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

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Special teacher’s book sale on Wednesday

The Friends of the Lincoln Library will host a special Teacher’s Valentine’s Day book sale on Wednesday, Feb. 8 from 4-7 p.m. in the Bemis Hall basement. The sale features gently used books of interest to teachers, including children’s series, chapter books, early readers, non-fiction, professional books and more!

Hamilton karaoke singalong next week

On Thursday, Feb. 16, L-S will host the Hamilton Singalong, a karaoke event featuring the songs of the Broadway musical Hamilton, starting at 7 p.m. in the high school’s auditorium. The event will have two parts; middle school students will sing from 7-8:30 p.m. and high school students will sing from 8:30-10:30 p.m. Music and lyrics will be provided for every song. People may perform as individuals or groups, or just come watch and enjoy. Costumes encouraged (but no weapons, please).

The event is free, but donations are welcome; proceeds benefit the Lincoln-Sudbury Memorial School in Cambodia, which opened in 2009 after a fundraising effort by members of the L-S community. Middle school and high school students from any town or school can sign up by emailing Danielle Weisse at danielle_weisse@lsrhs.net. Non-students will be allowed to sing if there are slots available; email Weisse ahead of time and she will get back to you closer to the event date.

Library offers “blind date with a book”

The Lincoln Public Library is offering “blind date” books for loan through Valentine’s Day. The books (on display near the circulation desk) are covered in blank paper; with only the first line of the book visible. Read the first line written on the paper cover, decide if the chemistry is right, and check out the book as you normally would.

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Candidates still needed for two town posts

There’s still time to run for office in the upcoming Town Election of March 27. Currently there are no candidates for the Housing Commission (a three-year seat) or Bemis Board of Trustees (a one-year seat). The deadline to take out nomination papers from the Town Clerk’s office is Friday, Feb. 3. Papers must be returned for certification by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 7.  Candidates must collect 28 registered voter signatures to appear on the ballot.

Selectman candidate’s forum on Feb. 12

The Northside News will host a session for candidates for the Board of Selectmen—Jonathan Dwyer, Jennifer Glass and Allen Vander Meulen—in a discussion of issues facing the town on Sunday, Feb. 12 from 12:30-2:30 p.m. at the Lincoln North Office Building (55 Old Bedford Road). Residents will have a chance to hear from each candidate, pose questions and discuss issues. (Editor’s note: the Lincoln Squirrel will publish interviews with Glass and Vander Meulen before this event.)

Donated toiletries sought

Women and children who are in shelters remaking their lives after experiencing domestic violence need toiletries like shampoo, soap, toothpaste, hand and body lotions, and more. If you have unopened toiletries from hotels or stores that you can’t use, please bring them to Bemis Hall by Friday, Feb. 6. A volunteer will take them to local domestic violence organizations for Valentine’s Day distribution.

“Lincoln marchers” start email list

Some of the “Lincoln marchers” who went to the Boston Women’s March for America (or those who went to the Washington March) on January 21 are organizing an email network to facilitate follow-up action on behalf of the march objectives of peace and justice. The group is starting with the “10 actions 100 days” agenda that can be found on the website of the Women’s March for America (www.womensmarch.com/100). If you would like to add your name to the Lincoln email list, whether or not you actually marched on that date, please contact Barbara Slayter at bslayter@comcast.net.

LOMA features Greg Klyma

Greg Klyma will be the featured performer at the next LOMA (Lincoln Open-Mike Acoustic) night on Monday, Feb. 13 from 7-10 p.m. at the Lincoln Public Library. Admission is free and refreshments are provided. Klyma will perform a half-hour set starting around 8:30. His articulate and amusing stories and populist ideals make him a rare young artist in the mold of Woody and Ramblin’ Jack. A nationally touring performer, he has seven albums to his credit; his latest, Another Man’s Treasure, features the song Livin’ the Life.

LOMA is a monthly event. 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.

Lincoln musician hopes to benefit causes with house concerts

Trevor Berens.

Millions of Americans concerned by the election of President Donald Trump marched on January 20, but for many, the question remains of what to do next. Lincoln musician Trevor Berens has a novel idea: offering house concerts for charity.

Berens, a pianist and composer specializing in contemporary/avant-garde classical music, will come to the home of anyone with a well-tuned piano and enough space for at least 15 guests. Rather than pay him a fee, the host would make a donation to a charity that focuses on the environment and climate change, minorities and/or women. The host could collect donations from guests or simply make a single larger donation himself or herself.

Though he’d had the idea for charity house concerts before the election, recent events brought it more into focus. “Like many people, I’ve been trying to figure out things I can actively do to help our situation, and one of the things I felt would be useful for me and probably others was to offer a space in which I could give music,” Berens said.

Berens is particularly interested in helping the National Resources Defense Council, Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union, but is open to playing for the benefit of other nonprofit organizations that have similar agendas. The dollar amount to be raised at house concerts is flexible, but he hopes that each concert would reap at least $300.

Berens and his wife, singer and voice teacher Jessica Tunick, moved from their native Los Angeles to the Boston area so he could earn a graduate degree in music therapy from Lesley University (they’ve lived in Lincoln for seven years). He’s now a music therapist and private piano teacher who usually teaches in students’ homes. Both are also active performers; they are members of the Sonic Liberation Players, which is giving its next concert on February 3 at 8 p.m. at the Third Life Studio in Somerville. Musicians from that group may be available to play with Berens at house concerts if the host wants.

Though classically trained, Berens’s repertoire consists of recent music. Some of his favorite modern composers are John Cage, Frederic Rzewski, Morton Feldman and Giacinto Scelsi. “I think modern music engenders more conversation and has the ability to better reflect current times. The classics were written in a time when things were different. It’s important to look at the artists of now and the recent past to better understand where we are,” he said. “I hope the way I present this kind of music isn’t like dropping a foreigner in a new country and leaving them there—I’m hopefully taking them by the hand and leading them there.”

Those interested can see more on Berens’s website or listen to samples of his compositions and other performance pieces on SoundCloud. He and Tunick also have a separate website for their teaching.

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Inauguration Day meditation

The Lincoln Meditation Group will hold a special sitting on Friday, Jan. 20 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Lincoln Public Library’s Tarbell Room for the well-being of all people, the environment and our country. We will sit in silence, read a poem or two, and offer metta (prayers) for peace for all beings. Everyone is invited.

Talk on civil disobedience by Standing Rock visitors

Lincoln residents Jason and Jessica Packineau will lead a discussion about their recent activities at the Standing Rock in North Dakota and give a talk titled “What Role Does Civil Disobedience Play in Modern-day America?” and Jeffrey S. Cramer, Curator of Collections at Walden Woods Project and Thoreau, will speak about civil disobedience and how it relates to us today.]on Thursday, Jan. 26 at 7:30 p.m. in the Lincoln Public Library. This lecture is part of the Thoreau Bicentennial Statewide Read Program. In celebration of the 200th anniversary of Henry David Thoreau’s birth.

Film screening to benefit girls’ school in Afghanistan

Students Together Empowering Women, a club at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, will host a viewing of the documentary What Tomorrow Brings on Tuesday, Jan. 31 at 7 p.m. in the L-S auditorium. The film tells the story of Razia’s Ray of Hope Foundation in Afghanistan. The foundation and the school it supports embrace and promote education as the key to positive, peaceful change for current and future generations, empowering Afghan girls and young women to work toward bright futures in their own villages and beyond. Tickets are $8 for students and $15 for adults, and all proceeds will be donated to the Razia’s Ray of Hope Foundation.

Adult ed and test prep classes at L-S

Registration is now open for adult and teen classes on test prep, interviewing and completing college applications as well as creative arts, fitness, home and garden, and financial matters. Click here for the catalog.

Climate change film at St. Anne’s

There will be a showing of the film Merchants of Doubt at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church on Tuesday, Jan. 31 as part of the church’s ongoing series of films on climate justice. This film examines the role of the fossil fuel industry in distorting and denying the science on climate change over several decades in order to prevent meaningful regulation of carbon emissions. It will help give a perspective on the choices the incoming administration is making for key cabinet posts like EPA and the Secretary of State.

A simple vegetarian soup supper will be served at 6:30 p.m. and the film will begin at 7 p.m. Donations will be accepted to help with the cost of screening rights.

Community discussion on book by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Come to a Lincoln/METCO community book discussion about Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates on Wednesday, Feb. 1 from 6-8:30 p.m. in the Brooks gym. The discussion will be facilitated by Lincoln School English teachers Hillary Skelton and Jenny Nam, as well as Jaime Moody, the school’s METCO academic advisor. The event will begin at 6 p.m. with dinner, but feel free to come anytime, as there will be various points at which late-comers can easily join the discussion. Please pre-register on the Lincoln METCO website.

Winter Carnival begins next Friday

Lincoln’s annual Winter Carnival kicks off on Friday, Jan. 27 with a showing of movie The Last Waltz and wraps up on Sunday, Jan. 27 with “CSI Lincoln: Tales from Police Blotters Past.” See this list or the Lincoln Squirrel calendar for a full list of activities.

Weekend-long activities

Snow Sculpture Contest 
Design and build a winter sculpture in your own front yard. Call to register with Parks & Recreation by 5 p.m. on Saturday (781 259-0784). Judging will take place on Sunday morning with awards to the best in show and superlative awards to all, so get creative!

Discover Drumlin Farm in the Winter
Visit our animals in their winter homes, look for wildlife tracks or other signs of animals in the snow, or check out our feeders at our wildlife blind by the deer enclosure. Drop-in naturalist programs take place on Saturday and Sunday at 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.. Free admission for residents. Call 781-259-2200 for more information.

Friday, Jan. 27

Generational Sing-Along for Kids and Seniors
3:30 p.m., Bemis Hall 
The LEAP After-School Program, the Lincoln Council on Aging, and Magic Garden Children’s Center invite residents of all ages to enjoy a free multigenerational Concert and Sing-Along! The program will include performances from each of the organizations and an audience sing-along at the end.

Lincoln PTO Family Bingo Night
5:30–7:30 p.m., Brooks Gym 
Come celebrate 10 years of Family Bingo Night with even more chances to win! Prizes awarded for each winning bingo board, awesome raffle prizes and free give-aways. Pizza dinner sales start at 5:30 p.m., with snacks and drinks available for purchase all night. Open to all. Free entry. Bingo cards are $5 for a 20-game multi-pack; raffle tickets are $1 each, six for $5, and 15 for $10.

FoMA Movie Night: Scorsese’s The Last Waltz 
7-9 p.m. Bemis Hall 
Step back in time to enjoy a defining rock event, the 1976 farewell concert of seminal rock group The Band. The film captures the aura that includes guest appearances by Bob Dylan, Paul Butterfield, Neil Young, Emmylou Harris, Eric Clapton and more. The New Yorker calls it “the most beautiful rock film ever made.”

Saturday, Jan. 28

Girl Scout Pancake Breakfast 
8-11 a.m., Stone Church
Start your Saturday off with some delicious pancakes with real maple syrup. $5 children under 12, $10 ages 12+, $30 family max. Plain, blueberry, chocolate chip pancakes with maple syrup along with coffee, tea, orange juice, and fruit. Face painting and crafts for kids, and Girl Scout cookies will be on sale.

Snow Shoe Tours 
10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum 
Enjoy nature and art in winter and discover a fun and active way to explore the Sculpture Park. Tours are led by a deCordova Museum Guide and a trained EMS instructor. Visit decordova.org/calendar to purchase tickets. Adults: $15 for members or $25 for non-members plus $12 for snowshoe rental. Youths 8-18: $12 for members, $20 for non-members plus $12 for snowshoe rental.

Magic Garden Preschool Fun
11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Magic Garden Children’s Center 
Come visit with friends and neighbors and enjoy carnival games, and arts and crafts activities. Located in the Hartwell building on the Lincoln School campus.

Community Skating and Bonfire 
Open skating, 12-1:30 p.m.; pick-up hockey, 1:30-3 p.m.
Cemetery Pond, Lexington Road
Enjoy skating, hot chocolate, and toasted marshmallows by the campfire. Bring your skates. Check www.lincolnrec.com for weather updates.

Lincoln Holistic Wellness Fair 
Noon to 3 p.m., Bemis Hall 
Lincoln wellness practitioners are hosting a drop-in “clinic” to help you learn about alternative/complementary medicine while experiencing a respite from cold, stress, or illness. Receive mini-treatments/assessments in acupuncture, therapeutic massage, foot reflexology, holistic nutrition, yoga, therapeutic touch, dowsing, Alexander technique and more. Healthy warm teas, muffins and treats will be available. Contact Jai Kaur Annamaria at asanajai@verizon.net with questions. 

LFA Energy Blaster
3-5 p.m., Brooks Gym 
Join your friends (and their parents) and burn some energy! Jump in a bounce house, create some art and try your skill at a variety of fun indoor games. Bring cash to enjoy healthy snacks. Fun and prizes for all! Free for Lincoln Family Association ’17 members; otherwise $10 per child. An LFA membership or renewal at the door includes admission, or renew now at www.lincfam.org.

Acoustic Coffeehouse 
7-10 p.m., Bemis Hall 
Lincoln’s annual night to showcase local musicians and performers. Coffee and desserts will be served. Seating reservations can be made at www.lincolnrec.com. Reservation for a table of eight is $160; general admission is $10. Doors open at 7 p.m. Seasoned performers and fresh talent are lined up, so come join us for a treasured community event!

Sunday, Jan. 29

Lindsay and Doodle, one of her puppet pals.

Lindsay and Her Puppet Pals
2-3 p.m., Lincoln Public Library 
Lindsay Aucella’s highly interactive, comedic performances feature larger-than-life, hand-crafted puppets to charm even the most timid audience members and provide memorable characters for positive short stories and skits. All ages.

Make Your Own Elf/Fairy Garden 
10:30 a.m. to noon, Carriage House at deCordova 
The title says it all… a great new event for children, so come join us! Sponsored by the Lincoln Nursery School and deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum.

CSI Lincoln: Tales From Police Blotters Past 
3-5 p.m., Bemis Hall 
Don’t miss this chance to hear fascinating stories about dramatic events in Lincoln, such as the famous unsolved case of a missing woman and an infamous drug raid, as told by Chiefs Arena, Bowles, Mooney and Kennedy. Presented by the Lincoln Historical Society.

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Calling all public servants

Looking for a rewarding if occasionally vexing way to feel more connected? Willing to undertake new challenges? Unafraid to speak up? Then run for local office! The annual Town Election will take place on Monday, March 27. Nomination papers are available at the Town Clerk’s Office now, and must be returned by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 7. The following offices will appear on the March ballot:

  • Board of Selectmen (two seats, one for one year and one for three years)
  • Board of Assessors (two seats, one for two years and one for three years)
  • K-8 School Committee (two seats, both for three years)
  • Water Commissioner (three years)
  • Board of Health (three years)
  • Cemetery Commission (three years)
  • Planning Board (two seats for three years each)
  • Commissioner of Trust Funds (three years)
  • deCordova Museum and Sculpture Park Trustee (four years)
  • Housing Commission (two seats, one for one year and one for three years)
  • Parks and Recreation Committee (three years)
  • Lincoln-Sudbury Regional District School Committee (two seats for three years each)
  • Bemis Trustee (three years)
  • Town Moderator (three years)

For more information, call the Town Clerk’s Office at 781-259-2607.

Museum trip with library

The Lincoln Public Library is offering a trip to the Peabody Essex Museum to see the “Shoes: Pleasure and Pain” exhibit on Saturday, Feb. 25, leaving the library at 10 a.m. and returning at 3 p.m. The museum admission and guided tour is $20, and the cost for the bus will depend on the number of riders. Lunch is not included. For more information or to sign up, contact Lisa Rothenberg at 781-259-8465 ext. 202 or email lrothenberg@minlib.net.

In conjunction with the trip, the  library will host a talk on the history of shoes by fashion historian Karen Antonowicz on Thursday, Feb. 23 from 7-8:30 p.m.

Minuteman offers STEM camp for girls in February

Minuteman High School will host “Girls in STEM” (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) camp from February 21-24. from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. It is free for seventh- and eighth-grade girls from communities in the Minuteman school district (Acton, Arlington, Belmont, Bolton, Boxborough, Carlisle, Concord, Dover, Lancaster, Lexington, Lincoln, Needham, Stow, Sudbury, Wayland, and Weston), and bus transportation will be provided. There is a $149 fee (and no bus) for students who live outside the district. The class will be led by female students from Minuteman who are certified in mentoring and are enrolled in STEM majors, facilitated by are Minuteman teachers Becky Quay (engineering) and Sarah Ard (horticulture and landscape technology). For more information or to register, click here or contact Director of Career and Technical Education Michelle Roche at 781-861-6500 ext. 7326 or mroche@minuteman.org. Seats are limited, so register early.

2016: the year in review (part 1)

Kids enjoyed ice cream and other diversions at Lincoln’s “40 Years of Community” fair in April 2016.

June

May

April

March

February

January

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Seeking wellness practitioners for Winter Carnival

A winter wellness fair is in the works as part of Lincoln’s Winter Carnival at the end of January. Any practitioner in town whose practice can be categorized as holistic, wellness, complementary, integrative, or alternative is welcome to be present to showcase their practices and share wisdom. The proposed time slot is Sunday, Jan. 29 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Bemis Hall. This would be for promotional purposes only and to offer wellness to the community. If you are a wellness practitioner, or know someone who is and would be interested in participating, please contact Jai Kaur Annamaria San Antonio at asanajai@verizon.net or 781-738-1920.

Spring wellness clinics for all ages

Lincoln residents of all ages are invited to meet with a nurse through a free Town service. Come to get your blood pressure checked, ask questions, or learn about wellness resources. Clinics will be held at the Community Building at Lincoln Woods at 50 Wells Road from 10 am to noon on Fridays January 8, February 5, and March 4. These clinics are funded by the Ogden Codman Trust and provided by Emerson Hospital Home Care. For info, please call the COA at (781) 259-8811.

Domestic Violence Services Network to hold Lincoln office hours; seeks toiletries

If you are experiencing violence or abuse by a family member, whether physical, emotional or sexual, or you’re concerned about someone who is, come to Bemis Hall on Wednesday, Jan. 4 between 10 a.m. and noon to have a confidential discussion with an advocate from the Domestic Violence Services Network, Inc. (DVSN). Come find out more about domestic violence and how to cope with it, as well as learn about available resources in a supportive, non-judgmental environment. All conversations are completely confidential.

Women and children who are in shelters remaking their lives after experiencing domestic violence need toiletries like shampoo, soap, toothpaste, hand and body lotions, and more. If you have unopened toiletries from hotels or stores that you can’t use, please bring them to Bemis Hall by Friday, Feb. 6. A volunteer will take them to local domestic violence organizations for Valentine’s Day distribution.

 

Christmas tree removal offered

Tired of dragging your Christmas tree to the transfer station? As a benefit for the Class of 2020 and the girls’ basketball team, The students of Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School will come to your home, pick up your Christmas tree and dispose of it.  (This is for residents of Sudbury and Lincoln only.). Pickup will be on Saturday, Jan. 7 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The cost is $20, or $10 for senior citizens. To sign up, please email LSxmastreepickup@gmail.com by Wednesday, Jan. 4.  Please include your name, address and phone number in your email. Once we receive your request, we will send you a confirmation within 48 hours. If you do not receive a confirmation, please call Kathleen Thompson (Class of 2020 Advisor and basketball coach) at 978-443-9961 x ext. 3410.

Free income tax help

Volunteers certified under the AARP TaxAide program will prepare your federal and Massachusetts personal income tax returns or answer your tax questions. This free service can answer most of the tax issues faced by low- and middle-income taxpayers, with special attention to those over age 60. Appointments begin in February. Call the COA office at 781-259-8811 to schedule a confidential appointment and get a list of documents to bring.

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Christmas services

First Parish in Lincoln — The First Parish in Lincoln will hold Christmas Eve services on Saturday, Dec. 24 at 5 p.m., 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. in the Parish House auditorium (14 Bedford Road). The service at 5 p.m. will be an Intergenerational Family Service led by Mandy Beal, and the services at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. will be led by Rev. Manish Mishra-Marzetti. All services will celebrate Christmas with story, reflection and caroling. All are welcome; come celebrate with your Lincoln neighbors. Out-of-town family members, guests and visitors are cordially invited to attend.

St. Anne’s — On Christmas Eve, Saturday, Dec. 24, St. Anne’s in-the-Fields Church will offer three worship services: Family Holy Eucharist with Pageant at 3 p.m., and Holy Eucharist with Choir at 5:30 and 10 p.m. On Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, St. Anne’s will celebrate a service of Holy Eucharist at 9 a.m.

Lisa Bastoni at next open mike event

Lisa Bastoni

The next open mike night at the Lincoln Public Library on Monday, Jan. 9 will feature Lisa Bastoni, a singer/songwriter with three CDs under her belt, including her latest, The Wishing Hour. Follow her on Twitter: @lisabastoni. Lincoln Open Mike Night (LOMA) runs from 7-10 p.m. and Bastoni will performa  half-hour set starting around 8:30. LOMA is a monthly event. 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.

 

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touch

Karin Levy (left) and Nancy Fleming, co-chairs of First Parish in Lincoln’s Touch of Christmas Fair, with the greenery that volunteers will use to make holiday wreaths and centerpieces. The fair will be on Saturday, Dec. 10 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Santa arrives to greet children and pose for pictures at 11 a.m.

Jackson Gillman at next LOMA night

Jackson Gillman will perform a half-hour hour set starting around 8:30 p.m. at the next LOMA (Lincoln Open-Mike Acoustic) on Monday, Dec. 12 from 7-10 pm. in the Lincoln Public Library’s Tarbell room. Admission is free and refreshments are provided. Jackson has been described as zany, intelligent, professional, whimsical and inspirational, or in his own words, a “stand-up chameleon” who incorporates comedy, drama, music, dance, mime, and sign language. Jackson featured at the National Storytelling Festival in Tennessee four times (watch this video of him telling his “Foodie” story at Club Passim) and has thrice been Teller in Residence at the International Storytelling Center

LOMA is a monthly event. 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.

“Finding Dory” movie matinee

Finding Dory will be shown at the Lincoln Public Library on Wednesday, Dec. 14 at 2 p.m. In the animagted film, amnesiac fish Dory journeys to be reunited with her parents. Along the way, she is captured and taken to a California public aquarium, from which Marlin and Nemo attempt to rescue her. Rated PG. Running time: 1 hour 45 minutes. Free popcorn.