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

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Socially distanced Fourth of July activities announced

Lincoln’s usual July 4 Firecracker Road Race and parade can’t go on as usual because of the pandemic, but the Parks and Recreation Department has planned some alternatives.

On Independence Day, get out on the town and exercise, and then post a comment and picture that represents your workout on Facebook using this link. Feel free to be creative. The Lincoln Squirrel hopes to publish some of the entries for readers who don’t do Facebook.

This is a free event, but participants re encouraged to donate to the Lincoln Emergency Assistance Fund, which provides small grants or loans to residents in extreme financial difficulty to enable them to stay safely in our community, or the Lincoln Small Necessities Project, which provides smaller amounts for basic needs like food, medication, and lodging that do not meet the guidelines of the fund program.

To make a donation, please send a check made out to “Lincoln Emergency Assistance Fund/Small Necessities Project, Town of Lincoln” to Lincoln Emergency Assistance Committee, c/o Town Offices, 16 Lincoln Rd., Lincoln, MA 01773. You may designate your donation to go to either the Emergency Assistance Fund or the Small Necessities Project, or to be divided between them.

The traditional parade will take the form of a “reverse parade” on July 4 starting at about 10:30 a.m., with the usual spectators becoming the motorized participants. Register your vehicle online at www.lincolnrec.com. Then decorate your vehicle and arrive at Ballfield Road by 10:15 a.m. ready to roll.

The route will be as follows: Ballfield Road to Lincoln Road to Old Sudbury Road to Route 117 to Tower Road to Lincoln Road to Sandy Pond Road to Cider Lane (The Commons), under Route 2 to Route 2A to Sunnyside Lane to Morningside Lane to Bedford Road to Lincoln Road to Ballfield Road.

  • Participants must stay inside their vehicles; they cannot be on trailers, truck beds, or roofs.
  • Participants cannot throw anything from their vehicle (candy, toys, handouts, etc.)
  • Only registered vehicles may join the parade
  • No golf carts, ATVs, horses, bicycles, etc.
  • Vehicle decorations must be less than 10 feet tall and must be securely affixed to the vehicle so as not to fall off while traveling at 15 m.p.h.

If you just want to watch, find a socially distant space along the parade route, decorate yourself and your space, and cheer back! Some of you live on the route, others can find plenty of space along roadside paths or public land. Enjoy a different and equally memorable way to get together.

As with the morning workout, this is a free event, but consider donating to the Lincoln Food Pantry at stjulia.org/svdp in place of an activity fee. They provide meal and financial assistance to many community members in need and have been a lifesaving service during this pandemic. Donations in any amount are very much appreciated.

Drumlin Farm open on weekends

Drumlin Farm is now open on weekends during the summer and plans to open its farm stand for public sales on Saturdays beginning on July 4. The farm will be closed to the public on weekdays during July and August while summer camp is in session.

As required under state Covid-19 guidelines, the farm is now using an online entry and parking reservation system. This means all visitors (including Audubon members and Lincoln residents) must reserve a visit time prior to arriving; you cannot reserve a spot in person. This will help limit the number of people at the sanctuary at any given time and ensure the safety of our visitors and staff. More details and the link for reservations can be found at massaudubon.org/reservations.

News acorns

Water use restrictions in effect; drought possible

Lincoln’s normal summer water use restrictions are now in effect, and restrictions may tighten if the state enters a drought, as now seems possible.

The usual May 1 to September 30 restrictions are required by the state Department of Environmental Protection because Lincoln annually exceeds the withdrawal permit and the daily per-person water use guideline of 65 gallons. Water Department Superintendent MaryBeth Wiser told the Water Commission this week that Massachusetts Drought Task Force is meeting this week to assess possible drought conditions and may vote to impose more stringent restrictions than those required by Lincoln’s official drought plan, which was developed after the 2017 drought. Wiser will report back to the commission on the results of that meeting on July 8.

Virtual bingo hosted by LLCT

Join the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust on Tuesday, June 30 at 7:30 p.m. for an evening of virtual bingo. We’ll be highlighting some of Lincoln’s bees and butterflies, but no naturalist knowledge is required to win.This is a free event, but registration is required; click here to register. Once you’re registered, you’ll receive the Zoom meeting link and a bingo card. There will also be prizes from local businesses and LLCT swag.

Grief groups for children and teens

Children and teens (rising first-graders to recent high school graduates) who have experienced the death of a significant person in their life are invited to join a virtual group hosted by Care Dimensions to connect with grieving peers and learn some coping tools to navigate this difficult time. Group will be held via Zoom starting on Tuesday, June 30 the following times:

  • 10 a.m. – Elementary school students
  • 11 a.m. – Middle school students
  • 12 p.m. – High school students

Advanced registration is required; rolling enrollment. For more information or to register, contact Kelia Bergin, children’s program coordinator, at KBergin@CareDimensions.org or 781-373-6570.

Library to offer curbside lending soon, but FOLL takes a hit

The Lincoln Public Library is now accepting returns in its book drop and plans to offer contactless curbside pickup of books reserved online by patrons once a tent to cover its handicapped parking area has arrived.  

The book drop accepts returns of items borrowed from any library in the Minuteman Library Network. Nothing is due until June 30, and the grace period has been extended from one day to four days to allow items to be quarantined. Patrons will still not be allowed in the library building for the time being. 

Meanwhile, the Friends of the Lincoln Library (FOLL) has taken a big hit since the advent of Covid-19, when Bemis Hall was closed to donations of used books and the monthly book sales were halted. But the FOLL is once again collecting used books and is now selling them online via Amazon.com.

Residents can drop used books in the bins at the Lincoln Mall and Tracey’s Service Station, where they’ll be collected by FOLL’s online book sales partner and kept in a warehouse for several days before any of their staff touches them (no books will be handled by Lincoln’s FOLL volunteers). Books that meet the threshold for profitable sale will be offered online for buyers searching for used book titles, and FOLL will receive a percentage of the profit from the sales to support the library’s needs. Books that don’t meet the threshold will be donated by FOLL’s  partner to organizations that need books, such as prison libraries and children’s book foundations.

Please do not leave books at Bemis Hall. To protect the health of the seniors who receive services from the Council on Aging in Bemis, any books left there will be discarded immediately. CDs, DVDs, or any item other than books cannot be accepted. Anyone who would like a receipt form for donations may email FOLL@lincolntown.org.

Supporters can also have Amazon.com donate 0.5% of the price of their eligible purchases to the FOLL. Go to smile.amazon.com and specify “Friends of the Lincoln Library Inc” as your charity of choice; the donation will be made automatically for all of your Amazon purchases thereafter. Click here for more information.

The FOLL funds all of the library’s special programs, projects, and special equipment. Given the age profile of its volunteers and the cramped quarters in the Bemis Hall basement where monthly book sales take place, they don’t expect to resume the sales until a vaccine for Covid-19 becomes available. Click here to donate directly to the FOLL.

My Turn: donate to South Sudanese affected by pandemic and racism

Editor’s note: for more background on the SSEF, see “South Sudanese organization offering programs in Lincoln” (September 19, 2017).

By Ellen Meyer Shorb

In this time of thinking about race and what each of us can do, I’d like to acknowledge a wonderful local organization, the South Sudanese Education for Families, and suggest you consider donating to them. What they need right now is money.

SSEF was started 20 years ago by Susan Winship of Lincoln to support the “lost boys” of South Sudan who escaped a civil war to come to Massachusetts. SSEF now supports their families. Many of you have helped over the years.

Due to the pandemic, almost all of these families have at least one person who is unemployed. Several have fallen ill and two have been hospitalized because of the virus. Consider a donation to the SSEF Pandemic Emergency Assistance Fund.

In addition, the Black Lives Matter protests have brought up painful thoughts of how racism has touched each of their lives. SSEF is addressing institutional racism by providing scholarships for preschool education. Many of these families are not able to send their kids to preschool because of cost. State assistance programs, such as preschool vouchers and Head Start, are overwhelmed with applicants. This year there are 31 South Sudanese children who want to go to preschool and SSEF hopes to provide up to 95% of their tuition. Contribute to the preschool program here.

For questions, text Susan Winship 781-424-8774. Thank you for your generosity.

Ellen Meyer Shorb
99 South Great Rd., Lincoln

”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.

Candlelight gathering for Black Lives Matter draws hundreds

A candlelight gathering organized on the fly by a Lincoln high school student drew hundreds of Lincolnites to Pierce Park on Friday evening for reflection and solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. It was one of hundreds of protests and vigils that have spontaneously taken place all over the country since the death of George Floyd at the hands of white Minneapolis police officers on May 25.

“It was an amazing experience, pulled together between Wednesday evening and Thursday noon when we were fortunate to meet with the town’s leadership and welcome their help,” said Diane Auger, whose daughter Emilie had the idea for the gathering. “We are so grateful to be living in Lincoln and hoping to effect change in this time, and we believe based on the tremendous turnout, so many others feel that as well.”

“Take your power, hold your ground, and speak out,” Emilie Auger exhorted the crowd.

Quoting author Toni Morrison, Selectman Jennifer Glass noted that “the function of freedom is to free someone else… We will not do nothing.”

Emilie’s sister Erika Auger also spoke, asking the audience to “be a better ally” by signing petitions, donating, supporting black-owned businesses and contacting legislators.

“It’s not the role of people of color to teach us about injustice and history,” she said. “Understand and recognize your white privilege, and normalize changing your mind when you get new information. Start the dialogue with your children, parents, grandparents and coworkers, and never stop educating yourself.”

The First Parish Church bell tolled at the start and end of an eight-minute period of silence as the mask-wearing crowd, many of them holding candles or lights, stood quietly or knelt. The only sound came from birds chirping and frogs rumbling in the twilight.

Click on images to see larger versions and captions:

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”139″ gal_title=”Candlelight gathering – June 2020″]

News acorns

Budget Q&A on Thursday, June 4

There will be an “Virtual Q&A” about the proposed FY 2021 budget on Thursday, June 4 at 7:30 p.m. in advance of the Annual Town Meeting on June 13. To keep the in-person Town Meeting as short and focused as possible, the Finance Committee hopes to address concerns and feedback in the virtual meeting, which will not include the full budget presentation (see below).

Please come with any questions or comments you have about the town budget. To join the Zoom meeting, click here (the password is “fincom”). The meeting will also be recorded and posted on the Town Meeting web page.

Background materials:

  • Video of the FinCom’s March 4 budget hearing, with a short preface outlining changes and updates due to the pandemic. It’s posted on YouTube for those who may want to use accelerated playback features to review material quickly.
  • Budget summary in the Board of Selectmen newsletter (see last page)
  • Town Meeting financial section and warrant plus cover memo concerning Covid-19
  • Town of Lincoln web page with presentations and documents for the 2020 Town Meeting
  • List of more public forum dates/times and links

Candlelight gathering on Friday evening

There will be a candlelight/cell phone light gathering on Friday, June 5 from 8–9 p.m. in Pierce Park. The event is being organized by a Lincoln high school student to show support for protestors demanding justice for George Floyd and all who are subject to racial profiling and discrimination. Participants are asked to bring their own cell phones/candles for light, as well as ear masks and practice social distancing.

Scout hopes to build picnic tables for Codman

Lucas Anthony

As part of his Eagle Scout project, Lucas Anthony, a junior at L-S and a Life Scout in Concord’s Boy Scout Troop 132, plans to build 10 picnic tables to replace and supplement those at Codman Community Farms, which are in poor condition. The picnic tables will allow Codman to better accommodate guests with seating when they hold their annual events.

He’s raising money via GoFundMe to buy the tools and materials (he’s raised $700 of the needed $1,500 so far) and will assemble them in his driveway by the fall. “Any donation you can make, big or small, helps greatly and improves Codman Farm’s ability to better serve our community,” he said. Click here to donate.

Kids’ workshop workshop offered by deCordova

The deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum is offering “Trees Mend Us” for kids in grades 6-8 with Hive instructor Tracie Dunn (and Maura Clarke) on Mondays and Wednesdays, June 1 and 3 and June 8 and 10 from 2:30-4 p.m. For more information and registration, click on the link or email Donna at dberube@thetrustees.org.

Covid-safe energy assessments available

HomeWorks Energy is now conducting home energy assessments in a way that will keep employees and homeowners safe. Once a homeowner signs up for an assessment, they are asked to take specific photos of their home and schedule a time to talk to an energy specialist about insulation and other energy saving measures. Afterward, the homeowner receives the no-cost LED light bulbs they requested, shipped free of charge.

Residents who sign up for a virtual home energy assessment by July 31 will receive 100% off the cost of insulating their homes. The insulation will be installed after the state stay-at-home orders are lifted. To sign up, go to LincolnEnergyChallenge.org.

HomeWorks Energy has partnered with the Lincoln Green Energy Committee since 2016 on the MassSave energy efficiency program, which helps homeowners reduce their use of fossil fuels and save money. Since 2016, more than 300 Lincoln homes have had assessments. On average, a home energy assessment saves residents about 28% on utility bills. 

Photographer and fellow Lincolnites click to help the needy

Corey Nimmer

If you want to help a worthy cause and get a nice photo of your family, you have about five minutes to say “cheese.”

As the pandemic worsened, Lincoln photographer Corey Nimmer, like many others, lost much of his business as the lockdown made it impossible for him to go to people’s homes and take portraits. He also felt helpless until he remembered that “in challenging times, the best thing is always to turn my attention to other people and see what I can do to help.” Thus was born Lincoln’s version of the Front Steps Project.

Like the project from which it sprang, the effort involves a quick five-minute visit to families who sign up. From about 20 feet away, Nimmer takes a family portrait outdoors on the front steps or somewhere else near the home. He then sends the family a digital photo. In return, they make a donation ($50 is suggested but any amount is accepted) to the St. Vincent de Paul Society (SVdP), which operates a food pantry for residents of Lincoln and Weston and also offers financial assistance.

Nimmer had seen the plea on LincolnTalk for food and monetary donations to the food pantry, which has experienced a sharp increase in the number of families who need help during the pandemic — it’s now serving 250 clients, up from 198 in February, even as supplies from the Greater Boston Food Bank have declined. He reached out to SVdP’s Ursula Nowak and Sarah Bishop, who were thrilled to have another source of help.

“Corey has been an absolute pleasure to work with, bringing so much joy to so many families and so much assistance to so many of our neighbors in need. It’s because of people like him that we at SVdP can do the work we do,” Nowak said.

He hopes to keep the project going until he’s photographed 100 families. As of May 26 (his single biggest day, bringing in $1,125 from just six households), his work has raised a total of $5,200.

Nimmer, who also goes by Corey Flint (he married into the venerable Flint family and lives on the Lexington Road homestead), grew up in Hyde Park and moved to Lincoln three years ago. “I’d never even had a garden before that, but I’ve really fallen in love with farming and growing food,” he said. His Front Steps web page has details on how to schedule a photo session and a gallery of project portraits as well as links to his photography business and other projects. “I’m not really thinking too much about any future business at this point,” he said. “On a personal level, this has been really helpful in terms of feeling useful, and it’s just been great to get out and meet a lot of people in the community I might not have otherwise.”

News acorns

Bella Wong of L-S agrees to contract extension

The Lincoln-Sudbury Regional School Committee has announced that it has finalized a three-year contract extension with Superintendent/Principal Bella Wong. “We appreciate Ms. Wong’s work and dedication over the past seven years and are thankful to have her experience and leadership as we navigate the challenges caused by the pandemic. We look forward to working together as we confront the current crisis while continuing to move the District forward,” the panel said in a statement.

The School Committee also announced the hiring of Kirsteen Patterson as the Director of Finance and Operations for a three-year term beginning in July. Patterson brings many years of experience in public school finance, serving most recently as the Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Administration for the Medford Public Schools.

Watch town’s Memorial Day observance online

Lincoln’s traditional Memorial Day event has been cancelled. But the veterans of Lincoln and the Parks and Recreation Department have organized a brief and respectful ceremony at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 25 and everyone is invited to watch on Facebook Live by clicking here.

LLCT hosts Wildlife Bingo

The Lincoln Land Conservation Trust is hosting virtual Wildlife Bingo on Wednesday, May 27 for wildlife bingo. You’ll see some of the same birds as the previous Bird Bingo, along with lots of other fun reptiles, amphibians, and mammals of New England. Prizes will include gift cards to local businesses and LLCT swag. Once you’ve registered, you’ll receive a zoom link, and we’ll email you further instructions and your bingo card. You’ll be able to access your bingo card from a browser, or you can download and print the card.

The event is limited to 20 households, each of which will receive one set of bingo cards. If you register and find yourself unable to attend, please update your RSVP on Eventbrite so we can offer that spot to someone else. Click here to register.

How to talk to teens about relationships

Join the Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable (DVR) and their partners at REACH Beyond Domestic Violence for a webinar entitled “How to Talk to Teens About Relationships” on Wednesday, May 27 from 9:30–10:30 a.m. This training is designed for parents, educators, clergy, and community members who interact with teens. The one-hour workshop will explore adult and teen perceptions of teen dating violence, discuss messages and barriers that uniquely impact youth relationships, and provide strategies to address these barriers when talking with teens. Registration is required and can be completed by clicking here or on the REACH website. Email Youth Education Specialist Molly Pistrang at molly@reachma.org with any questions.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the DVR is continuing its activities and programming. At the outset of the pandemic, the Roundtable donated $20,000 to five domestic violence agencies for emergency services. If you would like to help, please visit the DVR website for further information.

Drumlin Farm program provides fresh food for the needy

The Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary is helping to provide fresh vegetables and eggs to Cambridge families in need. Each week, Drumlin delivers some of its sustainably grown produce to Cambridge, where Food for Free of Cambridge distributes it to those facing food insecurity, a situation made more dire because of the coronavirus.

Drumlin Farm has also been providing healthy produce to the Cambridge Public School system cafeterias for school lunches since 2017. With school districts shut down statewide and most of its client restaurants also on pause, the sanctuary was determined to keep growing food and ensuring that underserved communities would be a priority — hence the Drumlin Farm Food Donation Project. 

Sanctuary Director Renata Pomponi said this collaboration also offers a great opportunity in a time of stress and uncertainty for businesses and individuals to contribute meaningfully to the moral principle that people should have enough to eat. “It’s inspiring to work with Food For Free and other local hunger relief partners on such a worthy project, especially in this time of COVID-19, and generous donors are already stepping up,” she said. To support these efforts and learn more, visit the Drumlin Farm Food Donation Project website.

High school seniors recognized

The Board of Selectmen, on behalf of the Town of Lincoln, has officially proclaimed Sunday, June 7 as “Class of 2020 Day” in Lincoln to encourage everyone to support opportunities for graduating seniors, recognize their contributions and achievements.

Help for those with financial difficulties due to Covid-19

Many people in the Lincoln community are experiencing financial distress due to the Covid-19 crisis. The Council on Aging’s Emergency Assistance Fund and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Financial Assistance Program and Food Pantry are working together to help. Please contact the Council on Aging (bottumc@lincolntown.org or 781-259-8811) or the Society of  St. Vincent de Paul at St. Julia Parish (781-899-2611 or svdplincolnweston@gmail.com) if you are a Lincoln resident and:

  • Will not be able to pay your rent or utility bills once the State of Emergency is lifted
  • Cannot afford food, medication, health insurance, or other essential health-related costs
  • Are going into credit card debt to pay essential bills
  • Have other financial challenges that threaten your ability to live safely in our community

You may contact either organization for a private and confidential consultation to determine what services and benefits you may be eligible for, including possibly payment of some bills.

Both organizations are funded entirely by grants and donations. To make a donation to the Council on Aging Emergency Assistance Fund, please send a check payable to the Town of Lincoln with a memo line of “Emergency Assistance Fund” and addressed to COA c/o Town Offices, 16 Lincoln Rd., Lincoln, MA 01773. To make a donation to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, please send a check to St. Vincent de Paul, PO Box 324, Lincoln, MA 01773.

News acorns

DeCordova set to reopen this week

The deCordova Sculpture Park (though not the indoor museum) expects to open on Tuesday, May 19, but visitors must reserve a parking permit for a specific time slot in advance, even if they arrive on foot or by bike.

The Trustees of Reservations is opening two other properties (Naumkeag and World’s End) using the same system. Fruitlands and Crane Beach will offer parking passes for the day, also available online only. Parking for Trustees members is free or discounted for all five sites.

For Lincoln residents visiting deCordova, there is a special ticket type that allows for continued free access. During the checkout process, you’ll be asked to enter your Lincoln street address to verify residence. Other things to know:

  • The Trustees are limiting capacity to 50% at its parking lots at these sites.
  • Any visitors who do not have proof of a parking pass will not be allowed to enter. No transactions will occur at the sites.
  • In keeping with the governor’s recent order, all visitors over age 2 will be required to wear a face covering at all our properties.
  • The Café at deCordova will remain closed. Guests are welcome to bring their own food and drink for consumption on site, but alcoholic beverages are not allowed.

Click below for:

First Parish teams up with Lincoln MCC

In partnership with the First Parish Church, the Lincoln METCO Coordinating Committee is accepting financial donations to support the families of the Lincoln Schools’ Boston-based families with unforeseen financial needs. Donations to the Lincoln MCC before September 1 will be administered by school administration and the Lincoln METCO director to support individual Boston families with critical financial requests. You can make donations via PayPal, or send a check made checks payable to: Lincoln MCC, P.O. BOX 393, Lincoln, MA 01773.

Friday book group meets on May 22

The Lincoln Public Library’s Friday Morning Book Group will meet via Zoom on Friday, May 22 at  9:30 a.m. to discuss The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan. If you have never attended this group on Zoom before and you’d like to join the session please email lincoln@minlib.net and we will invite you to the meeting. Copies of the book will be available for download in eBook or audiobook formats. Go to www.hoopladigital.com or email lincoln@minlib.net for assistance.

Letter to the editor: heartfelt thanks to the Boy Scouts

A carload of food donations orchestrated by the Lincoln Boy Scouts.


To the editor:
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) would like to thank Lincoln Boy Scout Troop 127 for organizing a very successful food drive last week.  The Scouts delivered letters attached to grocery bags to Lincoln homes, outlining the needs of the Lincoln Food Pantry with a date and time for donation pickup. About a week later, the Scouts cruised these neighborhoods, acquiring 73 bags of food donations!
A terrific part of this particular food drive was that former Lincoln Boy Scouts who are currently living at home from college dusted off their badges to come together and participate in this service activity. I heard them say “Once a Scout, always a Scout.”
Coincidentally, our next food drive will be hosted by the Weston Boy Scouts. This is a wonderful display of “neighbors helping neighbors.” SVdP relies heavily on the generosity of our communities to do our work and the outpouring of support has been absolutely wonderful.  Thank you! And many thanks to Donelan’s Supermarket for donating the shopping bags for this project. 
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul of St Julia Parish works with people in need who live, work, or go to school in Lincoln or Weston. We are currently serving more than 230 people twice a month at the Lincoln Food Pantry located behind St Joseph’s Church. SVdP also offers emergency financial assistance to help with bills, rent, etc. 
Sincerely,
Tomasina Lucchese
Vice President of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, St. Joseph Conference

If you or somebody you know is in need of food or emergency financial help, please reach out at 781-899-2611 ext. 4 or svdplincolnweston@gmail.com. This is a challenging time for many, and although it can be difficult to ask for help, we are here to support. Everything is kept completely confidential.