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Council on Aging activities in December

Lincoln Academy with Craig Donaldson — A holiday story: Massachusetts and the 1917 Halifax explosion
December 2 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, Dec. 2 at 12:30 p.m. when Craig Donaldson discusses “A Holiday Story: Massachusetts and the 1917 Halifax Explosion.” On December 6, 1917 the Norwegian vessel SS Imo and French cargo shop SS Mont-Blanc, which was full of high explosives, collided close to Halifax Harbor. The resulting explosion, the largest man-made explosion at the time, destroyed much of the city of Halifax, killing 2000 people and injuring 9000 others. Boston, which had a relationship with Halifax dating back to its earliest days in 1749 as a shipping and fishing settlement, immediately sent people and supplies to help. Learn the story of Boston’s Herculean rescue efforts and the holiday gift given by Halifax in gratitude that we still enjoy today. The COA 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.

Noticing walks in nature
December 3 at 1 p.m.
Come on a gently paced walk through nature with John Calabria on December 3 from 1–2:30 p.m. at a location posted at lincolnconservation.org. Bring walking sticks or walking poles if you like. If the weather is bad, call 781-259-9251 after 10 a.m. the morning of the walk for an update. Co-sponsored by the COA and Lincoln Land Conservation Trust.

Musical jazz lunch
December 6 at 12 p.m.
Celebrate the holidays by grabbing a table at Bemis while the Lincoln Traditional Jazz Band serenades you with familiar good old tunes. Bring a bag lunch and, if you like, food purchased already prepared at the store to share. The COA provides beverages and dessert. [Read more…] about Council on Aging activities in December

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Two Lincoln organizations receive mini-grants

Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation has announced that two Lincoln nonprofit organizations were awarded a total of $2,000 from the foundation’s Community Spirit 9/11 Mini-Grant program. The Massachusetts Audubon Society received $1,500 and The Food Project was awarded $500.

The program, which was created to commemorate Harvard Pilgrim members who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, allows each Harvard Pilgrim employee to award a $500 grant, completely funded by the foundation, to the local charity of his or her choice each calendar year. Since the program began in 2002, Harvard Pilgrim employees have directed more than $6.5 million to thousands of organizations throughout Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. 

Thanksgiving luncheon for seniors

The MLK Action Project at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School invites the senior citizens of both Lincoln and Sudbury to the annual Thanksgiving Senior Citizen Luncheon on Wednesday, Nov. 27 at noon in the high school cafeteria. Come enjoy the festivities, a wonderful meal accompanied by the L-S Jazz Band and other music groups.

Holiday event at deCordova store/cafe

The deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum will host a Holiday Hygge at its store and café on Saturday, Dec. 7 from 3–6 p.m. where visitors can enjoy art making, local shopping, food, drink, merriment, and hygge—the Danish word for coziness, comfort, happiness, and kinship. Tickets ($20 for members, $15 for nonmembers, free for children 12 and under) include admission and also:

  • A family-friendly paper lantern-making activity
  • A winter-themed story hour
  • Hot mulled cider and seasonally inspired snacks 
  • An exclusive 10% off discount at the store (20% for Trustees members), including the 26th Annual Holiday Artists’ Market, during the event for ticket holders only
  • Free gift-wrapping on purchases made during the event
  • Artist demonstrations
  • Entry into a raffle for the chance to win a variety of prizes, including a Trustees membership, fun merchandise packages, a private tour of deCordova, and a gift certificate toward registration at its summer camp

Girl Scout projects help Lincoln seniors

The Lincoln Girl Scouts are working with the Council on Aging to help Lincoln residents enjoy the holiday season and be more aware, prepared, and safe during snowstorms through three important projects. The Scouts will once again be collecting items for holiday gift baskets to be given to elders in need of basic items. Others are collecting items for winter preparedness kits that will be distributed to elders in need to ensure they’re ready for storms in a project in collaboration with the Fire Department and Parks and Recreation. Keep an eye out for collection points around town for both these projects.

Additionally, if you would like a bucket of sand to help with slippery spots on your driveway or walkway, contact the COA by phone at 781-259-8811 or come on down to Bemis Hall to sign up and the Girl Scouts will arrange to deliver one to you.

Seniors can get well-being calls during emergencies

The COA and Public Safety are pleased to offer well-being telephone calls during storms and other emergencies. They will call you when storms cause extensive power outages, and in extended spells of extreme cold and other similar situations. If they can’t reach you by phone, Public Safety will do a well-being check at your home to make sure you are all right. To sign up for this service please call the COA at 781-259-8811 and give your name, address, and any phone numbers you would like them to call (a cell phone or family member, for example), as well as any other pertinent information you would like to share with us, such as special medical needs. You may ask to be taken off the list at any time.

 

 

Council on Aging activities in November

Musical jazz lunch
November 1 at noon
Celebrate fall by grabbing a table at Bemis while the Lincoln Traditional Jazz Band serenades you with good old tunes. Bring a bag lunch and, if you like, food purchased already prepared at the store to share. The COA provides beverages and dessert.

Toni Lynn Washington and Sax Gordon Beadle sing and play the blues
November 3 at 2 p.m.
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. 3 at 2 p.m. at Bemis Hall. The performance is the third 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. 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. Marty Ballou on bass, Bryan Claunch on keyboard, Tom Avery on drums, and Cheryl Arena on vocals and harmonica will back up Toni Lynn and Sax Gordon for this fabulous afternoon of music. For more information about the concert, call Carolyn Bottum at the Council on Aging at 781-259-8811.

New group focusing on family issues
November 4 at 10 a.m.
For many people, relationships with family members are central. They may be a source of great support, satisfaction, and pleasure, but they also may be a source of conflict, disappointment, and dissatisfaction. All are invited to join a new group that will meet for five Mondays starting on Nov. 4th from 10–11 a.m. at Bemis Hall. This group will be an opportunity to share those feelings and to get ideas for ways of trying to improve relationships and to examine expectations and communications which may lead to greater satisfaction. For many the holiday season can bring these feelings into sharper focus and groups can offer support. The group will be led by Claire Gerstein, a social worker with many years of experience assisting people with family challenges. [Read more…] about Council on Aging activities in November

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Flu shots for seniors next week

Lincoln residents 65 and over are invited to get a free flu shot at to the Board of Health/COA clinic at Bemis Hall on Tuesday, Oct. 22 from 10 a.m.–noon. The clinic will have only the regular, quadrivalent form of the vaccine; the high-dose vaccine is back-ordered from the manufacturer.

The Centers for Disease Control CDC recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older get the vaccine, with no preference expressed for any one vaccine over another. If you would like the high dose, please sign up with the COA by calling 781-259-8811, and if the public health nurse is able to get the high-dose vaccine, she will contact you to arrange for your vaccination, which could be as late as mid to late November.

There is no out-of-pocket charge, but please bring your insurance card and wear a short-sleeved shirt. Services provided by Emerson Hospital Home Care.

Codman’s annual Harvest Feast coming up

The centerpiece of Codman Community Farms’ annual dinner in the barn on Saturday, November 2 from 5–9 p.m. will be (for the first time in a very long time) a pig roast! Codman’s own slow-roasted, pasture-raised pork will be served with with cornbread, potatoes, salad and apple desserts. Dinner will be followed by a raffle and a barn dance for all ages, with bluegrass music from the Splinters. Tickets are limited, click here to buy in advance.

Event features racial justice author

Author and racial justice educator Debby Irving, in conversation with the Lincoln School’s Claudia Fox Tree and Sharon Hobbs, will present “I’m a Good Person, Isn’t That Enough?” on Wednesday, Nov. 13 from 6:30–8:30 p.m. in the Brooks auditorium. The event is free, but registration is required — click here to register.

Irving, author of “Five Years Later: Waking Up White and Finding Myself in the Story of Race,” utilizes stories from her life to explore systemic racism that goes largely unnoticed but feeds long-held racialized belief systems. By sharing her struggle to understand racism and racial tensions, she offers a fresh perspective of bias, stereotypes, manners, and tolerance. As she unpacks her own long-held beliefs about color blindness, being a good person, and wanting to help people of color, she reveals how each of these well-intentioned mindsets actually perpetuated her ill-conceived ideas about race. She also explains why and  how she’s changed the way she talks about racism, works in racially mixed groups, and understands the racial justice movement as a whole. Funded by the Lincoln School Foundation.

Weekend of music, poetry and theater in November

The Delvena Theatre Company presents “The Dickens You Say” on Saturday, Nov. 16 at 1 p.m., and Lincoln residents Evelyn Harris and Mary Crowe present “An Afternoon of Poetry and Music” on Sunday, Nov. 17 at 3 p.m. Both events take place in Bemis Hall and are sponsored by the Lincoln Public Library and the Lincoln Council on Aging.

Through the use of monologues and scenes, the Delvena actors will embody the ridiculous, the romantic and the frightening characters that Charles Dickens created. There’s a bit of scandal and a lot of worship for the writer who loved Boston profoundly. After the show, the cast will lead a lively discussion. Appropriate for patrons 16 and up.

On November 17, Crowe will offer selected readings of poems by Agee, Joyce, Yeats, Dickinson and others, followed by musical settings of these poems by 20th-century computers Copland, Barber, and Hermann played by Harris. The pair will explore how the settings of each piece influence the poetry and vice versa.

Magic Garden open house for infants and toddlers

Magic Garden’s Infant & Toddler Center at 14 Bedford Rd. will host an open house on Tuesday, Nov. 12 from 5–7 p.m. The center has a new playground surrounded in nature for its two groups of children: Little Ducklings (2–15 months) and Little Explorers (15–24 months). The core program hours are Monday through Friday 8 a.m.–3 p.m., with early arrival starting at 7:30 a.m. and latest pick up at 6 p.m. Flexible schedules are available; sign up for two to five days per week.

L-S alumni soccer game

The 27th annual Lincoln-Sudbury Alumni Soccer Game will kick off Saturday, Nov. 30 at noon. Everyone has fun regardless of what shape they’re in – it’s a casual game for alumni from any era. Spread the word and RSVP by posting on this Facebook page and posting there. Questions? Contact Tim Mangini at tim_mangini@wgbh.org.

Council on Aging activities in October

Celebrate nature in a watercolor class with Jane
October 4 at 9 a.m.
Rediscover your joyful soul through art and nature in Jane Cooper’s watercolor class. Enjoy painting scenes of nature, landscapes or some favorite sky. Two classes of four sessions each will be offered on Fridays and Mondays beginning Fridays, Oct. 4 and 21 from 9–11 a.m. The cost is $30 for each class of four sessions, materials included. Call the COA at 781-259-8811 to sign up.

Musical jazz lunch
October 4 at 12 p.m.
Celebrate fall by grabbing a table at Bemis while the Lincoln Traditional Jazz Band serenades you with good old tunes. Bring old friends. Make new ones. Bring a bag lunch and, if you like, food purchased already prepared at the store to share. The COA provides beverages and dessert. The band will play on Friday, Oct. 4 starting at noon.

Lincoln Academy with John Getsinge — Evolution of Science, Episode 2: Tom Swift and the Quantum Annihilator
October 7 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, Oct. 7 at 12:30 p.m. when John Getsinger discusses “Evolution of Science, Episode 2. Tom Swift and the Quantum Annihilator.” From the publication of quantum math, matrix, and wave in 1928 to the invention of the digital computer, artificial intelligence, atomic fission, quantum annihilation, Tom swiftly foresees electronics technology, intelligent military robots, atomic bombs and… universal nonexistence. What can Tom Swift do to counter the existential threat to all humanity posed by the possibility of the Quantum Annihilator? Tune in for the thrilling sequel. The COA 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.

Learn and play mah jongg
October 7 at 1 p.m.
Have you always wanted to learn mah jongg? Are you a new or former player looking to improve your skills? Are you an experienced player looking for a friendly game? Come to Bemis Hall each Monday from 1–4 p.m. for mah jongg lessons for those who would like to learn as well as a drop-in game for those who know how to play. Mah jongg is an exciting tile game which offers many of the same cognitive benefits as chess and bridge. Bring your own card or we will provide one for $9. For information or to register for lessons or a game, contact Joan Ingersoll at ingersollj@lincolntown.org or 781-259-8811.
[Read more…] about Council on Aging activities in October

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Fall community ed classes announced

Minuteman Community Education has announced its fall 2019 classes, many of which will be held at the recently opened $145 million Minuteman High School on the Lincoln/Lexington town line (758 Marrett Rd. in Lexington).

Classes are held in the evening and are geared mainly to either personal enrichment or professional development. Categories include career and training, around the house, kids, in the kitchen, business, computers and technology, fitness, hobbies and recreation, languages, personal finance, and creative arts. There are also several certificate programs.

“This fall, our programming has over a dozen new cooking classes, which will be held in our brand new, state-of-the-art kitchens, a new women’s self-defense class, and neat collaborations with Middlesex Community College,” said said Minuteman Director of Community Education Allison Cammarata.

Courses are open to students 16 and older unless listed under Kids & Teens (those under 16 may enroll if a parent or guardian enrolls with them). Seniors and veterans are eligible for a 10% discount on all classes. Click here to view the catalog.

L-S Friends of Music to meet

The first Lincoln-Sudbury Friends of Music (LSFOM) meeting of the year will be held on Thursday, Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. in Conference Room A at the high school. Open to all parents and guardians of students involved in the L-S music program. Meet the choral and instrumental directors and learn more about upcoming concerts and events. Your ideas, energy and enthusiasm are encouraged at any level and there are several open volunteer positions. To learn more, visit www.lsfom.org.

Film: “In the Last Days of the City”

Lincoln Library Film Society presents “In the Last Days of the City” on Thursday, Oct. 10 at 6 p.m. in the Tarbell Room. Arabic with English subtitles, unrated. The debut feature of filmmaker Tamer El Said tells the fictional story of a filmmaker from downtown Cairo as he struggles to capture the soul of a city on edge while facing loss in his own life.

Medicare open enrollment insurance update

Find out what changes could affect your Medicare coverage and how much you’ll pay in 2020 when Don Milan, Anne Meade, and Diana Chirita, Lincoln’s counselors from the Minuteman Senior Services SHINE health benefits counseling program, come to Bemis Hall on Friday, Oct. 25 at 10 a.m. Those of all ages and from all towns are welcome. This is the time to understand the changes for 2020, and  open enrollment — October 15 to December 7, 2019 — is your opportunity to make any changes to your Medicare coverage, effective Jan. 1, 2020.

Representatives from major health insurance plans serving Lincoln and surrounding towns will be present and have 2020 information of Medicare Supplement plans (Medigap) and Medicare Advantage plans. Also present will be Veterans Service Officer Peter Harvell. 

This program is designed to go over 2020 changes in basic Medicare, Medicare Supplement and Medicare Advantage insurance plans. On Wednesday, Oct. 30 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 available to supplement coverage. For information about SHINE, call 888-222-6171 or click here. For information on the Medicare update event, call the COA at 781-259-8811.

Council on Aging activities in September

Noticing walks with John Calabria
September 3 at 1 p.m.
Location TBA
Enjoy a gently paced walk through nature guided by John Calabria on September 3 from 1–2:30 p.m. at a location posted at lincolnconservation.org. Bring walking sticks or walking poles if you like. Other walks will be held October 1 and November 5. If the weather is bad, call 781-259-9251 after 10 a.m. the morning of the walk for an update. Co-sponsored by the COA and Lincoln Land Conservation Trust.

Musical jazz lunch
September 6 at 12 p.m.
Celebrate fall by grabbing a table at Bemis while the Lincoln Traditional Jazz Band serenades you with good old tunes. Bring a bag lunch and, if you like, food purchased already prepared at the store to share. The COA provides beverages and dessert. The band will play on Friday, Sept. 6 starting at noon.

Lincoln Academy with Richard Boynton: Global warming and climate change
September 9 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, Sept. 9 at 12:30 p.m. when Richard Boynton discusses “Global Warming and Climate Change.” How can the earth be warming when Boston has had one of the biggest snowfalls in recent history? Besides, who cares if the earth warms by 4 degrees in 100 years. In his lecture, Mr. Boynton, a former rocket scientist, will separate fact from oil company propaganda. The COA 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 wellness clinics for all ages
September 10 at 10 a.m.
Place: Lincoln Woods
Meet with a nurse at 50 Wells Rd. in Lincoln Woods on Tuesday, Sept. 10 from 10 a.m. to noon or Bemis Hall on Tuesday, Sept. 17 from 9–11 a.m. Blood pressure, nutrition and fitness, medication management, chronic disease management, resources, and more. Services provided by Emerson Hospital Home Care. The Bemis Hall clinic is supported by the Pierce House. [Read more…] about Council on Aging activities in September

Council on Aging activities in August

End your week with friends at a musical jazz lunch
August 1 at 12 p.m.
Celebrate the end of the week by grabbing a table at Bemis while the Lincoln Traditional Jazz Band serenades you with familiar good old tunes. Bring a bag lunch and, if you like, food purchased already prepared at the store to share. The COA provides beverages and dessert. The band will play on Thursday, Aug. 1 starting at noon.

You’ve been selected…
August 5 at 1 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 an hour, the Selectmen hope to see you from 1–2 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 5.

Free beginning meditation
August 7 at 10 a.m.
Come to free beginners’ meditation sessions to be held August 7, 14, and 21 at 10 a.m. for a half-hour at Bemis Hall. Please join us if you’re wondering what others find in meditating. Meditation opens the channels of our natural states of peace, joy, health, and aids in decreasing the negative effects of aging. Experienced meditation teacher Lynne LaSpina will begin each session with a few minutes of stretching muscles to relax, and breathing exercise to help focus before meditating for about 10 minutes. Lynne will offer walking meditation for those who find it difficult to sit quietly for 10 minutes. For more information, call Lynne at 908-892-2408 or llas902551@aol.com.

Summer salad lunch and nutrition tips from The Commons
August 7 at 12 p.m.
Summer is the perfect time to enjoy the bounty and nutrition of nature. Come to Bemis Hall on Wednesday, Aug. 7 at noon for a delicious lunch of summer salads specially prepared by the chef at The Commons in Lincoln. Taste familiar salads made in innovative ways as well as new salads to try for the first time! Sadie Daniels, a Registered Dietician at the Commons in Lincoln, will discuss summer produce and how to make salads as healthy as possible, as well as answer your general nutrition questions. Please sign up by Wednesday, July 31 by calling the COA at 781-259-8811. [Read more…] about Council on Aging activities in August

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Minuteman Library Crawl on Aug. 1

Visit multiple libraries in the area on the 2019 Minuteman Library Crawl on Thursday, August 1 from 1–5 p.m. It’s a 21st-century scavenger hunt; the challenge is to visit as many as you can and take a picture of yourself with a designated item in each library. At the Lincoln Public Library, it’s the Lincoln Library quilt and/or the “Let the Rumpus Begin” bench. If you go to at least five libraries, you’ll get a prize (one per group). Each library will have handouts and giveaways as well as refreshments. All ages are welcome to participate in this self-guided tour that starts and ends wherever you like. Click here for your “passport” detailing the items to photograph n each library along with their addresses.

“Black Robe” screening at library

The next film to be shown by the Lincoln Library Film Society will be Black Robe (1991, rated R) on Thursday, August 1 at 6 p.m. in the Tarbell Room. A young Jesuit priest seeks to convert the Indian tribes in Canada while also trying to survive the harsh winter. Directed by Robert Beresford, starring Lothaire Bluteau, Aden Young, and Sandrine Holt. 

Look for disability letters from the VA

By now, all veterans collecting disability compensation from the Veterans Administration (VA) should have received their “money letters.” This letter, which states the percentage of compensation and the dollar amount of money the VA will pay this year, is the basis for obtaining the Veterans Property Tax Abatement for Lincoln taxes. Exemptions run from $800 to $2,000, with most veterans receiving exemptions falling into the $800 range. Some dependents whose spouses died as a result of injuries or disease contracted in a war zone will receive total property tax exemption. If you have any questions,  please call Carolyn Bottum from the Council on Aging at 781-259-8811. She will take your contact information and have Lincoln’s Veterans Services Officer be in touch with you.

Council on Aging activities in July

Sip and paint a masterpiece by the numbers
July 3 at 10 a.m.
Come “sip and paint” with some nonalcoholic wine while you “paint by the numbers.” The first of four sessions will be on Wednesday, July 3 at 10 a.m. at Bemis Hall. The COA will provide the paint-by-number kits. The class is almost full, but call the COA at 781-259-8811 to sign up or be put on the waiting list.

[Read more…] about Council on Aging activities in July