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

seniors

Initial design concepts for school to be presented

Architects will unveil some initial design concepts for the Lincoln School and ask for feedback at Saturday’s State of the Town meeting, which starts at 9 a.m. in the Brooks auditorium.

The first 90 minutes of the meeting will be devoted to updates from the two campus project groups—the School Building Committee and the Community Center Preliminary Planning and Design Committee (CCPPDC). School architect SMMA will introduce a range of initial concepts that explore building size, shape, and location of the school, while CCPPDC architect Maryann Thompson will present a series of photographs to start a conversation about aesthetic preferences. The Finance Committee will also provide high-level financial context for the projects.

Residents will be asked to weigh in on the Lincoln School design concepts and to provide input about design elements they think reflect Lincoln values and are appropriate for the campus. The SBC will post directions for the feedback exercises and, if possible, images of those design concepts later this week. 

Also on the SOTT agenda are updates on Lincoln Station improvements and proposals for a plastic bag/water bottle ban, recreational marijuana rules, a gas leak repair resolution, the Lincoln Historic District, and Lincoln becoming a sanctuary town.

Updates on multitude of issues planned for State of the Town

An agenda chock-full of information and discussion about issues affecting Lincoln’s future will greet residents at the State of the Town meeting on Saturday, Nov. 4 from 9 a.m.–12:30 p.m. in the Lincoln School auditorium. The event offers informational updates on important issues in town and (in some cases) a preview of measures that will come up for votes at the Annual Town Meeting in spring 2018.

The first 90 minutes will consist of presentations the two proposed campus building projects: the Lincoln School building project and the Community Center project. Recent Lincoln Squirrel articles on these topics include:

Other agenda items are below, and are also discussed in the latest Selectmen’s Newsletter. There will then be an open forum from 11:40 a.m.–noon and an opportunity to talk to representatives of the groups who presented during the meeting at information/discussion tables from 12:30–1 p.m.

Lincoln Station

The South Lincoln Implementation Planning Committee is studying improvements to the Lincoln Station area as well as possible rezoning, though a proposed zoning bylaw change is not likely by spring. There are five teams working on different topics for SLPIC, which reports to the Planning Board.

Plastic bags and bottles

The Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School Environmental Club is revisiting its push to regulate the sale of disposable plastic grocery bags and single-use plastic water bottles in Lincoln. Warrant articles were tabled in Town Meeting in 2017 but passed in Sudbury. Town Meeting will feature either warrant articles or a general bylaw change proposal.

Recreational marijuana

The Board of Selectmen is forming a committee to help the town understand the 2016 statewide measure that legalized the cultivation, personal use and retail sale of recreational marijuana. The group will assess the law’s implications for Lincoln and make recommendations regarding potential policies, bylaws and regulations that may be desired and/or required to protect the town’s interests. Town Administrator Timothy Higgins said this week that a bylaw proposal may come up at a Special Town Meeting later in 2018 rather than the annual spring meeting.

To learn more about the committee, contact Higgins at 781-259-2604 or higginst@lincolntown.org. To apply, submit a letter of interest to Administrative Assistant Peggy Elder at elderp@lincolntown.org.

At Town Meeting in 2017, residents approved a moratorium on allowing use of land or structures for recreational marijuana establishments until November 30, 2018 pending new regulations from the Cannabis Control Commission and possible zoning amendments in Lincoln.

Historic District

The Historic District Commission and Friends of Modern Architecture are working with property owners interested in adding their Modern houses to the Lincoln Historic District. At Town Meeting, residents will vote on a proposal that would allow at least 17 owners of Modern homes to voluntarily join the Lincoln Historic District. The district currently consists of 73 properties in four different areas.

Sanctuary Town

A planned Town Meeting measure seeks to make Lincoln an official Sanctuary Town, which organizers hope will safeguard illegal immigrants in Lincoln from federal immigration enforcement and otherwise help immigrants feel protected

Mothers Out Front

This group has been working on local responses to climate change such as curbing greenhouse gas emissions by fixing gas leaks from underground pipes. Members are expected to propose a resolution at Town Meeting calling for the repair of utilities’ leaking gas pipes.

Community center group selects architect

The Community Center Preliminary Planning and Design Committee (CCPPDC) has selected the firm of Maryann Thompson Architects to help design a proposal for a community center for Lincoln.

Massachusetts work by the Cambridge-based firm includes designs for the Atrium School in Watertown, the Broad Institute in Cambridge, the Walden Pond visitors’ center, and Temple Ahavat Achim in Gloucester. The firm is already working closely with SMMA Architects, which was hired to design the Lincoln School project.

The CCPPDC and the School Building Committee will present updates at the State of the Town meeting on November 4. By that time, “we want the two architectural firms to have spoken quite a bit and start aligning their processes and procedures, and maybe put a couple of community forums on the calendar,” said CCPPDC Vice Chair Margit Griffith.

Maryann Thompson Architects should have a proposed basic design for a community center along with firm cost estimates ready before an anticipated Special Town Meeting in June, when residents will be asked to vote on a school design, Griffith said. If and when residents decide to pursue the community center project, the town will ask for bids from firms to do the detailed design. “They’re not producing a plan for a community center that people vote on [in June] and break ground on,” she said.

The CCPPDC is drafting a timeline in conjunction with the SBC with “key choice points for decisions and deliverables by the architect,” said committee Chair Ellen Meyer Shorb. Designing a school and a community center simultaneously is “a really difficult, complex process that no one has done before, but the bottom line is to include the town early and often.”

 

 

 

News acorns

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.

Council on Aging welcomes new co-assistant director

Abigail Butt. (Photo by Alice Waugh)

The Lincoln Council on Aging has hired a new co-assistant director with the tools to help meet the needs of the town’s growing senior population.

Abby Butt started at the COA in September, sharing her job with Susan Isbell (she succeeds social worker Pam Mizrahi, who still leads a support group at the COA). Isbell helps seniors with applications for programs and services such as fuel assistance, while Butt handles more complicated situations where the client’s need aren’t so cut and dried.

Butt is not a social worker or counselor—she holds a PhD in gerontology from UMass-Boston’s McCormick School of Public Policy, and she’s trained in researching programs and doing needs assessments for entire communities as well as individuals. While a graduate student, she held a fellowship through the city of Somerville’s housing division, and she was outreach coordinator for the Beverly COA from 2011-16. She’s also a board member of the COA in Salem, where she currently lives.

“I discovered I really love working for cities and towns — I love working locally, kind of at the ground level,” said Butt, 34. “I enjoy doing a little of this and a little of that, and getting to know people. I’m excited about getting out into the community.” She has begun holding office hours at Lincoln Woods and making home visits, “so we can give services right where (clients) are,” she said.

Another part of Butt’s portfolio is modernizing the COA’s record-keeping. Before her arrival, all case notes were kept on paper; having them in digital form will make it easier for COA staff to follow up with clients with resorting to phone calls or lengthy emails with each other, “so the seniors are going to get much better service,” she said. The COA plans to move from hand-written to electronic sign-in for activities at Bemis Hall, “so the receptionist can focus on being welcoming and helping people instead of trying to get them to write legibly on a piece of paper about the activities they’re participating in,” Butt said.

The ability to gather growing amounts of information from individuals and government — then “distilling it down into something that’s manageable into a policy brief and recommendations and action steps,” as Butt describes it — is becoming more important every day. “We’re  about to have more seniors than we ever have, and we need to be proactive.”

Research by Butt’s colleagues, among others, bears this out. The Baby Boomers have begun to retire, and improved medical technology means people are living longer — and requiring more services — as they move into their 80s, 90s and beyond.

In Massachusetts, the share of the population age 60 and older is expected to increase from 19 percent in 2010 to 28 percent  in 2030, with 65+ population growing by 61% and the 85+ population by 34 percent, according to UMass-Boston’s Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging. As a result, most cities and towns in the Commonwealth will have at least 50% more seniors in 2030 than they do today—so Lincoln is hardly alone in confronting the need for better facilities and programs for its older residents.

“Abby has already made a wonderful difference here at the COA by bringing not only her enthusiasm and skills, but also lots of ideas from the other COAs she’s worked with,” said COA director Carolyn Bottum. “She’s helped us take a fresh look at how we do things and some of our procedures, and she’s also suggested a number of important and entertaining programs that we’ll be offering here in the next few months.”

The town of Salem, where Butt sits on the COA board of directors, has just broken ground for a new community center. That experience should also prove very useful “to help us ensure that we are bringing the best possible proposal to the town for a community center at the appropriate time,” Bottum said.

News acorns

“Aging in Nature” discussion on Friday

A two-part series titled “Aging in Nature: A Key to Our Well-Being” will begin with a panel discussion on Friday, Oct. 6 at 12:30 p.m. at Bemis Hall. Information about how and why access to nature is beneficial for older adults will be discussed by practitioners who will speak from both research-based and personal experiences. Panelists are Sophie Wadsworth, executive director of The Nature Connection in Concord; John Calabria, a certified wellness educator who teaches mindfulness yoga and spirituality; and Ellie Horwitz, the former chief of information and education at Massachusetts Fisheries & Wildlife for 35 years and a certified wildlife biologist and tai chi instructor.

A question-and-answer period will follow the presentations. Light refreshments will be provided by Newbury Court and Deaconess Abundant Life Services, which is co-sponsoring the program along with the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust, the Lincoln Council on Aging, and The Commons in Lincoln.

Part 2 of the program will consist of a series of “noticing” walks hosted by Calabria on three of Lincoln’s trails for adults who are 55+. Walks will take place at 1 p.m. on Tuesdays, Oct. 10, 17, and 24. Selected trails will be rated easy, will have ample parking, and will be posted to the Land Trust’s website at lincolnconservation.org.

Program commemorates Gandhi legacy

The First Parish in Lincoln and the India Discovery Center will cosponsor a panel discussion commemorating the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on Sunday, Oct. 15 from 2–4:30 p.m. at the Lincoln Public Library.

Honoring Gandhi and his civic and spiritual legacy of civil disobedience will be panelists C. Gopinath, professor of business management at Suffolk University; Rev. Manish Mishra-Marzetti, senior minister at the First Parish in Lincoln; and poet, educator and social activist Sajed Kamal. For more information, call Bijoy Misra at 781-259-0029.

Farnham replaces Buckland at next LOMA event

Karla Farnham will be the featured performer at the next LOMA (Lincoln Open-Mike Acoustic) on Monday, Oct. 16 from 7–10 p.m. in the Lincoln Public Library. Previously announced performer Eleanor Buckland had a last minute personal commitment.

Council on Aging activities in October

Lincoln Academy with Meghan Lytton—Stories, facts and photos from the Iditarod Trail
October 2 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, Oct. 2 at 12:30 to hear Meghan Lytton discuss “Stories, Facts and Photos from the Iditarod Trail.” Save yourself the long trip to Nome, Alaska to learn about the Iditarod Trail Race, where dogs pull a sled and their musher 1,000 miles over some of the toughest terrain. Meghan will be sharing her adventure to Alaska in 2016 to see what some have called the toughest race on earth. If you would like, you can meet a real sled dog. The Council on Aging provides beverages and dessert. The lectures last about an hour, including a question and answer period. Participants are welcome to stay after the program to continue their discussion. All ages welcome.

You’ve been selected…
October 4 from 2–3 p.m.
…to drop by and visit with a member of the Board of Selectmen. Bring your ideas, feedback, questions, or favorite Lincoln anecdote. Whether you stop by for a minute or stay for the hour, we hope to see you.

Meet with an aide to Congresswoman Katherine Clark
October 4 at 1 p.m.
Jimmy Santos, constituent services and military liaison for Congresswoman Katherine Clark, will hold Office Hours at Bemis Hall on Wednesday, Oct. 4 from 1–2 p.m. on federal benefits and other concerns. No need to sign up.

Get to know Abby Butt, our new COA assistant director
October 5 at 10:30 a.m.
Come meet and greet the COA’s new Assistant Director, Abby Butt, on Thursday, Oct. 5 at 10:30 a.m. Abby provides assistance in evaluating in-home needs and finding services, as well as crisis intervention, and general support to Lincoln seniors, families, and caregivers, individually or in groups. She brings many years of experience working in other COAs as well as conducting community needs assessments, program and policy development, and more. Bring your questions, concerns and ideas.

Aging in nature: key to our well being (panel and walks)
October 6 at 12:30 p.m.
The Lincoln Land Conservation Trust invites you to (1) a special panel on how and why access to nature is a key ingredient to our well-being as we age and (2) nature walks. Older adults who have the opportunity to spend time in nature have improved physical and mental health, as well as cognitive functioning, and are more likely to have social connections around them and in the community. Come to Bemis Hall on Friday, Oct. 6 at 12:30 to hear John Calabria, yoga teacher and expert in mindfulness and nature, who will share his outings with an elder friend who cares for 60 bluebird nest boxes; Ellie Horwitz, certified wildlife biologist and tai chi instructor; and Sophie Wadsworth, executive director of the Nature Connection. They will discuss how contact with nature benefits them and those they work with. A question and answer period will follow and all are invited to share their own experiences with keeping in contact with nature. All are welcome. Refreshments will be provided. Then join naturalist John Calabria for a series of walks in some of Lincoln’s most beautiful places on Tuesdays, Oct. 10, 17, and 24 at 1 p.m. Unplug, disconnect from the world for a while and let our senses come alive in nature. These programs are co-sponsored by the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust, the Lincoln Council on Aging, and Deaconess Abundant Life Services and Newbury Court. For more information, go to lincolnconservation.org.

Free wellness clinic for all ages                                     
October 10 at 10 a.m.
Meet with a nurse at Lincoln Woods on Tuesday, Oct. 10 from 10 a.m. to noon. Blood pressure, nutrition and fitness, medication management, chronic disease management, resources, and more. Funded by the Ogden Codman Trust and provided by Emerson Hospital Home Care.

Tour of the State House and lunch
October 11 at 9:15 a.m.
These historic and truly beautiful buildings house the story of Massachusetts. John Adams’s passion for justice, community and learning are evident in the stunning 19th-century courthouse where the Supreme Judicial Court or Appeals Court meets right across the street from the Massachusetts State House where the docent led tours begin. The bus will leave Donelan’s parking lot at 9:15 a.m. sharp and plans to be back in Lincoln by 4 p.m. Lunch will be on your own at The Union Oyster House. The cost of the trip is $15 and is supported by the Hurff Fund so the trip is limited to Lincoln seniors. Both buildings have elevators but expect to be standing on both tours. Send your check payable to FLCOA, along with your phone # and email, to Donna Rizzo, 22 Blackburnian Road, Lincoln, MA 01773 or call 781-257-5050 or email donna@ecacbed.com.

Celebrate fall’s cool days with the Trad Jazz Band
October 13 at 12:30 p.m.
Join the Trad Jazz Band regulars, including a busload who come from the Commons each month, in the COA’s series of lunchtime old time jazz concerts at Bemis. Come find out what brings them in. The band plays your favorites that bring back memories and get you up on your feet dancing and clapping. This month’s concert is on Friday, Oct. 13 from 12:30 to 1:30.

Play to your strengths: A new course with Alyson Lee
October 16 at 9:30 a.m.
Learn to identify your unique strengths and then, in a playful, upbeat environment, discover how to live life by leading with those strengths in a new free course given by Alyson Lee on Mondays Oct. 16, 23, and 30 and Nov. 6 at 9:30 a.m. at Bemis Hall. Ms. Lee will use presentation of information, discussion of meaningful experiences, and strength-based games to help you improve your overall well being and relationships. Lee is a co-active life coach, social worker and certified positive psychology instructor who taught the wildly popular Positive Psychology course and the new monthly Positive Psychology Practice group. This course is supported by the Friends of the Lincoln COA. All are welcome to any session.

Lincoln Academy with Antje Duvekot—Two words for travel 
October 16 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, Oct. 16 at 12:30 to hear Antje Duvekot discuss “Two Words for Travel.” Lincoln resident and nationally touring singer-songwriter Antje Duvekot believes there should be two distinct words for travel, one when traveling for business and another when traveling for adventure or learning. The 40 year old artist has done both. After more than a decade building a grass roots music career on the road brought her loneliness and burnout she began traveling to places like Guatemala, Uganda and the West Bank for humanitarian purposes. This is about those divergent experiences. The Council on Aging provides beverages and dessert. The lectures last about an hour, including a question and answer period. Participants are welcome to stay after the program to continue their discussion. All ages welcome.

Free elder law clinic
October 16 at 3 p.m.
Got a question about issues such as estate planning, MassHealth, protecting assets for a loved one with a serious disability, guardianship, conservatorship, or probate? The COA is pleased to provide a monthly legal clinic with elder law attorney and Lincoln resident Sasha Golden on Monday, Oct. 16 from 3-4 p.m. at Bemis Hall. There is no charge for the thirty-minute consultation, but please sign up by calling the COA at 781- 259-8811.

Gourmet luncheon
October 17 at 11:30 a.m.
Lincolnites 60 and older are invited to enjoy a delicious gourmet meal with new friends and old at 11:30 on Tuesday, Oct. 17 at St. Anne’s Church. They welcome new diners often — give them a try. Please reserve by calling the COA at 781-259-8811 at least a week ahead even if you have previously attended. The cost of each meal is $5. Caregivers are welcome to come with those for whom they are caring. Let them know if you need transportation or a seating partner when you sign up. The lunch is co-sponsored by the COA, the Friends of the COA, Minuteman Senior Services, Newbury Court, St. Anne’s, and the Lincoln Garden Club.

The COA Science Group: 4,000 feet of climate change
October 19 at 10:15 a.m.
Join physicist Stanley Solomon on Thursday, Oct. 19 at 10:15 a.m. in Bemis Hall for the first in a three-part series exploring the physicists’ view of climate change using articles from three issues of Physics Today, a professional journal published by the a.m.erican Physics Society and read by physicists worldwide. In the first session, Stan will provide brief comments about the sun and about geologic records. He plans to distribute copies of the articles before the sessions, so if you would like copies, please call the COA at 781-259-8811 to leave your name and address.

A discussion of Lincoln values and the school project
October 20 at 12:30 p.m.
You are invited to join a discussion of the Lincoln School Project with members of the School Building Committee (SBC) and their design team, and with members of the Community Center Preliminary Planning and Design Committee (PPDC), on Friday, Oct. 20 at 12:30 p.m. in Bemis Hall. The two committees are working collaboratively to develop plans for the Ballfield Road campus, and will take this opportunity to update members of the COA on the work so far, and to engage in a discussion of the town’s values and priorities. The SBC will be working with its project manager, Daedalus Projects, Inc., and its design team from SMMA, and with the PPDC, to design a school and a campus that reflect those values and priorities–come and make your voice heard.

Property tax assessment and ways to pay less
October 20 at 9:30 a.m.
Join Ellen Meadors from Lincoln’s Board of Assessors on Friday, Oct. 20 at 9:30 a.m. at Bemis Hall to learn how your property is assessed and what to do if you think your property should be valued differently. Also, come find out whether you might be eligible for one or more opportunities for abatements, exemptions, and deferrals to lower your bill including those for veterans, people with disabilities, and those with low incomes.

Lincoln Academy with Ray Anthony Shepard—The Emancipation Sword: The Story of the Massachusetts 54th Regiment
October 23 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, Oct. 23 at 12:30 to hear Ray Anthony Shepard discuss “The Emancipation Sword: The Story of the Massachusetts 54th Regiment.” He will speak about his just published biography Now or Never!: Massachusetts 54th Infantry’s Fight to End Slavery. The author shared a working draft at the Lincoln Academy in the spring of 2015 and returns to share how and why he wanted to tell the story of the “glory” regiment for a new audience. The Council on Aging provides beverages and dessert. The lectures last about an hour, including a question and answer period. Participants are welcome to stay after the program to continue their discussion. All ages welcome.

Fireside chat: the key to staying health and happy
October 25 at 10 a.m.
What is the key to staying happy and healthy? Genes, luck and finances have a role, but what have you found keeps you going? Some people seem to stay young and active longer than others. Some people with all sorts of ailments or disadvantages still seem to be living a good life. What is the key? Discuss your thoughts and ideas with a group on Wednesday, Oct. 25 at 10 a.m. at the Fireside Chat’s new location in the Community Room at Lincoln Woods, 50 Wells Rd. The Fireside Chat meets monthly on the fourth Wednesday at 10 a.m. and is facilitated by Sharon Antia.

Medicare open enrollment insurance update 
October 27 at 10 a.m.
Find out what changes could affect your Medicare coverage and how much you will pay in 2018 when Don Milan and Anne Meade, Lincoln’s counselors from the Minuteman Senior Services SHINE Program-health benefits counseling for Medicare enrollees, come to Bemis Hall on Friday, Oct. 27 at 10 a.m. This is an important time to understand the changes for 2018 and to be sure you are satisfied with your current health insurance benefits. Medicare open enrollment period—October 15 to December 7, 2017—is your opportunity to make any changes to your Medicare coverage, effective Jan. 1st. Representatives from most major supplemental health insurance plans (Harvard Pilgrim, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Tufts, Fallon, and AARP/United Health Care) will have 2018 information for Medicare Supplement plans, Medicare Advantage plans and Part D plans. Also present will be Priscilla Leach, Veterans Service Officer. Note: This program is designed to go over 2018 changes in basic Medicare, Medicare Supplement and Medicare Advantage insurance plans.

On Wednesday, Nov. 1 at 7 p.m., SHINE will present an in-depth “Medicare 101” to go over the basics of Medicare and the different types of insurance plans—see below.

Minuteman Senior Services provides a variety of services that help seniors and people with disabilities live in the setting of their choice. For more information, call toll-free 888-222-6171 or visit www.minutemansenior.org.

African story time: Uganda in the spotlight
October 27 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Friday, Oct. 27 at 12:30 p.m. to expand on your knowledge about Uganda, a country located in the eastern part of the African continent. Please join Gaspar Kalemera for some ice cream and a wonderful time while he tells you interesting things about this country that was once known because of its dictator President Idi Amin during the 1970s. Come socialize and learn.

Lincoln Academy with Gordon Woodington—Japan: Impressions and Highlights
October 30 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, Oct. 30 at 12:30 to hear Gordon Woodington discuss “Japan: Impressions and Highlights.” Gordon invites you to enjoy the highlights of his many trips to Japan, including a number of cities, his impressions of the people and culture, what turned him into a Japanese “foodie,” and interesting aspects of everyday communication. The Council on Aging provides beverages and dessert. The lectures last about an hour, including a question and answer period. Participants are welcome to stay after the program to continue their discussion. All ages welcome.

Medicare 101: What to know, how to choose
November 1 at 7 p.m.
Come find out the basics of Medicare on Wednesday, Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. at Bemis Hall with Minuteman Senior Services SHINE counselors Don Milan and Anne Meade. This introduction to Medicare is especially for those who will be signing up in the next year, but is also for those who just wish to learn more and understand their benefits better. Don and Anne will discuss traditional Medicare, Medicare Supplement plans, Medicare Advantage plans, and medication drug coverage (Medicare, Parts A, B, C, and D), how to go about choosing the plan or plans that are best for you, avoiding penalties when you sign up late, and more. Bring your questions and concerns. Minuteman Senior Services provides a variety of services that help seniors and people with disabilities live in the setting of their choice. For more information, call toll-free 888-222-6171 or visit www.minutemansenior.org.

Save the date:

Toni Lynn Washington and Sax Gordon Beadle sing and play the blues

All ages are invited to a free concert by renowned Boston-area blues vocalist Toni Lynn Washington and acclaimed saxophonist Sax Gordon Beadle on Sunday, Nov. 5 at 2 p.m. at Bemis Hall. The performance is the First Annual Ronna Cooper Memorial Concert and is sponsored by the Friends of the Lincoln COA. It is a gift from Margo Cooper in celebration of her mother’s life. Ms. Washington has delighted and awed audiences in Boston and around the country and the globe for decades as both a singer and songwriter. She has received the Boston Blues Festival Lifetime Achievement Award, had seven Blues Music Award nominations, and released five CDs. Sax Gordon, known for his “hard-blowing, exciting, gutsy” signature style, has performed around the world, won numerous awards, and recorded six CDs. The Duke Robillard rhythm section: Bruce Bears on keyboard; Jesse Williams on bass; and Mark Teixeira on drums, will back up Toni Lynn and Sax Gordon for this fabulous afternoon of music.

Go bowling November 9
Let’s go Bowling at the Acton Bowladrome Thursday, Nov. 9. Most of us haven’t bowled in years, but don’t worry—bowlers will be using small balls (candlepin bowling). The group will have four bowlers to a lane and maybe get a little competition going. Afterwards, they will head for an early dinner to Not Your Average Joe’s to discuss their bowling skills or lack thereof. They will leave Donelan’s parking lot at 2 p.m. and plan to be back in Lincoln by 6:15 p.m. Traveling in a Doherty’s School Bus, the cost of the trip is $15 which includes lane and shoe rental and dinner will be on your own. To make your reservation, send your check to Donna Rizzo, 22 Blackburnian Road, Lincoln, MA, 781-257-5050.

December 8 at the Boston Pops
Join conductor Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops on Friday, Dec. 8 in a performance filled with holiday music favorites, the traditional sing-along and a visit from Santa Claus himself. You will be attending the 4 p.m. matinee performance. The seats are excellent, floor table seats, front orchestra, side section. They have just 30 seats, so don’t delay in signing up. The air-conditioned air-ride bus will leave Donelan’s parking lot at 2:15 p.m., returning at approximately 7:30 p.m. This trip is rated easy for physical ability, and entails only a moderate a.m.ount of walking. The price for the trip is $67 per person. The cost is non-refundable and does not include the price of snacks and drinks served at the concert. Funded by the Hurff Fund, this trip is open to Lincoln seniors only. To reserve a space, send a check made out to FLCOA/Trips to Donna Rizzo, 22 Blackburnian Road, Lincoln, MA 01773. Be sure to include your phone number and email address. Your reservation is complete when your check is received. Questions? Contact Donna at 781-257-5050 or donna@ecacbed.com.

 

Letter to the editor: CCPPDC offers updates

letter

To the editor:

“Community Center Preliminary Planning and Design Committee”—with a name like that, we can’t help but succeed in our mission to bring a preliminary design to the town for consideration when discussing the current state of and future goals for the Ballfield Road campus. The townfolk spoke and the town representatives heard you: there should be collaboration between any and all committees striving to improve the nature and service of the Ballfield Road buildings.

But let’s start with introductions. Your CCPPDC members are Owen Beenhouwer, Sarah Chester, Doug Crosby, Jonathan Dwyer (for the Board of Selectmen), Steve Gladstone, Margit Griffith (vice chair, Parks and Recreation Commission), Eric Harris, Ellen Meyer Shorb (chair), Dilla Tingley, Town Administrator Tim Higgins, Director of Council on Aging Carolyn Bottum, and Director of Parks and Recreation Dan Pereira.

We have been tasked with providing the town with a community center design on the Ballfield Road campus in answer to the Lincoln community’s desire for a cohesive, cost-effective and community-spirited plan for Lincoln. We hope to provide enough information to help answer questions such as:

  • What is the realistic cost of a serviceable community center?
  • What does a community center do differently from other town spaces, and why is this important? (Much of this already addressed by prior studies, and we’re happy to review.)
  • Is it feasible and fiscally responsible to build the school and community center simultaneously or sequentially?
  • Can/should the same architect and/or construction company build both?
  • May the school and community center be built at the same time, or does the school need to keep current Hartwell buildings intact for alternate classrooms during the school build? Or are there other factors?

…and we hope to answer the questions you and we don’t know about yet!

The CCPPDC met a few times over the summer and has opened the request for quotes from architectural firms to work with us, reviewed their quotes, and is scheduling interviews. Our next step will be to choose a firm with which to work and to introduce them to you, the School Building Committee (SBC) and the architect they have chosen (if different)… which leads to a first response to the question “can we use the same architect?”

Well, yes and no. School buildings are very specialized structures and the architectural firms who design them tend to be quite focused on just that type of building. An architectural firm that promises they can do anything from a storage shed to a 20-story building probably isn’t the firm we’re hoping will design our next school building. Similarly, community centers tend to be a bit of a different creature and some firms make these designs their specialty. The SBC and CCPPDC have made it very clear to all parties that this is a collaborative effort by our two groups and we are requiring similar collaboration if the selected firms are different.

You will be hearing from the CCPPDC as we progress. You are always welcome to attend our open meetings and we hope to have a few community feedback events as plans develop. We will be at the SBC visioning meetings on October 3 and 17—will you? Once a month, a joint update will be provided by the SBC and CCPPDC, and you will likely see brief updates about one committee in the updates from the other. We’re also working on a CCPPDC page on the town website and hope to make more informative very soon.

Sincerely,

Margit Griffith on behalf of the CCPPD

Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Letters will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Workshops on school campus scheduled

There will be two community workshops on October 3 where residents can learn about and discuss options for the Ballfield Road campus.

Residents are invited to part or all of two “Developing a Shared Vision for our Campus” workshops on Tuesday, Oct. 3 from 8–10 a.m. and 7–9 p.m. Both will be in the Reed Gym. Children are welcome and refreshments will be served.

The Lincoln School and the Ballfield Road campus grew over time between 1948 and 1994 as parcels of land were added and building projects completed. The last major addition to the campus occurred in 1994, when a school project connected the Smith and Brooks buildings, creating a unified K-8 school.

Now, as a community, Lincolnites have the opportunity to create a holistic plan for the campus. Between the work of the School Building Committee (SBC) and the Community Center Preliminary Planning & Design Committee (PPDC), every aspect of the campus is under consideration: the Lincoln School, preschool programs, after-school programs, a potential community center for the Parks & Recreation Department and the Council on Aging, playing fields, roadways, walking and bike paths, and parking lots. This workshop is designed to begin thinking about the space needed for all these pieces and where they fit on the campus.

A brief history of the campus can be found on the new SBC website, which aims to document and detail every aspect of the school project. To subscribe for automatic email updates from the site:

  1. Visit lincolnsbc.org
  2. Scroll down to “Subscribe to SBC Updates” in the white box on the left
  3. Type your email address where indicated and hit “subscribe”

You’ll then receive an email from the Lincoln School Building Project asking you to confirm your subscription; please click on “Confirm Follow.”

Anyone questions or comments may email SBC@lincnet.org.

News acorns

“Mrs. Ship” by Catherine McCarthy, one of the works in the Clark Gallery’s “Paperwork” exhibit.

Artists’ reception

The Clark Gallery will host an artists’ reception with 17 artists to mark the opening of its Paperwork exhibit on Saturday, Sept. 9 from 4–6 p.m.

Used book sale

The Friends of the Lincoln Library resume their monthly used book sale on Saturday, Sept. 9 from 9 a.m.–noon in Bemis Hall. Support the Lincoln Library by picking up gently used books, DVDs and CDs. Leave donated materials in the box in the Bemis Hall foyer.

Quilters exhibit their work

The Lincoln Quilters will display the results of several years of creative shared-quilt construction at the Lincoln Public Library art gallery starting on Friday, Sept. 8 and running through Saturday, Sept. 30. All quilts will be auctioned to benefit the charity of choice of the successful bidder. Bids will be closed out at the closing reception on Saturday, Sept. 30 from 3–5 p.m. at the library. Members of the Lincoln Quilters are Anne Crosby, Nancy Constable, Tricia Deck, Linda MacNeil, Margaret Olson, Lucy Sachs, Kate Sacknoff, Jane Solar, and Dilla Tingley.

Forum on Lincoln as a sanctuary

The Lincoln Sanctuary Town Committee is holding a forum titled “Lincoln Explores Sanctuary” on Sunday, Sept. 24 from 4–6 p.m. in Bemis Hall. The forum will be moderated by Steven Perlmutter and will include panelists Akuot Leek, a former Sudanese refugee and Lincoln resident; Andrea Hewitt and Sharon Carlson of Dignity in Asylum; Vince Amoroso, Boxborough city councilman; and state Senator James Eldridge of the Middlesex and Worcester District.

Sunday School registration, evening meditation at St. Anne’s

St. Anne’s in-the-Fields Episcopal Church will hold its annual Sunday School open house and registration on Sunday, Sept. 17 at 9 a.m. There will be snacks and activities for kids. At the 10 a.m. service, there will be a special blessing for the new school year—bring your backpack to have it blessed.

St. Anne’s is also hosting an evening mediation series this fall, “Let Go and Know.” The group will meet Mondays from 7–8 p.m. beginning September 18. Cushions and chairs will be available for sitting, or feel free to bring your own favorite. To learn more, contact Nanri Tenney Nanri at nanritenney@gmail.com.

Bemis Lecture clarification

The Bemis Free lecture on “Philanthropy Shaping Lincoln: The Ogden Codman Trust” on September 27 will run from 7–9 p.m., not ending at 8:30 p.m. as previously listed in News Acorns and the calendar.