Dozens of Lincolnites gathered on September 20 at the commuter train station before heading into Boston for the Climate Strike. There were individuals and members of groups including the First Parish in Lincoln, St. Anne’s-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church, Mothers Out Front, Indivisible, the Lincoln Meditation Group, the Lincoln Democratic Town Committee, and 350MA. Boston.com has a collection of some of the best signs. (Photos by Joan Kimball)
Join Sept. 20 climate strike via 9:09 Lincoln trainOn Friday, Sept. 20, many members of the Lincoln community plan to attend the Boston Youth Climate Strike at Boston City Hall and will board the 9:09 am train at Lincoln Station (see this letter to the editor). Around the country and around the globe, young people and their adult allies will be leaving school and work to raise their voices to protect the Earth’s climate from further damage by fossil fuel emissions. St. Anne’s in-the-Fields Episcopal Church invites anyone who is planning to take the 9:09 train to join us for a brief Liturgy for the Climate at Lincoln Station beginning at 8:45 a.m. as clergy and congregants offer prayers of blessing for the Earth and acknowledge the climate emergency threatening the future of humanity. See Massachusetts Mothers Out Front for more information on the Boston Youth Climate Strike.
The Water Commission is seeking interested volunteers. The commission ensures that the town’s drinking water meets all applicable federal, state and local laws and standards, as well as ensuring that the system revenue covers system operations, debt service, and reserves. The deadline for submittals is Friday, Oct. 4. Send letters of interest to Peggy Elder, Administrative Assistant in the Selectmen’s Office, elderp@lincolntown.org. For information or an application, call the Selectmen’s Office at 781-259-2601.
Mass Audubon’s Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary has receive a $20,000 grant from the Middlesex Savings Charitable Foundation to support its full suite of Leaders in Environmental Access for All (LEAF) programs for children up to age 18. Programs include specialized field trips and guided programs, vocational internships, staff training, and adaptive curriculum and equipment for special-needs students participating in Drumlin Farm programs.
“Funding will allow us to continue our robust vocational internships opportunities, grow our adapted curriculum based environmental education programing, and implement a variety of staff trainings on disability and inclusivity,” said Drumlin Farm Education Manager Jennifer Feller.
The Lincoln Historical Society presents Barbara Berenson, author of Massachusetts in the Woman Suffrage Movement: Revolutionary Reformers, on Sunday, Oct. 6 at 1:30 p.m. in Bemis Hall. Massachusetts was at the center of the national struggle for women’s suffrage; in a 1915 referendum, the men of Massachusetts voted two-to-one against woman suffrage. Nonetheless, in a remarkable reversal, Massachusetts ratified the 19th Amendment within three weeks after it was approved by Congress. Berenson is also author of Boston in the Civil War and is senior attorney at the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.
Come on Saturday, Sept. 28 from 10–11 a.m. to St. Julia Church (374 Boston Post Rd, Weston) for a walk to raise awareness for people in need in Lincoln and Weston, and to benefit the work of our local Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) conference and the food pantry. Suggested donation $10 per person or $25 per family. This will be an easy walk along the new rail trail with an ice cream social at 11a.m. at St. Julia Church. SVdP provides emergency financial help to residents of Lincoln and Weston and operates a food pantry at St. Joseph Church in Lincoln that serves clients from both towns.
To the editor:
I urge Lincolnites concerned about climate change to join the Global Climate Strike in Boston on Friday, Sept. 20, and to join in activities planned for the “Week of Action” to follow.
Responding to Greta Thunberg’s call for an uprising to raise awareness about the climate crisis, young people have organized a large climate strike event in Boston. This is part of a national and international campaign to demand faster action from our governments and industries on climate change. The more people who show up, the stronger the message!
The schedule for the day includes:
Many Lincolnites will take the 9:09 a.m. train into Boston. If you arrive at the Lincoln platform by 8:45 a.m., you will be in time for a blessing by the new rector of St/ Anne’s Church. Possible return trains include the 3:30 from North Station.
As Bill McKibben recently wrote in The Guardian, September 20 “is shaping up to be the biggest day of climate action in the planet’s history… But it will only be a success on the scale we need if lots of people who aren’t the regular suspects join in. Many people, of course, can’t do without a day’s pay, or work for bosses who would fire them if they missed work. So it really matters that those of us with the freedom to rally do so.”
If you can’t make it to Boston on Friday, similar local events are planned in:
But wait, there’s more! The Week of Action following Sept. 20 includes the following opportunities for you:
Sincerely,
Paul Shorb
99 South Great Rd., Lincoln
A September 16 News Acorn item misstated the organization whose website hosts Gwyn Lou’s wildlife column. It is the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust, not the Lincoln Conservation Commission. The original post has been corrected.
Lincoln children are invited to bring discarded plastics they’ve collected from their homes the previous week to an educational recycling event at the transfer station on Wednesday, Sept. 18 from 2–3:30 p.m. The event is being organized by Kim Jalet, chair of community service events for the Lincoln Family Association, along with Laura Berland and Susan Donaldson.
There will be a short presentation about trash and recycling in Lincoln, and the kids will determine which plastic items will go into the trash and which plastic items can be recycled. Jalet will then help them make reusable bags out of old pillow cases and read stories about being good stewards of the environment while Berland facilitates a discussion about ways to reduce plastic waste. The event is open to anyone with kids in Lincoln, but advance signup is required; click here to register.
Donations of old pillowcases are needed (they can’t have any holes, but can otherwise be well worn). Jalet can pick them up; email her at jaletkl@gmail.com.
Lincoln residents will soon be able to bring their food waste and other compostable items to the transfer station under a new service provided by the Department of Public Works.
The DPW and Mothers Out Front – Lincoln, which has been working with town officials to get the composting program underway, are also asking residents to answer an anonymous online survey about their current recycling and composting habits. Organizers are trying to learn about effective ways to reduce the amount of waste sent to the incinerator and move the town toward “zero waste.” Click here to take the survey.
Once the program starts, residents can collect their compostable materials in biodegradable compost bags or paper bags and drop them in one of three 64-gallon closed and lined compost barrels at the transfer station (loose items will not be accepted). The DPW will offer buckets and compost bags to residents for a modest fee. There will be education tables at Donelan’s and the transfer station in coming weeks with more information.
The compost material will be picked up each week by Black Earth Compost at a cost of about $2,000 per year — but diverting compostable materials from the trash will actually save the town about $15,000 to $20,000 annually. The general industry standard is that compostable material (primarily food waste) accounts for 25% of the waste stream, according to DPW Superintendent Chris Bibbo. Lincoln currently pays $69.54 per ton to have trash hauled from the transfer station to the Wheelabrator trash-to-energy incinerator in North Andover.
Residents also have the option to sign up for curbside compost pick up with Black Earth Compost for $3.80 a week (plus purchase of an animal-proof 13-gallon bin for $24). The service will run in Lincoln if at least 30 households sign up, and customers get compost delivered to them several months later. Click here for details and to preregister.
For those with outdoor space, the DPW sells home composting bins at its Lewis Street headquarters for $60 apiece.
Lincoln joins other cities and town in Massachusetts (including the city of Boston) that are starting or expanding their composting programs to reduce their municipal waste and carbon footprint.
This fall, Mothers Out Front and other Lincoln-based groups are sponsoring a community read of a book that will help us grapple with the question of how to combat climate change. Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming, compiled and edited by Paul Hawken, outlines in detail the strategies at our disposal to fight climate change, from the individual level to the international.
Event co-sponsors (First Parish Lincoln, St. Anne’s in-the-Fields Climate Justice Ministry, and the Lincoln Democratic Town Committee) invite residents to read or peruse the book and then gather in October as a community for an event to be announced. The Lincoln Public Library has copies of the book; click here to see a TED Talk about book and plan.
The 37th annual Codman Estate Fine Arts and Crafts Festival will be on Saturday, Sept. 7 from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. at the Codman Estate (34 Codman Rd.) At the event, which features the work of more than 100 local artisans, shop for New England-made painting, woodworking, food products, jewelry, photography, glass, clothing, metalwork, and more. There will also be live entertainment, a food court, and first-floor tours of the Codman House Museum. Free to Historic New England members and children under 12, $5 for nonmembers. For more information, call 617-994-5914.
Come to the “Welcome to Lincoln” Fireside Chat on Friday, Sept. 13 from 10–11:30 a.m. in Bemis Hall. Are you a newcomer to Lincoln? Are you curious about Lincoln’s Town Meeting, LincolnTalk, the Lincoln Squirrel, extensive hiking trails, the active volunteer scene and much more? Come join Town Moderator Sarah Cannon Holden, Fireside Chat founder Sharon Antia, and Barbara Slayter, member of the Lincoln Scholarship Committee and others to get acquainted with the opportunities, specialties, and idiosyncrasies of this town you now call home.
A Fall Ball to raise funds for South Sudanese Enrichment for Families (SSEF) will be held on Saturday, Sept. 7 in Bemis Hall. The event includes a potluck dinner of American and Sudanese food and dancing. At the First Parish Church, kids can make art and bird houses, watch movies, and visit wildlife stations presented by Drumlin Farm.
The event will benefit the SSEF’s preschool and and Saturday Bridges programs, as well as scholarships for summer camp. This year, SSEF granted $25,000 in preschool scholarships and almost $14,000 in camp scholarships, enabling 30 kids to go to Camp Calumet and Camp Merrowvista in New Hampshire. The Saturday Bridges program at the Hartwell pods offers care for infants and preschoolers, trips to Drumlin Farm for school-age kids, and classes for parents on parenting skills, understanding the school system, financial literacy and job-hunting.
The Fall Ball starts at 6:30 p.m. but most Sudanese will not arrive until 8 p.m. No admission fee, but there will South Sudanese-style fundraising where people will be asked to put money into a hat while the group dances (most families will contribute between $50 and $200). Questions? Call Susan Winship 781-424-8774 or Laper Kom at 978-332-6881.
Companies of all sizes will have to address the implications of aging baby boomers retiring from the work force. Hear Lincoln resident Tom Casey on Monday, Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. in the Lincoln Public Library speak on his recently published book Executive Transitions 2: Leveraging Experience for Future Success! Casey, the author of seven books, is the founder and managing principal of Discussion Partner Collaborative, a global executive advisory film. He is a graduate of the Yale School of Management Executive Management Program as well as a licensed clinical social worker. Free and open to all.
The Lincoln Library Film Society presents “Tom of Finland” (2017, Finnish with English subtitles) on Thursday, Sept. 5 at 6 p.m. in the library’s Tarbell Room. Award-winning filmmaker Dome Karukoski shows the life and work of artist Touko Valio Laaksonen (a.k.a. Tom of Finland), one of the most influential and celebrated figures of 20th-century gay culture.
Enjoy “Art and Ales” at the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum on Thursday, Sept. 12 from 5–8 p.m. Seasonal craft beers from Somerville’s Aeronaut Brewing Co. will be accompanied by live music by the Ways and Means Committee, tasty treats for purchase from Compliments Food Truck, and a view of the sunset from the Sculpture Terrace. Tickets including two full-size beers or four tastings, and access to art on view are $20 for members and $30 for nonmembers (free for kids 17 and under). Additional beer will be available for purchase. Click here for tickets.
Are you able to visit with patients, listen to their concerns, and provide a supportive, comforting presence? Can you hold a hand or engage in a shared interest or hobby? Care Dimensions will offer a four-week training program beginning in mid-September. Choose from two schedules: Wednesday and Friday afternoons from 1–3:30 p.m. from September 18 to October 11, or Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6–8:30 p.m. from September 17 to October 10. All sessions are at the Care Dimensions Hospice House at 125 Winter St. in Lincoln. For more information, contact Abigail Langmead at 781-373-6583 or ALangmead@CareDimensions.org.
The Lincoln Land Conservation Trust’s “Noticing Walks” with John Calabria return on Tuesday, Sept. 3 from 1–2:30 p.m. Meet at the Lincoln Station parking lot to walk to Farm Meadow and into Bergen-Culver conservation land. Subsequent walks will be on October 1 and November 5 (locations TBA; visit www.lincolnconservation.org). These gently paced walks are a great way to slow down, unplug, and enjoy nature. Walks are co-sponsored with the Lincoln Council on Aging and geared towards 55+ but all are welcome. In case of inclement weather, call the LLCT at 781-259-9251 after 10 a.m. on the morning of the walk for information.
Join the LLCT and Tia Pinney for “Bird Feeding 101: Feeding and Caring for Birds in an Era of Climate Change” on Tuesday, Sept. 24 from 7–8:30 p.m. at Bemis Hall. Pinney will cover everything from types of feeder, seeds for different birds, when to feed, and more, as well as the benefits of creating diverse habitats in the yard that enhance local ecosystems, help mitigate the impacts of climate change, and attract birds for us to enjoy. Pinney is the senior naturalist and ecological management and adult program coordinators at Mass Audubon’s Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary.
Boston Magazine’s annual Best Of Boston feature honored Mass Audubon’s Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary as the “Best Family Friendly Activity” in the western suburbs. “Extensive seasonal programming—from beloved “Woolapalooza” sheep-shearing days to strawberry picking—is the pitch-perfect blend of authentically agrarian and totally accessible,” the magazine wrote. “One visit…and you’ll see why this Lincoln oasis has been a cherished tradition for generations of families.”
The Conservation Commission has one and possibly two openings for new commissioners. The group is responsible for permitting building and other activities that take place in or near wetland areas in accordance with the state act and our local by-law, and members often do site visits on the morning of their meeting to get an accurate sense of the property and issues under consideration. Because conservation is an integral part of many town activities, commissioners are expected to participate as liaisons with other boards or committees such as the Agricultural Commission, the School Building Committee, etc.
Those interested are invited to come to a meeting to see how it functions. The group meets every third Wednesday starting at 7 p.m.; the next few are on September 4, September 25, and October 16. For more information please call the Conservation Department at 781-259-2612.
Codman Community Farms will host an open house on Saturday, July 27 from 10 a.m.–noon, with tours of the farm, cold drinks in the barn, and a chance for Q&A with CCF staff and board members. It’s a great chance to learn more about the farm and how it produces meat and eggs using sustainable, ethical practices. The farm store will be selling pasture-raised chicken, eggs, beef, pork, raspberries, and vegetables.
Walking tours leave from the main barn next to the farm store starting at 10:15 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. Longer and shorter routes will be available. RSVP on the farm’s Facebook page or by emailing jon@codmanfarm.org.