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Talk on education in the age of AI

Charles Fadel

“Educating Our Children in the Age of Artificial Intelligence” will be the subject of a talk on Sunday, Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. at the First Parish Church in Lincoln. The guest speaker is futurist, education expert, author and inventor Charles Fadel, who is convinced that “AI and biotech are about to redefine what it means to be human, and that the overarching goals of a modern education should be to nurture wise, versatile ‘Renaissance’ humans who have learned how to learn.” The Adult Education Committee at the First Parish is hosting this program, which is free and open to the public. Registration is encouraged to ensure seating. For more information, contact Mary Helen Lorenz at mhelen@rcn.com.

See movies on Amazon, dragonflies

Movie night at the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust will feature “Wild Amazon” on Monday, Feb. 11 and “Skyhunter: World of the Dragonfly” on Thursday, March 14 at 7:30. Both movies start at 7:30 p.m. in the LLCT office at the Lincoln mall and are free.

“Wild Amazon” (45 minutes) filmed by Nat Geo Wild reveals dense forest concealing a hidden world of unusual wildlife and extraordinary stories of adaptation and survival—but human impact on this natural world has already dramatically altered it. Dragonflies existed 90 million years before the first dinosaurs hatched and are still found all over the world. “Skyhunter” (50 minutes) follows these predatory monster-larvae as they hover over ponds and pools. Their dazzling metallic colors and unique ways of flying are captured in slow-motion photography, and their journey in time is documented using remarkably realistic CGI animation.

Artists talk and kids’ vacation activities at deCordova

The deCordova Museum and Sculpture Park offers “Art for February Vacation” on Wednesday–Friday, Feb. 20–22 from 1–3 p.m. (drop-in). Stack, balance, knot, knit, and string sculptures together, inspired by the range of work included in “Sheila Pepe: Hot Mess Formalism.” Designed for families with children ages 5–12, but all are welcome. Free with admission or membership.

Exhibiting artist Sheila Pepe will give an artist’s talk on Thursday, Feb. 28 from 6:30–7:30 p.m. From ancient Rome to feminism to her personal biography, Pepe weaves together many far reaching subjects through her expansive fiber art installations and multimedia works. Free admission; registration requested.

DCR seeks comments on Walden Pond renovations

The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation invites area residents to comment on alternatives for renovation of the Walden Pond State Reservation bathhouse and universally accessible connections between the Route 126 crosswalk, the bathhouse, and main beach. Click here to view a January 30 presentation. Comments may be submitted online through Friday, Feb. 15 or in writing to the Department of Conservation and Recreation, Office of Public Outreach, 251 Causeway St., 6th floor, Boston, MA 02114.

Domestic violence group offers volunteer training

The Domestic Violence Services Network, Inc. (DVSN) is holding its next Volunteer Advocate Training program at the Concord Police Department from March 12–30. This 40-hour training session is provided at no cost to attendees and is being held on evenings and Saturdays. Classes will be Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:30–9:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m–3 p.m. on March 12, 14, 16, 19, 21, 23, 26, 28, and 30.

Once trained, DVSN’s volunteer advocates provide direct service over the phone, at the Concord District Court, and at Emerson Hospital to people affected by domestic violence. The training is designed to familiarize the volunteers with the many aspects of domestic violence and give them the skills necessary to provide confidential and appropriate services to DVSN’s clients. Those interested should call 978-318-3421 or e-mail to dvvap@concordma.gov. Applications are due by March 4.

Domestic Violence Roundtable collecting Valentine’s Day donations

Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan joins Roundtable members in 2018 in filling Valentine’s Day bags for families in area domestic violence shelter programs.

Area residents are invited to donate items and help fill Valentine’s Day bags for those temporarily living in local domestic violence shelters and transitional housing programs on Tuesday, Feb. 12 at 3 p.m. in the Wayland Public Safety Building.

Each February, the Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable collects gift bag  items for women, children and men who are being assisted by REACH Beyond Domestic Violence, The Second Step, and Voices Against Violence. The bags were decorated by the children from the Sudbury Extended Day program. Small gestures like the gift bags let families know they are supported in their decision to leave an abusive situation and brighten their day.

Items needed for the bags include gift cards for CVS, Target, grocery stores, etc.; personal items such as full-size bath products, socks, cosmetics, nail polish, hair products, phone cards, journals, postage stamps etc.; and items for children such as crayons, coloring books, small stuffed animals, non-violent toys, and stickers, as well as bath and hair products, books, diaries, movie passes, iTunes cards and candy for older kids.

Anyone interested in contributing to the collection may contact the Roundtable at info@dvrt.org. There will be a collection basket in the lobby of the Wayland Public Safety Building (38 Cochituate Rd.) from February 5-12.

Packing their bags… for Open Table (Lincoln Through the Lens)

Members of the Lincoln Family Association and First Parish in Lincoln (FPL) purchased items and packed 100 “Kids’ Bags” for Open Table, which had a special distribution for those affected by the government shutdown (especially Hanscom Air Force Base families) on January 19. Two members of FPL’s youth group, Isabel DiMambro (left) and Emma Griffith, helped deliver the bags. Margit Griffith, who organized a community meeting to plan and publicize efforts to help, reports that the social worker at Open Table was delighted to receive the list of resources compiled by the Lincoln Shutdown Task Force that met last week, and he plans to keep copies available for Open Table clients.

Lincolnites pitching in to help victims of government shutdown

A government employee at the January 10 “Stop the Shutdown” rally in Washington, D.C. (Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons)

Many families in Lincoln are feeling the pinch of the ongoing government shutdown, but town-wide efforts are underway to try to help those who are being affected.

The efforts arose as a result of a rapidly organized community meeting on January 14. At the meeting were representatives of the Lincoln Public Schools, the Council on Aging (COA), the Lincoln Family Association (LFA), Minuteman National Historical Park (MMNHP), and the Lincoln Food Pantry, as well as several other individuals.

Among those affected during the shutdown are 73 Coast Guard families who are housed at Hanscom Air Force Base and all but a few of the 17 employees at MMNHP. (Those in the Air Force and other branches of the military are deemed essential government employees and have not been furloughed, but Coast Guard members, including those who work in Boston and live at Hanscom, are not being paid.) Many people who work for government contractors are also missing their paychecks.

The LFA has set up a government shutdown page on its website where people can find out how to help, or can reach out if they need help themselves. Among the needs that have been identified thus far:

  • Volunteers to stuff already-donated items into kids’ bags for Open Table on Friday, Jan. 18 at the First Parish in Lincoln’s parish house across from Bemis Hall. The bags include healthy food for younger guests of Open Table, which offers weekly community dinner programs and food pantries in Concord and Maynard. The organization will also have a special distribution day for families of unpaid government workers on Saturday, Jan. 19 at 33 Main St. in Maynard.
  • Personal care items including soaps (body, hand, dish, laundry), deodorant, shampoo/conditioner, razors and shaving cream, toothpaste, toilet paper, diapers (all sizes), and wipes. Drop off items in bins at the Lincoln Public Library, the COA, the First Parish, St. Anne’s Church, and the Smith and Brooks school buildings.
  • Donations of nonperishable food at the existing Lincoln food pantry bins in Donelan’s and at St. Joseph’s Church.
  • Cash donations to help families pay for field trips, sports and other activities. Families of some Hanscom Middle School eight-graders may be unable to afford the spring civics/history trip to Gettysburg, Washington, D.C., and Hersey Park, according to teacher Jay Peledge.“I don’t want our kids to be even more impacted than they already are by their military family lifestyle. They already need to move around frequently, learn to adapt to new environments, say goodbye to some friends and work to make new ones. I don’t want them to lose out even more because the sacrifices they already make just aren’t enough in the current political climate,” Peledge said.

Donors may send checks to the new Hanscom Families Support Fund or to the existing Legacy Fund, which serves the same purpose for children at the Lincoln School. Write the name of the fund on the check and mail to Lincoln Public Schools Business Office, 6 Ballfield Rd., Lincoln, MA 01773.

Adam Hodges-LeClaire (left), son of Ruth Hodges and John LeClaire of Trapelo Road, and Donald Hafner gather trash collected at Minute Man National Historical Park (click to enlarge).

Meanwhile, volunteers at MMNHP have already pitched in to collect trash. Last week at the park, a group of historical interpreters in full 18th-century costume (including Lincoln Minute Men Captain Donald Hafner and three other Minute Men) spent a morning collecting and removing about 100 pounds of rubbish from the Battle Road trail along the 1.5 miles from the Hanscom access road to the Brooks Tavern. A few days before, another group did the same along the mile of the Battle Road from the Paul Revere Capture site to the Minute Man Visitor Center.

“As you might imagine, we historical re-enactors are very devoted to passing along the heritage of our nation’s founding, and so for us, the Battle Road is hallowed ground, to be respected and preserved,” Hafner said. Those interested in helping out can email him at hafner@bc.edu.

There are also programs to help furloughed veterans, seniors, Coast Guard members, and others of any age experiencing financial hardship.  For more information on how to donate or to get help, see the government shutdown page on the LFA website or call the COA at 781-259-8811.

Lincoln Winter Carnival events planned, snow or shine

“Snowman Mailbox” built by Team Webber (11 Minebrook Rd.) for the 2015 Winter Carnival.

All weekend: Online snow sculpture contest
Build your snow sculpture, then snap a photo with you in it and send it to dsequeira@lincnet.org. Submit as many sculptures as you like! We will accept submissions until 5 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 2 and then post them online for voting. Winners will be chosen on Sunday, Feb. 3.

Thursday, January 31

Bauhaus: The Face of the 20th Century
7–9 p.m., Lincoln Public Library
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Bauhaus, FoMA and Historic New England offer this 50-minute film looking at the development of the Bauhaus, its work, its key figures, and footage of its founder and Lincoln resident Walter Gropius. The film examines the political unrest and economic chaos of the Weimar Republic in Germany and offers rare footage of the Bauhaus at Dessau. Enjoy refreshments and conversation after the film.

Friday, February 1

Evening at Gropius
5–7 p.m., Gropius House (68 Baker Bridge Rd.)
During this evening house tour, see how Walter Gropius’s innovative lighting scheme comes to life at night. Gropius, founder of the German design school the Bauhaus, was one of the most influential architects of the twentieth century. His 1938 home show cases the clean lines of Modernist design. Light refreshments provided. Call 781-259- 8098 for more info. Free to residents.

LPTO family bingo night
5:30–7:30 p.m., Brooks gym
Come celebrate Family Bingo Night with even more chances to win. Prizes awarded for each winning board. Awesome raffle prizes up for grabs. Pizza dinner starts at 5:30 p.m. with snacks and drinks available for purchase all night. Free entry. Bingo cards are $5 (15-game multi-pack); raffle tickets are $1 each, or six for $5 and 15 for $10 (suggested donation).

Saturday, Feb. 2

Community pancake breakfast
8–11 a.m., First Parish Church parish house
Start Off Winter Carnival Saturday with delicious pancakes with real maple syrup, courtesy of the Lincoln Girl Scouts. Plain, blueberry, choc chip, and gluten-free pancakes with pure maple syrup along with coffee, tea, orange juice, and fruit. Meet friends, catch up with neighbors, enjoy crafts and of course, Girl Scout cookies will be on sale. $5 for those under 12, $10 for everyone else ($30 family maximum).

Snowshoe tours
10:30 a.m.–noon and 1–2:30 p.m., deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum
Enjoy nature and art in winter. Discover a fun and active way to explore the Sculpture Park. Tours are led by a museum guide and an EMS instructor. Visit decordova.org/calendar to purchase tickets. Rent snowshoes or bring your own.

Fun and games at Magic Garden
11 a.m.–1 p.m. Magic Garden Preschool
Enjoy carnival games, arts and crafts activities and indoor “ice skating” in your socks. Magic Garden is located in the Hartwell building on the Lincoln School campus. Follow the walkway up the hill, past the toddler playground to our front door. We look forward to seeing you there. This event is best suited for children ages 2 to 5 years.

Lincoln holistic wellness fair
Noon–3 p.m., Bemis Hall
Wellness practitioners will provide a drop-in “clinic” to help address what ails you while providing information about alternative/complementary medicine. Receive care from practitioners of acupuncture, therapeutic massage, reflexology, holistic nutrition, yoga, ayurveda, integrative imagery, therapeutic touch, dowsing and more. Healthy teas and treats will be available. Contact Jai Kaur Annamaria at asanajai@verizon.net with questions.

Community skating  and bonfire
1–3 p.m., Cemetery Pond, Lexington Road
Enjoy skating, hot chocolate, and toasted marshmallows by the campfire. Bring your own skates. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, we will be hosting a Capture the Flag event instead, so stay tuned to www.LincolnRec.com for updates.

LFA Energy Blaster
3:15–5:15 p.m., Brooks gym
Jump in a bounce house, run through an obstacle course, climb, and slide. The gym will be filled with fun ways to let out some energy. Free for 2019 LFA members ($10 per child for non-members). A new 2019 LFA membership or renewal on the spot ($50/year) gives you admission, or renew online at www.lincfam.org.

Owl prowl at Farrington
4:30–6 p.m., Farrington Nature Linc (291 Cambridge Turnpike)
Join us for a free guided “owl prowl” for the whole family with ornithologist Clay Graham on Farrington’s unique 75-acre property. We’ll make an owl-themed craft, learn about types of owls local to our region and their calls, and take a short early-evening hike to look and listen for owls, followed by a story and hot chocolate by our wood stove. All ages welcome, but geared toward families with children ages 4+. Registration is limited to 30 people—click here to register online.

Lincoln acoustic coffeehouse
7–10 p.m., Bemis Hall
Our annual night to showcase local musicians and performers. We have over 14 acts—some returning, some new—ready to play for you, and there’s a good chance you know some of them. Coffee and desserts will be served. Tickets are available online at www.LincolnRec.com. General admission is $10 and a table for eight is $160.

Sunday, February 3

Discover Drumlin in winter
Drumlin Farm, 208 South Great Rd.
Visit our animals in their winter homes, look for wildlife tracks or other signs of animals in the snow, or check out our feeders at our wildlife blind. Drop-in programs take place at 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and 2:30 p.m. Free for Lincoln residents.

Make your own pinecone owl
10:30–noon, deCordova carriage house
Join Lincoln Nursery School in partnership with deCordova to craft your own pinecone owl. Bring your own pinecone or use one of ours. Appropriate for all ages.

Let the games begin
12:30–2 p.m., First Parish in Lincoln parish house
Join us after lunch for some old-fashioned unplugged, battery-free fun: Boggle, Jenga, marbles, Scrabble and, and cocoa and community. Prizes for all ages. Visit fplincoln.org for more info.

Hiking, wine tasting, and board games
1–3:30 p.m., Pierce House/Turtle Creek Winery
3:30–5:30 p.m., Pierce House
Gather at the Pierce House for a short hike through the woods to Turtle Creek Winery to partake in a wine tasting before returning to the Pierce House for hot cider, snacks, and board games (bring your favorite if you like). Come for one or both events. Wine tasting is limited to 15 persons, age 21+. $15 per person. Registration required at www.LincolnRec.com. Questions? Contact Nancy at nancy@piercehouse.com.

Hula La!
2–3 p.m., Lincoln Public Library
Chase away those winter blues at our tropical island dance party. In their fun, interactive musical show, the band Hula La will entertain the whole family with a blend of Hawaiian, calypso and reggae music that will take you to the islands.

New program aids Lincoln homeless and those at risk

Homelessness or near-homelessness here in Lincoln? It’s happening more and more often, so a new initiative will provide temporary housing and other help for families at risk.

The Staying at Home in Lincoln project will allow Lincoln residents who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless to stay in temporary emergency housing while social services staff from the town work to arrange permanent housing, as well as any services and benefits required to ensure that the resident will be successful in their new home. This temporary housing could include area hotels or motels, assisted living facilities, or other supportive housing.

The Commons in Lincoln will provide funding for the project, and the Council on Aging and The Commons will work together to craft the program model.

As a retirement community, The Commons has close ties with the COA and its programs, but the connection goes deeper. “We’re part of the Lincoln community, and the Staying at Home project will help us stay engaged with Lincoln and also help address a community need that goes to the heart of helping our neighbors,” said Reynaldo LeBlanc, campus executive director at The Commons. “The project is an opportunity to help residents in the community of all ages, and when [COA Director Carolyn Bottum] reached out to see if we were interested, it was a no-brainer.”

In the past, the COA and the St. Vincent de Paul Society have offered rental assistance to residents at risk of eviction because of inability to pay rent due to some extraordinary circumstance. However, the town organizations has recently seen an increase in residents who are homeless or close to it for other reasons including domestic violence and elder abuse, mental illness or physical disabilities, natural disaster, and legal issues. In the last five years, the COA has dealt with 10 situations of homelessness or near-homelessness in Lincoln (one each in 2014 and 2015, two in 2017 and six in 2018).

“We think that this is probably the tip of the iceberg — there are likely other residents who simply never asked for help and so we weren’t aware of their situations. Because we’re the COA and seniors may be more likely to come to us, there may be more younger people we’ve missed,” Bottum said.

Eight of the 10 cases are seniors, one is a single mother, and one is a family with two parents (both with school-age children). In both family cases, both parents are working but don’t make enough money to take care of emergencies that arise or keep up with rent while waiting for subsidized housing.

What’s become of those 10 cases since 2014? One passed away while waiting for subsidized housing’ three were able to find subsidized or other appropriate housing in Lincoln after waits of some months, five moved out of town, and one continues to be at risk of eviction until subsidized housing opens up.

Six-year-old thrilled to win Pierce House raffle

William Kaluzniacki sits proudly next to the Pierce House dollhouse he recently won in a raffle (click to enlarge).

William Kaluzniacki of Lincoln won the Pierce House dollhouse raffle, and he couldn’t be happier—fixing up dollhouses is his thing, even though he’s only six.

“This is perfect—he really loves carpentry, and he’s always creating small-scale furniture at home,” said his mother, Joanna Wills. Her son got interested in carpentry after his older brother took wood shop and made some furniture at Belmont Hill School, and he’s already working on a dollhouse project, His Lincoln School teacher, Siobhan Rooney, let him take her mother’s dollhouse home to make some minor repairs.

The Pierce House dollhouse was originally owned by Barbara Frentz Kurson, an interior designer and decorator who lived in Concord. She commissioned the Pierce House replica dollhouse and decorated it with furniture. After her death, her daughter, Robin Frentz Isaacs of Lincoln, donated it to the Pierce House. The proceeds from the raffle will help fund ongoing maintenance and repairs to the full-size version of the house, which was built in 1900.  

The dollhouse is in pretty good shape overall, and repairs will be a lot easier because it came with all the original documentation, paints and other materials. So far, William has replaced some of the tiny cedar shakes on the roof “and maybe a mullion or two,” and he even made a miniature table saw and ladder to sit outside the house to show it’s under construction. He might even install electric lighting inside, she said.

“It’s given him a little more of a creative outlet,” Wills said. “He looks forward to showing it to everyone who comes to the house.”

Girl Scouts spearhead successful donation program for seniors

Girl Scouts collect donations for Lincoln seniors from fellow students at the Lincoln School.

Thanks to a donation drive by the Lincoln Girl Scouts, 28 bags “full to the brim” with donated items will be distributed to needy seniors in Lincoln, said Council on Aging Director Carolyn Bottum.

The Scouts teamed up with the Lincoln Council on Aging to host a holiday gift basket drive during the weeks before Thanksgiving to benefit homebound, frail, and economically disadvantaged seniors living in Lincoln. The Scouts collected donations of toiletries, cleaning supplies, socks, and helpful household items that COA staff will deliver on home visits. Many other Lincoln residents donated items to the COA as well.

For two weeks, the girls stood in the foyer of the Lincoln School during arrival time to greet and solicit participation from their peers,. They also made morning announcements on the PA system to the school and even spent an afternoon outside Donelan’s getting the word out to local residents.

The hands-on, goal-oriented project taught Scouts marketing and social skills even as they learned about the importance of giving back—and they were impressed by the amount of donations they collected. During the “sorting party,” one girl exclaimed “We did this! Because of us, over 40 homes will get a beautiful gift basket with all this stuff!”

This was the second year that the COA has assembled gift bags but the first in which the Girl Scouts played a leading role. Girl Scout troop leader Tomasina Lucchese noted that the group is thankful to the entire community and especially the COA “for all the wonderful work they do all year round.”

Pierce House needs help with First Day 2019

Lincoln residents and their guests are invited to First Day 2019 on January 1, 2019 from 1–5 p.m. at the Pierce House—and organizers need help in making the annual event happen.

The drop-in event celebration, which is a great way to meet neighbors and fellow Lincolnites, features food, desserts, refreshments, children’s activities, and music by the Ancient Mariners. Last year’s event, initially threatened by a lack of funding, came together with the support of town organizations, private citizens, and volunteers; this year, more volunteers are needed for setup, serving, and cleanup. Though the actual event runs from 1–5 p.m., organizers need hands to help from 10 a.m–7 p.m. Please click this volunteer signup form to pick a task and time slot.

Financial contributions are also needed; if you can donate to the celebration, please contact Nancy Beach at nancy@piercehouse.com or 781-259-9757.

News acorns

Donate children’s clothing by Friday

The deadline to drop off donations of children’s gently used clothing at the Liepert home at 108 Trapelo Rd. in Lincoln (leave bags by garage door) for Cradles to Crayons has bene extended to Friday, Dec. 7. Sizes infant through adult small. Most-needed items include sweaters and sweatshirts, but children’s clothing/shoes for any season are welcome. For a full list of accepted items, visit Cradlestocrayons.org. Email sarahliepert@me.com with any questions.

Give L-S apparel for the holidays

For purchase of L-S apparel, the L-S store will have special evening hours on Thursday, Dec. 6 from 6–7:30 p.m. (regular store hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m.). You can also order online here—holiday orders must be placed by Wednesday, Dec. 12.

Puzzle swap at this week’s book sale

On Saturday, Dec. 8 from 9 a.m.–noon in Bemis Hall, the monthly Friends of the Lincoln Library will offer a jigsaw puzzle swap during its monthly book sale. People can take a puzzle when exchanging it for another complete puzzle (no missing pieces). As usual, there will also be plenty of children’s, young adult and adult books, DVDs, and CDs. All purchases at the book sale support Lincoln Public Library programs for children and adults.

Workshops, artist talk at deCordova

The deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum will host a holiday ornament clay sculpture workshop on Saturday, Dec. 8 from 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m., and a mosaic jewelry workshop on Tuesday, Dec. 11 from 6:30–9 p.m. Working with a variety of materials, you will make a pendant or pair of earrings that tells a story through color. No experience necessary for either session. Sign up here for the ornament workshop and sign up here for the mosaic jewelry workshop.

Also coming up: Larry Fink, whose photographs are on view at deCordova in Larry Fink: Primal Empathy, will discuss his approach to photography and his decades-long interest in empathy in an artists’ talk on Wednesday, Dec. 12 from 6:30–7:30 p.m. Free admission; registration requested.