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

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Clark, Moulton to speak at Dems breakfast

Congresswoman Katherine Clark as well as Congressman Seth Moulton will speak at the 3rd Middlesex Area Democrats breakfast on Saturday, May 13 at the Hilton Garden Inn (450 Totten Pond Rd, Waltham). To make a reservation, contact Gary Davis (garyddavis@gmail.com) or Barbara Slayter (bslayter@comcast.net).

Seacoast Stompers play in Bemis on Saturday

The Seacoast Stompers present an afternoon of Dixieland jazz and swing on Saturday, May 13 from 2–5 p.m. in Bemis Hall. The group has played monthly at the Acton Jazz Cafe. Click here to watch a video. Sponsored by the Friends of the Lincoln Public Library and Classic Jazz at the Lincoln Public Library.

Artists invited to show work at library

Lincoln Public Library’s lower-level Stay Put art gallery has openings for shows this summer and the upcoming year. Unlike the main gallery, this area requires application process and no juries are involved. Artists do not need to be Lincoln residents. Anyone interested in displaying work should contact Assistant Director Lisa Rothenberg at 781-259-8465 ext. 202 or lrothenberg@minlib.net.

Author Andre Dubus II at Fatherhood Project event

The Fatherhood Project presents “A Celebration of Fatherhood: Strengthening Family Connections” on Friday, June 16 from 6:30–9 p.m. in Bemis Hall—a night of food, drinks, music, and honoring fathers’ impact on everyone’s lives. The guest speaker is Andre Dubus III, author of Townie, The Garden of Last Days, and House of Sand and Fog. The Fatherhood Project is a nonprofit program at Massachusetts General Hospital whose mission is to improve the health and well-being of children and families by empowering fathers to be knowledgeable, active and emotionally engaged with their children.

Sign up for girls’ basketball clinic

A basketball clinic for girls entering grades 2–9 in the fall of 2017 will run daily from Monday–Thursday, July 10–13 from 9 a.m.–2 p.m. in Gym 1 at Lincoln-Sudbury (LSRHS). The program will be run by the coaching staff and members of the LSRHS basketball program and will include skills, drills, games, competitions, prizes and more. Participants should wear sneakers and comfortable clothing, and bring a lunch and a water bottle to the clinic each day. All participants will receive a T-shirt and an individual player evaluation. Registration is complete when the $225 registration fee (check made out to LSRHS Girls Basketball) has been received by Kathleen Thompson at 390 Lincoln Road, Sudbury MA 01776. If you do not want to mail a payment, you may drop your payment off at the LSRHS front office. The registration deadline is Tuesday, June 27. Anyone with financial hardship or other questions may contact Kathleen Thompson at lsgirlshoops@gmail.com.

News acorns

Parent discussion on life at L-S for incoming freshmen

All Lincoln parents of eighth-graders (regardless of where they’re enrolled) who will be going to Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School in the fall are invited to “Life at L-S” on Thursday, May 4 from 7–8:30 p.m. Lincoln School parent alums will offer information and support for the transition to L-S life. Because orientation to L-S so far has focused almost exclusively on academics, this session will touch on other aspects of L-S life such as sports, clubs and activities, social life, time management, and Boston family experiences. The event will be facilitated by Lincoln residents Nancy Marshall (member of the L-S School Committee) and Carole Kasper, parent volunteer and former PTO chair, as well as middle school Principal Sharon Hobbs.

Jewelry trunk show at Old Town Hall Exchange

The Old Town Hall Exchange is hosting a jewelry trunk show on Saturday, May 6 from 1–5 p.m. Enjoy browsing local artisans’ work on the weekend before Mother’s Day. Lincoln artists include Ji Hwang Jewelry, Shing Jewels, and L. Alexandra Designs, with other local jewelers Susan Warren Jewelry and CB Miller Metals. The Exchange will be also open for business with cards, stationery, soaps, candles, pottery, and more.

Historical Society hosts event

The Lincoln Historical Society invites residents to “Our Unhappy Connection: The ‘Lost Letters’ of Abigail Adams and Her Brother, Captain William Smith”—a fictional exchange based on history on Sunday, May 7 at 2 p.m. in Bemis Hall. Special guests the Lincoln Minute Men will salute their captains past and present.

Page Turners at next LOMA night

The Page Turners (Carolyn Kendrick and Jake Howard) are the featured performer at the next LOMA (Lincoln Open-Mike Acoustic) night on Monday, May 8 at the Lincoln Public Library. The event runs from 7-10 p.m., and the Page Turners will perform a half-hour set starting around 8:30. Their rustic vocal harmonies are complemented instrumentally by Carolyn’s fiddle and Jake’s mandolin and guitar. 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.

L-S invites singers to join Vivaldi performance

The L-S Concert Choir invites residents who enjoy singing to participate in their annual Community Sing on May 11, where they will perform Vivaldi’s Gloria for their May concert. The choir’s tradition for its May concert  is to learn and perform a longer work for choir and orchestra and to invite L-S staff, choir alumni and community members to sing the piece with them. The time commitment is minimal: dress rehearsal is Monday, May 8 from 7–8:30 p.m. and the concert is on Thursday, May 11 at 7:30 p.m. There are audio practice files online for each part (soprano, alto, tenor, bass), as well as scores available to borrow. Anyone interested may contact L-S Choral Director Mike Bunting (Michael_Bunting@lsrhs.net or 781-259-9527, ext 2210).

Film and video offerings for Lincolnites

  • Overwhelmed by your tween or teen’s time spent on social media, video games, or any device? Concerned about the real long-term effects and ramifications on their developing brains and of their disengagement in society? The critically acclaimed documentary Screenagers will be shown in the Brooks auditorium on Tuesday, May 9 at 7 p.m. A Q&A with experts in the field of adolescent development will follow the one-hour film. Tickets are $10 (order online here) and proceeds will benefit the Eighth-Grade Graduation Fund. For more info, please view the trailer on. Kids are strongly encouraged to attend was well. This event is open to the public (including surrounding towns), so reservations are recommended.
  • The Lincoln Library Film Society will show The Wave directed by Dennis Gansel on Thursday, May 4 at 6:30 p.m. (1 hour 47 minutes, in German with English subtitles, 2008). The film is based on a real event at a Californian high school in which a teacher’s experiment to demonstrate to his students what life is like under a dictatorship spins horribly out of control when he forms a social unit with a life of its own.
  • The recently released and Oscar-nominated claymation film Ma Vie de Courgette (My Life as Zucchini) will be shown by the Lincoln-Sudbury French Club on Friday, May 12 at 6:30 p.m.in the L-S auditorium. The event is free, but voluntary donations will benefit Doctors Without Borders. The film (subtitled in English) tells the story of a young boy named Courgette—sent to foster care and after being neglected by his mother, he soon learns to love again. There will be a reception beginning at 6:30m. with light refreshments and live music.
  • Artist, photographer and Lincoln resident Miranda Loud created an eight-minute video and slideshow montage from the Patriots Day reenactments in Lincoln and in Concord at the Old North Bridge. Click here to watch.

News acorns

Volunteer at Minute Man National historic Park this Saturday

Volunteer at the Battle Road Demonstration at Parker’s Revenge at Minute Man National Historical Park in Concord, Lincoln and Lexington on Saturday, April 15. Learn about the opening events of the American Revolution and assist with event logistics during  the morning shift (9 a.m. to noon) or the afternoon shift (noon to 3 p.m.). Also learn about the recent archaeological discovery on the Parker’s Revenge battle site and the park’s plan to restore the battlefield landscape, and watch the Battle Road demonstration at 2 p.m. To volunteer, email margie_coffin_brown@nps.gov.

Dinner benefits women and children in South Asia

St. Anne’s-in-the-Fields Church is holding its semi-annual Lincoln Child Haven Dinner on Saturday, April 22 at 6 p.m. to raise funds for Child Haven International, which supports, educates and employs formerly destitute women and children in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Tibet. The evening also features a silent auction and craft table with crafts from South Asia. Tickets are $35 per person and are available from Chris Damon (781-879-5870, christinehdamon@gmail.com) or pay via credit card on this Child Haven page.

Learn about raising healthy bees

Beekeepers can learn how to keep bees healthy and raise their own queens with Charlotte Trim at Lindentree Farm (10 Old Concord Rd.) on Saturday, April 22 from 2-4:30 p.m. and Saturday, May 20 from 3-5:30 p.m. There will be a hands-on demonstration in the field, weather permitting (bring your suits). Cost for both sessions is $120. Pre-registration for $30 is required. Email charlotte.trim44@gmail.com or lindentreecsa@gmail.com.

Portrait tour at Codman Estate

One of the portraits at the Codman Estate.

“Painters and Personalities: Portraits at the Codman Estate” will be held on Saturday, April 22 from 1-3 p.m. at the estate (34 Codman Rd.). From high-end works by John Singleton Copley and Gilbert Stuart to other pictures by the once-famous on down to humble family snapshots, the Codman portrait collection reveals over 200 years of changing styles. A specialty tour will take a fresh, focused look at this collection, including the rarely seen. Hear the real stories of the people behind these pictures, subjects and artists both. Space is limited and registration is required; tickets are $15 for Historic New England members and $20 for non-members. Call 617-994-6690 or buy online.

Donate bikes to Bikes Not Bombs

Do you have unused bicycles or biking accessories kicking around in your garage? Wondering what to do with them? Bring them to the Lincoln bike drive on Sunday, April 23 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hartwell lot on Ballfield Road. The Lincoln Recycling Committee partners with Bikes Not Bombs (BNB), which ships about 4,800 donated bikes from Massachusetts to economic development projects (micro-enterprise bike businesses, sustainable technology projects, and youth training programs) in Ghana, Tanzania, Guatemala, and Nevis Island every year. The remaining collected bikes are used in the BNB’s Jamaica Plain location for the youth Earn-a-Bike programs, and others are repaired by teenage mechanics in vocational training programs. Please note that BNB requests a $10 donation per bike to defray storage, processing, and shipping costs. The organization can provide a signed, dated receipt for the cash donation and the value of each donated bicycle. For information, contact Laure Berland (lauraberland@comcast.net) or Bernadette Quirk (quirkx4@msn.com).

Job fair at Minuteman

Minuteman High School will host its annual Career and Job Fair on Wednesday, April 26 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event is open to all students, alumni, employers, and the general public. For more information, contact Joseph Pitta, Minuteman’s Coordinator of Workforce and Economic Development, at 781-861- 6500, ext. 7361 or jpitta@minuteman.org. Employers wishing to set up a booth must register on the Career and Job Fair website. Students and employers can learn more by visiting the online Minuteman job board.

Talk on climate change impact

Ellen Mecray

What will be the impact of global warming on our regional environment? What can we do to delay the process of global warming? The Lincoln Public Library presents “Global Warming” with Ellen Mecray, the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration’s regional climate services director for NOAA’s eastern region, on Thursday, April 27. Due to a scheduling issue, attendees are asked to arrive at 6:45 p.m. so the program can begin promptly at 7 p.m. Mecray helps bring NOAA’s climate information to other federal agencies as well as state and local entities. She has also been an oceanographer with the U.S. Geological Survey.

News acorns

Trial begins for man accused of dumping body in Lincoln

The approximate location where Stephen Rakes’ body was found in Lincoln in July 2013 (click to enlarge).

The Boston Globe published this April 6 article on the prosecution’s account of the last day of  Stephen “Stippo” Rakes, whose body was discovered in Lincoln in 2013. April 5 was the opening day of the trial of William Camuti of Sudbury. Police say Camuti, former owner of the Loan Depot, poisoned Rakes with cyanide in his iced coffee in Waltham, then drove around the area for hours before dumping the body on Mill Street in Lincoln. He is charged with first-degree murder, improper disposal of a body, and two counts of lying to police.

Lincoln Squirrel stories from 2013:

Boy Scouts seek new members

The Lincoln Boy Scouts are looking for new members in grades 5 and up. Several camping trips are planned before the end of the school year, as well as many other activities and learning opportunities. The troop meets every Wednesday evening at the Mason Lodge in Lincoln. Fof more information, email Chris Bursaw at cbursaw@seguincapital.com.

Artist’s presentation on wild ponies of Assateague

The Lincoln Public Library presents “The Wild Ponies of Assateague Island” with artist Rob Franco on Thursday, April 20 at 7 p.m. in the Tarbell Room. Franco will present a DVD and share how the approximately 300 ponies that wander freely on the island have influenced his paintings. His paintings are on display in the library’s Main Art Gallery during April.

Lecture at deCordova by landscape photographer

Laura McPhee, Late Summer (Drifting Fireweed), 2007, C-print, 70″ x 90″ inches. Gift of the artist and Carroll and Sons, Boston. Photo by Rick Mansfield of Anchor Imagery.

Boston-based photographer Laura McPhee will give the 2017 Paul J. Cronin Memorial Lecture on Thursday, April 20 at 6:30 p.m. at the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum. McPhee, a professor at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, is known for her stunning large-scale photographs that chronicle how we value and use the landscape. Free and open to all; seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. McPhee travels extensively with her large-format camera to document landscapes both strange and familiar in lush color and exquisite detail. Her past projects include photographing the forests of central Idaho, the domestic architecture of Kolkata, India, and the Gateway National Recreation Area in coastal New York and New Jersey.

News acorns

 Park & Rec seeks new member

The Lincoln Parks & Recreation Committee has an open seat and is seeking a resident to fill it ASAP. The term of service would be through March 2019.  We are accepting applications through Friday, April 14. Anyone interested in serving on the committee should fill out the town volunteer form and return it to Peggy Elder in the Selectman’s Office by April 14.

Tick season is here

The Board of Health urges residents to take precautions against deer tick bites, which can cause Lyne disease and other ailments. Preventive measures and tick removal guidelines can be found here.

Volunteers, artists sought for Lincoln Arts Show

The second annual Lincoln Arts Show on Patriots Day Weekend at Bemis Hall is still seeking volunteers for setup, hosting during the show, reception, and take-down. Contact Sarah Chester at schester636@gmail.com. The show is also still accepting entries until Monday, April 10. Click here for entry forms. Come see paintings, photography, ceramics, hand crafts, etc., created by your Lincoln friends and neighbors. Free admission. The opening reception is Saturday, April 15 from 5–6:30 p.m. Show times are:

  • Saturday, April 15 from 12–5 p.m.
  • Sunday, April 16 from 1–5 p.m.
  • Monday, April 17 from 11 a.m.–3 p.m.

Sponsored by the Lincoln Parks and Recreation Department and the Council on Aging.

Donate household items to Domestic Violence Roundtable

The Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable invites area residents to donate new household items to help families transitioning from a shelter to establish a new home. The Shower for Shelters runs from Monday, April 10 through Sunday, April 30. New unwrapped gifts may be dropped off at the Lincoln Public Library, the Goodnow Library in Sudbury or the Wayland Public Library. Items may also be dropped off at the group’s free wine-tasting event at Sudbury Wine and Spirits in the Rugged Bear Plaza (410 Boston Post Rd., Sudbury) on Friday, April 21 starting at 7 p.m.

Requested items include twin-size sheets, pillowcases, summer blankets and comforters as well as pillows, crib sheets, bath towels and face cloths, unscented cleaning products and laundry detergent, laundry baskets, kitchen utensils, flatware, dishes, drinking glasses and small kitchen appliances. Gift cards are also welcome. For a complete list of requested items, please visit the Roundtable website. All gifts collected are donated to clients of REACH Beyond Domestic Violence, The Second Step, and Voices Against Violence.

Lincoln in the arts this week and coming up

“Lion King Jr.” features cast of dozens, live orchestra

Two scenes from the Lincoln School’s production of “Lion King Jr.” Photos by Katherine McVety (click to enlarge).

To prepare for their production of “The Lion King Jr.,” Lincoln School students have done months of voice, character, and movement work to understand the show’s deep story and songs—many in Zulu and Swahili—and bring a stunning animal kingdom to life. The production is led by Lincoln School drama teacher Kristin Hall (director and producer), music teacher Blake Siskavich (musical director) and fifth-grade teacher Maurisa Davis (choreographer).

Over 90 students in grades 5-8 make up the cast and crew, and an unprecedented number of students and families have dedicated their muscle and their imagination to creating the show’s stunning scenery, props and costumes, including Katherine McVety, who painted the mural and the elephant graveyard, and Stephen Dirrane and Rob Soluri, who built Pride Rock. Siskavich will conduct a live orchestra for all performances.

Performances are Thursday and Friday, March 30 and 31 at 7 p.m. in the Donaldson Auditorium. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students and seniors. Running time is 90 minutes including intermission. Content advisory: Please use discretion when deciding whether the show will be appropriate for younger children, as the violent death of a loved one is central to the plot in “The Lion King Jr.”

Lincoln art show seeks submissions

The art show at last year’s town-wide Lincoln Community Fair was such an immense success, with over 40 artists displaying more than 125 pieces, that it’s being repeated. This year, in addition to paintings, other creative media, such as photography, ceramics, hand crafts, etc., will be shown. The show is open to anyone who is a resident or affiliated with an arts program or a school in Lincoln. Click here for more information and entry forms.

This year’s show will also host an opening reception on Saturday, April 15 from 5-6:30 p.m so artists can introduce their works to friends and neighbors. Show times at Bemis Hall are:

  • Saturday, April 15 from noon to 5 p.m.
  • Sunday, April 16 from1 5 p.m.
  • Monday, April 17 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

deCordova set to open summer exhibitions

Jo Ann Rothschild, Execution on a Grey Day, 1984, oil on canvas, Gift of Martin and Wendy Kaplan (click to enlarge).

The deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum opens two summer exhibitions opening on April 7. Expanding Abstraction: New England Women Painters, 1950 to Now focuses exclusively on women artists, shifting the expected male narrative of abstract painting. Nearly 40 innovative New England women artists on display include Natalie Alper, Kristin Baker, Sharon Friedman, Maud Morgan, Ann Pibal, Katherine Porter, Jo Sandman, Sandi Slone, Barbara Takenaga, and Maxine Yalovitz-Blankenship.

A museum collection is not a static entity, but fluid with regular arrivals and departures. Let It All Hang! 1982, A Year of Collecting at deCordova pulls back the curtain on every work acquired by deCordova during a single year and open the reasons for accessioning and deaccessioning to public review.

Council on Aging activities for April

Lincoln Academy with members of the First Parish: Seeing the Arizona-Mexico borderlands for ourselves
April 3 at 12:30 p.m.

Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, April 3 at 12:30 to hear members of First Parish discuss “Seeing the Arizona-Mexico Borderlands for Ourselves.” Members of the First Parish group that traveled to “the wall” on the Arizona borderlands last November will present and then discuss Janet Boynton’s stunning 20-minute video showing photographs and interviews from the participants’ experiences with the complex issues of migration and border security. The Council on Aging provides beverages and dessert. The lectures last about an hour, including a question and answer period. Participants are welcome to stay after the program to continue their discussion. All ages welcome.

Hand drumming for fun and wellness
April 4 at 9:30 a.m.
Come learn to do hand drumming from cultures around the world in a six-week course with acclaimed drummer Mike Connors from the Concord Conservatory of Music. The class will be held for six Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. at Bemis Hall beginning on April 4 at a cost of $60 for the course, payable to the Concord Conservatory of Music. Topics to be covered include technique for hand drumming, rhythms from Africa, South America, the Caribbean and Eastern Europe, developing a rhythmic vocabulary for improvisation and exercises to improve internal pulse. No need to bring a drum but bring one if you have one. Sign up by calling the COA at 781-259-8811.

Positive Psychology practices class
April 5 at 9:30 a.m.
Positive Psychology is the scientific study of strengths and “what is working” to create transformative change, build increased happiness, and lead a more meaningful life. The Ogden Codman Trust is generously supporting a free, eight-session course beginning Wednesday, April 5 at 9:30 at Bemis Hall on daily practices that build on concepts presented in the fall. No need to have attended the fall class. Learn proven tactics to try in your daily life. Instructor: Alyson Lee, co-active life coach, social worker and certified Positive Psychology instructor. Call the COA at 781-259-8811 to sign up!

Domestic Violence Services Network office hours
April 5 at 10 a.m.
If you are experiencing violence or abuse by a family member, whether physical, emotional, or sexual, or you are concerned about someone who is, come to Bemis Hall on Wednesday, April 5 between 10 a.m. and noon to have a confidential discussion with an advocate from Domestic Violence Services Network, Inc. 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.

Meet with an aide to Congresswoman Katherine Clark
April 5 at 1 p.m.
Jimmy Santos, constituent services and military liaison for Congresswoman Katherine Clark, will hold Office Hours at Bemis Hall on Wednesday, April 5 from 1-2 p.m. on federal benefits and other concerns. No need to sign up.

Coffee with photographer Ed Robson
April 6 at 2:30 p.m.
Join Lincoln photographer Ed Robson on Thursday, April 6 at 2:30 p.m. for a reception to celebrate his exhibit that will be in Bemis Hall through April. “I’m a hobbyist photographer who lives at Battle Road Farm in Lincoln,” says Ed. “I enjoy trying to capture and edit creatively what catches my eye, whether it’s people or animals, or scenes in the city or in nature.” The photos in the exhibit range from flowers and trees to a spider and pet pig to Walden Pond and the Boston Women’s March.

Pastels class
April 10 at 10 a.m.
Express your most vibrant self with the brilliant colors of pastels in a class with Juliet Rago. She will begin with a short introduction to drawing for those who feel they need it. The class will meet from 10 a.m. to noon on April 10, 14, 21, 24, and 28 at Bemis Hall. No experience is necessary. All materials will be furnished. Please sign up by calling the COA at 781-259-8811. The fee is $40. Limit of six people.

Lincoln Academy with Josh Grindlay: Designing and building a Harvard-MIT student instrument to map an asteroid in 2019
April 10 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, April 10 at 12:30 to hear Josh Grindlay discuss “Designing and Building a Harvard-MIT Student Instrument to Map an Asteroid in 2019.” Over the past five years, students at Harvard and MIT designed and then built an X-ray imaging spectrometer that is one of five instruments on the OSIRIS REx mission launched in September 2016 to rendezvous with an asteroid in 2018. The REXIS instrument will make X-ray maps of the concentration regions of elements (iron, magnesium, etc.) on the asteroid surface in 2019 to help in choosing a location to gather a sample for return to Earth in 2022. Dr. Grindlay will describe how this project developed, from initial concept to the harrowing schedule to deliver the instrument to the spacecraft for final integration and launch, and the work now underway to prepare for the data. The Council on Aging provides beverages and dessert. The lectures last about an hour, including a question and answer period. Participants are welcome to stay after the program to continue their discussion. All ages welcome.

Free elder law clinic
April 10 at 3 p.m.
Got a question about issues such as estate planning, MassHealth, protecting assets for a loved one with a serious disability, guardianship, conservatorship, or probate? The COA is pleased to provide a monthly legal clinic with elder law attorney and Lincoln resident Sasha Golden on Monday, April 10 from 3-4 p.m. at Bemis Hall. There is no charge for the 30-minute consultation, but please sign up by calling the COA at 781-259-8811.

Free wellness clinic for all ages                                     
April 11 at 10 a.m.
Meet with a nurse at Lincoln Woods on Tuesday, April 11 from 10 a.m. to noon. Blood pressure, nutrition and fitness, medication management, chronic disease management, resources, and more. Funded by the Ogden Codman Trust and provided by Emerson Hospital Home Care. 

Using iPhones, iPads, and social media
April 13 at 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m.
Andy Payne will be at Bemis Hall on Thursday, April 13 at 10 a.m. to give you information on the operation and features of iPhones and iPads and answer your questions. If you have tips for using your iPhone or iPad, bring those, too. At 11:30 a.m., Andy will also discuss how to use social media—Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, Instagram and such—to get the word out about events and issues and stay in the know. All ages welcome to both classes.

Making ourselves anew in our later years
April 14 at 9:30 a.m.
Join the Reverend Lilian Warner, spiritual director/chaplain of Newbury Court, on Friday, April 14 at 9:30 when she leads a discussion of how, even in our elder years, our spiritual creator, however perceived, can help mold us into new beings, mending and using us in different ways to be of value. She will also touch on her “Triple L, Double C of Living,” or how we must “listen, learn, love, care and connect” with others. Continental breakfast will be served. Call the COA at 781-259-8811 to sign up.

Senior dining
April 18 at 11:30 a.m.
Lincolnites 60 and older are invited to enjoy a delicious gourmet meal with new friends and old at 11:30 on Tuesday, April 18 at St. Anne’s Church. Please reserve by calling the COA at 781-259-8811 at least a week ahead even if you have previously attended. The cost of each meal is $5. Caregivers are welcome to come with those for whom they are caring. Let the COA know if you need transportation or a seating partner. The lunch is co-sponsored by the COA, the Friends of the COA, Minuteman Senior Services, Newbury Court, St. Anne’s, and the Lincoln Garden Club.

The COA science group: how the Internet works
April 20 at 10 a.m.
How does a web page get from a web site to your browser? Come learn the workings of the Internet when Tom Aprille comes to Bemis Hall on Thursday, April 20 at 10 a.m. Don’t worry, it will be a high-level talk with occasional dips into medium-level explanations. Several applications will be discussed, including World Wide Web page capture, email and streaming. Packet routing and your home network (called an Ethernet network) will also discussed. All ages welcome.

Coffee with a cop
April 20 from 1 to 3 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Thursday, April 20 from 1-3 p.m. to meet privately with a police officer. Do you have a security concern regarding yourself, a family member, or neighbor? An idea for the Police should try? Would you like guidance about a situation? Come on down! No need to make an appointment. An officer will be at Bemis each third Thursday of the month.

Manage your pain with alternative and complementary methods
April 21 at 10 a.m.
Learn about different modalities and treatments used by therapists to help decrease pain and improve one’s functional ability when Pete Frye, doctorate in physical therapy and Emerson Hospital rehab director, comes to Bemis Hall on Friday, April 21 at 10 a.m. In addition, learn about home remedies that you can do to decrease pain and improve your functional ability.

Paying for long-term care with Medicare, MassHealth, and VA benefits
April 21 at 12:30 p.m.
Many people rely on Medicare and MassHealth/Medicaid to pay for long term care, yet these benefits are usually quite limited. Find out what Medicare and MassHealth/Medicaid actually cover, for how long, and at what out-of-pocket costs when Minuteman Senior Services SHINE—health benefits counseling program comes to Bemis Hall on Friday, April 21 at 12:30 p.m. They will discuss benefits from the traditional Medicare program as well as supplemental plans, what to ask when considering long term care benefits in those plans, and more. In addition, Priscilla Leach, Lincoln’s veterans services officer, will explain long term care benefits for veterans. Bring your questions and concerns! The program is co-sponsored by the Lincoln COA and Minuteman Senior Services.

Amalgamates a capella concert
April 23 at 2 p.m.
The COA invites all ages to a family-friendly a capella concert by the award-winning Tufts University group The Amalgamates on Sunday, April 23 at 2 p.m. at Bemis Hall. The Amalgamates perform the latest pop hits to oldies rock to spirituals and more in venues from baseball stadiums to street corners to Barcelona, Spain. This program is supported in part by a grant from the Lincoln Cultutral Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

Lincoln Academy with Christina Thompson—Sea people: the puzzle of Polynesia
April 24 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, April 24 at 12:30 to hear Christina Thompson discuss “Sea People: The Puzzle of Indonesia.” Christina Thompson, editor of Harvard Review and the author of Come on Shore and We Will Kill and Eat You All, shares her quest to understand who first settled the islands of the remote Pacific, where they came from, how they got there, and how we know. The Council on Aging provides beverages and dessert. The lectures last about an hour, including a question and answer period. Participants are welcome to stay after the program to continue their discussion.

Fireside chat: how we live our values
April 26 at 10 a.m.
How do we live out our core values? Do we even know exactly what our values are? How do they affect our daily interactions as well as our most consequential decisions? Join others in a lively but respectful discussion facilitated by Sharon Antia using questions and answers on Wednesday, April 26 at 10 a.m. at Bemis Hall. Our purpose is not to convince others of your opinion, but to share ideas so as to create dialogue and understanding.

Answers about long-term care insurance
April 28 at 12:30 p.m.
Is long term care insurance right for you? What does it cover? What might it cost? How do I go about choosing a plan? What are these new hybrid policies that I’m hearing about? How do I make sure it will really cover what it needs to when I don’t know what kind of care I might require? Find out the answers to these and other questions you might have about long term care insurance when independent agent and long term care insurance educator Tobe Gerard comes to Bemis Hall on Friday, April 28 at 12:30. Tobe has been involved with long term care insurance for 19 years and served on the long-term care committees of both the National and Massachusetts Associations of Health Underwriters for many years. Please call the COA at (781) 259-8811 to sign up so Tobe knows how many sets of materials to bring.

Lyrica Boston Chamber Music performs Schubert’s Trout Quintet
April 29 at 2 p.m.
The Friends of the Lincoln COA cordially invite those of all ages to a free concert by Lyrica Boston Chamber Music on Saturday, April 29 at Bemis Hall at 2 p.m. On the program will be Schubert’s beautiful and renowned Trout Quintet and other works in a surprising array of styles. A reception with light refreshments will follow the concert. The musicians will include Laura Bossert (violin), Annie Bartlett (viola), Mariel Bossert (piano), Mina Kim (cello) and Donald Palma (bass). The Lyrica Boston Chamber Music series was founded by Lincoln resident Laura Bossert to provide a launching ground for young emerging artists to perform alongside seasoned professionals.

Save the date:

Boston Symphony Orchestra matinee on May 5
Spend a delightful afternoon with the COA on a trip to a matinee performance of the Boston Symphony Orchestra on Friday, May 5. Andris Nelsons will conduct works by Shostakovich, Rachmaninoff and Mahler featuring pianist Leif Ove Andsnes and soprano Kristine Opolais. The program includes Shostakovich’s suite from the incidental music to King Lear, Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 4, and Mahler’s Symphony No. 4. (Symphony Hall is handicapped accessible.) Participants will meet at the Donelan’s parking lot at 10:45 a.m. You may have a sumptuous buffet lunch at Symphony Hall or opt to arrange for your own lunch. The cost of the trip is $45.50 with lunch on your own, or $75 with the lunch buffet. This trip is funded by the Hurff Fund and is therefore open to Lincoln seniors only. Space is limited. To reserve a space, send your check made out to FLCOA/Trips to Marilyn Buckler, 12 Hiddenwood Path, Lincoln, MA 01773. Be sure to include your phone and email. Your reservation is complete when Marilyn receives your check. Questions? Contact Marilyn Buckler at 781-259-8886 or mbuckler1@comcast.net.

Watercolors class
Jane Cooper will offer fun dabbling in watercolor painting of scenes of nature, landscapes or some favorite sky. Two sessions of four classes will be offered Fridays and Mondays in May from 9-11 a.m. beginning May 1 and 15. Cost is $30 per session. Please call the COA at 781-259-8811 now to sign up. All materials are included in the fee. No prior experience necessary.

News acorns

Lincoln Fire Department receives fire education grants

The Lincoln Fire Department recently received two state grants totaling more than $6,500 for fire education for children and seniors. Lincoln’s was one of 228 Massachusetts fire departments to receive Student Awareness of Fire Education (S.A.F.E.) program grants to work with classroom teachers to deliver fire and life safety lessons. Of those, 212 departments also received a Senior SAFE program grant to work with older adults on fire and life safety. The town’s grant amounts were $3,951 S.A.F.E. and $2,596, respectively.

The S.A.F.E. Program’s allows trained firefighter-educators to work with teachers to deliver age-appropriate fire and life safety lessons that also meet the requirements of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Health Curriculum Frameworks. In the 21 years of the program’s existence, the average number of children who die in fires each year in Massachusetts has dropped by over 70 percent, according to a release from the office of Gov. Charlies Baker.

Seniors are most at risk of dying in fires in Massachusetts. Using the Senior SAFE program, fire departments partner with local senior service agencies to better educate seniors on fire prevention, general home safety and how to be better prepared to survive a fire.

Middle school stages “The Lion King Jr.”

The Lincoln School production of “The Lion King Jr.” takes place in the school auditorium on March 29, 30 and 31. Seventy student actors and 20 crew members have been rehearsing the show’s drum beats and chant-filled choruses since December. Tickets will be sold at the door ($5 for students and seniors, $10 for adults). Show times are 3:30 p.m. on March 29, and 7 p.m. on March 30 and 31.

Panel looks at journalism and democracy

For a lively conversation on the state of journalism from a local, state, national and international perspective, come to the annual FELS Talk on “Breaking News: Journalism and Democracy in the 21st Century” on Wednesday, April 5 at 7 p.m. at the LSRHS auditorium. Panelists will be:

  • Deborah Becker, senior correspondent and host, WBUR
  • Isaac Feldberg, journalism major and correspondent for The Boston Globe
  • David Grace, L-S history faculty member
  • Anne Mostue, Bloomberg News radio anchor
  • Charles Sennott, founder and executive director of The GroundTruth Project
  • Alice Waugh, founder and editor of The Lincoln Squirrel, an online newspaper

Julie Dobrow, senior fellow, media and civic engagement at the Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University, will moderate the evening. Tickets are $10 at the door. All proceeds will benefit the Foundation for Educators at Lincoln-Sudbury.

Passover seder at First Parish

The First Parish in Lincoln will celebrate Passover with a family seder service and meal on Wednesday, April 5 at 6 p.m. in the Parish House (14 Bedford Rd.). The seder will have the elements of a traditional family haggadah and a meal of hummus and tabbouleh. It will be very participatory and feature activities for everyone in the family.

Passover celebrates the foundational story of Judaism—the release of Jews from captivity in Egypt described in Exodus. The spiritual themes of Passover remain central to the spiritual themes of Christianity and Unitarian Universalism, and are very much a part of the spiritual life of the First Parish in Lincoln. RSVPs are required. Please contact Mandy Beal, ministerial intern, at mandy@firstparishinlincoln.org or 857-208-3482.

News acorns

Absentee ballots available

Absentee ballots for the March 27 town 2017 election are now available in the Town Office Building. Residents can come in and vote over the counter or apply by mail. Under state law, the town cannot allow anyone to deliver a physical ballot to a voter. A family member may apply for an absentee ballot to be mailed to another family member. Click here for more information on absentee voting.

Haitian dance performance at L-S

The Jean Appolon Expressions dancers.

On Friday, March 10, there will be a performance by the Haitian dance company jean Appalon Expressions at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School. The performance, “Angaje” (which means “engaged” or “committed” in Haitian-Creole) is inspired by the struggle against homophobia and the power of Haitian cultural tradition in the fight for justice. It is a reflection of various forms of social oppression and more particularly the violence against LGBTQ people in Haiti, who are not only victims of discrimination, but also the targets of violence by anti-gay groups.

There will be a reception starting at 6:30 p.m. and the performance will start at 7:30 in Kirshner Auditorium. The performance is free, but donations will be accepted to benefit Partners in Health. The event is hosted by the L-S French Department and the METCO program and sponsored by SERF (Sudbury Education Resource Fund).

Also as part of World Language Week next week, the public is invited to the 14th Annual World Language Declamation Contest in the L-S Auditorium on Thursday, March 9 during block 4. Students including Lincoln residents Zoe Belge, Marissa Cannistraro, Cal Hamandi and Irene Terpstra will recite pieces they have memorized in the languages they are learning. World Language Karaoke will take place on Friday, March 10 in Kirshner Auditorium during blocks 6 and 7 with singing in French, Mandarin, German and Spanish (karaoke lyrics will be supplied). Email World Language Department Coordinator Joan Campbell at joan_campbell@lsrhs.net for more information.

Free after-school classes for kids

The Learning Hub at the Lincoln Public Library is offering free Friday afternoon classes for children ages 7-11 on four Fridays this month from 3:30-4:40 p.m. Topics include:

  • Picasso Cubism Paper Bag Art  (March 10)
  • Catapulting with Marshmallows (March 17)
  • Make a Simple Glider (March 24)
  • Build a Bubble Rocket (March 31)

To sign up for any or all of the classes, contact the library at 781-259-8465 ext. 4 or email jflanders@minlib.net. Classes are provided by The Learning Hub in Worcester.

Elder law clinic on March 13

Got a question about issues such as estate planning, MassHealth, protecting assets for a loved one with a serious disability, guardianship, conservatorship or probate? The Council on Aging is offering a legal clinic with elder law attorney and Lincoln resident Sasha Golden on Monday, March 13 from 2-4 p.m. There is no charge for the 30-minute consultation, but please sign up by calling the COA at 781-259-8811.