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

Read the latest Lincoln Chipmunk – and help if you can

The  latest issue of the Lincoln Chipmunk has hit the stands (in the cloud, anyway), so be sure to check out the writing and visual artwork of your fellow Lincolnites:

chipmunk.lincolnsquirrel.com

(Remember, the link to the Chipmunk is always on the top righthand area of every page on the Lincoln Squirrel website.)

If you’d like to have your own work appear in the next issue, the deadline is January 22, 2021 — click here for details.

And now, here’s how you can help. Creating the Lincoln Chipmunk turned out to be a more time-consuming and expensive task than expected, so we’re launching a 30-day fundraising campaign to try to recoup some of the $8,000 cost. As an incentive, you can get some Lincoln Squirrel or Lincoln Chipmunk merchandise as a thank-you for donating at various levels. Click on the image below for details about the campaign and swag.

Even if you don’t donate, have a look at our new store for all your Squirrel/Chipmunk merchandise needs, including clothing, drinkware, stickers, coasters, and of course face masks. Just what you need for that hard-to-shop-for person in your life!

A huge thank-you to everyone who’s supported the Squirrel in various ways over the last eight years, and to those who waited patiently for the successor to the Lincoln Review finally make its debut. And thanks in advance to anyone who’s able to donate to the Lincoln Chipmunk. Happy holidays!

Alice Waugh
Editor, The Lincoln Squirrel and The Lincoln Chipmunk
lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com
617-710-5542 (mobile)

 

GearTicks fill a gap for kids with monthly STEMtastic Challenges

By Olivia Crisafi, Prerna Karmacharya, Amelia Pillar, and Victor Han

When the GearTicks, Lincoln’s high school robotics team, realized that the Covid-19 pandemic would make it impossible for First LEGO League (FLL) robotics teams to meet, they brainstormed alternative STEM activities to offer the town’s youth.

For the past 11 years, the GearTicks have mentored FLL robotics teams in Lincoln, Sudbury, and surrounding towns, making FLL and FLL Explore (a program for kids age 6-10) one of the most popular programs run by the town Parks and Recreation Department. Participating in programs such as FLL and FLL Explore provide students with the opportunity to learn about STEM hands-on through building LEGO robots to complete annual challenges.

Recognizing the lack of STEM activities for the town’s youth during the pandemic, the GearTicks brainstormed about how to best address this need. They developed a series of challenges for students that would expose them to STEM concepts with fun, educational activities for families to do together while also teaching them about the engineering design process. The result: teaming up with the Lincoln Public Library to offer STEMtastic Challenges.

Each month the GearTicks will release a new STEMtastic Challenges on their website. For each theme, the Lincoln Public Library will create a resources list, including books and websites that can be used for inspiration, instruction, and enrichment.

Lucy’s winning plan and build-out of Big Ben using marshmallows and toothpicks.

November’s theme was Marshmallow Architecture. Participants drew inspiration from books and their imagination to build marshmallow structures, which included everything from flying airplanes to earthquake-resistant buildings.

The GearTicks were impressed with the ingenuity and hard work of all the participants and are pleased to announce that the winner of November’s challenge is ten-year-old Lucy, who created a marshmallow-and-toothpick Big Ben. The high school students thought Lucy’s detailed drawing was great, and that she might enjoy learning to use some of the CAD tools they use to design robots.

The STEMtastic challenge for the month of December is Marble Runs. It’s a great opportunity for students of all ages to use materials they have around the house — anything from toilet paper rolls to disposable water bottles — and extra time from school breaks to participate in something fun and educational. It’s open to all ages, and participants are welcome to work together with family and friends over the holidays.

Submissions should be sent to stemsubmissions@gearticks.com by December 31. More challenge details can be found on the GearTicks’ December STEMtastic Challenge web page. To access the library’s resources, click here and scroll down to the blue GearTicks logo.

My Turn: Drumlin Farm pitches in with produce during pandemic

By Renata Pomponi

Editor’s note: this piece originally appeared in EdibleBoston.com and is reprinted with permission. The last two paragraphs were added on December 15.

It all started with a half-ton of carrots.

In late March, with the world closing down around us from a global pandemic and all of our staff except farmers working from home, it soon became clear that Mass Audubon’s Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary in Lincoln had more vegetables than customers. News stories from other parts of the country spoke of farmers plowing under their spring crops in response to the near standstill in sales due to shuttered restaurants, schools gone virtual and closed farmers markets.

At the same time, the Greater Boston Food Bank was beginning to report what would end up being more than twice the demand of their normal operations. With a root cellar stocked with a bumper crop of carrots, and a new hoop house in the crops field starting to produce fresh greens that needed to be harvested, we knew that we needed to get our food out to where it was needed most.

Drumlin Farm has long called our approach to agriculture “Community Based Farming,” and we felt strongly that our ties to the community should drive our food distribution strategy, particularly at this time when food insecurity was rising in our region.

With the practical reality that there are only so many deliveries we could make in a week, it also felt important to continue working within the communities in which we already had relationships in order to maximize our impact. When we learned that the Cambridge-based nonprofit Food for Free had taken on grocery delivery and daily school meal preparations for families in their city, it immediately felt like a natural fit; in ordinary times, we would have already been making weekly deliveries to the Cambridge Public School’s farm-to-school program.

A few emails and phone calls later and we were connected with a weekly drop-off to Food for Free’s refrigerated lockers, getting those carrots (along with fresh eggs and greens) out to many of the same children who would have been eating Drumlin Farm food in the salad bars of the Cambridge elementary, middle and high school cafeterias.

Similar ties drew us to a partnership with the Lincoln Food Pantry, in our home community of Lincoln, where their board felt strongly about including fresh produce from local farms in their bi-monthly distributions. One of our regular restaurant customers decided to do a Meal Day for health care workers; that became another easy fit for a donation that strengthened our ties with the people who understood and valued our approach to sustainable agriculture. Through these and other meaningful local partnerships, we quickly got to a point where we were donating about a quarter of what we produced each week in April and May.

While the root cellar supply dwindled, the costs of running our farm of course did not. The demand for local food definitely increased enrollment in our CSA program, but our major distribution channels—restaurants and farmers markets—remained at minimal levels compared to our target annual budget. We wanted to keep donating whatever we couldn’t sell, but we also faced the same harsh realities of every small business during these challenging times.

Enter the community.

Our entire food donation program would not be possible without the incredible generosity of a growing group of individuals who see the value in investing in their local farms while simultaneously doing good in their community. By supporting Drumlin Farm with their charitable donations, these donors are keeping our farm going and helping ensure the food they know and love out gets to the families and individuals who need it the most. The response to this outreach has been steady and inspiring, allowing us to continue meeting Drumlin Farm’s commitment to local partners while keeping our farmers employed. Some donors have made major gifts, while some have chosen to add $5 or $10 onto their weekly CSA orders. One has even made an extraordinary offer to match every donation, doubling the impact, up to a total of $25,000. Each and every person has made a difference.

The root cellar is empty now and some of our regular sales channels have rebounded. But as the bounty of our fields grows each week during the summer and fall, we will continue to donate a significant portion in order to help alleviate hunger in our region. The pandemic crisis has led us to closely examine how our model of sustainable community farming can do even more to sustain our neighbors facing food insecurity, and we hope to be able to continue this program even after the pandemic has subsided for good.

Addendum, December 15, 2020:

Over the course of the 2020 growing season, Drumlin Farm has distributed over 17,000 pounds of veggies and 600 dozen eggs to people in need around eastern Massachusetts. We are grateful to the Lincoln Agricultural Commission for provided funding this summer to allow Drumlin Farm to begin making twice-a-month contributions of produce and eggs to the Lincoln food pantry. The Ogden Codman Trust then stepped forward with a generous grant to allow us to continue the program through the winter, with eggs from our chickens and greens coming soon from our hoop house.

Our hunger relief work in Lincoln has been a true community partnership, and we are honored to be part of making the connections from farm and farmer to those who truly need our food.

Renata Pomponi is the Wildlife Sanctuary Director at Drumlin Farm in Lincoln. To learn more about the Drumlin Farm hunger relief project, including a matching challenge that will double the impact of your donation, please visit the Drumlin Farm Food Donation Program.

”My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their 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.

Police log for November 23–29, 2020

November 23

Tower Road (3:18 p.m.) — A party turned in two license plates they found. The owner was contacted and will pick them up.

November 24

Grasshopper Lane (5:41 p.m.) — Caller reported a dog on a leash was aggressive towards him while out on a walk. Animal Control was contacted.

November 25

Todd Pond Road (11:42 a.m.) — Caller requested an officer about an unwanted party at the house. Officers responded; a party was at the residence getting personal belongings. After the belongings were retrieved, the involved party left without incident.

Scott Circle, Hanscom Air Force Base (12:49 p.m.) — Caller requested information/advice regarding a Facebook Marketplace transaction that they suspected was is a scam. Officer spoke to the party and it indeed appears to be a scam.

Mary’s Way (1:56 p.m.) — Caller wanted to speak with an officer regarding a suspicious phone call they received.

Lincoln Police Department (3:16 p.m.) — A resident turned in an old firearm, asking that it be destroyed.

November 26

Cambridge Turnpike eastbound (2:04 a.m.) — Officer stopped a vehicle traveling 108 mph on Rte. 2. The operator, Alain Neves, 29 of 50 Spencer Rd. in Boxborough, was arrested for OUI–liquor, possession of a Class B (substance (cocaine), reckless driving, operating after suspension of license, and speeding. He was later bailed to appear in Concord Court the next day.

November 27

North Great Road (1:56 a.m.) — Party walking along Rte. 2A wearing dark clothes. Officer spoke to the party walking along Rte. 2A wearing dark clothing. Evan Chaggaris, 50, of 36 Church St. in Everett was arrested for an outstanding warrant out of Lynn District Court.

Lincoln Road (9:13 a.m.) — A car struck a telephone pole near Upland Field Road. No injuries; vehicle was towed from the scene. Verizon was contacted regarding the damage to the pole.
South Great Road (2:18 p.m.) — A car hit the traffic island at Lincoln Road. No injuries. The vehicle was towed from the scene.

North Great Road (3:39 p.m.) — Caller reported their son and friend were lost on the trails in Minute Man National Park. Officers responded and the two parties met up with the parents (there had been a miscommunication about a meetup location).

Old Farm Road (5:00 pm.) — Caller wanted to speak to an officer about the caller’s dog and a neighbor allegedly making false claims. An officer spoke to the party, who has been in contact with Animal Control.

Aspen Circle (8:10 p.m.) — Caller reported that someone bought a computer using his credit card. They reported the transaction was cancelled.

Morningside Lane (10:22 p.m.) — Caller reported that kids rang their door bell and left. Officer responded and spoke to two kids who were playing in a yard.

November 28

Heritage Road, Hanscom Air Force Base (2:45 a.m.) — Hanscom security forces reported a disturbance at a residence on base. Officer responded and assisted the victim in the incident. Hanscom security is handling the investigation.

Silver Hill Road (8:58 a.m.) — Caller reported a cardboard box on the side of the roadway. Officer confirmed it was trash; DPW to remove.

Old Sudbury Road (1:19 p.m.) — Officer spoke to a party who was putting some items in a field. The party is the owner of the property.

South Great Road (3:31 p.m.) — Caller reported that a vehicle pulled into the lot of Drumlin and when approached, the driver said they were looking to buy a house. Caller reported seeing them earlier in a different parking lot. Officer responded but the vehicle was gone on arrival.

November 29

Lincoln Road (11:18 a.m.) — MBTA reported an unruly passenger on the train. Officers responded and spoke to the involved parties. An argument had occurred due to an issue with a party not wearing a mask. Officers calmed the situation down and the train continued on its way

Lincoln Road (5:42 p.m.) — Caller reported a suspicious car in the parking lot but was unable to describe the car or persons in vehicle, or what was suspicious about it. No response by officers.

Lincoln Covid-19 cases are creeping up

Lincoln Covid cases week by week (click to enlarge).

After a relatively quiet summer pandemic-wise, cases of Covid-19 in Lincoln have been trending upward in recent weeks.

The five cases last week were the most in one week since April 18, which tied for Lincoln’s pandemic’s weekly high with six cases. There were four cases reported for the week of November 12; three of them were in their 50s and one in his or her 20s, according to Public Health Nurse Tricia McGean. She didn’t have demographic information for the latest batch of residents who tested positive, but said that none were in a school or group living facility such as The Commons.

Cumulative Covid-19 cases in Lincoln

The accompanying graphs were made from the town’s Covid-19 page, which includes some information for surrounding towns and the state. Households rather than external group settings have been by far the most commons means of transmission since mid-October, according to the chart on that page showing active Covid cluster by exposure setting type.

My Turn: Congratulations to 2020 Lincoln scholarship recipients

By Carolyn Caswell Dwyer, Nancy Marshall, and Barbara Slayter

The presence of the novel coronavirus and the spread of Covid-19 this spring prevented the Lincoln Scholarship Committee, Lincoln Sudbury High School, and the Codman Board of Trustees from enjoying our customary ways of formally acknowledging and celebrating the recipients of the 2020-2021 scholarships and awards made by the Town of Lincoln. We would like to recognize the following students among Lincoln’s 2020 high school graduates who were recipients of these scholarships. The students, their specific scholarship, and designated next academic institution are:

  • Ben Altman (Lincoln Community Scholarship) — UMass-Dartmouth
  • Enzo Goodrich (Lincoln Community Scholarship) — DePaul University
  • Sydney Kanzer (Lincoln Community Scholarship) — Clark University
  • Kiran (Mira) Kharbanda (Codman Opportunity Scholarship) — UMass-Amherst
  • Roshan Kharbanda (Ogden Codman Scholarship) — UMass-Amherst

In addition, the recipient of the Sumner Smith Award for Community Service for 2019-2020 was Sydney Kanzer for outstanding community service with The Food Project. This organization seeks to address injustices in the food system through youth participation, bringing together teenagers from Boston and its suburbs to work on urban and suburban farms, to work with hunger relief organizations and to participate in workshops about food access.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all these students and wish them well as they embark on their next educational adventures.

Dwyer, Marshall, and Slayter are members of the Lincoln Scholarship Committee.

”My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their 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.

Council on Aging news

Here are some of the December activities hosted by the Lincoln Council on Aging. Most events are open to Lincoln residents of all ages. For more information and a full list, including regular meetings of clinics, groups, and online chats with town officials, see the COA’s calendar page or newsletter.

Lincoln Academy talks

To register for either event, call Amy at the COA at 781-259-8811 or email gagnea@lincolntown.org. Please register at least two business days prior to lecture.

Justice Denied: A Personal Perspective
Monday, Dec. 7 at 1 p.m.
Margie Yamamoto tells a personal story of a Japanese American family, following them from immigration to imprisonment during World War II and as they rebuilt their lives during the post-War years. Illustrated with family and historic archival photographs.

Overcoming Poverty in Rural Honduras: Stay or Emigrate?
Monday, Dec. 14 at 1 p.m.
Learn what life is like in a small Honduras village. This slide presentation by photographer Mark Hopkins, tells how American volunteers have helped in this country. The challenges that lie ahead for these hardworking people will be explained.

Health Webinar: Taming Your Mind with Mindfulness Techniques

Tuesday, Dec. 8 at 2 p.m.
When stress levels rise, our minds can become filled with worried, anxious thoughts. Mindful- ness, the practice of focusing on the present moment, can quiet your mind and help you feel calmer. Join Janet to learn breathing exercises and a five minute sitting meditation. Presented by Janet Fontana, RN and sponsored by Blue Cross/BlueShield. Click here to register.

The Connections Program

A new four-week session begins on Sunday, Dec. 13. The Connections Program provides a social connection and benefits the Lincoln-Sudbury student who receives community service. Learn more at www.connections01773.org. Please call the COA 781-259-8811 x102 or email gagnea@lincolntown.org if you’re interested in participating in this intergenerational program. After you sign up, complete this online survey Friday, Dec. 11 to be matched with an eager high school student. The weekly connections can be made by letter, email, phone, Facetime, or Zoom (the senior chooses the communication mode).

Podiatry clinic

The clinic will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 15 at Bemis Hall, following Board of Health protocols. All participants must preregister by calling 781-259-8811. Space is limited and registration is on a first-come, first served basis. Suggested $10 donation. Co-sponsored by the Friends of the Lincoln Council on Aging and the Pierce House.

Free salt buckets delivered

If you would like a free sand/salt bucket to help with slippery spots on your driveway or walkway, contact the COA by phone at 781-259-8811 to sign up, and the Girl Scouts will arrange to deliver one to you.

New medication drop box

The Lincoln Police Department has a new medication drop box in the public safety building lobby where residents can safely dispose of old medications, vitamins, ointments, and prescriptions for people and pets. Please do not put bags, needles, liquids, or loose pills in the box.

My Turn: New Harriet Todd Scholarship announced

Editor’s note: Harriet Todd, who served the community in many capacities including as a Selectman   from 1989-1994, died in 2018.

By Carolyn Caswell Dwyer, Nancy Marshall, and Barbara Slayter

The Lincoln Scholarship Committee (LSC) is delighted to announce the establishment of the Harriet Backus Todd Scholarship in honor of Harriet Todd, longtime resident of Lincoln and widely known by members of this community for her civic engagement and her extraordinary generosity of both time and resources to community institutions and local government.

The first scholarship will be awarded for the academic year 2021-2022 for study at post-secondary institutions or certificate training programs. Its purpose is to encourage students in pursuing studies and/or training consistent with Harriet Todd’s lifetime of devotion to public service and volunteerism, demonstrating both commitment and integrity to a broad range of civic concerns.

In 2019, Harriet Todd made a generous bequest to the town. The Board of Selectmen determined that a portion ($225,000) of that bequest should be designated for a scholarship in Harriet’s name with the intent of sustaining the endowment long term. The BOS charged the LSC with developing the terms of the scholarship and administering the application procedures and the selection of the recipients. Throughout the spring and summer, the LSC worked on refining the terms of the scholarship fund. The BOS formally approved these terms on September 21, 2020.

Rob Todd, Harriet’s husband, noted, “My family and I are impressed with the efforts of the Lincoln Scholarship Committee to bring to fruition an appropriate use of a portion of Harriet’s bequest to the Town. She would be pleased with this lasting contribution to her community, and her family is certainly proud.”

Two scholarships of $5,000 each will be given annually, one for a new and one for a continuing student. Students will be eligible to apply who:

  • Complete a minimum of grades 5–8 on the Lincoln or Hanscom campuses, and
  • Who are Town of Lincoln residents, or
  • Who are resident on the Hanscom Air Force Base, or
  • Who attend Lincoln Public Schools through the METCO Program, or 
  • Who attend Lincoln Public Schools as children of Town of Lincoln employees, and
  • Who graduate from Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School or Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical School, or other vocational school, and whose tuition is paid for by the Town of

Additional details about the Harriet Todd scholarship will be available on the town website in January when the application process for the Codman Scholarships and the Lincoln Community Scholarships for 2021-2022 are posted.

On behalf of the Lincoln Scholarship Committee, the Board of Selectmen, and, indeed the entire town, we offer our deepest gratitude to Harriet Todd and the Todd family for establishing the Harriet Backus Todd Scholarship.

Speaking on behalf of the Board of Selectmen, Jonathan Dwyer said, “This scholarship makes a truly meaningful difference to students in our community. Specifically, it provides financial scholarship opportunities to the 15% of Lincoln’s public school students who live outside the town, in Boston and elsewhere, and are ineligible for our existing resident-restricted scholarships. Also, this scholarship memorializing Harriet Todd is significant to the town as an example of generous service to others. Her gift will help people she never met improve their lives. For all of this, the board is sincerely grateful.”

Dwyer, Marshall, and Slayter are members of the Lincoln Scholarship Committee.

”My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their 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.

Police log for Nov. 13–21, 2020

November 13

Lincoln Police Department (2:37 a.m.) — Officer checked on a vehicle parked in front of the station. Operator had pulled over to rest, checked out OK. Same party was parked at Doherty’s Garage at 2:58 a.m. but then went on their way.

November 14

Sandy Pond Road (4:31 p.m.) — A person walked into the station reporting their neighbor is having an outside fire. Fire Department checked and it was a cooking fire,

November 15

Cambridge Turnpike westbound (12:07 a.m.) — Motor vehicle crash near the Concord line. No injuries; state police will handle the crash report/investigation.

Old Winter Street (11:02 a.m.) — State police requested an officer to make contact with homeowner regarding a crash. Party was not home.

Cambridge Turnpike eastbound (4:13 p.m.) — State police reported a vehicle was involved in a crash and left the scene near Emerson Hospital. Officers in the were unable to locate them.

Lincoln School (4:18 p.m.) — Caller reported kids climbing on construction equipment. Officer responded and saw two kids sitting on a construction vehicle tire but they were gone on arrival.

November 16

Lincoln Police Department (2:00 p.m.) — Party walked into the station requesting a well-being check on their daughter who is living in Boston. Officer contacted Boston police and gave them the information for the well-being check.

November 17

DeCordova Museum (6:28 a.m.) — Caller reported that a worker was stuck in an elevator. Fire Department responded and got the worker out of the elevator. Maintenance is contacting the elevator company.

November 18

Greenridge Lane (12:14 a.m.) — Caller reported hearing someone yelling for help but couldn’t tell where it was coming from. Officers checked the area but were unable to locate.

Griffiss Street (3:47 p.m.) — A civilian was caught shoplifting at Hanscom Air Force Base Exchange. The items were returned to the store and an officer took a report to document the incident.

Page Road (7:54 p.m.) — An elderly housing residence in Milton called because one of their resident reported that a family member in Lincoln threatened them. An officer spoke to the parties involved; the elderly party was upset over Covid restriction/quarantine

November 19

Lincoln Cemetery (1:19 p.m.) — A caller requested assistance with getting a family member in a wheelchair out of a pothole in the cemetery.

November 20

Hallett Hill Road, Weston (5:16 a.m.) — A Lincoln ambulance responded to a Weston residence to transport party to a Boston hospital.

Silver Hill Road (12:29 p.m.) — A party advised he was just terminated from a job and isn’t sure where he was. An officer met up with the party and drove him to the train station to get back home.

November 21

Lincoln Police Department (12:45 a.m.) — A party walked into the station looking for directions.

Cambridge Turnpike eastbound (1:34 a.m.) — Officer checked on a party pulled over in the breakdown lane. The person was using their cell phone.

Trapelo Road (1:50 a.m.) — An officer observed a vehicle pulled over with all its lights off. When the officer turned around, the vehicle was gone but was later found on Stratford Way. The officer spoke to the parties inside, who were staying at a house on Winter Street.

Concord Road (8:51 a.m.) — Caller complained about landscapers working with leaf blowers. The landscapers were gone when police arrived.

Todd Pond Road (11:37 a.m.) — Multiple callers reported a sick raccoon. An officer responded and had to dispatch the raccoon.

Concord Road (9:33 p.m.) — Report of a deer that was struck by a car and in the roadway. Officer responded and the deer went off into the woods.

News acorns

Lincoln student wins Rhodes Scholarship

Shera Avi-Yonah (photo by Jon Chase/Harvard staff photographer)

Lincoln’s Shera Avi-Yonah is one of six Harvard University seniors to win a Rhodes Scholarship to study at Oxford University next year. As a reporter for The Crimson and now its managing editor, she helped break stories on sexual harassment, workplace abuse, and racism, according to the Harvard Gazette. Some coverage led to legal threats and even a subpoena, which prompted her interest on the limits of legal protections for the press — a topic she plans to focus on at Oxford, where she’ll compare the libel laws of the U.S. and the U.K.

Midway through her first year, Avi-Yonah discovered her love of history, the Gazette says. Her thesis adviser is Drew Faust, Harvard president emerita. “I’m a believer in studying the historical roots of problems you seek to change, and I hope examining the origins of limits to press freedom will allow me to pursue a career working to defend it,” Avi-Yonah said.

Hanscom student wins national fellowship

Morgan Gibson

Hanscom Middle School eighth-grader Morgan Gibson is one of 22 students from across the country selected for an iCivics-sponsored Equity in Civics Youth Fellowship. Morgan is the only middle school representative in the group and one of only two Massachusetts students chosen. As paid student ambassadors, fellows will lead a student-centered discussion on equity in civic education, build a national social media campaign, and launch a virtual showcase in June. Last year’s students attended SXSW EDU, participated in a variety of speaking engagements, and continue to use their experiences to influence the discussion on how to improve civics for all kids. Click here to learn more about the iCivics-sponsored Equity in Civics Youth Fellowship program. 

Outdoor Touch of Christmas Fair

The First Parish of Lincoln’s Touch of Christmas Fair will take place on Saturday, Dec. 5 from 10 a.m.–1 p.m. on the parish house playground (14 Bedford Rd.). Shop for treasures, holiday crafts, unique gifts, handmade mittens, sweet jams and sauces, wreaths, and more. Click here to order your wreath ahead of time. Masks required. Rain date: December 12.

COA collecting donations for gift bags

Each year, the Council on Aging visits homebound and needy seniors to deliver a gift basket full of basic necessities to them. The COA is collecting the following new, unscented, full-sized, and unopened items:

[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””]

  • Pharmacy gift cards
  • Stamps
  • Shampoo
  • Dish soap
  • Paper towels
  • Facial tissue
  • Lotion 
  • Toothpaste/toothbrushes 

[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””]

  • Sponges
  • Razors/shaving cream
  • Deodorant
  • Kitchen trash bags
  • Coffee/tea
  • Soap
  • Laundry detergent 
  • Men’s/women’s socks

[/su_column][/su_row]

Please bring donations to Bemis Hall by Friday, Dec. 7. Questions? Call Abigail Butt at 781-259-8811.

See pictures and help pets in need

The Phinney’s Godparents Program tree near the Pierce House.

Instead of its annual holiday festival at the Pierce House, Phinney’s (also known as Phinney’s Friends) — a local nonprofit that helps low-income people keep their pets by paying for vet bills, medication, and pet supplies — has moved outside.

A majestic blue spruce on the park grounds has been decorated with multicolored lights and watercolor ornaments honoring pets in need as part of the Phinney’s Godparents Program, which offers a personalized way to provide monthly support to a specific pet or pets in need. Hand-painted ornaments on the tree feature some of the neediest pets in the program, including an elderly dog with cancer who lives with an HIV-positive owner and a lively cat who keeps her owner with cerebral palsy company.

Visitors can scan the QR code posted near the tree to learn more about the featured pets. With a donation of $25 or more, the donor gets a paper holiday ornament painted in watercolor of the sponsored pet that can be hung on the Phinney’s Angels Tree with a unique message along with the existing ornaments, or shipped to them or someone else as a special holiday gift. See their stories and donate by clicking here.