News, features and photos from Lincoln, Mass.
The Lincoln Winter Carnival, an annual event sponsored by the Parks and Recreation Committee, starts on January 29 and features a pancake breakfast, a snow sculpture contest, poetry, bingo, and lots of other events for both adults and kids.
The carnival is designed to foster a sense of community throughout the town of Lincoln, and all events are sponsored by Lincoln-based organizations. Please check individual event details for age limits, admission fees, pre-registration information, etc.
See videos of First Day in LincolnIntrepid Lincoln photographer/videographer Harold McAleer has posted some videos of First Day in Lincoln on January 1. Have a look at some of the socializing and see Rob Loud belting out Auld Lang Syne. You can see other videos by Harold on his YouTube channel.
The School Building Advisory Committee will present a draft of architectural consultant Dore and Whittier’s final report with cost estimates for a Lincoln School project at its fourth and final public forum on Tuesday, Jan. 13 from 7-9 p.m. in Reed Gym. At the third public forum on December 2, 76 percent of residents expressed a preference for Option 3, which calls for a comprehensive package of facilities and educational upgrades costing $54.7 million to $58.8 million.
Residents, especially those who are unable to come to the January 13 meeting, are also invited to a meeting on Friday, Jan. 9 at 1 p.m. at Bemis Hall. This meeting at the COA is an opportunity to get a preview of the final report and to continue the discussion about renovation pathways and the decisions the Town will need to make to move a project forward.
A funeral service will be held on Saturday, Jan. 10 at 2 p.m. in the First Parish Church in Lincoln for Eleanor Locke Donaldson, who died on November 6 at the age of 100. She held numerous positions with the church and was active in the Lincoln Garden Club and the Lincoln Bell Ringers.
Maraget F. Chisholm also passed away on December 28 at the age of 94. She was a Lincoln native and worked for many years at a phone company in town.
The deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum is offering guided snowshoe tours of the sculpture park led by a trained instructor on five dates between January 17 and March 10, with alternate dates for each occasion in case of too little or too much snow. Click here to register and pay (tickets range from $10 to $20 and snowshoe rentals are $12).
From drawing to pastel painting with Juliet
January 5 at 10 a.m.
Express your most vibrant self with the brilliant colors of pastels in a new 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 January 5, 9, 12, 23 and 26. No experience is necessary. All materials will be furnished. Please sign up by calling the COA at 781-259-8811. Limit of six people. The fee is $20.
Lincoln Academy with Deane Ellsworth: “The Magic of the Steam Train Whistle”
January 5 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, Jan. 5 at 12:30 to hear Deane Ellsworth discuss “The Magic of the Steam Train Whistle.” Bring a bag lunch. 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. [Read more…] about Council on Aging activities in January
Town seeks candidates for boards and commissionsLooking 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 30. Nomination papers are available at the Town Clerk’s Office starting Friday, Jan. 2 and must be returned no later than Monday, Feb. 9. The following offices will appear on the March ballot: Board of Selectmen (three years), Board of Assessors (three years), K-8 School Committee (two seats for three years each), Water Commissioner (three years), Board of Health (one seat for three years), Cemetery Commission (three years), Planning Board (one seat for three years), Commissioner of Trust Funds (three years), deCordova Museum and Sculpture Park Trustee (four years), Housing Commission (three years), Parks and Recreation Committee (three years), Lincoln-Sudbury Regional District School Committee (two seats for three years each), Trustees of Bemis (one seat for three years). For additional information, please contact the Town Clerk’s Office at 781-259-2607.
The Town Clerk’s Office will host a seminar with an overview of the rules for disclosing campaign activity on Wednesday, Jan. 14 at 7 p.m. at Town Hall. Jason Tait, Director of Communications and Public Education for the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF), will also address the proper use of town resources for a political purpose—for example, is it legal to use a town’s robo-call system to advocate for a Town Meeting warrant article?
The seminar lasts about one hour and is open to candidates and the public. For inquiries or to reserve a seat, please call the Town Clerk’s Office at 781-259-2607.
Starting next week, these regular children’s programs will resume at the Lincoln Public Library: Ed Morgan Singalong (January 2), Preschool Stories (January 6), Lego Club (January 7), Book Group for grades 4-6 (January 8), and Lapsit Storytime (January 15). Check the library web page for kids’ programs for times and other information.
Coming up for adults (all events are at the library unless otherwise noted):
Mike Moritz rehearses Mozart Concerto #23 with the LSCO on stage at L-S.
Lincoln resident Michael Moritz is usually a clarinetist with the Lincoln-Sudbury Civic Orchestra (LSCO)—but on January 11, he’ll man the keyboard as soloist in a Mozart piano concerto.
The concert at the high school opens the LSCO’s 42nd season. Managing Director William Nicholson conducts the orchestra, which will play the Peer Gynt Suite for Orchestra #1 by Edvard Grieg, and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony #2 in C minor (“Little Russian”). Moritz will be the soloist for Mozart’s Piano Concerto #23 in A major.
Moritz has played piano since early childhood and studied with John Buttrick while he was pursuing his B.S. in mathematics at MIT. He appeared as soloist with the MIT Concert Band under the direction of John Corley, performing the Concerto for Piano and Winds by Igor Stravinski. He has also studied with Yasuo Watanabe and Theodore Lettvin of the New England Conservatory.
Moritz and his wife Kathy have lived in Lincoln for 22 years and raised four children, all of whom graduated from L-S between 2006 and 2011: Amanda, Megan and Manu, and Istvan. He joined the LSCO as a clarinetist in 2004 to play alongside his flutist daughter Amanda.
“Before Mike approached me to play the Mozart 23rd, I hadn’t realized how gifted a pianist he was,” Nicholson said. “He has been a great contributor in the clarinet section of the orchestra for ten years now, and during every rehearsal break, he races over to the piano to play Chopin and Brahms, so we knew he was dedicated and passionate about the piano. In the spring, we traditionally feature graduating student members in concerto performances, but it’s exciting to use the winter concert to showcase the unique artistry of our adult members.”
“I took up clarinet in my 30s when my piano was in storage while Kathy and I were remodeling our place in Cambridge,”Moritz said. “She knew I was going nuts not playing music, and my mother told her I had played clarinet as a kid, but stopped before high school. So I came home from work one day to find a Buffet clarinet and a BU graduate student, my new teacher, waiting for me.
“It was a revelation playing a melody instrument,” Moritz continued. “A piano is a percussion instrument—you hit strings with hammers and the sound decays as soon as it begins. The legendary Myra Hess talked about creating the ‘illusion’ of the singing tone. But the clarinet, and all the other wind and string instruments, can sustain its sound, making crescendo and decrescendo on any note and truly making a singing tone. I believe playing each instrument has made me better at the other.”
Admission to the January 11 concert, which begins at 7:30 p.m., is a suggested donation of $10. Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School is located at 390 Lincoln Rd in Sudbury.
To the editor:
On behalf of the Lincoln PTO, I’d like to extend our deepest thanks to our PTO Community Partners whose contributions have helped make possible our many enrichment activities at the Lincoln School in 2014-15. These activities include visits to the school by poets, dancers and puppeteers, as well as science, nature and engineering workshops, historical reenactments and more (see the “What We Do” page on the Lincoln PTO website). Our Community Partners include:
Our children’s education is richer because of the help these Community Partners provide, so I hope you’ll join me in thanking them for another great year at the Lincoln School.
Sincerely,
Kimberly Bodnar, Lincoln PTO Chair/President
Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to news@lincolnsquirrrel.com. Letters must be about a Lincoln-specific topic, will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.
In response to an appeal from the Board of Selectmen, a number of residents expressed interest in filling vacant slots on the seven-member Conservation Commission, and the vacacies have been filled by Jordan McCarron, Stephen Johnson and Richard Selden.
First Day at Pierce House a year ago. Photo by Harold McAleer.
Whether you’re new to Lincoln or have lived here forever, come to historic Pierce House (17 Weston Rd.) on January 1 to celebrate the new year together at the town’s 16th annual First Day gathering. Start the year right with legendary soups, lively music, and congenial company! Complimentary admission for Lincoln residents, but donations are gratefully accepted for the upkeep of this special town resource. For more information, call 781-259-9757.
The Lincoln Police will be running three women’s classes in 2015: one in January, one in February and one in November. The January and February classes are now open for enrollment.
The Harvard Callbacks perform at the LEAP a capella night on December 5.
Lincoln residents packed the auditorium of Bemis Hall on December 5 to hear three a capella groups perform in a benefit for LEAP (the Lincoln After-school Activities Program). The groups who sang were Accent from Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, and VoiceLab and the Callbacks from Harvard University, as well as an impromptu singing and dancing performance of “Happy Birthday” for LEAP operations director Chris Burns by the “LEAPing Lizards” (several current and former LEAP students).
The concert was taped by Lincoln community TV—click here to watch and listen.
“It was an amazing night of beautiful music and community,” said LEAP program director Kathryn Hawkins, who added that LEAP would have another a capella benefit next year.
The First Parish Church is still looking for help making Christmas wreaths in the Stone Church in preparation for the Touch of Christmas Fair on Saturday, Dec. 13. See “Lincoln Through the Lens” on December 3 for more information. And don’t forget the candlelight Lincoln Ringers concert on December 22 (see the Squirrel calendar listing for details).
Nicholas Soo and Jonah O’Donnell-Weyant decorate donation boxes at Magic Garden. Photo courtesy Michael Graves
This December marks the Magic Garden Children’s Center‘s fifth annual “Season of Giving.” In conjunction with Lincoln Public Schools, Magic Garden is facilitating a drive for nonperishable goods such as canned food, pasta and toiletries that will be delivered to Rosie’s Place, a shelter for women coping with homelessness in Boston.
“Each year, the teachers here have the opportunity to help children explore ideas of giving and community,” said Magic Garden interim director Lori Leo. “Our students help to paint donation boxes and sort the items. It’s wonderful!” Magic Garden is accepting contributions until Friday, Dec. 19 in their office area in the Hartwell building on the school campus.
George Berry, 69 (November 12) – sponsored Lincoln’s Friends for Tomorrow therapeutic horseback riding program.
Anastasia K. Caras, 96 (November 26) – pianist and graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music.
L-S concerts include choral groups tonightThe L-S Winter Choral Concert will be performed on Thursday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. in Kirschner Auditorium at the high school, while the L-S Instrumental Concert will be a week later on Thursday, Dec. 11 at 8 p.m. in the same location.. Both concerts are open to the public and free of charge.
Tonight’s choral concert will feature the L-S Concert Choir & Chamber Singers, the Lincoln School Chorus and the Curtis Select Chorus. The L-S choirs are singing music of America, Ireland, England, France, Macedonia and South Africa, and selections from Carmina Burana. The L-S student-led vocal groups Acafellas, Accent, Achoired Taste, Coro de Chicas & Musigals will perform a variety of popular music to start the concert.Recording of the concert will be available for pre-order. Concessions will be available.
The Instrumental Winter Concert on December 11 will include large ensembles including the Orchestra, Symphonic Band, Concert Band, and smaller groups including the Flute Choir and Violin Ensemble. Leroy Anderson’s Sleigh Ride will provide the grand finale with 130 instrumental students performing together on stage. Highlights from the program will include:
The Lincoln School has noticed a recent increase in dog walkers failing to clean up after their pets when traversing the campus play areas. Principal Steve McKenna notes that this is not pleasant for the child who steps or rolls in just the wrong place while at recess.
Rehearsals for the December 14 children’s Christmas Pageant at the First Parish Church will be December 7 and 14 during church services. There’s a part for every child who wants one. Children will gather in the sanctuary (the white church) at 10 a.m., then proceed with the pageant leaders up to the Stone Church for rehearsals and performance at 11 a.m. Invite the grandparents and bring a camera, and be prepared to sing along! The First Parish also invites families to attend the Solstice Service and/or one of two Christmas Eve services. Please see the First Parish calendar for more information.
The Old Town Hall Exchange will host the 4th annual Gift Local Artisan and Craft Show on December 13 and 14. This event will host a variety of talented local artists, featuring jewelers, woodworkers, and more. Stop by and get some of your holiday shopping our of the way while supporting some terrific local businesses. The event takes place on Saturday, Dec. 13 from 6-9 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 14 from 1-6 p.m.
The Lincoln Public Library presents “Boston’s Cycling Craze, 1880-1900: A Story of Race, Sport and Society” with author Lorenz J. Finison on Wednesday, Dec. 17 from 7-8:30 p.m. in the Tarbell Room. Explore the rise of Boston’s cycling through the lives of several participants. Finison details the life of Kittie Knox, a biracial 20 year old Bostonian. Books will be available for purchase.
Nancy Fleming (left) and Karin Levy unload wreaths from Wilson Farm at the First Parish Stone church in preparation for the Touch of Christmas Fair. All next week, volunteers will drop in each day from 9 a.m. to noon to help decorate the wreaths, which will be sold at the fair on Saturday, Dec. 13. Diana Smith is the head of the wreath-making activities and invites anyone to come help decorate the wreaths—no experience needed. They also welcome donations of red berries and greens such as yew, boxwood, arborvitae, etc. Click here to sign up or call Smith at 781-259-9759.