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

Food Project teens dig in (Lincoln Though the Lens)

Earlier this month, the Food Project welcomed 100 teenagers from diverse cultural, racial, economic, and geographic backgrounds to work as Seed Crew members on their urban and suburban farms in Lincoln and three other towns. During the summer season, they work together to grow vegetables and to donate or distribute nearly 200,000 servings of produce to increase food access throughout eastern Massachusetts—all while developing important leadership, teamwork, and civic participation skills. Photos courtesy Ross Condit of the Food Project.

Summer concerts and other events at deCordova

The deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum presents “Music in the Courtyard” on five Thursdays this summer from 6:30–8:30 p.m. (doors at 6 p.m.) in the Café Courtyard. Open for food, beer, and wine beginning at 6 p.m. There is a $5 admission fee for nonmembers. Seating in this intimate outside venue is limited to 50, so get your tickets early. Click here to register.

Yoga in the Park on Sundays
July 15, August 12, and September 9
Sessions for kids (10:30–11 a.m.) and adults (11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.). Afterwards, stay for a picnic, tour, or MAKEmobile. Click here to register.

Art and Ales
Tuesday, July 17 from 5–8 p.m.
Seasonal craft beers from Somerville’s Aeronaut Brewing Co. are accompanied by live music by Big Spender Trio, Compliments Food Truck, and a view of the sunset from the Sculpture Terrace. Click here to register.

Children’s events

All are free with admission or membership (children 12 and under are always free!).

Play in the Park
Wednesday, July 11 from 10:30 a.m.–12:30 pm (drop-in), rain or shine
Inspired by Richard Rosenblum’s Venusvine and Nari Ward’s G.O.A.T. sculptures, we will use a variety of materials to create giant creatures in the park. For families with children of all ages. 

MAKEmobile
Sunday, July 15, 1–3 p.m. (drop-in), rain or shine
Take your imagination for a spin with activities that explore artistic and material processes through amusing prompts and challenges. The MAKEmobile is fueled with surprising supplies and exciting ideas each time it cruises into the park.

Israel-Palestine film series and Moroccan music

Lincoln-based GRALTA presents an Israel-Palestine film series along with a Moroccan music concert. All events are in Bemis Hall.

The Band’s Visit
Thursday, July 12 at 7:30 p.m.
A sensitive, heart-warming tale of an Egyptian police band that arrives in Israel to play at an Arab cultural center but gets stranded in the wrong town with no buses until morning. The Broadway musical adaptation just won 10 Tony Awards.

Ajami
Sunday, July 15 at 2 p.m.
Thursday, July 19 at 7:30 p.m.
A dramatic thriller with five linked stories set in Ajami, a Christian/Muslim neighborhood in Tel Aviv.

Speed Sisters
Sunday, July 22 at 2 p.m.
Thursday, July 26 at 7:30 p.m.
The Speed Sisters are the first all-woman race car driving team in the Middle East. The film weaves together their lives on and off the track in a surprising journey into the drive to go further and faster than anyone.

They Were Promised the Sea
Sunday, July 29 at 2 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 2 at 7:30 p.m.
From 1961–1964, 250,000 Moroccan Jews emigrated to Israel. This poignant film explores why they left, the struggles they faced in their new home, and their pride in preserving the Arab-Jewish culture they left behind. Special extra feature: a live performance of Moroccan music with Beth Bahia Cohen, Mohamed Mejaouru, and Boujemaa Razgui.

In Between
Sunday, Aug. 5 at 2 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 9 at 7:30 p.m.
This Israeli film focuses on three young Palestinian women from different backgrounds who share an apartment in Tel Aviv as they try to find a balance between traditional and modern culture.

GRALTA launched its Lincoln Project in September 2016 to test and refine a community-based  model that includes learning and discussion to broaden an understanding of the Israel-Palestine conflict. Founders Steve and Barbara Low hope is that others will implement similar programs in their communities to change U.S. policy by shifting its drivers from anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and partisan politics to a demand for human rights equality, justice, and peace. For more information, email steve.low@gordianconcepts.com or call 781-259-1300.

Bright-eyes and bushy-tailed (Lincoln Through the Lens)

Harold McAleer has caught foxes on camera several times in recent weeks.

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.

Property sales in May

79 Lincoln Rd. — Elizabeth Levey Trust to Winthrop Estates LLC for $1,535,625 (May 30)

117 Lincoln Rd. — Creighton Alexander to Chen Shu for $1,139,000 (May 29)

256 Lincoln Rd. — Joseph Boyce to Alexandra McLean and Padraic O’Reilly for $1,290,000 (May 23)

11 Lexington Rd. — Zeis Lincoln One LLC to Katherine and Brian Coverdale for $2,700,000 (May 18)

5 Stonehedge — William C. Mason Trust to Manoj and Kiran Manandhar for $729,900 ( May 18)

5 Hawk Hill Rd. — Deutsche Bank National Trust to David Knoerr for $624,000 (May 17)

72 Winter St. — Aliza Wheeler to Edward and Mary Ann Babrich for $1,300,000 (May 3)

Sign of the times (Lincoln Through the Lens)

These four area residents were a few of the thousands who participated in one of the “Families Belong Together” rallies held on June 30 to protest the federal government’s immigration policy. “Somehow it felt important to give voice to our concern, and from everything I am hearing, that continues to be the case,” said Barbara Slayter (not pictured). Left to right: Cynthia Ritsher of Lincoln, Molly Johnson of Concord, and Katrin Kriz and Lucretia Giese of Lincoln.

Lincoln library spearheads “Hamilton” raffle to aid Puerto Rico

To help Puerto Rico in its ongoing recovery from Hurricane Maria, the Friends of the Lincoln Library (FOLL) will raffle two pairs of the best seats in the house for the musical “Hamilton” at the Boston Opera House. Proceeds from the raffle will aid the public library in the hurricane-ravaged city of Loíza, Puerto Rico.

The tickets being raffled are for center orchestra seats, and the winners get to submit their preferred dates and times to the producer. Raffle tickets are $50 each and only 1,000 tickets will be sold. Each raffle ticket holder gets two chances to win.

Raffle ticket sales will take place from Thursday, June 28 until sold out or at 5 p.m. September 7, whichever comes first. The FOLL will randomly select the winners on September 8 at the library. You do not need to be present at the drawing to win. Tickets may be purchased online.

In addition to selling raffle tickets (which are not tax-deductible under Massachusetts gaming law), the FOLL is accepting tax-deductible donations for the Loíza library. Checks should be made payable to the “Friends of the Lincoln Library for Loíza” and sent to 3 Bedford Rd., Lincoln, MA 01773.

After voting to raise money to help a Puerto Rican library that needed help with storm damage, the FOLL wrote to Lin-Manuel Miranda, the Pulitzer Prize-winning “Hamilton” creator, in hopes of getting tickets to the Boston run of the show to raffle. Though he receives hundreds of ticket requests, the letter from the Lincoln library caught his family’s eye. The next thing they knew, FOLL board member and raffle chair Julie Brogan and Ray Shepard, then president of the FOLL board, were on the phone with Lin-Manuel’s father, Luis A. Miranda Jr.

The elder Miranda, who has been on the ground in Puerto Rico every other week since the hurricane, was intrigued by the Lincoln request because he sees rebuilding libraries as essential for Puerto Rico’s long-term recovery efforts, so he paired Lincoln with a library in the coastal city of Loíza.

Luis Miranda is a political consultant in New York and founder of the Hispanic Federation, the nation’s premier Latino nonprofit membership organization. When Hurricane Maria devastated his birthplace, the Miranda family put their star power behind the Hispanic Federation’s UNIDOS Disaster Relief and Recovery Program, which will match up to $20,000 of what the FOLL raises for Loíza.

Though not far east of San Juan, Loíza is a world away from the towering resorts of the capital. Sandwiched between the Rio Grande de Loíza River on one side and the El Yunque rainforest on the other, the city was isolated until 1983, when a bridge was built over the Rio Grande. Public transportation didn’t reach Loíza until 2005. Loíza’s seclusion helped the city maintain its rich Afro-Caribbean culture and a coastal landscape unspoiled by development, yet the isolation came with a cost. Loíza is one of the poorest cities on the island—almost 50 percent its residents live below the poverty level.

“The Loíza library is more than a library. It functions like a community center,” said Julio Alves, director of the Jacobsen Center for Writing at Smith College. “It’s a bright spot in an otherwise very depressed area now, even more than ever. The people there are wonderful and very devoted to the library.” Alves befriended the library in Loíza 10 years ago when he was vacationing with his son in Puerto Rico.

Council on Aging activities in July

Lincoln Traditional Jazz Band
July 5 at 12:30 p.m.
Jazz up your summer at Bemis Hall on Thursday, July 5 at 12:30 p.m. when the Lincoln Traditional Jazz Band will share with you their love of traditional jazz music. The group are all retirees, amateur musicians who give expression to their love of the jazz of the ’20s, ’30s and ’40s at Bemis the first Thursdays (summer) at 12:30 or Fridays (fall) or the third Saturdays at 1:00.

Free wellness clinic for all ages
July 10 at 10 a.m.
Meet with a nurse at 50 Wells Rd. in Lincoln Woods on Tuesday, July 10 from 10 a.m. to noon. Blood pressure, nutrition and fitness, medication management, chronic disease management, resources, and more. Provided by Emerson Hospital Home Care.

Sip and paint by the numbers
July 11 at 1 p.m.
The COA is combining two fun trends into one. Come “sip and paint” with some non-alcoholic wine while you “paint by the numbers,” a hobby from long ago that’s making a comeback and was recently featured in Historic New England magazine. You’ll have a masterpiece in no time. The session will be on Wednesday, July 11 at 1 p.m. at Bemis Hall. You don’t need to bring anything, just a willingness to socialize and have fun. The COA will provide the paint-by-number kits. Please call the COA at 781-259-8811 to sign up as the number of kits is limited.

Dinner al fresco before the Alter Ego Concert at the Codman Pool
July 11 at 5 p.m.
If you’ve never been to one of the Parks and Recreation concerts at the Codman Pool, you’re in for a treat. The band Alter Ego will play at 6 p.m. on July 11. At 5 p.m., Parks and Recreation, the COA, Lincoln Family Association, and the Girl Scouts invite you to bring a picnic dinner and spend some quality time lounging by the pool. You’ll meet old friends and new and have a great time. You may use the pool for the usual fee. Co-sponsored by the Council on Aging, Lincoln Parks and Recreation, the Lincoln Family Association, and the Girl Scouts.

Draw your pet class for beginners
July 12 at 10 a.m.
If you have always wanted to draw, but didn’t know how to begin, this is the class for you. Artist and Lincoln resident Bernadette Quirk will show you how to draw a lifelike picture from a photo of your pet, 5×7 or larger You’ll learn how to sketch your pet, then fill in shading and other details to make your work more lifelike. You will leave with a drawing that you can finish at home. The class will be given on Thursday, July 12 at 10 a.m. at Bemis Hall. Materials are provided, but bring a spiral notebook for notes. The class is free but please sign up by calling the COA at 781-259-8811 so they know how many to expect. Limited to eight people. If there is interest, they may offer a weekly open studio.

Share tips for or get help using your smart phone
July 23 at 1 p.m.
Do you have a smart phone that you would like to learn more about or be able to use better? Or, can you give smart phone pointers? Come to a group that will be facilitated by Carol Peskin for smart phone users to share tips and get help on Monday, July 23 at 1 p.m. at Bemis Hall. This isn’t a class, but rather a chance for people to teach each other. Whether you are new to smart phones or have them all figured out, this group is for you. If there’s enough interest, the COA will continue the group in the fall.

Who’s in your family tree?
July 24 at 2 p.m.
Tracing your family tree is like a treasure hunt of self-discovery. You will be surprised, moved, enlightened, and inspired—but discovering ancestors takes time and a nose for sleuthing. Whether you are just starting out or have been at it for years, you’ll enjoy sharing your stories, tips, and resources with others (and hearing about what works for others might help you, too) on Tuesday, July 24 at 2 p.m. at Bemis Hall when the COA holds a discussion group for genealogy enthusiasts. If there is interest, the COA will continue the group in the fall.

Picnic in Pierce Park
July 26 at 4 p.m.
Enjoy a relaxing early evening picnic at the Pierce Park on Thursday, July 26 from 4 to 6 p.m.. We’ll bring the pizza, cookies, and drinks, or bring your own dinner. There will be intergenerational games and activities for all of us to participate in together, or you can just sit and have fun watching the kids play. If you are a senior, please call the COA at 781-259-8811 to sign up and let them know if you would like pizza so they’re sure there is enough to go around. Co-sponsored by the Council on Aging, Lincoln Parks and Recreation, the Lincoln Family Association, the Girl Scouts, and the Pierce House.

Boston Harbor cruise and clambake
July 26 at 4:45 p.m.
Come with the COA on Thursday, July 26 for the Boston Harbor Spectacle Island Clambake Cruise. You will travel on a comfortable air-ride bus to Long Wharf where you will board a Boston Harbor boat for the cruise to Spectacle Island. On the island you’ll enjoy a classic New England Clambake/ Lobster Dinner, with beautiful views of the Boston Skyline. If you are lucky there will be a lovely sunset. The bus will leave Donelan’s parking lot at 4:45 p.m., returning approximately at 10 p.m.. This trip is rated moderate, with walking, standing and negotiating stairs. The ramp for embarking and disembarking on the boat is not steady and not level, so, unfortunately, it is probably not safe for those with walkers. The cost of the trip is $68 per person, which includes the cruise and dinner. Beer and wine will be for sale on the island. To reserve a space, send a check made out to FLCOA/Trips to Donna Rizzo, 22 Blackburnian Rd., Lincoln, MA 01773. Be sure to include your phone number and email address. Your reservation is complete when your check is received. Questions? Contact Donna at 781-257-5050 or donna@ecacbed.com.

Learn how to fall to prevent injury with the Fire Dept.
July 30 at 11:30 a.m.
While preventing falls is always best, if you do fall, do you know how to fall to prevent injury? You need to know both how to land as well as what to do after you fall so that you don’t make injuries worse. Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, July 30 at 11:30 a.m. when Ben Juhola of the Lincoln Fire Department will show you how to fall, discuss fall prevention, and tell you what to do if you do fall. The Fire Department will also be providing lunch, so please call the COA at 781-259-8811 to sign up so we know how many are coming.

New signs aim to improve bicyclist/driver safety

A sign for bicyclists and drivers on Route 117.

As part of a larger effort by several town committees to promote cyclist and driver safety in Lincoln, the Department of Public Works is placing nine signs saying “Cyclists May Use Full Lane” along several major roads in town.

The signs reflect a state law that allows cyclists to enter the center of the lane when necessary. Usually this is a temporary action and occurs when the shoulder narrows or is blocked by tree limbs, dirt/sand, or potholes and cyclists are unable to ride safely there. They are located on 117/South Great Road (two signs), Route 126 (two signs), Bedford Road (three signs), and Lincoln Road and Trapelo Road (one sign each).

Research has shown that “Cyclists May Use Full Lane” signs increase awareness and create safer roadway conditions for all users, noted the Lincoln Cycling Safety Advisory Committee (LCSAC), which recommended the sign placement to the Roadside and Traffic Committee as a public safety measure to remind drivers that vehicles and cyclists must share the road.

“We also hope that the signage will help to ease tensions between drivers and cyclists at pinch points on our busiest thoroughfares,” said committee member Megan Kate Nelson.

In addition to placing signs, the LCSAC has also completed “road audits” to assess the state of road shoulders and intersections, and is working with Lincoln Police to educate and enforce rules for cyclists who ride through town.    

The LCSAC was established in 2017 after two fatal accidents in Lincoln involving bicyclists and cars. The group will present a progress report at the State of the Town meeting on November 12 and expects to issue more recommendations, mostly around the condition and shoulder width of the town’s roads and making the most dangerous intersections safer for drivers and cyclists, Nelson said. The LCSAC has been consulting with Director of Planning and Land Use Jennifer Burney about integrating some of these improvements into Lincoln’s Complete Streets proposals, and with the Roadside and Traffic Committee regarding road/intersection conditions.

For more information about the signs or the laws they reflect, email the LCSAC at lincoln-cycling-safety-adv-comm@googlegroups.com.