nativity pageant, in a rendition that aspires to Cecil B. DeMille and hits a bit closer to Charlie Brown. There are parts for any child who wants one, even if you show up only on December 23.

Council on Aging activities in December

Noticing walk with John Calabria
December 4 at 1 p.m.
Come for a gently paced walk through nature guided by John Calabria on December 4 from 1–2:30 at a location posted at lincolnconservation.org. Bring walking sticks or walking poles if you like. If the weather is bad, call 781-259-9251 after 10 a.m. on the morning of the walk for an update. Co-sponsored by the COA and Lincoln Land Conservation Trust.

Coffee with artist Ellen Milan
December 4 at 2:15 p.m.
Join Ellen Milan for “coffee with the artist” on Tuesday, Dec. 4 at 2:15 p.m. at Bemis Hall to celebrate her exhibit in the Bemis Gallery through December. Ellen Milan is a Lincoln artist whose exploration in multiple media reflects her experience exhibiting and teaching internationally. Ellen has taught in Wisconsin, Israel, and in the Boston area. During a 10-year stay in Israel, she established regional art programs and a group studio/gallery in the Old City of Jerusalem.  Her work has appeared in juried competitions through the United States, Europe and Israel. This show at Bemis Hall includes pastels, paintings on silk, and watercolors. Many of the pieces were inspired by the gardens and landscape in Lincoln at Farrar Pond Village.

Stay safer from scams and ID theft
December 7 at 10 a.m.
The only way to protect yourself against becoming the victim of scams and ID theft is to find out what scammers are up to and how you can outsmart them. All are welcome to join Lincoln Police Chief Kevin Kennedy and Bongani Jeranyama, Program Manager in the Community Engagement Division of the Office of Attorney General Maura Healey, on Friday, Dec. 7 at 10a.m. at Bemis Hall to learn about some of the everyday scams you may run into. You will get an outline of and tips regarding rights when shopping and valuable information on how to avoid various mail, phone, and online scams.  You will also get resources to take home.

Tap your toes to trad jazz tunes
December 7 at 12:30 p.m.
Come join your fellow COA neighbors to tap your toes and bob your heads and sing to those tunes of yesteryear which we all know and love. Yes, the grandchildren can shake their heads and think we’re nuts, but we know where it’s at. Led by the Lincoln Traditional Jazz Band we’re gonna have a good time—you might even say a ball—around the old Steinway upstairs at Bemis Hall on Friday, Dec. 7 from 12:30–1:30 p.m. [Read more…] about Council on Aging activities in December

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L-S concerts coming up

The Choral Winter Concert at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School takes place Thursday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m., with the L-S Chorus and select L-S singing groups as well as performances by the  Curtis Middle School and Lincoln School choral groups. Music selections include those from America, England, Brazil and Zambia. The Instrumental Winter Concert will be on Thursday, Dec. 13 at 7:30 p.m. with performances by the orchestra, concert ,and symphonic bands. Both are free and open to the public. To learn more, visit the L-S Friends of Music website.

COA seeks donated toiletries and other items

During the holidays, Council on Aging staff visit homebound, frail, and needy seniors to deliver baskets full of basic necessities. The COA is collecting new, unopened, unscented, full-sized items to fill the baskets: shampoo, conditioner, body wash, toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, tissues, paper towels, toilet paper, lip balm, deodorant, disposable razors, shaving cream, kitchen sponges, trash bags, laundry soap, socks, coffee and tea, postage stamps, and pharmacy gift cards. Please bring your donations to the Council on Aging in Bemis Hall by Friday, Dec. 7. Questions? Call Abigail at 781-259-8811.

L-S School Committee seeks member

Lincoln and Sudbury residents are invited to apply for a vacancy on the L-S Regional School Committee created by the resignation of member Craig Gruber. The interim position will run from Jan. 8, 2019 and conclude at the end of the Annual Town Meetings for Lincoln and Sudbury in May 2019. At the Regional District Election in March 2019, a successor will be elected to serve the balance of the unexpired term ending in May 2020. Anyone interested should send a statement indicating interest in the position and a resume to be sent to Donna Cakert, L-S District Clerk 390 Lincoln Rd., Sudbury MA 01776 or districtclerk@lsrhs.net by Monday, Dec, 10.

LEAP a capella fundraiser

LEAP, the Lincoln Extended-day Activities Program is hosting its fifth annual A Cappella Night, a fundraising event that supports tuition assistance and enrichment programs, on ​Saturday, Dec. 15 from 7–9 p.m. Returning for the third time will be the Harvard VoiceLab, and ​Accent, ​​Lincoln Sudbury Regional High School’s co-ed student run group. There will also be hors d’oeuvre, desserts, a cash bar, raffle items, and a silent auction. Tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for kids. Email ​leap0615@gmail.com for more information.

Herscovitch appears at next LOMA

Lara Herscovitch is the featured performer at the next LOMA (Lincoln Open-Mike Acoustic) night on Monday, Dec. 10 in the Lincoln Public Library’s Tarbell Room. The event runs from 7–10 p.m., and Herscovitch will perform a half-hour set starting around 8:30. Connecticut named Lara, who had five CDs to her credit, as its official State Troubadour. A fierce advocate for human rights, Lara invokes strength in “Let It Begin” from her “Four Wise Monkeys” CD.

LOMA is a monthly event. Admission is free and refreshments are provided. Performers can sign up at the event or email Rich Eilbert at loma3re@gmail.com for a slot. There is a sound system with mikes and instrumental pickups suitable for individuals or small groups.

FELS pie sale a big success

The Foundation for Educators at Lincoln-Sudbury had a record-breaking Thanksgiving Pie Sale to support its mission to award enrichment grants to L-S faculty and staff to pursue their professional and personal interests and passions. A total of 451 pies were sold; 105 of them were donated to food pantries in Lincoln and Sudbury (one pie for every client who came) and others were donated to senior citizen luncheons and members of the Lincoln and Sudbury public safety staff, or ordered as gifts for L-S teachers and staff. The FELS annual appeal is now underway. The annual FELSTalk will be on March 28 at 7 p.m. at L-S.

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Climate justice film on Tuesday

St. Anne’s in-the-Fields Church will host a screening of “Living in the Future’s Past” on Tuesday, Nov. 27 at 7 p.m. following a light supper at 6:30. Academy Award winner, Jeff Bridges shares the screen with scientists and a dazzling array of living creatures to shows how no one can predict how major changes might emerge from the spontaneous actions of the many, and how energy takes many forms as it moves through and animates everything

Meeting on deCordova–TTOR integration

Those interested in learning more about the planned integration of the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum and The Trustees of Reservations and its implications for the town are invited to attend a community meeting hosted by the deCordova on Wednesday, Nov. 28 at 7 p.m. Hear from the town’s deCordova Working Group; Linda Hammett Ory, president of the deCordova Board of Trustees; deCordova executive director John Ravenal; and Barbara Erickson, CEO of The Trustees. Learn more at www.decordova.org/integration.

Scouts selling Christmas trees, wreaths

Lincoln Scout Troop 127 is selling Christmas trees and decorated balsam wreaths at the corner of Codman Community Farms across from the police station every Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m.–5:30 p.m. until Christmas, and we will be open as many weeknights as we can staff. All profits above cost will be used to fund scouting activities. Lincoln Troop 127 supports the Lincoln community in many ways, including setting up for the Memorial Day service and providing the July 4th cookout after the parade

Shop to help domestic violence victims

On Sunday, Dec. 2 from noon–4 p.m., Mango Tree Artisans of Sudbury will host a special shopping event to benefit the Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable. At its new location at 593 Boston Post Road in Sudbury, Mango Tree Artisans sells handcrafted sterling silver and ethnic jewelry, ceramics, baskets, eco-friendly clothing, instruments, and other ethically sourced items from around the world. The Roundtable receives a percentage of proceeds from this event.

Dungeons & Dragons group for teens

Kids in grades 6–12 who want to learn how to play Dungeons and Dragons are invited to join L-S student/dungeon master Roshan Kharbanda on Sundays beginning December 2 from 1:30–4:30 p.m. at the Lincoln Public Library. Have fun using your imagination and problem-solving skills while socializing with others who enjoy role-playing games. All materials will be provided. For middle and high school students only. Registration required; please email dleopold@minlib.net or call 781-259-8465 x4.

Discussion on teen vaping and pot

Recreational marijuana shops have opened, even as more teenagers are becoming addicted to nicotine through Juuls and other vaping devices. L-S Connections is sponsoring an event titled “Vaping and Legalized Marijuana: The ‘New Normal’?” on Tuesday, Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m. in the L-S Lecture Hall for parents. On hand will be Mary Cole, program coordinator of the Greater Boston Tobacco-Free Community Partnership, along with L-S counselors and administrators and representatives from the Lincoln and Sudbury police to talk with us about what they’re seeing in our communities and how parents, the school, and the community can work together to help our kids make healthy, well-informed decisions. Register here as space is limited. 

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Mass Innovation Night in Lincoln on Tuesday

This month’s Mass Innovation Night, where startup companies present their products, will be at Lincoln North (55 Old Bedford Rd.) on Tuesday, Nov. 13 from 6–8:30 p.m. The event features networking with entrepreneurs, experts, and sponsors. The top four favorite product/companies from online voting prior to the event (as well as the in-person favorite) will present five-minute pitches.

“Once Upon a Mattress” this week

Performances of the LSB Players’ production of “Once Upon a Mattress” will take place on November 14-17 at  7:30 p.m. at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School. Click here for details.

Learn about using more green energy

Come join members of the Lincoln Green Energy Committee to ask questions about how you can reduce your impact on climate change or just listen to the ideas of others at an informal session on Wednesday, Nov. 14 from 1–2 p.m. in Bemis Hall. Ask about energy assessments on your home, energy-efficient heating systems, electric cars, solar systems, the net-zero school project, the community choice aggregation program, or whatever you like.

Donate or purchase items to benefit domestic violence roundtable

Each year, the Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable sponsors a family from a local domestic violence agency for the holidays. These agencies need help to provide happy holidays for families in shelter and to meet the ongoing needs of additional families who have been victims of domestic violence. Sponsored families are anonymous, though the agency will share the number of family members and their ages. Match yourself with a smaller family to sponsor, or invite relatives, friends, and colleagues to join you in sponsoring a larger family.

For those who can’t sponsor a family, gift cards for food, clothing, and other necessities to stores such as Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, CVS, Target, and Stop & Shop are welcome. Wrapping paper, ribbon, and tape are also needed. Advocates from each agency provide help with “wish lists” for survivors and their children. The deadline for gift delivery is Monday, Dec. 3. To learn more about how you can help, contact:

Screening of “Westfront 2018”

The Lincoln Library Film Society will screen “Westfront 1918” on Thursday, Dec. 6 at 6:30 p.m. in the Tarbell Room. The 1930 film (in German with French and English subtitles) follows a group of German infantrymen in the trenches of France during World War I.

Dobrow to speak on new book about Emily Dickinson

The Lincoln Public Library and the Lincoln Historical Society present Lincoln resident Julie Dobrow speaking about her latest book, After Emily: Two Remarkable Women and the Legacy of America’s Greatest Poet on Sunday, Dec. 9 at 2 p.m. in the library’s Tarbell Room. Dobrow is a professor with appointments in Tufts University’s Department of Child Study and Human Development and the Tisch College of Civic Life. After Emily is the untold story of the mother and daughter who opened the door to Dickinson’s poetry. Copies of the book will be available for signing.

Works by Lincoln artist Milan on display

The Bemis Hall gallery will exhibit artworks by Lincoln artist Ellen Milan from mid-November through December. Milan has taught in Wisconsin, Israel, and in the Boston area. During a ten-year stay in Israel, she established regional art programs and a group studio/gallery in the Old City of Jerusalem. This show at Bemis Hall includes pastels, paintings on silk, and watercolors. Many of the pieces were inspired by the gardens and landscape in Lincoln at Farrar Pond Village.

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Election Day prayer services at St. Anne’s

St. Anne’s in-the-Fields Church is holding two simple prayer services on Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 6) at 8 a.m. and noon. The services will include prayers for our nation, and all are welcome. 

First Parish news: Monday meditation, choir, Advent workshop, book group

  • There will be an evening meditation session in the First Parish of Lincoln’s Stearns Room on the first Monday of each month starting Monday, Nov. 5 from 7–8:30 p.m. The evening includes two 15-minute sittings with a walking meditation in between. Following the sittings, we will introduce ourselves and read together a passage from a book by Thich Nhat Hanh and share our impressions. We usually have a metta practice, sending our prayers to those we are concerned about, and end with a silent minute of meditation. Everyone from Lincoln and neighboring towns is welcome. For more information, email Joan Kimball at selenejck@gmail.com. 
  • The church choir will soon begin rehearsing for its Christmas Eve services, to be held Monday, Dec. 24 at 5 p.m., 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. and is seeking choir members. Anyone from Lincoln and surrounding communities is welcome to join the choir. Rehearsals are on Thursday evenings in the sanctuary (4 Bedford Rd.) from 7–8:30 p.m.
  • The First Parish’s annual Advent workshop is on on Sunday, Nov. 25 at 10 a.m. in the Parish House (14 Bedford Rd.). All children are welcome to join in creating holiday treasures. Crafts will include decorative centerpieces, ornaments, cards, cookies, Swedish hearts and more. For more information, contact Margit Griffith, director of religious education, at 781-259-8118.
  • The First Parish book group will meet on Tuesday, Nov. 27 from 6:30–8:30 p.m. in the Stearns Room (4 Bedford Rd.) All are welcome to attend. The book to be discussed is The Overstory: A Novel by Richard Powers and a New York Times Bestseller of 2018. The group will discuss the book in sections in two subsequent meetings.

Jazz concert on Nov. 14

Jimmy Mazzy and the Last Minute Men will present a Vern Welch tribute concert in memory of Welch’s contributions to the local jazz scene on Wednesday, Nov. 14 from 7–10 p.m. in Bemis Hall.

Holiday artists’ market at deCordova

On Friday, Nov. 16, the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum opens its 25th annual Holiday Artists’ Market with a variety of gift options, including handmade ceramics, creative home goods, jewelry and accessories, holiday ornaments, winter fashion, and more. There will be an opening reception on Thursday, Nov. 15 from 6–9 p.m. More than 25 local and international artists and artisans will participate n the artists’s market, which will be open daily through December 31, with extended shopping hours December 17–23.

Additionally, the deCordova store will participate with 700 other museum stores world-wide in celebration of Museum Store Sunday on November 25, when it will offer special one-day-only discounts and giveaways, and a raffle for a $100 store gift certificate. Hours: 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

Council on Aging activities in November

Coffee with photographer Barbara Peskin
November 1 at 2:45 p.m.
Join artist Barbara Peskin on Thursday, Nov. 1 at 2:45 p.m. to celebrate her exhibit “Moments in Nature,” shown in the Bemis Hall gallery through mid-November. Barbara enjoys sharing photos that play on the patience to let nature unfold as you observe, listen and watch and may come unexpectedly in quiet moments. Her photos come from places like Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons, along with photos of mergansers and puffins from Maine, and more from Lincoln and local areas.

Lunchtime jazz
November 2 at 12:30 p.m.
At lunchtime on Friday, Nov. 2, the Lincoln Traditional Jazz Band will be upstairs at Bemis with a menu of delicious oldies but goodies for your enjoyment. Give yourself a break, join your fellow seniors. Relax, take the weight off, sit back and enjoy the music. Trombone, cornet, clarinet, piano, and drums will be in the house from 12:30–1:30.

Toni Lynn Washington and Sax Gordon Beadle play the blues
November 4 at 2 p.m.
All ages are invited to a free concert by renowned Boston-area blues vocalist Toni Lynn Washington and acclaimed saxophonist Sax Gordon Beadle on Sunday, Nov. 4 at 2 p.m. at Bemis Hall. The performance is the Second Annual Ronna Cooper Memorial Concert and is sponsored by the Friends of the Lincoln COA. It is a gift from Margo Cooper in celebration of her mother’s life. Washington has delighted and awed audiences in Boston and around the country and the globe for decades as both a singer and songwriter. Marty Ballou on bass, Bryan Claunch on keyboard and Tom Avery on drums will back up Toni Lynn and Sax Gordon. [Read more…] about Council on Aging activities in November

deCordova aims to integrate with Trustees of Reservations

Facing financial straits, the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum hopes to save itself by becoming part of the Trustees of Reservations.

Julian deCordova willed his estate and together with income to the town under the condition that it remain a public park and museum. However, the income from the estate, membership/admission fees and other sources has not been enough to sustain the organization, which has relied for years on large gifts from a handful of donors to keep operating. This year’s operating budget shortfall is about $1 million even after several major gifts, John Ravenal, the deCordova’s executive director, said at the October 20 State of the Town Meeting.

When Ravenal took the helm in 2015, he found an institution that was “thriving programmatically” but was “surprised to discover the financial difficulty,” he said. The deCordova has been operating under a “fragile financial model,” with an endowment that covers only 7 percent of operating expenses compared to about 22 percent for most other museums, “and this unstable model has finally collapsed,” he added.

Other possibilities for keeping the deCordova afloat were deemed unrealistic, Ravenal said. Downsizing would cause donors to drop away, so “our revenue would always fall faster than the savings would accrue,” he said. Partnerships with sister institutions wouldn’t work because “their difficulties merely duplicated our own.”

Pending approvals from residents at Town Meeting in March, the deCordova would become a subsidiary of the Trustees, while the town of Lincoln would retain ownership of the land and general oversight as the charitable trustee, according to an FAQ document handed out at the State of the Town.

The mission of the Trustees is to “preserve, for public use and enjoyment, properties of exceptional scenic, historic, cultural, and ecological value in Massachusetts”—properties that include Castle Hill on the Crane Estate in Ipswich, the Fruitlands Museum in Harvard, and World’s End in Hingham.

The integration would allow the deCordova to benefit from the fundraising, marketing, management, and legal resources of the larger Trustees of Reservations, Ravenal said. It will not alter its mission or approach, and no jobs will be lost, as the deCordova’s employees would become employees of the Trustees.

The Trustees aim to raise $15 million (of which $10 million has already been pledged) to fund the integration by adding to the deCordova’s endowment, retiring debt, investing in deferred maintenance, and closing this year’s budget gap.

The town currently does not provide any funding to the deCordova, and that too will not change, Ravenal said. The “only viable solution has actually evolved into a promising opportunity” for the deCordova and the town, since the plan would “reduce risk of an increased financial burden to residents,” he said.

The Board of Selectmen “has to look at the what-if scenario if the deCordova had to shut its doors,” Selectman James Craig said. At a minimum, the town would have to pay for upkeep of the sculpture park grounds and basic maintenance of the building.

Once the agreement is in place, “not a whole lot” will change, said Trustees President and CEO Barbara Erickson. “Our entire goal is to preserve what you know and love and what we deliver today… for us, it’s a win-win.”

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Halloween-themed events for kids

  • Dance in costume to children’s songs and Halloween favorites at two Halloween dance parties on Saturday, Oct. 20 and Wednesday, Oct. 31, both at 11 a.m. in the Lincoln Public Library. For ages 6 and under. No registration required.
  • Kids and car owners are invited to the Parks and Recreation Department’s annual Trunk or Treat in the Brooks parking lot on Wednesday, Oct. 24 from 5–6 p.m. Decorate your trunk or back of your car and pass out candy or toys, or have fun games for the kids. Car owners may register at www.lincolnrec.com or in the PRD office. Kids don’t need to register—just show up in costume
  • Come enjoy a fun live-action game event, “Escape from the Creepy Crypt,” led by gamemaster Matt Donle from Wicked Fun Games in two sessions on Monday, Oct. 29 at 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. For ages 10+. Registration required; email dleopold@minlib.netor call 781-259-8465 x4.

Wildflower Society expert to speak

New England Wildflower Society propagator and stock bed grower Dan Jaffe will give a talk titled “Weeds!” on Tuesday, Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. in Bemis Hall. Sponsored by the Lincoln Garden Club.

“Cat’s Play” on the screen

The Lincoln Public Library Film Society will screen Cat’s Play (1974) on Thursday, Nov. 1 at 6:30 p.m. It’s a heartbreaking story of two unmarried sisters who cast wistful glances back at their lives while still believing in hope and love. In Hungarian with English subtitles. Nominated for Best Foreign Language Film.

Blues musicians play Bemis

Sax Gordon Beadle and Toni Lynn Washington

All ages are invited to a free concert by renowned blues vocalist Toni Lynn Washington and acclaimed saxophonist Sax Gordon Beadle on Sunday, Nov. 4 at 2 p.m. at Bemis Hall. The performance is the second annual Ronna Cooper Memorial Concert (a gift from Margo Cooper in celebration of her mother’s life) and is sponsored by the Friends of the Lincoln Council on Aging. Washington has received the Boston Blues Festival Lifetime Achievement Award and seven Blues Music Award nominations, and released five CDs. Beadle has performed around the world and won numerous awards. The Duke Robillard rhythm section (Bruce Bears on keyboard, Jesse Williams on bass, and Mark Teixeira on drums) will play backup. For more information, call the Council on Aging at (781) 259-8811.

Program looks at Lincoln and World War I

The Lincoln Historical Society will present “Lincoln and the Armistice: A Centennial Celebration of the End of WWI” on Sunday, Nov. 11 at 2 p.m. in Bemis Hall. This event, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the end of WWI, recalls the celebration held in Lincoln when the war ended 100 years ago. The program, which looks at Lincoln’s role in WWI and the impact that the war had on the town, will include biographical sketches of Lincoln’s World War I veterans, the awarding of service medals, and a discussion of life on the home front highlighting the role of Lincoln and New England women. There will also be a display of World War I artifacts, tastings of period foods, and renditions of patriotic songs from the period.

“Once Upon a Mattress” at L-S

The LSB Players, the theater performance company of Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, will present Once Upon a Mattress, the musical based on The Princess and the Pea by Hans Christian Anderson, in the L-S Kirshner Auditorium on Wednesday through Saturday, Nov. 14–17 at 7:30 p.m. Directed by Carly Evans, music-directed by Michael Bunting, and conducted by Tom Grandprey. Tickets (15 for adults and $8 for students and senior citizens) may be reserved by e-mailing LSBtickets@gmail.com.

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Two events on Israeli-Palestinian conflict

The GRALTA Foundation is sponsoring two upcoming events at the Lincoln Public Library. On Thursday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m., there will be a video presentation by Israeli Knesset member Aida Touma-Sliman, who will who explain and analyze the impact of a new law that declares Israel as “the Nation-State of the Jewish people.” Touma-Sliman heads the Knesset’s Committee on the Status of Women and Gender Equality. She founded the Women Against Violence Association and is the former editor in chief of Al-Ittihad newspaper.

On Sunday, Oct. 21 at 2 p.m., there will be a screening of Voices Across the Divide followed by a discussion of the film and other topics by co-director Alice Rothchild.The film is a documentary and oral history project exploring the Israeli/Palestinian conflict through rarely heard personal stories. Rothchild is a physician, author, and filmmaker who has focused her interest in human rights and social justice on the Israel/Palestine conflict since 1997. For more information, contact Steve Low at 781-259-1300 or steve.low@gordianconcepts.com.

Exhibit, presentation focus on World War I posters

The Lincoln Public Library will host two events and an exhibition as part of “America at War: Patriotic Posters of WWI” to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I.

On Sunday, Oct. 28 at 1:15 p.m., join a reception with Lincoln residents George Seeley and Jenifer Burkett-Picke, who will be exhibiting a selection of original posters from their extensive collection of World War I posters advertising the need for full national participation in the war effort. The exhibit will be changed in mid-month to more fully illustrate America’s total commitment to the war through shipbuilding and military recruitment (October 28–November 13), and then bond drives and food conservation efforts (November 14–25).

Seeley will give a multimedia presentation on Sunday, Nov. 18 at 1:15 p.m. of original World War I-era posters and songs and a discussion of how these represented a much different mood and spirit in the America of a century ago than one could ever imagine today. Though actively involved in the fighting for just two years, America produced more war posters in that time than all the other combatants combined. These colorful large-scaled prints are by many of the best-known lithographers from that era such as James Montgomery Flagg , Howard Chandler Christy, and Charles Livingston Bull.

Lincoln musicians perform in upcoming concerts

There will be two concerts featuring Lincoln musicians at Bemis Hall in coming weeks. On Sunday, Oct. 28, members of Rhapsody will offer a piano recital at 3 p.m. in Bemis Hall in Lincoln, Massachusetts. Rhapsody was formed in 2003 by a few visionary amateur pianists including Lincoln’s Ken Hurd who sought a venue in which to perform for each other, both to grow musically and to share their musical journey with others.  It has since grown to 18 people from the Boston metropolitan area, and this is the ninth annual concert on Bemis Hall’s restored Steinway. The program will feature selections from Albeniz, Brahms, Celentano, Grenados, Grieg, Guastavino, Liszt, Mozart, Piazzolla, Scarlatti, Scriabin, and Schumann. 

The Sonic Liberation Players featuring Lincoln pianist and composer Trevor Berens will play on Sunday, Nov. 18 at 7:30 p.m. Last season, SLP performed a U.S. premiere, a commission and five Boston premieres. SLP plays uncommonly heard works and commission new works that investigate the area between “academic/intellectual” and “pop-influenced classical. “At the November 18 concert—inspired in equal parts by gardens, birds, and music—they’ll present two more Boston premieres, Nachtlied by Dean Harold and Dreamgarden by Ian Wilson, as well as Canticle of the Birds by John Luther Adams, Ryoanji by John Cage and Birds in Warped Time 2 by Somei Satoh. Tickets are $15 at the door.

Thanksgiving pie sales aid FELS and local charities

FELS (the Foundation for Educators at L-S) is sponsoring its annual Thanksgiving pie sale featuring gourmet apple, pumpkin, pecan and chocolate pies baked by Joyce’s Pies of Leominster. Pies are $19 each. Order for your family or donate to a listed local organization or charity; one donation of $19 can benefit two organizations. Proceeds fund enrichment grants for L-S faculty and staff. Order online at www.felsgrant.org by Friday, Nov. 9 and will be available on November 20.

Paws for the Holidays

Daniela Caride (center), president of Phinney’s Friends, and companions at Paws for the Holidays.

Pets and their humans are invited to the Paws for the Holidays festival on Sunday, Nov. 11 from 11 a.m.–4 p.m. at the Pierce House. There will be baked goods, live music, arts and crafts, Santa pictures with the whole family (human and canine), activities for children, a silent auction, Thanksgiving baskets, a pet yard sale and more. All proceeds go to Phinney’s Friends, a Lincoln-based organization that helps low-income and chronically ill people keep their pets.