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

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Estate sale of dolls to benefit MCC

The Lincoln METCO Coordinating Committee will have a doll-focused estate sale on Sunday, Dec. 10 from 10 a.m.–9 p.m. at 18 Cerulean Way in Lincoln. On offer will be American Girl and Pleasant Company doll baskets, vintage porcelain Franklin Mint dolls, and antique and vintage dolls from all over the world. If you don’t have a special someone buy for, you can purchase a doll to donate to the Home for Little Wanderers in Boston. Your purchase will support two non-profit organizations. There will be tea, wine, chocolate, cheese, and music. Cash, checks, debit and credit cards will be accepted.

Gift basket fundraiser for scholarship

On Wednesday, Dec. 13 from 8 a.m.–3 p.m., the Lincoln-Sudbury Teachers Association will hold a silent auction and raffle to raise money for the 2018 the Paul J. Vernon Memorial Scholarship Award given to a graduating senior. Up for auction will be gift baskets from Starbucks Basket, Candy Apple Shop Basket, Movie Basket, Mindfulness Basket, Bath and Body Works, Book Basket, and Duck Soup; gift cards from Target, Sudbury Pizza, Sudbury Coffee Works, CJ’s Pizza, Selections Boutique, Pure Barre; baked goods and more.

First Parish plans several holiday happenings

Karin Levy and Nancy Fleming, co-chairs of First Parish in Lincoln’s Touch of Christmas Fair, display the wealth of greenery to be made into wreaths and centerpieces for the fair on Saturday, December 9th from 10 a.m.–1 p.m. in the Parish House Auditorium at 14 Bedford Rd.

  • The annual Touch of Christmas Fair will be on Saturday, Dec. 9 from 10 a.m.–1 p.m.in the Parish House (14 Bedford Rd.). Click here for details.
  • Students in the religious education program at the First Parish in Lincoln (FPL) will perform a Christmas pageant on Sunday, Dec. 17. Come enjoy this annual portrayal of the traditional Christmas at 11:30 a.m. in Bemis Hall. There is no snow date. Goodies donated by the families of FPL will be served after the pageant.
  • There will be a hand bell concert on Tuesday, Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. in the Parish House. This will be the eighth annual candlelight concert of Christmas carols and holiday favorites. Admission is free, and there will be a reception to follow.
  • The FPL’s Winter Solstice Service will take place on Thursday, Dec. 21 at 7 p.m. in the Parish House. In the tradition of cultures ancient and modern, the First Parish’s service will include music and meditation, story and song as we welcome the return of the light during the winter season. Ministerial intern Terry Cummings will lead the service along with church deacons. The service will be followed by refreshments and conversation in the new Stearns Room at 4 Bedford Rd.
  • As part of its “Live in Lincoln Center” series, the First Parish will present Handel’s Messiah on Saturday, Dec. 23 at 3 p.m. in the Parish House. The traditional holiday musical production will be performed by Ian Watson (conductor/harpsichord), Guy Fishman, Aisslinn Nosky and more, plus the Lincoln Baroque Players and Chorus. Suggested donation is $40 but any amount is appreciated. Seating is limited and is first-come, first seated; doors will open at 2:30 p.m.

GearTicks students help create prosthetic hands for kids

The GearTicks robotics team. Back row, left to right: Trevor Tsang, Anna Sander, Evan Lee, Jack Hutchinson, Wesley Lo, Ben Morris, Kevin Ji, Alex Payne, and Andreas Muzila. Middle/front row, left to right: Emily Appleby, Olivia Crisafi, Amelia Pilar, Howie Tsang, Irene Terpstra, Audrey Gammack, Ken Hawkey,  and Prerna Karmacharya. All are Lincoln residents; Lee, Terpstra, and the Tsangs are L-S students, Hutchinson and Sander attend Concord Academy, and the others are Lincoln School students (click image to enlarge).

By Anna Sander, Prerna Karmacharya, and Evan Lee

A group of middle- and high school students from Lincoln has partnered with the Maker Club at the Perkins School for the Blind to make prosthetic hands using the Lincoln GearTicks’ 3D printer.

The GearTicks—the robotics team of students from the Lincoln School, Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School and other schools—used their 3D printing, puzzle solving, and mechanical assembly skills to create low-cost prosthetic hands for children who aren’t able to afford more expensive prosthetics as they grow.

e-NABLE, which provides the designs for the hands, had its beginnings five years ago when founder Ivan Owen collaborated with a South African carpenter who had lost a finger in a woodworking accident. He ultimately developed a set of 3D-printable prosthetic hands and put the designs for them in the public domain so they can be printed and assembled by anyone with access to a 3D printer.

The GearTicks participate in FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC), an annual robotics competition whose mission to encourage students to enter robotics and other STEM-related fields. Although the competition involves designing, building, and programming robots, there’s also a focus on community outreach. After hearing about e-NABLE’s project, the team knew they wanted to become part of the global e-NABLE community of hand-builders that’s sprung up to help those who were born without fingers or lost them to due to injuries or disease.

The GearTicks got their first 3D printer, a Flashforge Creator, four years ago, and they were able to print most of the parts for their robot for the 2016-17 season. The machine uses plastic filaments to create a precise layered object based on a CAD (computer-aided design) file. The team now has a new Prusa i3 MK2 3D printer and is in the process of designing and printing for this season’s robot. With the help of GearTicks coach Anne Hutchinson, they even made this video starring and written by team members Anna Sander and Jack Hutchinson explaining how the team uses 3D printing.

This fall, the GearTicks printed several sets of the e-NABLE hands. They used a plethora of colors, mixing and matching fingers, thumbs and various other joints to create colorful and unique hands to ship around the world. Eventually, they expanded the project to other outreach events, such as Boston Scientific’s Bring Your Child to Work Day and the Girl Scouts’ “Geek is Glam” Expo, where they worked with students on assembling the hands. At this year’s Boston Scientific event (which the GearTicks have been involved with every summer since 2015) they hosted about 300 kids over the course of six hours and worked with them to assemble hands, build Bristlebots, and teach them how to drive the GearTicks robot.

Most recently, the GearTicks partnered with the Perkins School’s Maker Club, which began as a group for visually impaired students interested in STEM-related opportunities beyond the classroom. The Lincoln students attended several of the club’s meetings, getting to know the Perkins students by working alongside them on their current projects. Later, the students split into mixed teams with each group receiving a kit of parts for one hand and all the necessary instructions to assemble it. Everyone got to work deciphering the assembly guide, and the sighted students helped the Perkins kids feel how the parts were supposed to fit together. Subsequent visits focused on creating the hands in these groups.

Natalie, a 21-year-old Perkins student, worked in a group with GearTicks members Evan Lee of L-S and Lincoln School eighth-grader Alex Payne. Pushing in the assembly pins for the hands was initially a challenge for her, but she and her group mates completed one full hand and half of a second. The kids also found that they had many common interests beyond engineering—everyone loved Spanish and music. By the third meeting, Natalie had learned the words for different colors and hand parts in Spanish.

Another Perkins student, CJ, worked with Jack Hutchinson, a student at Concord Academy. CJ, who really enjoys puzzles, immediately dove into the project. Despite not being able to see, he had a natural grasp of the project and required little instruction or help. “CJ was a really cool kid to work with. He was really talented with his hands, and I’m looking forward to seeing what he does in the future,” Hutchinson said.

Together, the groups assembled over 20 prosthetic hands. Despite coming from different backgrounds and abilities, all the students found a common passion for using their engineering skills for the benefit of their community. They’re hoping to meet one more time to package the hands and send them to kids who need them.

Other community service projects

In addition to the hands project, the GearTicks have been working on a Deer DeFence project for Minuteman National Historic Park. A landscape architect for the National Park Service contacted them last spring to see if they could design a fastener to support an enclosure to protect trees in the park’s orchards from hungry deer and goats. Over the summer and fall, they designed several iterations of the part and, after a few rounds of testing, recently installed these fasteners on about ten trees at Minuteman NHP.

The team also helped the Solarize Mass group of Lincoln, Sudbury, and Wayland by creating a sandwich board sign to promote awareness of solar power that required them to design a number of 3D printed parts.

“These projects have been a blast, and we’re always looking for more ways to get involved,” Sander said.

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Movies for many tastes and ages

(Fair use source via Wikipedia)

In anticipation of the new Star Wars movie The Last Jedi that opens in theaters on December 15, the Lincoln Public Library will be showing the movie that directly precedes it chronologically, The Force Awakens (PG-13), on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 2 p.m. Popcorn will be served.

The Lincoln Library Film Society presents a December homage to French actress Anne Wiazemsky (1947-2017) with three movies, all on Mondays starting at 3 p.m.:

  • December 4 — Teorema
  • December 11 — Au Hasard Balthazar
  • December 18 — La Chinoise 

Magic Garden open house

Magic Garden Children’s Center will host an open house on Saturday, Dec. 2 from 10 a.m.—noon in advance of open enrollment for the 2018-2019 school year. While the event is geared towards answering parents’ questions, children are welcome to attend and play in our classrooms. Children’s activities and a snack will be provided. Please RSVP to 781-259-8161 (walk-ins also welcome).

Magic Garden’s year-round program offers care and education to children ages 15 months to 5 years. Our core program hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.–3 p.m., two to five days a week, with earlier arrival and later pickup also available.

Organizations welcome holiday donations

Toys for Tots

The Lincoln Police Department has set up Toys for Tots collection boxes at the Lincoln Public Library and the Barrett Sotheby’s office in South Lincoln. You can drop off new, unwrapped toys during regular hours through Wednesday, Dec. 13. if you have any questions please call the Police Department at 781-259-8113

Toiletries and other basics for seniors

During the holidays, Lincoln Council on Aging staff visit homebound, frail, and needy seniors to deliver baskets full of basic necessities. They are collecting new, unopened, unscented, full-sized items to fill the baskets: shampoo, conditioner, body wash, toothpaste, mouthwash, tissues, paper towels, toilet paper, lip balm, deodorant, disposable razors, shaving cream, kitchen sponges, trash bags, laundry soap, men’s and women’s socks, coffee and tea, postage stamps, pharmacy gift cards. Please place items in the marked box in the lobby of Bemis Hall.

Donate or purchase items to benefit domestic violence roundtable

On Sunday, Dec. 10 from noon–4 p.m., Mango Tree Artisans (410 Boston Post Rd. in Sudbury) will host a special shopping event to benefit the Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable. The store sells handcrafted jewelry, ceramics, baskets, clothing, instruments, and other items from around the world that are ethically sourced and sustainably created. Enjoy light refreshments while you shop. The Roundtable receives a percentage of all sale proceeds from this event.

Each year, the Roundtable sponsors a family from a local domestic violence agency for the holidays. These 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. 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:

Hands-on philanthropy program invites middle-schoolers

Lincoln School students with representatives of Youth in Philanthropy. Left to right: board member Laurie Cote, Director of Programs and Marketing Jackie Walker, and students Emilie Auger, Esther Adetoye, Amelia Pillar, Zaynab Azzouz, Sarah Lammert, Sonya Carson, Andreas Muzila, and Will Levy.

The Foundation for MetroWest’s Youth in Philanthropy (YIP) program, which provides middle and high school students with educational and philanthropic opportunities, is currently recruiting 7th and 8th grade students who live or learn in Lincoln.

The program will begin on Wednesday, Nov. 29 and will be held in the Lincoln School every Wednesday from 4–5 p.m. (room location will be provded to accepted students). Applications will be accepted online at www.yipmetrowest.org until Monday, Nov. 27.

The YIP program helps participants learn about running a nonprofit, how donations are used, and what needs exist in their communities through a hands-on experience. In 2016, 10 Lincoln School students presented $5,000 grants to Save a Dog and Lucy’s Love Bus.

“As an organization, we take great pride in educating the next generation of philanthropists,” said Judith G. Salerno, executive director of the Foundation for MetroWest. “By continuing the YIP program in Lincoln, students will learn about local needs, how philanthropy affects where they live, and how they can make an impact at any age.”

One of the largest youth philanthropy education programs in the country, YIP is an experiential leadership development program designed for students interested in learning more about nonprofit organizations and the needs that exist in their own community. YIP students research local organizations and award $10,000 in grants, with no fees or tuition to participate. Over the past two decades, YIP has educated more than 1,250 teens who have granted more than $1 million to youth-serving organizations in the MetroWest area.

Kids get a taste of Election Day in Lincoln

James Finbar Light (left) turns the crank of the Lincoln’s 100-year-old voting machine while Margaret Flint helps a student insert his ballot and Lincoln Police Det. Ian Spencer looks on. (Photos by Alice Waugh)

Dozens of voters filed into the Smith gym last week to cast their ballots on an important Lincoln issue—and even though none of the voters were officially registered, the results will still count.

The ballot question asked the “voters” (Lincoln School students in grades K-3) what shape they preferred for town dog licenses next year: a dog bone, a fireplug, or a dog house. Running the election and tallying the results were fourth-graders under the direction of Town Clerk Susan Brooks and other adult helpers to teach the kids about the voting process.

“I’d had this idea for a while, and it’s thrilling to see the kids, teachers and principals really embracing it,” Brooks said. “It’s a nice introduction to the kids of how the wheels of government turn, and it shows how in a town our size, a few people can make a difference.”

The “election” had all the features of the real thing: a check-in table where “registered voters” were matched against class rosters, voting booths (albeit cardboard), and a tally table where students recorded the results on a large chart as they came in.

The centerpiece of the operation was a 100-year-old Lincoln ballot box that was recently restored. When a voter inserted a ballot, the poll worker turned a handle, the ballot disappeared inside, a bell rang, and a mechanical tally number changed. In the old days, a small round ink pad inside also printed the word “Lincoln” on each ballot as it was processed through the rollers.

Lincoln School students mark their ballots for dog license shape as Assistant Town Clerk Susan Francis looks on.

The wooden ballot box has one part that doesn’t look quite genuine; the crank handle made of copper tubing doesn’t match but was clearly installed as a replacement at some point. One of the volunteers that day was Margaret Flint of the long-time Lincoln Flint family. As it turns out, her father-in-law, Warren Flint Sr., fashioned the replacement handle many years ago.

After the ballots were processed, each student got an “I Voted” sticker. Watching over the process was Lincoln Police Det. Ian Spencer, the town’s youth officer, making sure there wasn’t any Russian meddling.

“Outreach is a big part of what we do,” Brooks said. “The town clerk’s office, at bottom, is making government more accessible to people, and my role is to be more affirmative and proactive about it.”

Deputy Town Clerk Valerie Fox helps fourth-grade poll workers Donovan Everett (left), Alkmene Armoundas, and Brooke Mitchell.

While some of the kids have accompanied their parents into the polls on Election Day, this was their first chance to participate in a close facsimile of town voting, “and some fo them seem to be genuinely thrilled to be close to the action,” Brooks said.

Samantha Bodnar was one of those who was pleased to have her opinion count, at least on the issue of dig license shape. “It’s cool that the kids are voting on it and not the adults,” she said.

And the winner for next year’s dog license? “It will be a blue bone—in a landslide!” Brooks said.

New kids’ gallery at deCordova explores art, science, and nature

Children investigate Flint’s Pond at the deCordova.

The deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum announces The Lab, a new interactive gallery on the museum’s fourth floor designed to explore the relationship between art, science, and nature. Changing several times each year in conjunction with new exhibitions, visitors will experience immersive installations, creative building activities, nature investigations, and a topical reading area.

The Lab’s first theme is Pond, inspired by deCordova’s current exhibition Bodies in Water and the neighboring Flint’s Pond. “We’re excited to introduce our newest interactive and interdisciplinary gallery where children and their families can experiment, play, and take ideas home with them,” said Emily Silet, head of educational exhibitions. “We hope our young visitors return again and again to The Lab this fall and winter to meet new friends and observe the dramatic seasonal changes at Flint’s Pond.”
The Lab: Pond, which takes a close look at pond ecosystems, features a variety of activities and experiences:
  • Walk-in camera obscura: To experience this naturally occurring phenomenon, visitors enter a darkened room where a simple hole in the window covering allows the view of the park and pond from outside to project into The Lab purely through the magic of optics (see image here).
  • Building table: Children can build “ice” sculptures using Lego bricks, wooden blocks, and Magna-Tiles ICE.
  • Drawing station: Visitors are asked to consider the pond life that exists both over and under the water in Flint’s Pond throughout the year through drawing or writing.
  • Reading lab: Carefully selected story and scientific books about Henry David Thoreau and pond life are available in a cozy reading nook overlooking Flint’s Pond through floor-to-ceiling windows equipped with binoculars.
  • Pond water display: Brilliant images of microscopic pond water samples allow visitors to see what can be found in water when it’s magnified.
  • Historical panel: An illustrated sign describes both Henry David Thoreau’s and Julian deCordova’s relationship to Flint’s Pond.
In the spring The Lab will begin a new theme, Air, in conjunction with deCordova’s exhibition Sculpting with Air: Ian McMahon and Jong Oh, opening April 20, 2018.

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Dolls on sale as holiday gifts to benefit METCO

The Lincoln METCO Coordinating Committee will have a table in front of Verrill Farm at 11 Wheeler Rd. in Concord on Saturday, Nov. 11 from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. to sell dolls and doll gift baskets, furniture and accessories for the holidays. The American Girl, Pleasant Company American Girl, and vintage porcelain and other unique dolls were all donated by the generous people of Lincoln, Carlisle, Concord, Acton, Sudbury, Lexington, Bedford, Weston, and Newton. 100% of the proceeds go toward enrichment programs and opportunities for the METCO-enrolled children in the Lincoln Public Schools.

Film on teenage prescription drug abuse on Tuesday

If Only, a short film about the dangers of teenage prescription drug abuse, will be shown on Tuesday, Nov. 7 in the Lincoln-Sudbury auditorium at 7:30 p.m. The event introduction will feature co-writ​er​ and co-producer Jim Wahlberg of the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation, which produced the film. After the screening​,​ there will be a panel discussion featuring members of local law enforcement, former L-S students currently in recovery​, ​a​nd​ mental health workers. Come ask questions of the panel as we attempt to understand how this danger is impacting our communities and what we can all do together to fight it. Tickets are free, but organizers are asking people to register online so they can get a sense of how many people to expect.

“The Emoji Movie” screening at library

Kids are invited to watch the movie The Emoji Movie (PG) at the Lincoln Public Library on Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 2 p.m. Hidden inside a smartphone, the bustling city of Textopolis is home to all emojis. During their travels through other apps, Gene and his emoji friends discover a great danger that could threaten their phone’s very existence.

Panel discussion on kids in nature

The Lincoln Land Conservation Trust invites residents to a panel representation and discussion on “Kids in Nature” on Sunday, Nov. ​12 from 4–6 p.m. in Bemis Hall. Hear from education experts about how they stimulate a connection between children and youth and their natural surroundings, and the resulting positive benefits. Advice and resources will be shared, and there will be a Q&A period.​ Jeffrey Perrin, associate professor of psychology at Lesley University, will give opening remarks. Panelists will be:

  • Jill Canelli, director, Mass Audubon Drumlin Farm Community Preschool
  • Mairead Curtis, science and engineering curriculum coordinator, Lincoln Public Schools
  • Wendy Matusovich, executive director, Farrington Nature Linc
  • Katherine Parisky, Ph.D., associate head and science teacher, Birches School

More information is available at lincolnconservation.org.​

Farmer’s market invites vendors

Lindentree Farm will hold a farmer’s market at Codman Community Farms on Saturday, Nov. 11 from 9:30 a.m–1 p.m. and there are still spaces left for people who would like to sell their wares, crafts, goods made in certified kitchens, small projects for kids to do who are passing through, etc. Those interested should email Moira at lindentreecsa@gmail.com.

Tull replaces Hedgerow at next LOMA event

Anna Huckabee Tull will be the featured performer on Monday, Nov. 13, replacing Hedgerow. An award-winning singer/songwriter and a psychologist, Anna has appeared on TEDx talks and TV concerts but rarely in live performances. Mickey Zibello will back her on guitar and vocals. Her latest album, The Days of Your Opening, is a companion to her new book, Living the Deeper Yes.

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“Lucy Vincent Beach, Cloudy Day” by Jim Wojno.

Artist’s reception for Wojno

There will be an artists’ reception on Sunday, Nov. 5 from 2–5 p.m. at the Lincoln Public Library for Lincoln resident Jim Wojno, who is having an art show in the library’s Main and Stay Put galleries from October 29–November 25.

Five-part opera series scheduled

“Opera for Everyone with Erika Reitshamer,” a five-part lecture series presented by Erika Reitshamer, will begin at the Lincoln Public Library on Sunday, Nov. 5. All sessions are from 2–3:30 p.m. in the Tarbell Room. Topics will be as follows:

Giuseppe Verdi

  • November 5—”The Life of Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901).” Verdi was the leading Italian composer of opera in the 19th century. He was not only a great operatic composer, but also a symbol of an entire country’s hopes & dreams.
  • November 19—”Otello.” Verdi’s greatest tragedy is a miraculous union of music and Shakespeare’s drama, a masterpiece. On DVD, Placido Domingo will sing his greatest role to Kiri Te Kanawa’s Desdemona.
  • December 17—”Falstaff.” Verdi’s last opera is a brilliant comedy based on Shakespeare’s “Merry Wives of Windsor.” It was written when the composer was nearly 80 years old. On DVD with Renato Bruson and Katia Ricciarelli.

Other dates in the lecture series are January 7 and 21, 2018.

“Nutcracker,” South Asian poetry at library

The Lincoln Public Library will host a reading of The Nutcracker geared to young children accompanied by dancers from the Commonwealth Ballet Company acting out some of the parts on Saturday, Nov. 4 from 11 a.m.–noon. All ages welcome; drop in. On Sunday, Nov. 12, there will be a program on “South Asian Poets of New England” at 2 p.m. For details, email B. Misra at misra.bijoy@gmail.com.

The Lincoln Public Library will be closed on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 10 and 11 in observance of Veterans Day. It will also close at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 22 and will be closed for Thanksgiving on Thursday, Nov. 23. The library will reopen on Friday, Nov. 24 at 9 a.m. and will be open regular hours for the remainder of the holiday weekend.

Movies at library in November

November is Alfred Hitchcock month for the Lincoln Library Film Society. All screenings start at 3 p.m. in the library’s Tarbell Room. Refreshments served. To join the mailing list, email Lincolnlibraryfilmsociety@gmail.com.

  • November 6 — Rear Window (1954) with Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly. A wheelchair-bound photographer spies on his neighbors from his apartment window and becomes convinced one of them has committed murder.
  • November 13 — To Catch a Thief (1955) with Cary Grant with Grace Kelly. When a reformed jewel thief is suspected of returning to his former occupation, he must ferret out the real thief in order to prove his innocence.
  • November 20 — Vertigo (1958) with Jimmy Stewart and Kim Novak. A San Francisco detective suffering from acrophobia investigates the strange activities of an old friend’s wife, all the while becoming dangerously obsessed with her.
  • November 27 — North by Northwest (1959) with Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint. A hapless New York advertising executive is mistaken for a government agent by a group of foreign spies, and is pursued across the country while he looks for a way to survive.

FELS offers Thanksgiving pies

FELS, the Foundation for Educators at L-S, announces its the annual Thanksgiving pie sale. Home-baked apple, pumpkin, pecan, and chocolate pies are available for $18 each; purchase for your own family or as a donation to a local charity (Lincoln or Sudbury fire/police, the Sudbury Food Pantry, the L-S Senior Citizen Thanksgiving dinner, or a specific L-S teacher). Proceeds help fund enrichment grants for L-S faculty and staff. Order online or download an order form from the website and mail it in. Pies must be ordered by Friday, Nov. 10; pie pickup is Tuesday, Nov. 21.

A historical comedy look at marriage and taxes

The Lincoln Historical Society will present Marriage is Taxing, a look into Britain’s imposition of the Stamp Act on the American colonies, on Sunday, Nov. 12 at 2 p.m. at The Commons (1 Harvest Circle). This one-act comedy by Lincoln attorney, author and humorist Martha Lufkin was inspired by the documented “stampede” to marry in the weeks before the Stamp Act took effect, as couples sought to avoid the impending tax on marriage certificates. The program also features Lincoln resident Walter Bossert as the Prime Minister of England, delivering a scathing rebuke to the rebellious colonies. Light refreshments will be served.

Lincoln kids stage one-act comedies

Lincoln middle school students will celebrate friendship, teamwork and great storytelling with performances of Gooney Bird Greene and Her True Life Adventures and Nate the Great on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 16 and 17 at 7 p.m. in the Brooks auditorium. Gooney Bird Greene is about the new kid in second grade and what happens when she bursts on the scene with a dazzling imagination and amazing stories. Nate the Great, from the book series by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat, is about a kid detective, who solves the neighborhood’s most pressing mysteries along with his faithful dog Sludge and his band of friends. This family-friendly production runs 90 minutes plus one intermission. Tickets ($5 each) will be sold at the door.

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Trunk or Treat moved to Friday

Due to a rainy forecast, the “Trunk or Treat” event originally scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 25 has been rescheduled for Friday, Oct. 27 from 5–6 p.m. in the Brooks parking lot. This is an annual event sponsored by the Parks and Recreation Department where the back ends of cars and trucks are decorated for Halloween and children can “trunk or treat” among them in safety. Register your vehicle for one of the reserved spots, decorate your trunk area, and pass out candy or non-candy items or host fun games. If you can’t participate, candy donations are always welcome. No vehicles will be admitted into the lot after 4:15 p.m. To register, call 781-259-0784.

Halloween party at the library

Celebrate Halloween early with a kids’ party at the Lincoln Public Library on Saturday, Oct. 28 at 11 a.m. Families can groove to children’s songs and Halloween favorites. Come in costume if you wish—but be sure you can still move! Recommended for ages 6 and under, but all are welcome.

Fall knitting group starting

A new weekly knitting group is starting on Thursday, Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. in the Lincoln Public Library’s Tarbell Room and will run though December 21. Knitters of all levels are welcome. Beginners should contact Jen James at jenjames@gmail.com to find out what materials are required.

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School, community center updates on Friday

Join the School Building Committee (SBC) and the Community Center Preliminary Planning and Design Committee (CCPPDC) on Friday, Oct. 20 at 12:30 p.m. in Bemis Hall for an update on the two proposed Ballfield Road campus projects. This session is a great opportunity to get caught up on the campus projects and also to share your questions, concerns and feedback with the committees.

Water bottle documentary at St. Anne’s

The Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School Environmental Club is joining up with St. Anne’s-in-the-Fields Church and its Climate Justice Film Series to discuss the club’s proposed single-use water bottle and plastic bottle ban and to view the documentary  film Tapped. Tapped looks at the bottled water industry and its environmental, health and economic long-term effects. Join the group on Tuesday, Oct. 24 at 6:30 p.m. for a light meal and presentation by the students. The film will begin at 7 p.m. with a discussion to follow.

LFA Halloween party is Oct. 29

The Lincoln Family Association will hold its annual Halloween party at Codman Barn on Sunday, Oct. 29 from 2–4 p.m. There will be crafts, pizza, popcorn, and a trick-or-treating parade and costume contest around 3 p.m. Free for LFA members, $10 for nonmembers (maximum $25 per family).

Piano recital with Rhapsody

Rhapsody, a group of amateur pianists, will offer a piano recital on Sunday, Oct. 29 at 3 p.m. in Bemis Hall. The performance is free and open to the public. The recital will feature selections from Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Debussy, Godowski, Guastavino, Ginastera, Liszt, Rachmaninoff, Schubert, Shchedrin, and Schumann. Rhapsody was formed in 2003 by a amateur pianists who sought a venue in which to perform for each other, both to grow musically and to share their musical journey with others. It has since grown to 18 people from the Boston metropolitan area, and members have met continuously every month for 14 years. Now an annual event, this will be their eighth public performance on Bemis Hall’s restored Steinway.