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

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Discuss death at the Death Café on January 31

St. Anne’s in-the-Fields is hosting a Death Café on Sunday, Jan. 31 (rescheduled from October 2015) from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Death Café is an international movement started in Europe dedicated to taking death out of the closet and discussing it publicly. At a Death Café, people come together to eat cake, drink tea, and discuss death in a relaxed and non-threatening setting. The Café is where people share respectful, thought-provoking and life-affirming conversation. There are no agendas or objectives. It is not a bereavement or grief support group, nor is it a counseling session; it is simply conversation.

St. Anne’s held its first Death Cafe in 2014 (see the Lincoln Squirrel, Oct. 8, 2014). The Jan. 31 event is free, but space is limited and preregistration is required. Register online or call 781-259-8834.

HATS meeting on Jan. 28

HATS (Hanscom Area Town Selectmen) will meet on Thursday, Jan. 28 at 7:30 p.m. in the Town Office Building. Agenda items include a presentation by Minute Man National Historical Park Superintendent Nancy Nelson on the park’s upcoming centennial celebration, and updates on the Route 2 and Crosby’s Corner highway projects.

Lincoln Police to auction off bikes

bike auctionThe Lincoln Police Department will be holding a public auction of unclaimed bicycles on Thursday, Feb. 4 at 6 p.m. at their headquarters. Any bicycles not auctioned will be donated to a children’s charity.

 

Letter to the editor: Lincoln families give generously

presentsTo the editor:

Fifty Families was started in 1997 by a group of friends around a table at Lincoln’s Codman Harvest Feast with the intention of getting 50 Lincoln families to provide holiday cheer for those in need. It has blossomed into more than 150 families taking part and is a sight to behold—hundreds and hundreds of wrapped gifts in festive shopping bags delivered to families at the Bay Cove Small Wonders Early Intervention Center.

Bay Cove, founded by Lincoln resident Dan Boynton, has been providing compassionate care to some of Boston’s neediest families for more than 30 years. Many of the children come from families burdened with poverty, mental illness, and drug and alcohol addiction. The caseworkers working with the families provide names, ages and a suggested gift. In most cases these will be the only gifts the families will receive for the holidays.

Year after year Lincoln, parents tell me how this event is what the holidays are all about and how their children help in the process of choosing the right gifts for the children who are in need of some joy. This year, a 12-year-old Lincoln boy has taken the birthday money he was given and bought for a little boy named Mohamed. A cashier from Toys R Us in Natick heard about our program and has provided for two children this year.

In 2014 we donated 327 gift bags, 4,782 diapers, and over $2,000 in grocery and Target gift cards. Can we top 2014? I invite you to come by and see the magic we collect the bags on Monday, Dec. 14 between 3 and 6 p.m. at the First Parish stone church (14 Bedford Road). The later you come, the more magical it becomes when the room fills with the gift of giving. If you’d like to bring some diapers (sizes 3, 4 or 5) or a gift card to Target, Walmart, or Stop & Shop, we would be thrilled.

Sincerely,

Tucker Smith
6 Canaan Drive

News acorns

acornTwo sessions on what to do when a family member dies

The first days after a family member dies can be heart-breaking, but knowing what you need to do can help ease the stress. Residents of all ages are invited to come to Bemis Hall on Friday, Nov. 20 at 1 p.m. or the Town Office Building’s Donaldson Room at 7 p.m. to hear elder law attorney and Lincoln resident Sasha Golden and Town Clerk Susan Brooks give information and advice about what needs to be done and how to do it when someone passes away.  Find out what you need to do about notifying Social Security, pension providers and financial institutions; finding an attorney and taking care of probate, estate administration and taxes; the dos and don’ts of transferring money and assets; letting the town know and arranging for burial, and more. Bring your questions and concerns.

Give thanks for nature at Drumlin Farm

On the day after Thanksgiving, join Massachusetts artists at Drumlin Farm for “Giving Thanks for Nature and Our Senses,” a family outdoor art experience on Friday, Nov. 27 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Welcome back your senses on a nature walk with interactive artist demonstrations, and take a moment to share your own expression of thanks­—be it visual, musical, or simply an internal sense of gratitude. Cohosted by Mass Audubon and Musketaquid Arts & Environment. Highlights include:

  • The Grey Whisker Pickers
  • Wildlife sketching with Musketaquid artists
  • Natural sculpture by William Turville
  • Installations and demonstrations by Geoff Nelson, Yvette Monstad, Steve Cohen, and Reno Baci
  • Storytelling with Ron McAdow
  • Sudbury Seniors Center
LEAP to host musical fundraiser

The Lincoln Extended-day Activities Program (LEAP) will host an evening of a capella singing on Friday, Dec. 11 from 7-10 p.m. in Bemis Hall to benefit LEAP and the Recreation Department. Featured performers will include Redline Boston, Harvard University’s Voice Lab and more. There will also be a cash bar and silent auction. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door, and can be purchased at the LEAP or Recreation Department offices in the Hartwell pods.

Support families in shelter from domestic violence this holiday season

mangotreeOn Sunday, Dec. 6 from 1-5 p.m., Mango Tree Artisans at 410 Boston Post Road in Sudbury will host a special shopping event to benefit the Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable. Enjoy light refreshments while you shop, and mention the Roundtable to have a portion of your purchase donated to the organization.

Each year, the Roundtable sponsors a family from one of three local agencies for the holidays. Those agencies need help to provide happy holidays for families in shelter and to meet the ongoing needs of additional families who have been victims of domestic violence.

You’re also invited to sponsor a family by making a donation to one of these agencies. Sponsored families are anonymous, though the agency will share the number of family members and their ages. Match yourself with a smaller family to sponsor, or invite relatives, friends, and colleagues to join you in sponsoring a larger family. For those who can’t sponsor a family, gift cards for food, clothing and other necessities to stores such as Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, CVS, Target, and Stop & Shop are welcome. Wrapping paper, ribbon and tape are also needed.

To learn more about how you can help, contact:

Film and discussion on Sudan’s “Lost Boys” and other refugees

goodlieAll are invited to a benefit screening of a new movie about Sudan’s young refugees followed by a panel discussion on Saturday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. in Brooks Auditorium. The Good Lie (PG-13) starring Reese Witherspoon and many refugees of war) is a fictionalized composite story of “the Lost Boys”—the 20,000 boys and girls orphaned by the brutal civil war in Sudan that began in 1983. It follows a group of children who were displaced by the conflict, perilously escaped to refugee camps, and ultimately resettled in America. The film is especially timely in light of the current migrant crisis of refugees fleeing Syria, Afghanistan and other countries.

Following the film, there will be a panel discussion moderated by David Grace, who teaches “World Crises” at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School. Special guests include South Sudanese refugee and community leader Moses Ajou; L-S student and activist Eve Montie of Lincoln, who played a key role in organizing the event; and Isabell Fathy, a U.S. Fund for UNICEF Community Engagement Fellow.

A suggested minimum donation of $10 per person is requested. All proceeds will go to support refugee resettlement services through UNICEF and South Sudanese Enrichment for Families. Representatives of these organizations will join the discussion to share their perspectives on mass displacement of people, how their organizations are responding, and how people can help. For more information and to reserve seats for this fundraiser, email TheGoodLieLSRHS@montie.net. Reservations are recommended as this event has the potential to sell out.  

More Lincoln soccer uniforms going to African kids

Sandy Storer spotted a Lincoln Youth Soccer jersey (front row, third from left) on a recent visit to Uganda on behalf of FundaField. Photo: Sandy Storer.

Sandy Storer spotted a Lincoln Youth Soccer jersey (front row, third from left) on a recent visit to Uganda on behalf of FundaField. Photo: Sandy Storer.

More donated Lincoln Youth Soccer (LYS) uniforms will be appearing on young African athletes as another drive to collect used uniforms is underway.

LYS is collecting clean soccer uniforms and other equipment in a box near the registers at Donelan’s. “The soccer uniforms don’t have to be from Lincoln; uniforms from other towns or club teams are just as valuable to these kids,” said LYS Treasurer Ted Charrette. The group is also collecting extra cleats, balls, ball bags, nets, and other types of soccer equipment, as well as tax-deductible donations that will be used to buy more used uniforms from thrift stores.

This is not the first time that LYS uniforms will be finding their way to Africa. Several years ago, Lincoln resident Sandy Storer donated 24 jerseys collected by fellow Lincolnite Margit Griffith to a town in Uganda. Last summer, she was photographing a FundaField tournament in Kiboga, a remote village in northern Uganda, and was startled to see one of the players dressed in the familiar green shirt. 

In a separate effort about a year ago, Heather Broglio, another Lincoln resident, brought LYS uniforms to children in a hospital in Ethiopia.

FundaField is a nonprofit that works to enrich the lives of less fortunate kids in the developing world through sports, specifically building soccer fields and collecting gear. Storer initially got involved in because her son went to college with the people who started the organization.

Storer has gone to Uganda several times as a chaperon and photographer for FundaField and has also piloted a project to teach soccer players how to use donated digital cameras together with battery-powered printers to document the successes of the organization. In the future she plans to teach Ugandan women how to use the donated camera equipment to document their own lives.

News acorns

An image from last year's Scarecrow Classic. Photo: Angela Kearney

A view of last year’s Scarecrow Classic. Photo: Angela Kearney

All are invited to Scarecrow Classic

Please join us for the third annual Scarecrow Classic 5K road and trail race on Sunday, Oct. 18. Even if you don’t run or walk, join the after-race celebration with live music, cider donuts, hot soup, a fire pit and awards ceremony. There will also be raffle prizes.

Pre-register for the race at ScarecrowClassic5k.com at a discounted rate and get a long-sleeved tech race shirt. “Day-of” registration is from 8-9:15 a.m. and the race starts at 9:30 a.m. This 5K run/walk race to benefit the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust (LLCT) will start and finish at the Mall at Lincoln Station. Colorfully decorated scarecrows along the course will guide participants through their scenic journey. If you’re not up for the race but still want to help, please contact Anna Wilkins to volunteer. We have Saturday or Sunday morning jobs available.

The LLCT helps protect and manage more than 2,000 acres of land and nearly 80 miles of public trails In Lincoln as a regional recreational resource for the greater Boston area. The nonprofit local land trust is one of the oldest land trusts in the country and is recognized nationally for its conservation work.

Nature walk at Birches School

Come explore the woods with Birches students and teachers on a “Walk with Your Senses” nature walk on Saturday, Oct. 24. We will interact with nature through sight, sound, smell, touch—and maybe even taste. Meet at 10 a.m. at the Birches School Playground (next to the Stone Church). Learn more about activities at the school in the Birches blog.

L-S lacrosse fundraiser via Bertucci’s

It’s tough to deal with dinner when dealing with last-minute Halloween costumes. On Thursday, Oct. 29, eat at the Wayland Bertucci’s (14 Alyssa Ave., Wayland) between 11:30 a.m. and 9 p.m. and help raise funds for L-S girls’ lacrosse. Mention the team and 15% of what you spend will be donated to the program.

Talk on climate change on Oct. 29

Lincoln residents have a long history of environmental leadership and conservation. Today, concern about climate change has many of us asking questions such as:

  • What are fossil fuels and why should I care?
  • After last winter, why are we still thinking about global warming?
  • How does the new Mass Energy/Eversource renewable energy offering work and where does the energy come from?
  • Is this the right time to consider installing solar panels on my home?

Quentin Prideaux of the Climate Reality Project (CRP) will help answer these and other questions about climate change on Thursday, Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. in Bemis Hall at a talk sponsored by the Lincoln Garden Club. The CRP was formed in 2006 to catalyze a global solution to the climate crisis by making urgent action a necessity across every level of society. Come learn about what you can do at the local level to understand and address this global problem.

Fauré Requiem to be sung at St. Anne’s

On Sunday, Nov. 1, the Fauré Requiem will be sung as part of the 10:00 am service for All Saints’/All Souls’ Day at St. Anne’s in-the-Fields Episcopal Church. The St. Anne’s Choir will be joined by members of the Copley Singers and accompanied by organ, harp and violin. Other music appropriate to this sacred day will be anthems by John Rutter, John Goss and Geraint Lewis. Brian Jones, interim director of music at St. Anne’s, will conduct. All are welcome at St. Anne’s. For more information, visit www.stanneslincoln.org or call 781-259-8834.

October doings from the Council on Aging

bemisHere are the October activities hosted by the Lincoln Council on Aging.

Hot jazz for a cool fall afternoon
October 1 at 2:30 p.m.
Whether you like your jazz hot or cool, you’ll love the Trad Jazz Sextet free concert on Thursday, Oct. 1 at 2:30 p.m. at Bemis Hall. This roving band of jazz-lovin’ retirees will have you on your feet dancing one minute, then reminiscing to favorites that will bring back sweet memories the next. Nothing is better for lifting your mood than music, so treat yourself to an afternoon of fun, entertainment, and uplifting old-timey tunes.

Wellness clinics for all ages
October 2 at 10 a.m.
All Lincoln residents are invited to meet with a nurse at Lincoln Woods’ Community Building at 50 Wells Rd. on Friday, Oct. 2 from 10 a.m. to noon. These clinics are funded by the Ogden Codman Trust and provided by Emerson Hospital Home Care. [Read more…] about October doings from the Council on Aging

News acorns

firstparish-smSing in the First Parish Church choir

Experience the exhilaration and transformative effects of music by singing in the First Parish Church choir. Researchers have recently discovered that singing in a choir confers all sorts of positive physical and psychological effects, as well as being part of a community of soon-to-be friends. The choir is led by music director and organist Ian Watson, who is also the resident conductor, harpsichordist and organist with the Handel and Haydn Society. Ian also has created a successful concert series, Live in Lincoln Center, that often features First Parish choir members and is held at the First Parish several times a year.

The choir is open to all (you don’t need to become a member of First Parish) and is seeking all parts: soprano, alto, tenor and bass. No audition is required—you just need to have a love of music, be able to carry a tune, want to join a great group of people. Practices are on Thursdays from 7-9 p.m. and Sundays from 9-11 a.m. For more information, call the church at 781-259-8118.

Lincoln Cultural Council grant deadline coming up

The postmark deadline for organizations, schools and individuals to apply forLincoln Cultural Council (LCC) grants that support community-oriented arts, humanities and science projects is October 15. This year the LCC intends to award about $4,400 in grants to multiple recipients. Additional information is included in this press release.

The LCC is a part of, and funded by, the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Forms, local policy guidelines, application procedures, tips for applicants, and a list of frequently asked questions can be found at the Lincoln Cultural Council page on the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s official website. If you have questions, please send an email to the LCC. Completed grant applications and a signed copy of the local policy guidelines should be mailed to:

Lincoln Cultural Council
c/o Lincoln Town Offices
16 Lincoln Road
Lincoln, MA 01773

Get ready for Scarecrow Classic 5K road race

The third annual Lincoln Scarecrow Classic 5K road race will be on Sunday, Oct. 18. The race will start and finish at the Mall at Lincoln Station (145 Lincoln Road). Race day registration and packet pickup will begin at 8 a.m. and the race will begin at 9:30. Proceeds from the event will support the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust (LLCT), which helps manage over 2,000 acres of land and nearly 80 miles of public trails in town as a regional recreational resource for the greater Boston area.

The first 350 entrants will receive a free long-sleeve tech shirt, and there are prizes for the first three winners in each of seven age groups ranging from age 10 to 70+ (see race results from the past two years). There’s also a post-race celebration including plenty of food from local vendors. Register online for the Scarecrow 5K for $30 in advance or on the morning of the event for $35. If you’re interested in volunteering, please contact race director Geoff McGean at 781-259-9250 or McGean.RLF@lincolnconservation.org.

Also available: raffle tickets to benefit the LLCT with prizes donated by local businesses. To buy raffle tickets, ask an LLCT trustee or visit the LLCT offices at 145 Lincoln Rd., Suite 102A (above the Post Office at Lincoln Station). Call 781-259-9251 or email llct@lincolnconservation.org with questions.

St. Anne’s Church news notes

New Sunday evening service—St. Anne’s in-the-Fields Episcopal Church (147 Concord Road, Lincoln) will begin a new Sunday evening service at 5 p.m. on September 27. Everyone is invited to join this weekly worship service for a time of contemplation and communion before beginning the new week. Services will vary, with some featuring music and others grounded in silence and guided meditation. Others may have healing prayer, Holy Eucharist, or traditional Evensong with the parish choir or guest leaders from outside the parish.

animals

The Blessing of the Animals service at St. Anne’s.

Blessing of the animals—All creatures have a place at St. Anne’s on Sunday, Oct. 4 when humans and animals come together to celebrate the Feast of St. Francis, patron saint of all creatures. The church will celebrate Blessing of the Animals at both the 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. services. Live animals are welcome on leashes or in carriers; stuffed animals and photos are welcome, too.

Climate Justice Ministry book signing—St. Anne’s invites the public to the church’s Flint Hall on Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 7 p.m. when St. Anne’s and the Thoreau Society will be co-hosting a book signing and celebration for Wen Stephenson’s soon-to-be-published book, What We are Fighting for Now is Each Other: Dispatches from the Font Lines of Climate Justice.

All are welcome at St. Anne’s. For more information of any of these events, visit www.stanneslincoln.org or call 781-259-8834.