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

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Winter clothing drive

The First Parish in Lincoln is collecting winter clothing through Tuesday, Dec. 7 to benefit Solutions at Work, which serves people facing poverty an homelessness in Cambridge and Dorchester. Items needed include pants, sweatshirts, sweatpants, shirts, sweaters, jackets, parkas, overcoats, underwear, thermal underwear, socks, sneakers, boots, hats, mittens, scarves, etc. — all sizes, infant to adult. Larger adult sizes are especially welcome. Drop off bagged items on the Parish House right portico (stone church). Donations will be delivered to Cambridge on December 8. Questions? Contact Mary at 978-505-7132 or mgaylord@fas.harvard.edu.

Concerts this week and next

The L-S Choral Concert on Thursday, Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. will  feature the high school’s a cappella groups, the L-S Chambers Singers, and Treble and Concert Choirs, as well as a performance by the Ephraim Curtis Middle School Select Chorus. There will be piano, guitar, drums, strings and wind accompaniment and songs in English, Hebrew, Zulu, German, and Italian. This concert is free and open to the public. Masks are required for audience members and performers. Families may also watch the concert at home via the Sudbury Cable TV website or on Comcast Channel 9 or Verizon Channel 32.

The Instrumental Winter Concert will take place on Thursday, Dec. 16 at 7:30 p.m. with performances by the orchestra, concert and symphonic bands. To learn more about the LSRHS Music Program, visit L-S Friends of Music at www.lsfom.org.

Session on racial justice and municipal governance

On Tuesday, Dec. 7 from 9–11 a.m., the regional group MAGIC the (Minuteman Advisory Group on Interlocal Coordination) will host the second part of a two-part series on racial justice and municipal governance. This event is open to the public. Register in advance for this meeting using this link. The workshop for MAGIC communities with Dr. Raul Fernandez focuses on examining municipal policies related to housing, transportation, governance, and finance through a racial justice lens. Participants will learn how racial justice intersects with these issues and will develop a firm understanding of their responsibility as municipal leaders to center communities of color in their policymaking.

“On Belonging in Outdoor Spaces” session is Dec. 8

“Navigating White Supremacy Culture in the Outdoors and Institutions” will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. via Zoom when Mardi Fuller will take us on a journey through her life of adventures as a Black outdoorswoman who has grown in her liberation-focused identity. She’ll discuss barriers marginalized people face in accessing the outdoors and how exclusion, a form of oppression, is detrimental to all people. Her writing and accomplishments have appeared in Outside magazine, the BBC, Melanin Basecamp, and NRDC.org.

This event is the next in the fall “On Belonging in Outdoor Spaces” speaker series sponsored by the Walden Woods Project, Mass Audubon, the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, Farrington Nature Linc, the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust, and The Food Project. Learn more and register at www.onbelongingoutdoors.org.

Futsal games organized by Lincoln Youth Soccer

Futsal indoor five-a-side soccer was developed to be played on a basketball-sized court. The special feature of the game is the unique properties of the ball, which has a low rebound. The game develops close individual ball skills as the court is small and players are forced into limited space and option scenarios.

Games for kids in grades K-8 will be held inside the gym and will run for nine weeks. Sessions will consist primarily of games with a brief warm-up and development session at the beginning led by the coaches. Sessions will be mixed boys/girls in four age groups and are open to players of any skill level from beginner up. There is no registration fee for skills, however space is limited and you must register at lincolnsoccer.com. Masks must be worn inside. Sessions take place on nine Sundays from December 12 through March 6, 2022. Grades K-1 and grades 2-3 will play from 4–5 p.m., and grades 4-5 and grades 6-8 will play from 5–6 p.m.

Wreath-making for kids

Come learn how to make a festive holiday wreath using felt and a coat hanger at the Lincoln Public Library on Wednesday, Dec. 15 at 3 p.m. All materials will be provided, but space is limited so please register by emailing sfeather@minlib.net. Best for ages 10 and up.

“Greening the Holidays”

Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, the amount of trash produced in the U.S. increases by an estimated 25%, according to the EPA. That’s about one million extra tons of garbage each week. Join MetroWest Climate Solutions on Wednesday, Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. for a Zoom event on “Greening the Holidays.” Lauren Fernandez, Zero Waste Policy Analyst at the Conservation Law Foundation, and Janice Paré, Environmental Analyst at the Mass. Department of Environmental Protection, will discuss ways to trim the trimmings while preserving the festive spirit of the holiday season. David O’Leary, Magic 106.7 Morning Magic host and voiceover talent, will serve as emcee. To register, visit tinyurl.com/greeningholidays.

MCS is a local partnership of organizations and congregations including First Parish in Lincoln, First Parish in Wayland, First Parish Church in Weston,  the Congregational Church of Weston, Sustainable Weston Action Group (SWAG) and a growing list of communities and individuals.

Property sales in October 2021

52 Todd Pond Rd. — Juliet M. Rago McNamara Trust to Andriy and Inna Kochura for $525,000 (October 29)

192 Weston Rd. — Bojan Rip to Michael Olsen for $1,200,000 (October 29)

8 Huntley Lane — Thomas A. Cappucci to Yukiko Bloomenthal Trust and 8 Huntley Lane Nominee Trust for $1,340,000 (October 29)

21A South Commons — Jeffrey Arena to Nicholas Bliamptis for $505,000 (October 25)

14 Stratford Way — Gustav Beerel to Brian Hoertdoerfer and Emily Marcus-Hoertdoerfer for $2,210,000 (October 6)

49 Round Hill Rd. — Christopher Awtrey to [redacted, 2025] for $2,000,000 (October 4)

11 Stratford Way — Walter McCarty to Jacob Housman and Catherine Buzney for $2,300,00 (October 4)

22 Deerhaven Rd. — Diane Marangoly to Ramesh Natarajan and Aruna Ramesh for $1,390,000 (October 1)

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Senior news

COVID booster clinic

Click here to sign up for the Covid booster vaccination clinic for seniors on Monday, Dec. 6 from 10 a.m.–1 p.m. in the First Parish Church Auditorium across from Bemis Hall. The clinic for residents 60 and over will offer Moderna, Pfizer, and J&J shots. If you do not have transportation to the clinic, please call 781-259-8811 by Friday and the COA&HS will arrange a ride for you. On the day of the clinic, please wear a short-sleeved shirt, and bring your COVID vaccination card and insurance card, if you have them. For more information or help with registration, please call 781-259-8811.

Free legal clinic

The Council on Aging & Human Services is offering s free legal clinic for residents 60 and older (adult children welcome to come along) on Monday, Dec. 6 from 2–4 p.m. in Bemis Hall. Call 781-259-8811 to sign up for a 30-minute consultation with elder law attorney Sasha Golden to answer your questions about estate planning, guardianship, or probate issues.

“Coping with Holidays After a Loss”

Mary Crowe of Care Dimensions Hospice House will discuss the impact holidays have on grief, practical suggestions for coping, and ways the holidays can heal on Monday, Dec. 13 at 11 a.m. Click here to register online by December 10 for this meeting via Zoom.

Caregiver support group

If you have a family member with memory loss, you’re invited to join Claire Gerstein, LICSW and other caregivers on Wednesday, Dec. 15 at 11 a.m. to learn about memory loss, talk about challenges, and create strategies for managing a difficult situation. Email gersteinc@lincolntown.org for more information about this group. Sponsored by The Commons in Lincoln.

Donate items for holiday gift bags

The COA&HS delivers gift bags full of basic necessities to homebound and needy seniors every December. They are collecting the following new, unopened items:

    • Gift cards
    • Stamps
    • Dish soap/sponges
    • Toiletries — deodorant, hand soap, body wash, shampoo, toothpaste/toothbrushes, lotion, tissues, razors/shaving cream
    • Paper towels
    • Laundry detergent
    • Kitchen trash bags
    • Socks
    • Coffee/tea

Drop off items in Bemis Hall Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Collection ends on Monday, Dec. 6. 

Boy Scouts selling Christmas trees

Lincoln Boy Scout Troop 127 will begin selling Christmas trees and wreaths on Sunday, Dec. 5 at 11 a.m. at the corner of Lincoln and Codman Roads and will be open on weekends until the trees sell out. There is a shortage of Christmas trees this year; the troop was unable to obtain the same quantity as in years past. To be sure of tree availability, shop early in the season.

DeCordova holiday doings

Outdoor ornament-making workshop

Cut, shape, build and decorate with ceramic colored clay ornaments on Saturday, Dec. 4 from 1-2:30 p.m. Instruction, tools, materials, seating, and work surfaces for building and decorating up to four Holiday ornaments will be provided during this 90-minute outdoor family-style workshop. Hot cocoa and cider will be served. The workshop will be held in a gated outdoor area adjacent to the Ceramics Sculpture Studio in the complex of brown buildings across from the main deCordova lot. A disinfecting station and courtyard public restrooms will be available.

Work will be fired and ready for pickup on the following weekend or by appointment after that. Hanging ornaments will receive a wire hanger, or participants may substitute holiday string or ribbon at home. An email address will be needed for communicating and coordinating pickup. Participants are advised to wear suitable garments for working with clay and glazes. Participants will be notified via email 48 hours in advance in case of cancellation or postponement due to inclement weather.

Click here to register in advance (no walk-ins). Ticket holders ages 5-15 must be accompanied by at least one registered adult.

Holiday market

Every weekend from Thanksgiving to Christmas, the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum  will host a rotating group of five local artists featuring a variety of beautiful, hand-crafted items for sale, along with other unique holiday gifts. Saturdays and Sundays, November 27 through December 19 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Members receive a 20% discount on all purchases, and all visitors get a chance to win a $100 gift card.

At the library

Film: “What Remains: The Life and Work of Sally Mann”

The Lincoln Library Film Society will screen “What Remains: The Life and Work of Sally Mann” on Thursday, Dec. 16 at 6 p.m. in the Tarbell Room. This documentary directed by Steven Cantor follows the creation of Mann’s new seminal work: a photo series revolving around various aspects of death and decay.

Apply to exhibit art

Applications for exhibits in the Lincoln Public Library’s main art gallery will be available starting Wednesday, Dec. 1. The application deadline is January 10, 2022. Copies of the application and art exhibitor agreement form can be found by clicking here. Copies are also available at the Reference Desk. 

Police log for November 16–27, 2021

November 16

South Great Road (8:45 a.m.) — Caller reported hitting a deer with their vehicle, minor damage. The driver said they’re taking the deer.

Fridolin Hill (11:14 a.m.) — Caller reported someone damaged the street sign at Fridolin Hill and Old County Rd.

November 17

Harvest Circle (3:38 p.m.) — Fire alarm activation. Fire Department responded and found that it was caused by burnt food left on the stove.

Todd Pond Road (4:14 p.m.) — Court paperwork delivered to a resident.

November 18

Sunnyside Lane (1:26 p.m.) — Caller reported someone burning leaves in the area. Fire Department responded and advised the resident of the burning rules.

Partridge Lane (5:47 p.m.) — Caller requested a well-being check on a resident. Officers made contact and everything was fine.

Andrews Circle, Hanscom AFB (9:10 p.m.) — Officers assisted a resident with court paperwork.

North Commons (4:06 a.m.) — Caller reported their neighbor was banging on their wall. Officers responded and spoke to the reporting party and attempted to make contact with the neighbor, who was uncooperative. Report taken.

November 19

Robbins Road, Hanscom AFB (8:11 a.m.) — Officer served court paperwork to a resident.

Lincoln Road (10:25 a.m.) — A walk-in to the station reported that a party was acting suspicious at the mall on the previous day.

Wells Road (4:43 p.m.) — Caller reported receiving harassing voicemail messages from a party. An officer responded and spoke to the reporting party and took a report.

Greenridge Lane (6:30 p.m.) — A walk-in to the station said he made a delivery to a residence and was bitten by a dog, reportedly puncturing the skin. An officer spoke to the reporting party and followed up with the dog officer, who is handling the matter with the dog owner.

November 20

Lincoln Police Department (2:40 a.m.) — A party came to the station to turn in firearms to comply with a court order.

South Great Road (3:59 p.m.) — Caller reported their shed may have been broken into. Officer responded and spoke to the party; nothing was missing. Damage to the door could have been caused by wind.

Lincoln Police Department (4:51 p.m.) — A party came to the station to turn in firearms to comply with a court order.

November 21

Tower Field Lane (10:30 a.m.) — Caller reported being a possible victim of credit card fraud. An officer took a report and is conducting an investigation into the matter.

Sandy Pond Road (10:32 a.m.) — Caller reported a landscaper was using a leaf blower in violation of the town bylaw. An officer responded and spoke to the landscaper.

Birchwood Lane (5:46 p.m.) — One-car vehicle crash. One person was transported to Emerson Hospital, vehicle was towed, and a report was taken.

November 22

Cambridge Turnpike eastbound (12:15 a.m.) — Concord police relayed a report of a vehicle traveling on Route 2 eastbound at a high rate of speed. Officers checked the area but were unable to locate.

Minute Man NHP Visitor Center (12:38 a.m.) — Officer checked on a vehicle in the lot. The driver was having car problems and AAA was en route.

Deaconness Road (9:32 a.m.) and Riverside Road (11:47 a.m.) — Concord requested an ambulance to transport people to Lahey Clinic.

South Commons (2:13 p.m.) — Caller wanted to speak with an officer regarding a scam. An officer spoke to the party and took a report to document the matter.

Council on Aging & Human Services (4:52 p.m.) — COA staff called to report that fraudulent paperwork was filled out regarding a request for funds. An officer spoke to the reporting party, took a report and is following up on the matter.

Food Project lot (5:38 p.m.) — Officer checked on a parked vehicle. The party was out walking in the field.

November 23

Cambridge Turnpike westbound (1:48 am.) — Officer checked on a vehicle pulled over on the side of the road. The operator pulled over to rest; they were sent on their way with a recommendation to find a safer place to rest.

Indian Camp Lane (12:10 p.m.) — Officer stood by a residence to prevent a breach of the peace while a party retrieved some items.

Lincoln Police Station (2:36 p.m.) — A walk-in to the station reported their bank account was hacked. Officer took a report; investigation ongoing.

Concord Road (7:51 p.m.) — Caller reported a dog running out in traffic on Route 126 near Walden Pond. Police were unable to locate the dog; information taken in case owner calls reporting a missing dog.

North Commons (9:04 p.m.) — Report of a neighbor banging on their wall. Officer responded; all was quiet, report taken.

November 24

Food Project field (1:10 a.m.) — Officer checked on a party on the property. It was the owner of the dog from the earlier call looking for their dog.

Wells Road (2:04 p.m.) — Caller reported party was soliciting door to door. Officer responded and located the party and advised them of the solicitors bylaw.

South Great Road (5:31 p.m.) — Caller reported being locked inside their car. Officer responded and assisted the party

November 25

Tower Road (8:56 p.m.) — Caller reported a brush fire in their backyard. Fire Department responded and extinguished the fire.

November 26

South Commons (3:43 p.m.) — Caller reported that they gave their Social Security number to someone they thought worked for Amazon. Officer explained the process for protecting their identity. Report taken.

Davison Drive (7:32 p.m.) — Caller reported a vehicle with its hazards on was in the driveway. An officer responded and found it to be a delivery driver making a delivery to the caller’s house.

November 27

Hanscom AFB Vandenberg Gate (10:36 a.m.) — Fire Department responded to Hanscom for a report of an incoming plane with a fire indicator light on. The plane landed safely.

Conveying a message to the utilities

Campaigning at National Grid in Waltham for Mothers Out Front/Lincoln were (left to right) Emily Haslett, Robin Wilkerson, Andy Falender, Belinda Gingrich, and Alex Chatfield.

On November 17, five Lincoln residents joined environmentalists from across the state at a Mothers Out Front rally, part of the organization’s Clean Heat Clean Air campaign. The campaign is advocating for all Massachusetts homes and businesses to be heated and cooled by affordable, energy-efficient, all-electric systems powered by clean renewable energy. Campaigners carried messages to the state’s three largest utility companies, urging them to create a swift transition plan away from fossil fuels and towards clean and affordable electricity.

Allen Vander Meulen Jr., 1932–2021

Allen Vander Meulen Jr.

Allen Vander Meulen, Jr., 89, died peacefully at The Commons in Lincoln on November 22. Born in Chicago on June 23, 1932, he was the eldest child of Allen (Sr.) and Alice (Connor) Vander Meulen of Chicago. 

The grandchild of Irish and Dutch immigrants, Allen grew up on the south side of Chicago. He graduated from Fenger High School in 1950. His youth was a happy time, despite the challenges his family faced while he and his siblings were born and grew up during the Great Depression and World War II. He graduated from Northwestern University with a B.S. in economics (1954) and from Yale Divinity School (1958). 

Allen was minister at Third Congregational Church in Waterbury, Conn., from 1958–1963, where he met the love of his life, Dorothy Overbaugh; they were married on August 29, 1959. Their children Allen III and David were born in Waterbury and daughter Ruth was born in Vermont.

Allen’s gifts as a teacher, mentor, and administrator were widely appreciated. He had a strong drive to advocate on behalf of those who had no voice, and to seek justice and opportunity for those who had none. Soon after moving to Vermont, he joined other area ministers to travel to Washington, D.C. and stand in solidarity with hundreds of thousands of others from all over the nation to hear Martin Luther King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech.

Allen became minister at Centre Congregational Church in Brattleboro, Vt., in 1963. He left in 1968, serving as an interim minister throughout Massachusetts and Vermont while attending school, eventually graduating from Brown University with a Ph.D. in economics in 1974. In 1973 he became an associate professor of economics at the University of Wyoming in Laramie. He also directed the school’s extension program in Casper.

In 1978 Allen joined North Central College in Naperville, Ill., as a professor of economics. He oversaw the school’s new Weekend College and helped establish what is now their computer science department. He also helped establish the school’s MBA program. In later years he taught business ethics as well.

Allen and Dorothy returned to Brattleboro on his retirement in 1997. There he served as chair of Centre Church’s Endowment Committee and a trustee for the town library, among other organizations. He enjoyed family, travel, biking, long walks, and conversing about philosophy, ethics, or politics. Allen and Dorothy moved to Lincoln in late 2019.

Allen was predeceased by his parents and his sister Eva. He is survived by his wife Dorothy; son Allen III and wife Stephanie of Lincoln; son David and wife Julie of Aurora, Ill.; daughter Ruth and husband Tim of Rockford, Ill.; brother Ross and wife Kay of Galesburg, Ill.; brother-in-law Robert Overbaugh and wife Nancy of Westford, Mass.; and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews. Allen’s grandchildren are Elizabeth Anne Vander Meulen, Aaron Taylor, Joshua Taylor, and Allen Vander Meulen IV.

There was a private memorial service at the Dee Funeral Home in Concord. A celebration of his life will be held at Centre Congregational Church in the spring of 2022. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his memory to Centre Congregational Church, Brown University, Yale Divinity School, or the Alzheimer’s Association.  

Arrangements are under the care of Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service. To share a remembrance or to offer a condolence in his online guestbook, click here.

Historical misunderstanding once shrouded the “muster field”

By Rick Wiggin

Contrary to popular Lincoln myth, the town’s Minute Men did not muster in the field at the corner of Sandy Pond and Baker Bridge Roads. The mistaken identity of that field as the “Muster Field” came about from a misreading of Lincoln’s history and from the politics of the town’s acquisition of that field in 1983.

In the early hours of April 19, 1775, Lincoln’s Minute Men and militia company mustered on the Town Common near to the meetinghouse, where the town stored its gunpowder and military supplies. From there, the soldiers began their march to Concord along what is now Sandy Pond Road. When they reached the junction with modern Baker Bridge Road, they were joined by members of the Baker and Billing families, who lived along the western border of town. Amos Baker, age 19 at the time, wrote many years later that, “When I went to Concord in the morning, I joined the Lincoln company at the brook, by Flint’s pond, near the house then of Zachary Smith …”

The historically accurate marker at the “muster field” (click to enlarge).

In the early 1980s, Sumner Smith, who then owned much of the land around Flint’s Pond, offered to sell several large tracts to the town before offering them to a developer. A Special Town Meeting in November 1983 hotly debated the financial cost against the value of preserving the land as open space. In the debate, it was asserted the land was of incalculable historical importance because it was the place where the Minute Men mustered on April 19. But this was a misreading of Amos Baker, who only stated that he and his family joined up with the Minute Men at the site, not that all the town’s soldiers had mustered there. One of the town’s modern Minute Men even promised to erect a commemorative marker on the “Muster Field” if the town purchased it. The town responded enthusiastically and voted to buy the land, and a large stone was soon moved to the site.

The myth of the Muster Field began to unravel shortly after the purchase, and the large stone sat un‑engraved for 17 years. But the name stuck. In the year 2000 — the 225th anniversary of April 19, 1775 — engraved markers were finally placed on both the Town Common and the mis-named Muster Field, commemorating the march of Lincoln’s soldiers to Concord. Together, the two stone markers erected in 2000 tell the correct story. But old names — even incorrect ones — die hard.

For more about this history, see “Recognition of a Proud Legacy” by Rick Wiggin (The Lincoln Review, January/February 2000).

“Lincoln’s History” is an occasional column by members of the Lincoln Historical Society.

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$10 at Donelan’s helps provide a family meal

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, Donelan’s is running a promotion to give food to the Lincoln Food Pantry. At the checkout counter you can donate $10 that will provide the Lincoln Food Pantry with boxes of the following items to feed our many families: Peanut butter, grape jelly, instant mashed potatoes, green beans, turkey stuffing and gravy, and toasted oats cereal. The promotions runs through Saturday, Nov. 27. Thanks to Donelan’s and everyone who supports the food pantry!

Author talk with David Baldacci

David Baldacci

The Lincoln Public Library presents best-selling author David Baldacci via Zoom on Thursday, Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. He will be discussing his latest novel Mercy, the fourth installment in the Atlee Pine thriller series. Baldacci’s books are published in over 45 languages and in more than 80 countries, with 150 million copies sold worldwide and have been adapted for film and television. He is also the cofounder, along with his wife, of the Wish You Well Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting literacy efforts across America.

This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Lincoln Public Library in collaboration with the Tewksbury Public Library, public libraries across Massachusetts, and Wellesley Books. Free and open to all, but registration is required; click here to register.

Holiday open house at Bemis

On Friday, Dec. 10 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., the Council on Aging & Human Services will host an open house for everyone at Bemis Hall featuring Ken Hurd playing the Bemis piano, cookies and refreshments, and surprise crafts. Also on hand will be Town Administrator Tim Higgins, Select Board Member Jennifer Glass, Town Nurse Trish McGean, and the COA&HS staff.

The lease you can do (Lincoln through the Lens)

“Three of the five ‘for sale/rent’ signs in front of the commercial properties across from Lincoln Station, indicative of the precarious state of Lincoln’s business district,” says photo submitter Allen Vander Meulen.

Readers may submit photos for consideration for Lincoln Through the Lens by emailing them to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. If your photo is published, you’ll receive credit in the Squirrel. Photos must be taken in Lincoln and include the date, location, and names of any people who are identifiable in the photo. Previously published photos can be viewed on the Lincoln Through the Lens page of the Lincoln Squirrel.