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

charity/volunteer

Chamber orchestra offers “Music-Grams”

Lyrica Boston, a chamber orchestra with several Lincoln residents, is offering “Music-Grams” of 30–60 minutes to bring live music to the doorsteps of Boston-area residents and organizations while still keeping everyone safe.

“It’s really for people that could use a pick-me-up,” said violin/viola player Laura Bossert of Lincoln, noting that the group has performed on the lawn of a woman who had recently had surgery, as well as nursing homes and assisted living facilities. “People are going through such a hard time, and we just wanted to offer some positive to send out.”

The series is also committed to bringing music to culturally underserved youth, the elderly, and those with special needs. Other Lincolnites in the group are Laura’s mother Muriel (piano), Tyler James (cello), and Jeffrey Cua (violin/viola).

Music-Grams feature solo musicians, duos, trios, or quartets. There is no charge but donations are appreciated. Click here to order. For those who are interested but aren’t in the area or don’t have a socially distanced outdoor space, the group will send a performance via YouTube. They’re also planning a concert on Farrar Pond on October 18 where attendees can listen on land or aboard their boat; click here for more information.

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Transfer station ends Monday hours

At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the DPW temporarily added Monday service hours to the transfer station schedule in an effort to reduce crowding.  This expanded service will end Monday, Aug. 31. On Wednesday, Sept. 2, the transfer station will return to its normal operating schedule of Wednesdays and Saturdays from 7:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.

Library news

Library now open by appointment

The Lincoln Public Library is reopening by appointment with separate times for high-risk patrons. The library is limiting capacity to five adult library users and five children’s services users at any time. Contactless pickup of reserved materials is still available as well. Click here for information on hours and making an appointment.

Help with job searches 

Looking for advice on finding a job and getting hired? The library is offering a weekly Q&A session with Patty Levy, founder of Hired Insider, each Monday from 12–12:30 p.m. via Zoom. The sessions are open to anyone who is currently searching for employment and needs advice on search strategies, interviewing, networking, communicating value, creating a standout resume, and LinkedIn branding tips. To receive a zoom invitation, email lrothenberg@minlib.net.

Reading for racial justice

The library is hosting a book group exploring racism and racial justice, reading both fiction and nonfiction. All sessions will be conducted via Zoom. To receive an invite to Zoom or to obtain more information, please email rrapoport@minlib.net.

So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo — Monday, September 21 at 7 p.m.

Oluo explores the complex reality of today’s racial landscape, from white privilege and police brutality to systemic discrimination and the Black Lives Matter movement, offering straightforward clarity that readers need to contribute to the dismantling of the racial divide Copies are available in book format, Overdrive E book, Overdrive Digital Audio book and Hoopla audio book. 

How To Be An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi — Monday, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m.

Kendi is the Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities at Boston University, and the founding director of the Boston University Center for Antiracist Research. He is the author of five books including Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America, which won the National Book Award for Nonfiction. Available as an Overdrive E-book and Digital Audio book

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones — Monday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m.

Newlyweds Celestial and Roy are the embodiment of both the American dream and the New South, but their lives are ripped apart by circumstances neither could have imagined. This love story is a deeply insightful look into the hearts and minds of three people who are at once bound and separated by forces beyond their control. Available in hardcover, Overdrive e-book & digital audio book.

Lincoln residents raise funds to fight cancer

Lincolnites Jane O’Rourke and Peter von Mertens will choose their own route on October 4 for the annual Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk presented by Hyundai. Participants are encouraged to walk wherever they choose: around their neighborhood, a local hiking trail, a treadmill, or anywhere else they’re comfortable. While the event will not physically bring walkers together along the Boston Marathon course, it will unite the community to raise funds to support all forms of adult and pediatric care and cancer research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The event has raised more than $145 million for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in its 30+ year history. Click on either person’s name to donate.

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LFA event for new or soon-to-be parents

The Lincoln Family Association invites new and expecting parents to a virtual meetup on Saturday, Aug. 23 at 2 p.m. Please RSVP to carolinemfiore@gmail.com to receive the Zoom link.

How to vote in the upcoming primary

There are three ways to vote in the September 1 primary:

  1. Vote by mail — Request a ballot by returning the postcard you received. That single postcard allows you to vote in both the primary and the general election. The deadline to submit a vote by mail using the prepaid envelope provided is Wednesday, Aug. 26. Voters may also drop completed ballots in the black mailbox at the front entrance of Town Hall. The town must receive ballot by close of polls on September 1. If you misplaced your postcard, you can request a vote-by-mail ballot by filling out this form, printing it and mailing it back to the address on the form
  1.  Early voting in person — Come to Town Hall to vote at any of these times:
    • Saturday, Aug. 22 and Sunday, Aug. 23 from 9 a.m.–1 p.m.
    • August 24–28 from 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (open until 7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 27)
  1. Voting at the polls on Election Day — Polls will be open on Tuesday, Sept 1 in the Smith Gym on Ballfield Road from 7 a.m.–8 p.m. 

To register to vote or check your status as a voter, you can go to this Secretary of the Commonwealth web page. Anyone with questions, may call the Town Clerk’s office at 781-259-2607.

Outdoor Mass in Pierce Park

St. Julia Parish will offer outdoor Mass on the lawn (or under the tent in case of rain) on Sunday, Aug. 30 at 8 a.m. No reservations required. Please bring a blanket or chair and masks for attendees age 5 and up, as social distancing protocols apply. Parking is at the rear of the house or on the property on Weston Road.

Farrington Nature Linc hosts events for kids and adults

Farrington Nature Linc, a Lincoln nonprofit dedicated to connecting under-resourced children to the natural world, will host the following end-of-summer events:

End of Summer Virtual Glow Dance Party — Saturday, Aug. 22 at 6:30 p.m.
Get your glow on with a live set from DJ Alison, glow-in-the-dark activities and games, and a special appearance by our goat friends. Click here to register.

Herbal Cocktails Virtual Happy Hour — Thursday, Sept. 10 at 6:30 p.m.
This online workshop led by Jenny Hauf from Muddy River Herbals will introduce participants to making and growing their own cocktails. You’ll come away knowing how to make a mojito, simple syrup, and blueberry pine shrub. Jenny will also discuss alcohol-free options so you can treat everyone in your life to a beautifully crafted drink. Click here to purchase tickets.

Garden Club opens online shop

The Lincoln Garden Club has opened an online garden shop to help support its mission. Inventory includes house plants and shrubs, metal plant stands, gardening books, and more, all donated by a former Lincoln neighbor. Click here for details. Because the club was unable to have our usual biennial perennial plant sale in May, they will be having one in 2021 (in person if circumstances allow) to celebrate spring.

Free library delivery for the homebound

The Lincoln Public Library offers weekly home delivery on Tuesdays for Lincoln residents who are unable to visit the library due to special needs, illness, or disability, thanks to a program offered by the Friends of the Lincoln Library. A Friends volunteer can deliver up to six items to a home at one time, including books, DVDs, CDs, magazines, and two-week new releases. To request materials, use the Minuteman online catalog or call the library (781-259-8465 x204) to request either specific items or general selections (for example, “please send me five mysteries by women authors”).

When the library calls or emails to indicate your items are available, let them know you would like to have them delivered. They will arrange a safe way to deliver your items based on your particular situation. The volunteer will also call on delivery day to make sure someone is home. Items to be returned will be picked up when deliveries are made. Questions? Contact the Reference Department at 781-259-8465 x204 or linref@minlib.net.

New transfer station/commuter lot stickers required

The Town of Lincoln is combining transfer station and commuter lot resident stickers into a single sticker affixed to car windshields. They will become effective on September 1 and are good for one year. To obtain a sticker, complete the application online by clicking here or go to the Department of Public Works on Lewis Street. The free stickers will be mailed upon receipt of the completed application. Any resident who does not have a new sticker by November 1, 2020 may be refused access to the transfer station or commuter lot.

Moderate-income condo for sale

A three-bedroom, 1,420-square-foot moderate-income condo unit in Battle Road Farm is now being offered to “ineligible” households, meaning those that do not meet the income and asset requirements for affordable housing. The purchase price is $321,200 and is being offered in a first-come, first-served basis, meaning that the first qualified applicant with a completed application will be eligible to purchase the unit. Click here for details, and contact Lara Plaskon at the Regional Housing Services Office with any questions or to submit an application:

Lara Plaskon, Regional Housing Services Office
37 Knox Trail
Acton, MA 01720
978-287-1092 or 978-639-3387
info@rhsohousing.org

 

 

My Turn: Many thanks for the awning

By Christine Brandt
St. Vincent de Paul Visitor Co-Chair

The members of the St. Vincent de Paul Lincoln/Weston Food Pantry wish to acknowledge the generous donation of a handsome awning by Lincoln resident Chris Knollmeyer. Chris not only provided the awning, but also took care of its installation.

Chris Knollmeyer and food pantry chair Karen Boyce under the new awning.

Due to the pandemic, all of our food distribution had to be moved outside because we were simply too small to accommodate social distancing within the confines of the pantry. Once the very hot weather arrived, and with the occasional summer rainstorm, we realized the need for some protection for clients and volunteers standing outside during distribution.

As he has done frequently since the pantry expansion, Chris stepped in to provide exactly what was needed. We are grateful to all of our benefactors, and during this heatwave, especially to Chris and his employees.

“My Turn” is a forum for Lincoln residents to offer their views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Lincoln youths turn to summertime service

It’s summer, and teens and kids have time on their hands — and several of them in Lincoln are using their time for nonprofit and charity projects.

Pushing against the tide of breast cancer

Zoe Borden (left) and Laura Diamond at a previous Against the Tide event.

Zoe Borden, a rising high school freshman, will be participating virtually in her third year of Against the Tide events on August 15 and September 19 by completing one-mile recreational swims to benefit the Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition (MBCC). She was encouraged to participate by her physical therapist, Laura Diamond, who co-founded Against the Tide 28 years ago.

Diamond has been working for years with Borden, who has nemaline myopathy, a rare condition that causes generalized muscle weakness, and the water has helped her immensely. “A couple of years ago, [Laura] mentioned that perhaps one day I could participate in the swim with her,” she said. “It was an amazing challenge for me and one that I felt strongly about when she brought it up. In the beginning of training, a mile felt so daunting, but she always made me feel like I could do it. Now, after a lot of hard work and effort, I’m swimming a mile every week.”

Borden also feels a personal connection to MBCC. “I’m swimming for my aunt who is a survivor of breast cancer and because I believe in MBCC’s mission. Their work is so important because they understand the environmental factors that cause cancer and put a focus on prevention, not just treating the disease after it becomes a problem.”

To donate to the MBCC in Borden’s name, click here.

Helping young voters navigate elections

Chris Harrison

Hamilton College sophomore Chris Harrison was increasingly frustrated by the political polarization in America and wished there was a way to make information about elections and voting easier for young people to access and understand. He wanted to empower those who, like himself, felt strongly about the fate of the nation but were turned off by traditional political coverage — which, he feels, tends to focus on drama and scandals rather than who would be the best person to lead.

With this goal in mind, Harrison taught himself how to code, designed a website, and enlisted two friends (fellow Lincolnite Cole Volpe and Miles Munkacy of Chestnut Hill) to gather material about candidates in the the upcoming presidential and Massachusetts elections and make the website a reality. Impact Change USA (www.impactchangeusa.com) has information in short, easy-to-understand segments on the candidates in the upcoming presidential and Massachusetts elections. For each candidate, the site gives an overall summary and then short summaries of their stances and actions on up to 11 relevant issues.  

“The energy and political involvement I’ve seen from a lot of my friends in the recent weeks and months inspired me to start this project,” Harrison said. “It made me realize the impact that our generation can have on the way our country is run. My hope for Impact Change is that it will help make political involvement — particularly voting — easier for other young people so that we can play a larger role in deciding our future.” The next step is to get other young people involved so they can fill in information on the other 49 states.

Flowers for food pantry

Kyla Roush with the produce she’s selling to benefit the town’s food pantry.

Katryn Roush and her five-year-old daughter Kyla Roush are selling fresh flowers, tomatoes, and herbs at the end of their driveway at 30 Old Sudbury Rd., with all proceeds going to the St. Vincent de Paul food pantry in Lincoln and Weston.

“I wanted to support Kyla’s need to feel helpful and connected to others,” Katryn Roush said. “We’ve bought groceries for the food pantry with her in the past, and she had a lot of questions about people needing food in our community.”

The sales idea was “a combination of wanting her to see how she could help out other families, and to have gratitude. Kyla also wants to see other people, which is rare in these days of Covid-19. She feels proud. We’ve already raised over $100 for the food pantry,” Roush said on August 11.

News acorns

L-S Mutual Aid Network webinar on Tuesday

The Lincoln-Sudbury Mutual Aid Network, which helps facilitate community connections between neighbors to provide and receive support, will host a webinar on Tuesday, July 28 from 6–7 p.m. On the call, participants will talk about some of the work that’s been done, get to know each other, and think towards the future. All those with suggestions or interest in getting involved are welcome. Click here to register to get the Zoom link.

Food truck picnic on Friday

The food truck picnic at the Pierce House has been rescheduled for Friday, July 31 from 4–8 p.m. On the menu will be food from Moyzilla (Asian food), the Bacon Truck, and the Shuck Truck (fresh local seafood). Please bring your own blanket. There will be sanitizing stations throughout the grounds, and all staff and guests are required to maintain social distancing and wear masks when not eating. A restroom inside the Pierce House will be available. Entry is free; click here to register. Upon arrival, a Pierce House staff member will check you in — just show your EventBrite invitation and you will be told where to park.

Drive-in movie: “Twister”

“Twister” will be shown in the Lincoln mall parking lot as a drive-in movie with car-side meal delivery from Real on Sunday, Aug. 2. Parking for dinner opens at 7:45 p.m. and the movie starts at 8:45 p.m. The cost is $25 per vehicle plus food. Pre-registration is required (click here), and dinner must be pre-ordered from Real by Thursday, July 30 (click here to order). Registration closes on August 2 at noon, or when capacity (35 cars) is reached. Sponsored by the Parks and Recreation Department and the Rural Land Foundation.

Voting information for upcoming primary

In response to recent legislation passed, the state has mailed a vote-by-mail application form to all registered voters. If you did not receive a vote-by-mail postcard application and would like one, please call the Town Clerk’s office at 781 259-2607. You can also call if you have already submitted a vote-by-mail application and would like to confirm they have it on file.

A completed vote-by-mail postcard can either be mailed or dropped in the front entrance mailbox at Town Hall. If you are an independent/unenrolled voter, please select the party ballot you would like to receive for the September 1 primary.

Early voting in person for the September 1 primary will be offered from Saturday, Aug. 22 to Friday, August 28 at Town Hall. Details will be posted on the town website when confirmed. The deadline to register to vote in the primary is August 22. Applications to vote by mail must be received by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 26.

COA now loaning medical equipment

The Lincoln Council on Aging has restarted its medical equipment loan program. The COA is are accepting returned equipment and loaning sanitized equipment by appointment only, Monday to Thursday from 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Please call the COA at 781-259-8811.

Items currently available to for loan include but are not limited to automated pill dispensers, canes, wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, shower benches, seats, and stools, bed rails, grabbers, grab bars, leg braces, shoe horns, rollators, CAPTCHA telephones, commodes, commode liners, hearing aid cleaners, and portable voice amplifiers.

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Educational grants available

The St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lincoln and Weston administers a grant from the Codman Trust to provide need-based scholarships to Lincoln residents. If you or somebody in your family is a student enrolled in any type of formal educational or skills training program and would like to apply, please send an email to svdplincolnweston@gmail.com indicating your interest, need, and type of program. Grants vary in size from under $100 to $2,000 and are offered on a rolling basis depending on the availability of funds.

Donate to challenge grant for domestic violence victims

Due to the pandemic, the Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable (DVR) had to cancel its annual Shower for Shelters fundraiser, and it’s not feasible to collect in-kind donations. Stay-at-home orders, closed schools and camps, and job losses present unique challenges and dangers for families struggling with domestic violence or trying to get free from an abusive relationship. DVR agency partners who deliver direct services say that the demand for services is at historic levels. This increased demand is expected to continue for some time and will exceed normal operating costs for these agencies.

The DVR has received a special donation from a generous donor that will allow it to offer a challenge grant., matching up to $2,500 in new contributions through Labor Day (Sept. 7, 2020). All money raised will be given to DVR agency partners to fund the most urgent needs of their clients during the pandemic. Donations may be made online via the DVR website www.domesticviolenceroundtable.org, or mail checks to:

Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable
P.O. Box 543
Sudbury, MA 01776

Mass Audubon earns top rating from Charity Navigator

For the seventh consecutive year, Lincoln-based Mass Audubon has earned a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, the nation’s largest and most consulted evaluator of charities, recognizing Mass Audubon’s consistent financial health and commitment to accountability. Charity Navigator has placed the state’s largest nature conservation organization within the top 10 percent of the thousands of charities it assesses. Only 7% of the evaluated charities have received at least seven consecutive four-star evaluations.

My Turn: The Food Project needs your help

By Peter von Mertens

The Food Project, which farms 31 acres of Lincoln conservation land, is hard-pressed during this Covid crisis to carry out their mission. Normally teams of volunteers from corporations, law firms, banks, schools, and other nonprofits would be planting and weeding the carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, and other crops. During the summer months, teams of high school youth would carry on that work as well as picking, washing, sorting, and helping distribute over 250,000 pounds of fresh, organic produce to inner-city hunger relief organizations and farmers’ markets. 

Not so this year. The 110 youth — some from cities and some from suburbs — cannot come together due to Covid, and the entire farm work has fallen on a core crew of eight farmers and some of the Food Project office staff. 

The Food Project is a powerful anti-racism program as it brings together youth from different racial and ethnic as well as socioeconomic backgrounds, and the youth and staff spend time discussing their biases, experiences and ways to understand and resolve conflicts. Of all the years to miss this kind of learning!

The Food Project has been hard hit financially this year. They were fortunate to have received a Payroll Protection Grant to help them keep key staff employed, but the future is very uncertain. Please consider making a donation at thefoodproject.org. It’s local. It provides high-quality produce to residents of Dorchester, Roxbury, and other areas in greater Boston. And it’s important to keep alive and well through this crisis.

”My Turn” is a forum for Lincoln residents to offer their views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

L-S Mutual Aid Network aims to help and connect communities

After only three months in existence, the Lincoln-Sudbury Mutual Aid Network has redistributed over $3,500 in donations, and more than 150 community members have reached out to support the group with money or time.

“Mutual aid is an effective way for communities to take collective responsibility in supporting each other when governmental systems are failing us,” said group member Leah Kanzer of Lincoln. “This type of support historically has existed within marginalized communities, but because of the pandemic, there is a greater widespread need, and this kind of network has been formalized all around the country.”

In addition to redistributing funds, the group coordinates grocery deliveries and connects community members virtually for tutoring and companionship for residents of Lincoln, Sudbury, and surrounding communities. They also act as a clearinghouse for resources for housing, workers’ funds in the state, unemployment, childcare, mental health, and education.

The L-S Mutual Aid Network consists of about eight organizers who are white college-aged students from Lincoln and Sudbury, but they want to expand to “fully reflect the community we aim to support,” Kanzer said. The hope is that more permanent residents of Lincoln and Sudbury join the team and sustain it after the Covid-19 crisis and when the current organizers have moved away.

“Coming together to work as a team and sharing resources lets the community speak up for itself with change at the forefront of everyone’s mind,” said group member Catherine Garrett of Sudbury. By pooling resources, “we’re able to form relationships outside of government intervention and trust one another. Making this statement that we can work as a neighborhood without the government is powerful and uplifting. My hope is that this network is able to provide the people of Lincoln and Sudbury a place to form relationships and create practical change through projects and community connection.” 

“The L-S Mutual Aid Network has been a huge learning experience for me,” Kanzer added. “Working outside of the nonprofit model gives us the freedom to experiment with how mutual aid should work in our unique towns.”

More information:

News acorns

Food truck picnic at Pierce House

The Pierce House is hosting a Lincoln picnic on Saturday, July 18 from 4–8 p.m. with several vendors (Moyzilla food truck with Asian food, the Bacon Truck, and the Shuck Truck with fresh local seafood) offering dinner for sale. Bring your own blanket and beverages. Patrons are encouraged to wear wear face masks and maintain social distance of six feet while in line and on blankets, and they may enter the Pierce House to order and purchase food. All staff and food service is in compliance with CDC guidelines.

Library book pickup hours expand

Starting on Monday, July 6, the Lincoln Library will expand its curbside pickup hours for reserved books. The new hours will be Mondays and Thursdays from 1–7 p.m., and Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Hours are subject to weather; any changes will be posted on the library’s website, which also has more information on the reservation and pickup process.

Covid-19 bereavement workshops, fundraising walk

Care Dimensions, which operates the hospice house in Lincoln, is hosting single-session virtual support groups and an eight-week-long support group for people who have had a family member die from the Covid-19 virus. The sessions are Tuesday, July 21 from 4–6 p.m. (RSVP by July 17) and Thursday, Aug. 20 from 3–5 p.m. (RSVP by August 14).

Led by a bereavement counselor, the eight-week group (for those whose loved one died at least three months prior to the first meeting) will be a safe space to process grief, learn coping techniques, and make connections with others who are on a similar grief journey. This group requires commitment from participants to attend all sessions, which will be on Wednesdays from September 9 to October 28 from 3–4:30 p.m. (RSVP by September 4).

All sessions will be held via Zoom. Although there is no charge for most support groups, donations are appreciated. For more information or to register, click here, call 855-744-5100, or email  grief@caredimensions.org.

Care Dimensions is revamping the format of its 33rd Annual Walk for Hospice to ensure the safety of walkers and the community. This year, individuals and teams are encouraged to walk when and where they feel comfortable by Sunday, Sept. 27. To learn more, register a team or individual, or make a donation, go to www.caredimensions.org/walk.

Care Dimensions staff care for hospice patients where they live and at two inpatient houses (one in Lincoln). They also run HomeMD, which provides in-home primary care to patients over age 65 in select communities on the North Shore and greater Boston who have difficulty leaving home. The Care Dimensions Learning Institute educates more than 7,000 healthcare professionals and community members each year on advanced illness and end-of-life topics.