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

Boy Scouts retrace 1775 Minute Men march through Lincoln

Don Hafner answers Boy Scouts’ questions as Captain William Smith, Commander of the Lincoln Minute Men.

Shortly after sunrise on Friday, April 19, some 60 Boy Scouts and adult leaders met to hike in the historic pathway of American Revolution events of April 19, 1775. They were following the Minutemen’s Pursuit Trail, a National Historic Trail of the Boy Scouts of America that was created by the Spirit of Adventure Council and Concord Scout House.

As the militia-hikers crossed into Lincoln from Concord on the Battle Road trail and approached the Bloody Angle within the Minute Man National Park, they could hear fife music played by Lincoln’s Don Hafner, who portrayed Lincoln Minute Men Commander Captain William Smith and answered hikers’ questions. The music had the same intended effect on this group as it would have in 1775 — reviving tired souls five miles into the 20-mile pursuit. 

Around sunset, with the Boston skyline in the background and the Grand Union Flag hoisted above the tired but proud Scouts atop Prospect Hill Tower, they recognized the heroic actions of those who inspired the creation of this hike. Next year, April 19 will be on a weekend, making it an opportunity for even more Scouts to better understand what happened that day in 1775.

Lincoln’s new Wang Field is open for play

Courtney Wang cuts the ribbon for Lincoln’s new athletic field next to the house he grew up in (click to enlarge).

Lincoln’s first new athletic field in more than 50 years officially opened last week with a ribbon-cutting by Courtney Wang, the son of the couple whose land the field now occupies.

Computer entrepreneur An Wang and his wife Lorraine raised their children on Bedford Road close to Route 2. After Lorraine passed away in 2016, the Rural Land Foundation and the Birches School together bought the Wang’s 16-acre property. The house was renovated and became the school’s new permanent home, and the other 12 acres is now Wang Field.

Attendees at the April 24 ribbon-cutting ceremony applauded the people and groups that made the project possible: Geoff McGean, executive director of the RLF; Dan Pereira, director of the Parks and Recreation Department, which will oversee use of the field (purchased from the RLF by the town in 2017); the Ogden Codman Trust, which provided a seed grant of $50,000; Patty Donahue, who was instrumental in raising funds for the field construction; and Courtney Wang, who flew in from Texas for the occasion.

Stone benches and bricks carry the names of Lincoln residents who made donations to fund the field construction.

Wang (cofounder of O-File and a trustee of the Wang Foundation) told the story of playing in a smaller area close to his house as a boy. The little field was not exactly ideal, being uneven and rocky, so he asked his parents for help in fixing it up — but the answer was no. “You guys can ride your bikes to the school fields—that’s what they’re there for,” he recalled them saying.

Now, seeing the beautiful new field in what was once his back yard, “the 10-year-old in me says ‘whoah, this is totally awesome—this is a dream come true!’ I hope you find it as special for you as it was for me growing up,” Wang said. He then “broke in” the field by kicking a soccer ball into one of the goals, and the ball was later signed by guests at the ribbon-cutting for him to take home as a souvenir.

News acorns

L-S Spring Instrumental Concert this week

The L-S music department presents the Spring Instrumental Concert on Thursday, May 2 at 7:30 p.m. in the Lincoln-Sudbury Auditorium. Ensembles performing include the Orchestra, Symphonic Band, and Concert Band. The orchestra is directed by Mr. Kyung-Nam Oh, and the bands are directed by Thomas Grandprey.

Four senior violinists — Katherine Feng, Michael Yue, Evan Lee, and Emma Christman — will be featured on “4 Violins Concerto No. 10 in B minor” (RV 580) by Vivaldi. Members of the Concert Band’s percussion section will be featured on an eclectic work entitled “Arabian Dances” by Brian Balmages. The orchestra and bands will combine for “Grand Finale, Music from the DreamWorks film Gladiator,” and there will be awards for the student musicians. L-S Friends of Music will sell concessions to help support instrument purchases and fund master classes for the music program.

Bird-a-Thon fundraiser coming up

Mass Audubon’s annual Bird-a-thon fundraiser will take place for 24 hours on Friday and Saturday, May 10–11 from 6 p.m.–6.p.m., when hundreds of birders of all abilities will compete to ID the most species statewide over a 24-hour period. Bird-a-thon takes place in the midst of the spring migration, when millions of birds are returning to Massachusetts to breed and raise young, or stopping to rest and feed in the Bay State before continuing farther north. 

Not a birder? Not a problem! Bird-a-thon Boosters participate by fundraising for their favorite teams. Boosters may bird non-competitively, do their own nature-focused activity, or simply rally support for those spending long hours in the field. Last year’s participants raised more than $255,000—the highest amount since the event began in 1983—and identified 275 species, the most ever recorded. Sponsors this year include Presenting Sponsor, Comosse Masonry Supply of Worcester, and WBUR. Click here to participate, donate, and learn more about Bird-a-thon.

Food project selling seedlings, CSA shares

Purchase vegetable, herb, and flower seedlings to start your garden at The Food Project’s Baker Bridge Farm (94 Concord Rd., Lincoln) on Saturday and Sunday, May 11–12 from 10 a.m.–3 p.m. (rain or shine). The Food Project also has Lincoln CSA shares still available; visit csa.thefoodproject.org for details.

Community Capture the Flag

Join fellow Lincolnites for an all-ages Community Capture the Flag on Saturday, May 4 from 4–6 p.m. at the Pierce House. Rules will be explained when you arrive. Please wear clothing with your team color: blue for last names beginning with A–K, red for last names beginning L–Z. There will be extra uniforms for those in need. Park on the grass alongside Weston Road.

LLCT seeks summer help

The Lincoln Land Conservation Trust is looking for a part-time summer land management intern who will work closely with the LLCT Stewardship Coordinator on land management activities, trail maintenance, baseline monitoring, and special projects. The position is for 15 hours a week over two days from the week of June 1 through August 15(11 weeks), and additional weeks may be considered. Click here details about the position and how to apply. Applications are due by May 15.

Lincoln Dems to hold caucus

The Lincoln Democratic Town Committee will hold its caucus on Saturday, May 18 from 9–11 a.m. in Bemis Hall. All Democrats registered in Lincoln are invited to elect delegates and alternates to the 2019 Massachusetts Democratic State Convention on September 14 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. Democrats from across the state will come together to discuss party business and focus on policies for the Democrats to support leading into the 2020 election.

Pre-registered Democrats who will be 16 by May 11 may participate and run as a delegate or alternate. Lincoln can elect five delegates and four alternates to the convention. Youth, minorities, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ individuals who are not elected as a delegate or alternate may apply to be add-on delegates to the caucus or at www.massdems.org. Questions? Contact DTC co-chairs Barbara Slayter (bslayter@comcast.net) or Peter Pease (ppease72@gmail..com).

Youth in Philanthropy Program accepting applications

The Foundation for MetroWest is now accepting applications for fall Youth in Philanthropy. All MetroWest high school students interested in making an impact in their communities are encouraged to apply. Programs will take place in Hopkinton, Natick, and Sudbury (dates, times, and meeting locations vary). Click here for more information and to apply. The priority application deadline is Friday, June 7. Students who apply after June 7 will receive an admission decision on a rolling basis as program space allows.

YIP’s experiential learning program teaches participants how to become engaged and informed civic leaders in our community via the importance of philanthropy and the needs that exist in our backyard. Students work together to evaluate grant applications and distribute funds to worthy area nonprofits. YIP also helps local youth develop valuable skills including critical thinking, understanding budgets, public speaking, consensus building, and case-making.

Upcoming events in deCordova galleries

  • Join  Biennial artist Emilie Stark-Menneg with collaborators Lyrae Van Clief-Stefanon and Desmond Bratton for “Confirmation: A Live Performance” in the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum galleries on Thursday, May 23 from 6–7 p.m. Free; registration requested.
  • In “Art and Neuroscience: A Gallery Talk with Nancy Etcoff” on Saturday, June 1 from 1–2 p.m., psychologist Etcoff will draw connections between art and the mind, offering a unique perspective on the Biennial. Free with admission or membership; registration requested.

Obituaries

Peggy Elliott, 1931–2019

Peggy Elliott

Peggy Pegram Elliott passed away peacefully in her sleep April 12 at The Commons in Lincoln, where she had been residing for the last two and a half years.

Born in Houston on December 28, 1931, Peggy spent most of her childhood in Boerne, Texas. She attended St. Mary’s Hall in San Antonio through 12th grade, and got her degree in English at the University of Texas. She later moved to Chicago, where she met Bill (William G.) Elliott, the love of her life, whom she married in 1957. Bill and Peggy moved to Massachusetts to pursue Bill’s studies and work pursuits, living in Lexington for several years until settling in Lincoln in 1962. 

Peggy was active in local and national politics, was a Registrar of Voters, and was instrumental in starting the local Recycling Committee. She was also a homemaker who raised four children. She had a love for local theater, from acting and dancing in Lincoln Players in the 1960s to producing large musicals for the Concord Players into the mid-2000s.

In the 1980s, Peggy got her master’s degree in social work, and worked with various agencies until her retirement. More recently, Peggy was active in the Lincoln Council on Aging. She would go dancing whenever possible. Peggy lived in her house until 2016 when it became no longer feasible.

Peggy is predeceased by Bill, who passed away in 2014. She is survived by her children Mark of Lincoln, Randy (William R.) of Pawtucket R.I., Jocelyn of Lincoln, and Lawrence of Brooklyn, N.Y.; her sister, Joyce Jones of Memphis, Tenn.; her grandchildren Zachary of Deerfield, Mass., Jack Vilas of Charlotte, N.C., and Elizabeth Vilas of Amherst, Mass.; and her step-grandchildren Terese Quirk of Lincoln, Thomas Quirk of Lowell, and Tim Quirk of Durham, N.H.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, June 1 at 10 a.m. in the First Parish Church in Lincoln. Her ashes will be interred at a future date with her family in Boerne, Texas. Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the Lincoln Council on Aging, c/o Town Offices, 16 Lincoln Rd., Lincoln, MA 01773.

Bill Munroe, 1930–2019

William Munroe, William C. Munroe, Jr., an attorney and longtime Lincoln resident, died at his home on April 22 at the age of 90.

Bill graduated from Brown University and Harvard Law School, and was a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy, serving aboard the USS Randolph. He leaves his wife, Mary; daughters Hannah Munroe and Libby Munroe-Overberg; daughter-in-law Karen Munroe; his sister, Mary West; and seven wonderful grandchildren. He was predeceased by his son, William A. Munroe.

Bill loved his family, his home, and the town of Lincoln. He will be deeply missed. He was buried at Lincoln Cemetery on April 24 during a private service, surrounded by his family.

Arrangements for both Elliott and Munroe are under the care of Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord. To share a remembrance or to send a condolence in the online guestbook, please visit www.DeeFuneralHome.com.

Property sales in March

169 Lexington Rd. — David Spertner to Cao Yunfei and Wang Shuhui for $957,500 (March 29)

7 Tower Rd. — Andrew Thompson to Michael Fiore and Caroline Malcolm for $812,000 (March 28)

112 Codman Rd. — David Crisafi to Benjamin Pless for $1,381,900 (March 28)

216 Aspen Circle — Michelle Selinger-Schamberg to Nicholas H. Morgan for $615,000 (March 15)

11 Huntley Lane — Sheik Mehrdad Trust to Gilbert and Judith Roeder for $950,000 (March 8)

 

News acorns

Learn about natural burial

There will be an informational session about natural burial on Saturday, April 27 from 3-5 p.m. at the Ryan Estate facilitated by Lincoln resident Carol DiGianni, a former candidate for the Lincoln Cemetery Commission. Participants can learn and ask questions about the benefits of natural burials, which offer an alternative to the expense and environmental toxicity of traditional burial practices.

Spring cleanup at Codman

Some of the volunteers at a previous year’s Codman Community Farm spring cleanup.

Come volunteer at Farms Spring Cleanup Day at Codman Community Farms on Sunday, April 28 from 1-5 p.m. Bring gloves, work clothes, and a sense of fun; the farm will provide snacks and gardening tools. For more info and to RSVP, click here.

Event covers Mughal period in India

The next seminar in the India Discovery Center’s series on the history of India in Bemis Hall takes place on Saturday, May 4 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will cover 1500–1800 AD, when Mughals ruled the country and established Islam and imposed the Persian language. Lincoln’s Bijoy Mishra will be one of the presenters. The organization is asking for a $25 donation but is offering 10 complimentary admissions for Lincoln residents. Click here for more information and registration.

Taraz performs at next open mic night

Diane Taraz

Diane Taraz is the featured performer at the next LOMA (Lincoln Open-Mike Acoustic) night on Monday, May 13 in the Lincoln Public Library’s Tarbell Room. The event runs from 7–10 p.m., and Taraz will perform a half-hour set starting around 8:30. She directs the Lexington Historical Society’s Colonial Singers and draws inspiration from Celtic, British, French-Canadian, and American folk traditions. Click here for a video of the title cut from her 2014 CD release “Let’s Do It.” Admission is free and refreshments are provided. Performers can sign up at the event or email Rich Eilbert at loma3re@gmail.com for a slot. There is a sound system with mikes and instrumental pickups suitable for individuals or small groups.

“35 Shots of Rum” film screening

The Lincoln Library Film Society presents “35 Shots of Rum” (2008, unrated) directed by Claire Denis on Thursday, May 2 at 6 p.m. in the Tarbell Room. The movie is an intimate family study centering on a widower and his adult daughter in Paris.

Foster Fargo, 1943–2019

Foster Fargo

Foster M. Fargo, Jr. of Lincoln, the beloved husband for 52 years of former state Senator Susan Cooley Fargo, died suddenly and unexpectedly due to a cardiovascular event on April 14. He was 76.

Born in Jacksonville, Fla., on March 3, 1943, he was the son of Ruth (Reed) Savage and the late Foster M. Fargo, Sr., a U.S. Navy pilot who died during World War II shortly after his son’s birth. Foster was raised by his mother and her second husband Harlow Dow Savage Jr., whom he adored, and lived in New York, N.Y., Riverside, Conn., and West Hartford, Conn. through his childhood years.

After graduating from Philips Exeter Academy in 1960 and Yale College in 1964, he completed a master’s degree in electrical engineering at MIT and an MBA at Harvard Business School. He worked in the emerging computer technology industry from the early 1970s and was an innovator in the development of computer display and output systems, in particular, of ink jet printer technology.

Foster retired in 2004 and committed his time to family. He was recognized by all who knew him for his unassuming brilliance and a kind, humble, stalwart presence that created spaces in which others could thrive. Even remote acquaintances commented on the twinkle in his eye.

Foster was an accomplished cook, an avid reader of mystery novels, and a wizard at solving complicated puzzles. He was a consummate putterer who could build or fix almost anything. Many in Lincoln will remember him mowing and tending the large meadow along Trapelo Road behind the Fargo home.

In addition to his wife, he leaves behind his devoted daughter, Amanda Reed Fargo of Lincoln; his proud grandson, Brady Foster Fargo (who changed his middle name to honor Foster), also of Lincoln; one sister, Seddon Reed Savage and her husband William Carl Cooley (his wife’s brother) of Concord, N.H.; his sister-in law Marcia Cooley Blevins of McMinnville, Ore.; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.

A celebration of Foster’s life will be held on Saturday, May 11 at 11 a.m. at the First Parish in Lincoln. A private burial will be held at Lincoln Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to Trustees of the Reservation, Planned Parenthood of Massachusetts, or the First Parish of Lincoln.

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

News acorns

Ramsey honored for philanthropy

Meg Ramsey

Foundation for MetroWest, the community foundation serving the 33 cities and towns of MetroWest Boston, has announced that Lincoln resident Margaret “Meg” Ramsey will receive the Community Philanthropist Award.

In addition to being a trustee for the Foundation for MetroWest, Ramsey is a past board member of Belmont Day School and a past chair of the Lincoln Scholarship Committee. She also serves as a board member at the Discovery Museum in Acton, chair of the Lincoln Cultural Council, and a member of the Parents’ Council at NYU Tisch School of the Arts. She is founder and managing trustee of the Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation, which funds projects in arts education and general education in eastern Massachusetts.

“Meg has been involved with the work of the Foundation for more than 15 years, originally getting involved through our Youth in Philanthropy program,” said Judy Salerno, executive director of the Foundation for MetroWest. “She has always had an interest in philanthropy education, and she truly represents what it means to be not only a philanthropist and a board member but also a caring member of the community.”

Ramway will receive her award at the Spring Inspiration Breakfast on Thursday, April 25 from 9–11 a.m. at the Wellesley Country Club.

Area meeting on 5G wireless technology

A recent FCC ruling on fifth-generation (5G) wireless technology has cut local government control and reduced revenue options to towns from wireless carriers. Come learn about local options and what communities are doing in response at a meeting of HATS (Hanscom Area Town Selectmen from Bedford, Concord, Lexington, and Lincoln) on Thursday, April 25 at 7:30 p.m. in the Lincoln Town Office Building.

Cecelia (Cece) Doucette, technology safety educator and founder of Wireless Education, will speak. Topics will include:

  • How will the 5G build-out work?
  • How does the recent FCC ruling on 5G limit local government control?
  • What are the revenue implications for towns?
  • Have any towns generated model Small Cell Policies, and what do they include?
  • What are the health and safety concerns associated with 5G?
  • How will the 5G infrastructure interact with 3G and 4G?
  • What are 5G’s implications for privacy, energy conservation, and legal liability?

Study calls for new DPW facilities costing $15 million

The DPW site on Lewis Street (click to enlarge).

The completed study of the options for moving some or all of the DPW’s Lewis Street functions to allow rezoning of the property recommends that the town replace the outdated facility at an estimated cost of more than $15 million.

Weston and Sampson were hired in 2017 to identify the current and future needs of the Department of Public Works and to identify a potential site to address those needs. The study will be formally presented to the Board of Selectmen on Monday, April 22  at 6:30 p.m. The board will ultimately make a decision as to whether to recommend the DPW as a future project to the Capital Planning Committee.

Weston and Sampson’s report says the current facility, which was built 60 years and has not been expanded since; does not comply with building, plumbing or mechanical codes; does not have enough space for storage or maintenance; and poses safety concerns for DPW employees.

The public works facility needs almost 30,000 square feet (about two-thirds of an acre), including 17,000 square feet of indoor vehicle and equipment storage, according to the report. The Lewis St. property facility has almost four acres, but most of the space is open to the elements.

The consultants started by compiling a list of 182 potential properties for a DPW (including Lewis St.) and narrowed it town to six, excluding most based on size, current use, and wetlands/floodplain status. The six remaining sites were Lewis St., the transfer station (both town-owned); land on Old Bedford Road owned by MassPort; land on Virginia Road owned by MassPort and the U.S. government at Hanscom Field; and land on Cambridge Turnpike owned by Farrington Memorial. Lewis St. is by far the smallest of the finalists based on acreage.

The rough cost estimate includes $8.5 million for the main building, $2.5 million in site and site support structures, $3.5 million in soft costs, and $670,000 in contingency costs, but no escalation costs.

The South Lincoln Planning and Implementation and Planning Committee is working on rezoning the Lincoln Station area, including the DPW property and will host a public forum on their work on Tuesday, May 7 from 6-8 p.m.in the Town Hall (see accompanying story).

Rezoning South Lincoln is topic of May 7 forum

South Lincoln showing proposed SLPIC projects (click image to enlarge)

A proposal to rezone parts of South Lincoln will be the subject of a public forum hosted by the South Lincoln Planning and Implementation Committee (SLPIC) will hold a public forum on Tuesday, May 7 from 6–8:30 p.m. in the Town Hall.

SLPIC’s Village Planning and Zoning Team has been working on rezoning the area comprising the train station, Lewis Street including the DPW (see accompanying story), the mall, and Lincoln Road up to Codman Road as part of an effort to revitalize the area.

The agenda is as follows:

  • 6–7 p.m. — drop in and meet members of SLPIC and the town’s planning and land use staff to learn more about SLPIC efforts to create a vibrant, pedestrian friendly village center at Lincoln Station.
  • 7–8:30 p.m. — Presentation by the SLPIC Village Planning and Zoning Team on efforts to rezone Lincoln Station as an E-TOD (Equitable Transit Oriented Development). Learn more about the proposed zoning and design guidelines, followed by Q&A. 

An E-TOD is a type of sustainable smart growth development that maximizes the amount of residential, business, and public space within walking distance of public transport. A transit-oriented development encourages walkability and use of public transit to reduce dependency on cars while reducing the carbon footprint and contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. “Equitable” means that people of all ages, incomes, and abilities have access to housing, services, amenities ,and public transportation.

Benefits of a transit-oriented development include:

  • Reducing dependence on driving
  • Allowing residents to live, work, and play in the same area
  • Reducing the area’s carbon footprint or negative impact on the environment
  • Providing access to better life services
  • Stimulating the local economy
  • Revitalizing town centers
  • Providing better access between urban and suburban areas, to better jobs, and to better entertainment or recreational services