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

sports & recreation

Parks & Rec eyeing future pickleball court

The tennis courts that may some day accommodate pickleball as well.

The Parks and Recreation Department is considering converting two of the town tennis courts so they can be used for pickleball as well as tennis, but it won’t happen for at least three years.

At the Parks and Recreation Committee’s March 24 meeting, resident Candace Pearson presented a petition with 60 signatures asking for the conversion of the courts nestled within the split in Ballfield Road. Pickleball has skyrocketed in popularity in recent years, and while Parks & Rec offer indoor classes, there is no outdoor space in town suitable for the sport, so Lincolnites have to travel to a neighboring town to play outdoors in warm weather.

“There aren’t many sports where you can show up to open play in any city, in any state, and immediately feel welcome. There also aren’t many sports that allow for such a wide range of ages and skill levels while still making for fun, competitive games,” said resident Christine Campo, who co-organized the petition.

“We’ve had a lot of conversations about it. I think people on the committee are very open to it,” said PRD Director Jessica Downing. However, this is just one expense among many that the committee is planning for. Its five-year capital plan currently calls for work on those courts in fiscal 2029 after the community center is finished. Theres also the issue of getting approval for work so close to the nearby stream, she added. A A feasibility study would be a first step in the process.

Voters at Town Meeting last month approved $102,700 for rebuilding the other town tennis courts behind the Smith parking lot in fiscal 2026.

Winter Carnival 2024 schedule

Friday, Feb. 2–Sunday, Feb. 4

Open skate
Community Ice Rink, Pierce House (dawn to dusk)
Come skate with family and friends all weekend long!

Thursday, Feb. 1

“Josip Lluis Sert: A Nomadic Dream”
6:30–8:30 p.m., Lincoln Public Library
A documentary film about architect Josef Sert, who fled Spain during the Spanish Civil War and became the dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Design (1953- 1969). He designed many buildings in the Boston area, including Lincoln Woods in Lincoln.

Friday, Feb. 2

LPTO Bingo Night
5:30–7:30 p.m., Lincoln School Dining Commons
Prizes awarded for each winning bingo board. Awesome raffle prizes! Pizza sales start at 5:30 p.m., with additional snacks and drinks available for purchase. Free entry. Bingo cards are $5 for a 15-game multi-pack; raffle tickets are one for $1, six for $5, or 15 for $10 (suggested donation).

Saturday, Feb. 3

Pancake Breakfast
8–11 a.m., First Parish Stone Church
Start off Saturday of Winter Carnival with delicious pancakes and real maple syrup at the Lincoln Girl Scouts’ annual Pancake Breakfast. Plain, chocolate chip, and gluten-free pancakes with coffee, tea, orange juice, and fruit. Meet friends, catch up with neighbors, and enjoy crafts for kids. Girl Scout Cookies will be on sale. $5 for children under 12, $10 for everyone else ($30 family maximum).

Scavenger Hunt
10–11:30 a.m., Codman Community Farms
Where are the pigs hiding? How many cows can you count? Complete the list and receive complimentary hot chocolate! Breakfast sandwiches available for purchase. All ages welcome.

Cozy Story Time & Outdoor Play
10–11:30 a.m., deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum
Please join us for a cozy outdoor story time and hot chocolate at deCordova followed by outdoor play at Lincoln Nursery School.

Winter Fairy Land
1–3 p.m., Mall at Lincoln Station
Step into Fairyland in your fairy finery. A dazzling enchanted forest has appeared at Lincoln Station, complete with fairy houses, ice sculptures, hot cocoa, and fun activities for all ages. For details, visit lincolnconservation.org and farringtonnaturelinc.org.

Winter Wildlife Walk
2:30–3:45 p.m., Mt. Misery
Join us on a guided hike around the trails of Mt. Misery as we look for tracks and other signs of life to understand how our local wildlife survives New England winters. We look for the presence of a variety of animals, including beaver activity, to learn how they spend stretches of winter under the ice. This family-friendly hike will be guided by the Lincoln Conservation Department. Click here to register.

Energy Blaster
Reed Gym
3–4 p.m. — ages under kindergarten
4–6 p.m. —kindergarten and above
Jump in a bounce house, run through an obstacle course, climb, and slide! The gym will be filled with fun ways to let out energy. A mini bounce house will be available for our youngest bouncers. Enjoy a craft project and some snacks on the sidelines! Free for LincFam members, $10/child (maximum $30 per family ) for nonmembers.

Valentines for Teachers
3–5 p.m., Reed Gym lobby
Create Valentine’s Day cards to celebrate and thank the teachers and staff at Lincoln Public Schools. Take your card with you or leave with us to deliver. New: Photo booth for picture to keep or to include in the card. Materials and hot drinks provided. $5 suggested donation to fund the Lincoln School Foundation.

Farmer’s Helpers
3:30–5 p.m., Drumlin Farm
Help our farmer take care of the animals! In this hands-on activity, you’ll get to meet and feed the animals their dinner, help keep the barns clean, and make sure everyone is tucked in for the night. Adult & child members: $14. Adult & child nonmembers: $17. Click here to register.

Family Night Hike & Owl Prowl
6:30–8 p.m., Drumlin Farm
Search for signs of owls as we enjoy a winter night hike through fields and forests. Start just outside the visitor center where you’ll look at samples of owl wings, skulls, talons, and feathers to learn how these animals are adapted to low-light conditions. We’ll talk about owl calls, behaviors, and habitat as we look and listen for our resident screech, barred, and great horned owls. Adult & child members: $17. Adult & child nonmembers: $21. Click here to register.

Acoustic Coffee House
7–10 p.m., Bemis Hall (doors open at 6:30 p.m.)
This is the Parks and Recreation Department’s annual night to showcase local musicians and performers! We have a diverse roster of performers — some returning, some new — ready to play for you, and there’s a good chance you know some of them! Coffee/tea and desserts will be served. Tickets: $12 per person or $180 for a table of eight. Tickets can be purchased at LincolnRec.com.

Sunday, Feb. 4

Yoga and Meditation
10–11:30 a.m., First Parish Stone Church
Come in out of the cold and learn some easy yoga stretches and poses as well as meditation techniques at First Parish in Lincoln’s Stone Church auditorium. Kids and adults welcome!

Family Life in Lincoln at the Time of the Revolution
11 a.m.–1 p.m., Bemis Hall
What was life like for parents and children in 18th century Lincoln? Come join the Lincoln Minute Men to talk about life in Lincoln of 1775, and try your own hand at the tasks, skills, and amusements of 18th-century life. There are hands-on activities for the entire family.

Reptiles in the Winter
1:15–1:45 p.m. OR 2–2:45 p.m., Lincoln Public Library
Winter is cold in New England, but not everywhere. Learn how animals survive freezing temperatures, floods, and other winter challenges in different parts of the world. Who is active and outside? Who is sleeping or hiding? Joys of Nature will share information on how local animals and others around the world survive their winter seasons. Attendees will also meet live reptiles! We are offering two half-hour sessions for families with children ages 4+. For more information, email dleopold@minlib.net.

Cookies and Cookbooks
1–3 p.m., Lincoln Public Library
Join Friends of the Lincoln Library for free hot apple cider, cookies, and the gently used cookbook sale. All proceeds will go towards supporting programs and services at the library.

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Public forums scheduled on Bicycle & Pedestrian Master Plan

The Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee is hosting four virtual public forums to review the Bicycle & Pedestrian Master Plan draft and collect feedback to improve the plan. There will also be a short presentation about the master plan at the State of the Town meeting in November.

The master plan, which was drafted by BPAC in consultation with the Planning Department, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, and other town committees and departments, aims to make Lincoln to be more safe, green and accessible for residents and visitors traveling by foot and bike.

The public forums each focus on one region of Lincoln, but the BPAC will review the overall plan at each forum and are happy to discuss any region of town at any meeting if participants desire.

  • Thursday, Oct. 13 at 7:30 p.m. — North Lincoln (Route 2 and north). Zoom link.
  • Thursday, Oct. 20 at 7:30 p.m. — South Lincoln (Route117 and south). Zoom link.
  • Wednesday, Oct. 26 at 7:30 p.m. — East Lincoln (east of Lincoln Road/Bedford Road, south of Route 2 and north of Route117.) Zoom link.
  • Wednesday, Nov. 2 at 7:30 p.m. — West Lincoln (west of Lincoln Road/Bedford Road, south of Route 2 and north of Route117.) Zoom link.

More information:

Watering restrictions still in effect

With the continued Stage 3 drought, the state requires maintaining water use restrictions. To comply, the Lincoln Water Commission voted unanimously to extend water use restrictions in Lincoln beyond the traditional stop date of September 30. When drought restrictions are ended, a posting will be made on the town website and via other means. Don’t hesitate to contact the Lincoln Water Department if you have any questions (781-259-2669 or lafalamd@lincolntown.org).

During Stage 2 and above, Water Department staff monitors all sprinkler use in town and will stop to remind residents of the restriction policy. A first offence will result in a $100 fine, and subsequent violations will result in a $200 fine. For more information, see this Restrictions, Conservation & Water Use page and the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs’ drought page.

Film screening: “After Life”

The Lincoln Library Film Society will screen “After Life” (1998) directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda on Thursday, Oct. 20 at 6 p.m. If you could choose only one memory to hold on to for eternity, what would it be? In Japanese with English subtitles. Free and open to all.

Walk to benefit SVdP food pantry

Join a walk to benefit the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Lincoln and Weston, which operates the food pantry for the two towns, on Saturday, Oct. 22 at St. Julia Church (374 Boston Post Rd., Weston) along Weston’s rail trail (approximately 2.2 miles). Check-in/same-day registration begins at 9 a.m. and the walk at 9:30 a.m., with an ice cream social at 10:30 a.m. Pre-register by October 15 to receive an SVdP gift. Suggested donation: $10 per person/ or $25 per family. Click here to register and/or donate. For more information, email svdplincolnweston@gmail.com.

“Opera for Everyone” series returns

The Friends of the Lincoln Library present their annual “Opera for Everyone” series on three Sundays from 2–3:30 p.m. at the library. Opera lecturer Erika Reitshamer returns to enlighten, inspire and entertain while passing along her vast knowledge of opera and opera lore to Boston’s educational institutions. Her last offering for Lincoln Library was a lecture on “It Takes Two to Duet,” just in time for Valentine’s Day on February 12, 2022.

  • October 23 —Donizetti’s “The Elixir of Love”
  • October 30 —  Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville”
  • November 6 — Rossini’s “The Italian Girl in Algiers”

Click here for plot details.

Family Halloween activities at deCordova

The deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum offers moonlit sculpture-building activities with deCordova faculty, self-guided mysteries to solve with friends and family, and a sweet treat or two along the way on Friday, Oct. 21 and Friday, Oct. 28 at 5:30 p.m. Cost is $35 per family ($28 for member families); click here to select date and buy tickets. For more information, call 781-259-3647.

Pumpkin Palooza for kids at library

The Lincoln Public Library will host Pumpkin Palooza on Saturday, Oct. 29 from 10:30 a.m.–noon. Wear your costume and join us on the library lawn for Halloween fun: pumpkin painting, activities, crafts, and more. Drop-in; best for ages 6 and under.

Purple lights highlight domestic violence awareness

Why are those buildings purple? Purple, it is said, is the color of courage, survival, honor, and hope. It is also the color recognizing Domestic Violence Awareness Month each October. For the past several years, the Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable, in collaboration with the Lauren Dunne-Astley Memorial Fund and First Parish in Wayland, has chosen to light the towns of Sudbury and Wayland in purple. They have lit numerous faith and public buildings in Sudbury and Wayland and have posted banners and signs in all three communities. The Roundtable invites local businesses and homeowners to join in by adding their own purple lights. Inexpensive 4.5 watt Feit purple LED Electric bulbs are available at Ace Hardware in Wayland and Aubuchon Hardware in Sudbury.

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Codman harvest fair and feast are back

After a year off, Codman Community Farms’ Annual Harvest Fair returns on Saturday, Oct. 3 from noon–4 p.m. with games for kids and adults including the Barrel Train, the Rooster Run, face painting, pumpkin decorating, a pie-eating contest, and more. Codman-grown burgers, hot dogs and sausages as well as snacks and treats will be available. Click here to pre-purchase bracelets for kids ages 3 and up for lawn and family games and rides, the Rooster Run, and a ticket for donut-on-a-string.

The Annual Harvest Feast will be held under a big tent on Saturday, Oct. 23 with music by local bluegrass band The Splinters. Tickets go on sale Friday, Oct. 1. 

Scarecrow Classic 5K steps off October 17

The Scarecrow Classic 5K, an annual event that benefits the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust, will hold an in-person run and a virtual option. The in-person race is Sunday, Oct. 17 at 9:30 a.m. Anyone wishing to run the race virtually can run a 5K anywhere and any time in the week leading up to race day. Register by Friday, Oct. 4 to have your Scarecrow Classic shirt waiting for you on race day. New this year, the LLCT will offer packet pickup for those who preregistered on October 16 from 2–4 p.m. at Lincoln Station. Registration closes on October 15 at midnight, and there will be limited same-day registration starting at 8 a.m. on race day. Learn more at scarecrowclassic5k.com and click here to register.

Apply for a Lincoln Cultural Council grant

The Lincoln Cultural Council has $5,100 from the state to allocate in grants. Local priorities are:

  • Providing work for performing artists severely impacted by the pandemic
  • Serving families and/or seniors (intergenerational programs are of particular interest
  • Performances/programs in various art forms
  • A focus on local history, environmental issues, and the natural world
  • Collaborations between multiple artists and/or town organizations
  • Events that have secured a local venue, have a backup plan for in-person events, and/or show an ability to successfully present a virtual experience if necessary.

Click here to apply for a grant by Friday, Oct. 15.  Questions? Click here or contact LCC Chair Meg Ramsey at meg.ramsey@verizon.net.

Event features author of book on cold-weather exploration

Every journey begins with a single step, or in Anders Morley’s case, the shush of cross-country skis. Morley will discuss his book, This Land of Snow: A Journey Across the North in Winter, on Monday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. via Zoom. The book offers insightful glimpses into life at the edge of the great northern wilderness, the history of cold-weather exploration and Nordic skiing, the right-to-roam movement, winter ecology, and more. Sponsored by the Friends of the Lincoln Public Library  For Zoom invitation please, email lrothenberg@minlib.net.

Video on Lincoln’s famous twisted tree

You’ve probably heard about the ongoing project to safeguard and hopefully extend the life of Lincoln’s famous twisted tree (the catalpa in front of the Lincoln Public Library). Jonathan Bransfield, the arborist hired by the Friends of the Lincoln Library and the Lincoln Garden Club, commissioned this video of the project with great drone shots and explanations of what the arborists did. Learn more in these Lincoln Squirrel stories:

Water Dept. superintendent wins recognition

Water Department Superintendent Darin LaFalam has been voted state director of the New England Water Works Association. “Having him in such a high position in this important organization will allow Lincoln to influence the direction of the NEWWA programs and stay current on state of the art activities in the management of public water systems, Water Commissioner Ruth-Ann Hendrickson said. LaFalam, who was hired in Lincoln last spring after many years as Worcester’s Filtration Plant Manager, is a past recipient of the NEWWA Operator Meritorious Service Award and the MWWA Pride Award.

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Covid-19 vaccine clinic on Tuesday for those 12 and up

There will be a Covid-19 vaccination clinic at the Lincoln School for children 12 and up, as well as anyone else eligible for a vaccination, on Tuesday, Aug. 31 from 1–4 p.m. in the Reed gym. Children 12-18 do not need to have a parent/guardian with them, but they will need to bring a Lincoln Schools Vaccination Consent Form that’s been printed, completed and signed by a parent. Children attending Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, private school, or home school are welcome. For those receiving their first dose at this clinic, another clinic for second doses will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 21 from 2–5 p.m.

Youth soccer starts Sept. 11

Kids in grades K-2 are invited to learn basic soccer skills, have fun with friends and learn to be part of a team. The Lincoln Youth Soccer fall 2021/spring 2022 season starts on Saturday, Sept. 11 and runs for 10 Saturday, weather permitting. Practice for grades K-1 is on Saturdays at 8 a.m.; for second-graders, it’s at 9 a.m. Click here to register. If you’re a parent who’d like to get involved, please email sallyannecoleman@gmail.com. All abilities are welcome.

Library to take part in 9/11 program

The Lincoln Public Library will participate in “September 11, 2001: The Day That Changed the World,” a downloadable educational exhibition that presents the history of 9/11, its origins, and its ongoing implications through the personal stories of those who witnessed and survived the attacks 20 years ago. Told across 14 posters, the exhibition includes archival photographs and images of artifacts from the 9/11 Memorial & Museum’s permanent collection. It explores the consequences of terrorism on individual lives and communities at the local, national, and international levels, and encourages critical thinking about the legacies of 9/11. Click here to register and download the presentation.

Donate household items for domestic violence survivors

The Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable welcomes donations of new household items for its annual Shower for Shelters drive to help families transitioning from a shelter or transitional housing to establish a new home. All gifts collected will be donated to clients of REACH Beyond Domestic Violence, The Second Step, and Voices Against Violence. The drive runs from Monday–Thursday, Sept. 20–30.  New unwrapped gifts may be dropped off at Sudbury Wine and Spirits (410 Boston Post Rd., Sudbury). Requested items include: department store and supermarket gift cards, diapers, twin-size comforters, sheets and pillowcases, bed pillows, towels and face cloths, unscented cleaning products and laundry detergent, laundry baskets, kitchen utensils, flatware, dishes, drinking glasses, small kitchen appliances, and other household items.

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Splash-Mash-Dash Triathlon for kids is coming up

Kids age 5–14 are invited to register for the 17th annual Lincoln Kids Triathlon on Saturday, Aug. 14 starting at 8:30 a.m. at the Codman Pool. Race distances range from 25m swim, ¼-mile run and no bike ride (ages 5-6) to 150m swim, 4-mile bike and 1-mile run (ages 13-14). Register on the Lincoln Parks & Rec website for $30 and get a T-shirt, a finisher’s medal and lots of memories. Packet pickup is Friday, Aug. 13 from 12:30–7 p.m. at Hartwell Pod A. Organizers are also looking for volunteers to help out during the race; if you have a few hours to give, please email ginger.reiner@gmail.com.

School Committee seeks new member

The Lincoln School Committee thanks Trintje Gnazzo for serving on the Lincoln School Committee after she filled a vacancy and then was elected to a three-year term. To fill the remainder of her term, which runs until the town election in March 2022, the committee encourages any resident who is registered to vote in Lincoln with an interest in helping the Lincoln Public Schools achieve their strategic priorities to submit a short statement of interest. The statement of interest should be submitted by Monday, Aug. 9 to schoolcomm@lincnet.org. All interested candidates will be interviewed in an open meeting of the School Committee and Select Board (tentatively scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 12 at 7 p.m. via Zoom. The boards will vote at that meeting to select one of the candidates to serve on the School Committee as an interim member. The person may then choose to run for the open three-year term starting next March. Questions? Contact School Committee chair Tara Mitchell at taramitchell365@gmail.com.

COAHS offers tech help, ukulele, transportation

  • Anyone interested in learning to play the ukulele or just sing some songs outside is invited to ukulele gathering sponsored by the Council on Aging and Human Services (COAHS) on Thursday, Aug. 12 and Aug. 26 from 3­–4 p.m. Weather permitting, the group meets outside on the Bemis Hall lawn.
  • Looking for help with your laptop, smart phone, tablet, or iPad? Come to the COAHS tech tutoring office hours on Thursday afternoons (August 19 and 26 this month) from 1:30–3 p.m. If you have a laptop, tablet, notebook, etc., please bring it. Please call 781-259-8811 to make an appointment.
  • The COAHS’s LINC transportation program is running again. Rides are for residents aged 60+ to doctors appointments and local stops, including food shopping, COAHS activities and more. Volunteer drivers are following CDC guidelines and riders are required to wear a mask unless medically unable to do so. In order to maintain social distancing, only one rider per trip will be allowed at this time. To request a ride, please call or email Carlee Castetter, Transportation Coordinator, three business days in advance at 781-259-8811 or castetterc@lincolntown.org. The program is looking for more volunteer drivers to help transport seniors—please call Abigail at the COAHS at 781-259-8811 to learn more.
  • The COAHS has also resumed in-person free mental health, wellness, and podiatry clinics, as well as SHINE Medicare benefits counseling sessions via Zoom or in person. Call 781-259-8811 with questions or see the COAHS August newsletter.

Lincoln girls triumph in regional soccer tournament

By John Greco

The 2021 Lincoln Leopards. Back row, left to right: head coach Ginger Reiner, Bella Bono, Maya Lieblich, Mikayla Doo, Evie Packineau, Lucy Reiner, Anneka Doughty, and assistant coaches John Greco and Bryan Doo. Front row, left to right: Fiona Crosby, Violet Lucchese, Ellery Curtiss, Kate Greco, and Olivia Ancillo (click to see a larger version).

The Lincoln Leopards, Lincoln Youth Soccer’s sixth-grade girls’ team, won the Boston Area Youth Soccer (BAYS) Girls Grade 6 D3 2021 President’s Cup on June 19. They won four games against West Roxbury, Natick, Sudbury, and finally Milford-Hopedale to emerge as champions during the course of the four-week eastern Massachusetts competition.

The Leopards their journey with a first-round 4-0 win over West Roxbury’s Parkway United squad. Olivia Ancillo’s first-half brace gave the Leopards a halftime lead, and Maya Lieblich’s second-half goal iced the game for the Leopards. Kate Greco added the final tally with a chip shot over the Parkway goalie off of a long throw-in by Ellery Curtiss. Defenders Lucy Reiner, Mikayla Doo, and Anneka Doughty limited Parkway United’s chances throughout the match to help the Leopards advance.

The quarterfinal game was decided in a penalty shootout over the Natick Terriers as the Leopards came from behind to tie the game 1-1 in the 50th minute when Violet Lucchese emphatically slammed in a Greco cross. After a scoreless two periods of overtime, Lincoln clinched the game on shootout penalty kicks from Reiner and Ancillo, while keeper Evie Packineau stood tall in goal, stopping all five Natick tries.

The Leopards continued their run with a stirring 1-0 semifinal victory over the Sudbury Gunners as Greco took a pass from Ancillo to touch home a left-footed goal in the 47th minute. Short one player due to injury for much of the second half, the sturdy Leopard back line held on for the win as Curtiss contained the speedy and dangerous Sudbury wings and Doo cleared some challenging bouncing balls. Goalies Packineau and Lucchese combined for the shutout, together conceding only one goal through the entire tournament.

In the final game against Milford-Hopedale, the Leopards finished their championship season, again stunning a larger town with a 4-0 victory. Strong teamwork by the Leopards resulted in a 2-0 halftime lead as nifty passing sprung Ancillo, who opened the scoring 17 minutes into the game with a rocket off the far post. Two minutes later, Lieblich intercepted a Milford-Hopedale pass and sent it to Concord native Bella Bono, who buried the first of her two goals to give Lincoln a 2-0 advantage. Fiona Crosby finished a cross from Doo midway through the second half to stretch the Leopard lead to 3-0, and Bono added her second goal in the 58th minute to complete the scoring and crown the Leopards as Presidents’ Cup Grade Six Champions.

Click to see larger captioned versions of these photos by Leopard siblings Matthew Greco, Russell Reiner, and Kai Doo:

Leopards-katie-evie
Leopards-maya-bella
Leopards-violet-fiona

Lincoln Youth Soccer is open to boys and girls of any experience level in grades K-8 who live or attend school in Lincoln. Fall 2021 registration is open now and requested by July 7 at www.lincolnsoccer.com.

John Greco is the Lincoln Leopards’ assistant coach and the father of player Kate Greco.

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Register for July 4 Firecracker Run

Lincoln’s July 4 Firecracker Run (2.5 and 4 miles) is back. Advance registration is required and is $20 for all participants. The first 150 entrants will get a commemorative pair of sunglasses. For more information and to register, visit lincolnfirecrackerrun.racewire.com before July 3 at 11:59 p.m.

Say thanks to school staff with HATS certificate

If you’d like to thank a teacher, administrator, or other staff member at the Lincoln School during an especially challenging school year, consider giving an Honor a Teacher or Staff (HATS) certificate. For a small donation to the Lincoln School Foundation, the LSF will prepare a certificate of appreciation with your personalized message to be delivered by email. HATS gifts support LSF’s grants to teachers and innovation in the classroom To learn more and make a donation, go to lincolnschoolfoundation.org/HATS.

Barrett steers $30,000 to food pantry

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry will receive $30,000 from the state, thanks to a budget amendment successfully proposed by Michael Barrett, Lincoln’s state senator. The appropriation was part of the recently approved annual budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

The SVdP Food Pantry serves people who live, work, worship, or attend school in either Lincoln or Weston, regardless of religious affiliation. Barrett noted the organization’s 40 volunteers responded in a major way for these communities during the pandemic. The number of people served by the food pantry has gone from roughly 50 in 2017 to 150 in 2019 to well over 200 last year.

 

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Register for boys’ soccer tryouts

Registration is open for the F21/22 Lincoln BAYS soccer season. For incoming 7th and 8th grade boys, there will be mandatory tryouts for the season at the below times and locations. Only registered players will be allowed to try out; click here to register.

  • Sunday June 13 — 4:30-6 p.m., Wang field
  • Wednesday June 16 — 5–6:30 p.m., Town Office field

Children are strongly encouraged to be present for one if not both of the times and dates. At tryouts, they should come prepared to play soccer with cleats, shin guards and water. They will be observed and ranked while completing a number of drills and during match play. All players will be placed on either the A team or B team based on skill level. 

Library trustee opening

The Board of Trustees of the Lincoln Public Library announce that there is an opening. The Trustees especially encourage Lincoln residents to apply who are willing to serve for six years and are committed to supporting the library’s work on and dedication to initiatives promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. The process for applying for the position and a summary of a trustee’s responsibilities are available online on the Trustees web page. Interested candidates interested should apply in writing to Peter Sugar or Jacquelin Apsler, c/o Lincoln Public Library, 3 Bedford Rd., Lincoln MA 01773 before July 2. For further information, please call Barbara Myles, Library Director, 781-259-8465.

Summer internship available in accounting and finance

The Town of Lincoln’s Accounting & Finance Office has been awarded a grant from the Massachusetts Port Authority for the purpose of hiring an office assistant as a seasonal summer internship. Duties include general office filing, inventorying of specific records for storage, scanning documents into our software system, and other general office duties. Applicants should have basic technology skills, be self-motivated, well-organized and task oriented. This is a seven-week program with funding for a total of 124 hours at $13.50/hour. Work hours can be flexible within the office hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday).

All applications are due by June 18, 2021 at 5 p.m. and the position starts July 1. Interested candidates should send letter of interest and an application to Colleen Wilkins Finance Director at wilkinsc@lincolntown.org or deliver to 16 Lincoln Rd., Lincoln MA, 01773.

Environmental measures, name changes to go before voters on Saturday

Voters at Saturday’s annual Town Meeting (ATM) will be asked to vote on five citizens’ petitions concerning plastics and the proposed community center, as well as two other measures seeking town board name changes.

The items were originally planned for the 2020 Annual Town Meeting, but that meeting was stripped of all but essential financial items due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Members of the L-S Environmental Club and Mothers Out Front–Lincoln made their case for three environment-related measures at the April 26 Board of Selectmen meeting.

Article 37, the Polystyrene Reduction Bylaw, would prohibit food and retail establishments in Lincoln from using or selling disposal food service containers made from polystyrene. It would also not allow sales of other items containing the substance (packing peanuts, Styrofoam coolers and coffee cups, meat and produce trays, etc.) unless the polystyrene is fully encased in a more durable material. The bylaw would not apply to prepared food or other items packaged outside Lincoln with polystyrene.

More recycling is not the answer, because polystyrene is a major contaminant in town recycling, and food-grade polystyrene manufacture requires the use of “virgin” materials, the presenters said. Particles from polystyrene and other plastics are also a health hazard for both people and animals as they degrade into microplastics and release toxins. Almost 40 other Massachusetts communities have already enacted polystyrene bans, they said.

For similar reasons, Article 39 would ban the sale and use of plastic straws, stirrers, splash sticks and other disposable plastics. Plastic straws contain toxic bisphenol-A, and all plastics release minute amounts of health-endangering chemicals into food and water.

Tricia O’Hagen of Mothers Out Front told selectmen that Donelan’s and Twisted Tree had no problem with the measures since they’re already using more environmentally friendly materials in items they sell. Under the proposed ban, food establishments may still provide disposable non-plastic items of this type if the customers request them, and customers can still bring with them and use whatever items they like. If enacted, there will be a six-month waiver to allow businesses to draw down existing inventory.

A third measure before voters, Article 38, would authorize the town to petition the state legislature to allow a local rule that would require Lincoln retailers to charge at least 10 cents for each new checkout bag of any type, including paper.

Lincoln has already enacted a ban on disposable plastic shopping bags and similar materials. However, that policy encourages people to use disposable paper bags rather than reusable bags. While paper bags are more degradable than plastic, they have their own drawbacks: the manufacturing process releases greenhouse gases and other chemicals and uses a significant amount of water.

The money to be collected is not a tax but would remain with the retailer. An easily avoidable bag charge encourages consumers to opt for non-woven polypropylene or cloth bags, which are cheaper in the long run, so the measure makes sense for both businesses and customers, the presenters said.

“We’re trying to get away from single-use items as much as possible,” O’Hagen said. Several Massachusetts cities as well as states and countries have already enacted minimum bag charges, she added.

Climate action, community center

Voters will be asked to adopt a resolution in support of the country’s continuing participation in the Paris Climate Accord, and action by the state legislature to promote climate justice and expand the use of clean energy.

In the year since the measure was originally scheduled for a vote, President Biden reversed former President Trump’s move to have the United States withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord — and Gov. Baker also signed comprehensive climate legislation.

However, the ATM vote on Article 36 is still important to signal that Lincoln will closely follow the issue to make sure deadlines in the legislation are met, while encouraging town leaders to keep working to reduce Lincoln’s carbon footprint, said Paul Shorb, one of the sponsors of the citizens’ petition. The message of a “yes” vote is to “go faster and be bold while trying to be fair to everybody,” he said.

Article 40 would require town officials to give an update on the status of a new community center for Lincoln. When the issue was most recently under discussion in 2018, town officials agreed that the school project took precedence but that Lincoln could afford further borrowing on a community center as soon as the school was finished.

In 2018, the Community Center Planning and Preliminary Design Committee submitted its final report outlining two possible design directions for the facility, which was then estimated to cost $15.3 million to $16.2 million depending on which design was chosen.

The 2018 report proposed a timeline with one date that has already passed—establishing a Community Center Building Committee starting in November 2020. The CCPPDC also proposed a March 2021 Town Meeting vote on budget and site, but the pandemic pushed it to the back burner.

The Council on Aging and the Parks and Recreation Department both have well-documented needs for more and better space, and a community center would answer those needs and would also “connect the generations in town,” said Selectman Jonathan Dwyer, the board’s liaison to the CCPPDC.

The year 2023 is “wide open for a project like this,” since the school project will be completed, and the Finance Committee says the town has additional borrowing capacity of $27 million, Dwyer said. Officials hope to discuss next steps at the fall 2021 State of the Town meeting, he added.

Name changes

Also on the ATM agenda are two other items that were discussed last year but postponed: name changes for the Council on Aging (Article 26) and the Board of Selectmen (Article 24). If voters approve, they will be called the Council on Aging and Human Services and the Select Board, respectively.

The Town Meeting starts on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. under the tent in the Hartwell School lot. For information on the articles to be voted on, see Lincoln’s Annual Town Meeting web page.