Dear Lincoln,

Thank you from the bottom, top, and middle of our beating hearts for leaving such beautiful missives of kindness and gratitude in LincFam’s Winter Carnival wooden heart installment (see pictures below).

We received beautiful pictures from some of our youngest community members, as well as equally thoughtful and heartfelt notes from everyone else. Notes came pouring in thanking our great town workers and organizations, individuals who graced us with time and care this last year, teachers, our brave students who volunteered and championed countless challenges, and so much more. These notes will be delivered individually where possible, but the love our community has shown one another this last year is palpable in every picture and word.

Thank you for your big heart, Lincoln!

With love,

The Lincoln Family Association

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Learn about heat pumps for your home

The Green Energy Committee is hosting several heat pump information sessions. The first will be Sunday, Feb. 27 at 2 p.m. and will focus on condominiums in Lincoln. Click here to register. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

“On Belonging in Outdoor Spaces” talk

Scott Edwards

Harvard ornithologist Scott Edwards will discuss “Bicycling, Birding and #BLM Across America in a Summer of Chaos” on Wednesday, March 2 at 7 p.m. The talk is part of the “On Belonging in Outdoor Spaces” speaker series on access, inclusion, & connection in nature (spring 2022 funding provided by the Ogden Codman Trust). Discussing his 76-day, 3,800-mile bicycle trek across the U.S. with “Black Lives Matter” signs affixed to his bicycle, Scott will reflect on the people, landscapes, and birds he encountered and convey the challenges, generosity, and hope that inspired and surprised him throughout his journey. Click here to register and receive the meeting link.

Lincoln Dems to hold virtual caucus

The Lincoln Democratic Town Committee will hold a caucus on Monday, March 7 from 7–8:30 p.m. (Zoom room opens at 6:30) to elect five delegates and four alternates to the 2022 Massachusetts Democratic Party Convention in Worcester on June 4. All Democrats registered in Lincoln are eligible not only to vote but also to be a delegate. Youth, minorities, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ individuals who are not elected as a delegate or alternate may apply to be an add-on delegate to the caucus or at www.massdems.org. See the Lincoln Dems website for more information and click here to register for the caucus (after registering, you’ll receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting).

Session on relationship power dynamics and abuse

The Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable presents “Transforming the Culture of ‘Power Over’ — Compassionate Accountability” on Tuesday, March 8 at 7 p.m. The virtual event will help participants make key distinctions among safe relationship cycles and the dynamics that occur within relationships based on abusive values of dominance and superiority. It’s presented by the Roundtable’s White Ribbon Group and follows its successful 2021 event, “A Call to Families: Discussing Healthy Masculinity with Young People.” Speakers will be JAC Patrissi, Jason Patrissi, and Regi Wingo of Growing a New Heart, an organization that aims to facilitate respectful and ethical power relationships and communications in families, workplaces, and communities. Click here to register.

“Three Authors, Three Books & One Town: Lincoln”

Left to right: Elise Lemire, Judy Polumbaum, Katie Ives.

Three Lincoln authors with shared interests in justice, history, and the environment discuss how their Lincoln experiences have shaped their numerous writing projects on Thursday, March 3 at 7 p.m. The Zoom link will be posted on the Lincoln Public Library website closer to the event. The speakers are:

• Elise Lemire, author of Battle Green Vietnam: The 1971 March on Concord, Lexington, and Bostonand Black Walden: Slavery and Its Aftermath in Concord, Massachusetts 
• Judy Polumbaum, University of Iowa professor emerita of journalism and mass communication and a former newspaper reporter and magazine writer. Lincoln figures prominently in her latest book, All Available Light: The Life and Legacy of Photographer Ted Polumbaum, a biography-memoir of her photojournalist-social activist father.
• Katie Ives, editor in chief of Alpinist. Imaginary Peaks: The Riesenstein Hoax and Other Mountain Dreams is her first book.

Apply for aid from the Lincoln Scholarship Committee

An application for need-based and merit-based scholarships and awards offered by the Lincoln Scholarship Committee is now available here. Scholarships include the Lincoln Community Scholarship (one year only), two Ogden Codman Trust scholarships renewable for three years, and the Harriet Todd Scholarship renewable for one year. Awards include the Sumner Smith Community Service Award and the Fanny S. Campbell Academic Achievement Award.  The Harriet Todd Scholarship is the only one open to non-Lincoln residents. Completed applications are due by March 31. Interviews take place April 27 and 28 and awards and scholarships are announced in early June. Questions? Email lincolnscholarship@lincolntown.org.

Garden Club seeks “Large Labors of Love” creations

Do you love to make or build things in your workshop, backyard, or studio, but your significant other says there’s no more room for your creations? The Lincoln Garden Club is seeking creative donations of Large Labors of Love for its biennial fundraiser this June. Garden benches, raised flower beds, arbors, gazebos, whimsical artistic carvings, funky avant-garde garden furniture — anything goes. All donors of big creations will receive a 501(c)3 tax receipt and an invitation to the June 17 Roaring 2022 Prohibition Party at the Pierce House featuring naughty cocktails such as Hooker’s Lips highballs, great food, antique cars, and a live band with a live vocalist singing flapper songs. Proceeds from donated items will go directly to the Lincoln Garden Club’s many community service projects, especially several beautiful outdoor public spaces that have been such a blessing during the pandemic. Call Joanna Schmergel at 617-645-9059 for details.

The interior of the soon-to-open Tack Room at Lincoln Station.

The restaurant is coming, the restaurant is coming!

The Tack Room will open for business at Lincoln Station on Saturday, Feb. 19 at 5 p.m. and will be open seven days a week from 11 a.m.–11 p.m. (kitchen closes at 9:30 p.m.) and will operate on a call-ahead/first-come first-served basis (no reservations).

The head chef is Jonathan Schick, who’s opened other restaurants in greater Boston including the Rail Stop in Allston, Saloon in Davis Square in Somerville, and the Somerset Club in Back Bay. Menu offerings include burgers and seafood as well as vegetarian options such as stuffed squash and wild mushroom risotto, as well as craft beers on tap, a “creative cocktail program” with drinks such as the Mare of Lincoln, Wobbly Barn, and the Triple Crown, as well as a “reasonably priced” wine menu, co-owner Michael Culpo said.

The online menu doesn’t include prices yet because of supply chain issues that’s causing costs for certain items to rise. However, Culpo said appetizers will range from – apps between $10–$14, sandwiches around $14–$16, and entrees from about $18–$24 There will be a small children’s menu as well. 

“With an eclectic, ever-changing comfort food menu and a craft draft beer list that changes monthly, the Tack Room strives to be a neighborhood institution,” says the restaurants’ mission statement. “We want to be the restaurant that allows our customers to escape from their busy life and to be spoiled by our ‘family’ of team members.” 

The interior has walls with soft tones, rustic light fixtures, and some tack room items such as a saddle, a wagon wheel, and Americana paintings and pictures. The owners have also added two hightops to the bar area and a second TV to offer a bar-like feel separate from the dining room, Culpo said.

“We wanted to create a place that’s welcoming to everyone in Lincoln, from the person coming off the commuter rail looking for a quick bite to families and couples and everyone else in between,” he said.

Top photo: Barbara G. Davis and Select Board member Jennifer Glass.. Bottom photo: Jane L. Bartter (right) with daughter Pam Bartter.

Jane L. Bartter and Barbara G. Davis — a combined 199 years old — were recently honored as the oldest living Lincoln residents.

The women were each presented in their homes with a replica of the Boston Post Cane and a certificate by Select Board Member Jennifer Glass and Council on Aging & Human Services Director Abigail Butt. They were also formally recognized at the January 31 Select Board meeting. 

The Boston Post Cane tradition began in 1909 when Edwin Grozier, publisher of the Boston Post, gave gold-headed ebony canes to 700 New England towns with the intent that they be distributed to the “oldest male citizen” in each community. In 1930, after much contentious debate, New England women earned the right to receive the cane. Today, over 500 canes are known to be in circulation, with over 150 in Massachusetts. Lincoln’s original cane is displayed in Bemis Hall along with a plaque listing Lincoln’s known recipients. 

Jane Lillard Bartter, age 100, was born on July 10, 1921, in Marion, Mass. Because her father was headmaster of Tabor Academy, Jane was one of only four girls to attend the all-boy’s school at the time, graduating in 1937. After graduating from Smith College, she was recruited to help the war effort as a code breaker in Washington, D.C., where she met her husband, Fred. They were married in 1946 and their lives together were characterized by a commitment and service to whichever community they lived.

Bartter continues to live independently and her daughter, four grandchildren, and five great-grandsons who visit frequently. She has been a volunteer and advocate for children’s literacy, effecting political change, feeding the hungry, and acts of service.

Barbara Greene Davis, just shy of 100, was born on February 24, 1922. After her mother’s death in 1930, she and her brother went to live with her aunt, who was fortunate to have a good job during the Great Depression. In 1943 Barbara, like most of her female classmates, signed up to serve in World War II. She was an Army nurse for two years and was stationed in France and then Nuremburg, Germany.

In 1954 Barbara and her husband Ron moved to Lincoln where they raised their five children and eventually owned and operated the “Thoreau’s Walden” bed and breakfast. She has dedicating years of service to the St. Anne’s Service League and the Council on Aging and Human Services.

By Erin Crisafi

The Green GearTicks hold an outdoor meeting.

This year, Lincoln’s FIRST Lego League teams continued under the mentorship of the GearTicks, Lincoln’s FTC (FIRST Tech Challenge) Robotics Team, with a few adaptations. Because of the ongoing pandemic, there were no organized programs through the Parks and Recreation Department. Instead, teams took the initiative to form their groups and met in new and creative ways. Meetings took place in garages, living rooms, and over Zoom. 

FIRST Lego League (FLL) is a Lego robotics competition for students in grades 4–8 that exposes them to engineering and programming with mentorship from kids in FTC, the next level, where students in grades 7–12 compete with robots using real-world engineering materials and techniques including 3D printing, custom laser-cut pieces, and more. In a normal year, the teams are named after their GearTicks mentors and differentiated by a color. This year they’re green, blue, orange, and a team that elected to choose a new name, Hephaestus.

The FLL theme this year was centered around shipping and transportation. The various challenges were related to all things cargo — students had to use their robot to push trucks, lift packages, and build bridges. As part of the project portion of the competition, teams looked to their own community for a shipping-related problem they could solve. The Green GearTicks addressed the problem of inefficient shipping times by creating a solution where packages from online orders are shipped to schools and then be put into lockers for students to bring home at the end of the school day. They shared this solution with their school principal and local mail workers, who gave them personal insight and feedback on their idea. 

Although being a mostly first-year team, the Green GearTicks managed to pull off a very successful season. The team held two meetings a week outside or even in an open garage with heaters in the winter months. “When I mentored their team, I noticed that even though most of the team members had never been exposed to FLL before, all had the FIRST mindsets of gracious professionalism and cooperation,” said Henry Hussey, a high school Green GearTicks mentor.

Despite the obstacles presented by Covid-19, the Lincoln teams had a very successful season. “It was great to be able to mentor the teams in person this year and see the products of their hard work,” high school GearTick mentor Amelia Pillar said.

“Every member of the team was so active and passionate about robotics, and I couldn’t stop myself from becoming just as excited for the competitions as they were,” Andreas Muzila said.

Out of the five teams, two progressed onto the Massachusetts State Championship. These two teams were comprised of fifth-grade girls who exhibited commendable perseverance. At their qualification tournaments, teams received awards including the Qualifiers Champions Award (highest award) and First Place Robot Game for the Green GearTicks and the Research Project Award for the Aqua GearTicks.

Bibek Karmacharya and Mark Darie of the FLL team Orange GearTicks) are mentored by high school Prerna Karmacharya (right).

The high school GearTicks love mentoring FLL teams and were glad to be able to continue. It was a wonderful opportunity to make lasting memories as well. Describing his favorite moment of the season, Muzila said, “One of the team members was excitedly showing off a new concept for a design they came up with. The passion and excitement in their voice as they explained the idea to me will always stick with me.”

Robyn Dunbar, the coach of sixth-grade team Orange GearTicks, added, “Watching our FLL team work together to solve the problem, both on the robot missions as well as in the research project, is always amazing. The process engages everyone, fostering collaboration and building individual confidence.”

Both high school and middle school GearTicks teams are excited for what next year will bring. If you or your child is interested in joining the FLL program as a coach or team member, email hello@gearticks.com and be on the lookout for our open house at the end of May. 

The FLL Explore robotics program designed for students aged 6-10 is also something we can help you get started with. Similar to FLL, it is a Lego-based program where students solve problems and the program can be run from home like this past FLL season. The team encourage potential coaches to start teams with our help, either virtually or in person when possible.