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

My Turn: Check out famed cellist Helen Gillet on Friday

By Mimi Borden, Sara Mattes, and Rachel Marie Schachter

This Friday night, we have a unique opportunity to hear a gifted, boundary-breaking artist — cellist Helen Gillet — in a rare New England performance. She will take the stage at 8 p.m. on Friday, June 28 at Bemis Hall.

Helen has played notable venues around the world including Lincoln Center, NPR’s Tiny Desk, and TEDx stages. She performs most often in New Orleans, her current home, where her packed performances at the New Orleans Jazz Fest are consistently met with standing ovations.

Helen has a unique approach to music. She sings in English, French, and other languages while accompanying herself with multi-layered sounds that she records and loops as she performs. Her eclectic palette, technical prowess, extended techniques, and artistic daring combine to create an other-worldly experience. It’s one not to be missed. This is a sample of what you’ll hear.

Please join the Bemis Free Lecture Series to experience a most enchanting evening.

The authors are Bemis Trustees.

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 Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Juliet Rago-McNamara, 1927–2024

Juliet Rago-McNamara

American artist Juliet Rago-McNamara passed away peacefully of natural causes on June 17, 2024 at the age of 97 at Bridges Memory Care Assisted Living in Westford. She was born on March 21, 1927, in Chicago and is survived by her four children and six grandchildren.

Juliet was pre-deceased by her first husband, Henry Rago, a poet, editor of Poetry magazine, and professor in the University of Chicago’s School of Theology and Literature who passed away in 1969, and by her second husband Robert J. McNamara, former dean of Loyola University and subsequently professor and chair of its Department of Sociology, who passed away in 1985.

Beloved within her community and by family, friends, colleagues and students, Juliet was known for her even temper, kindness, and grace. She was a full professor of painting in Loyola’s Department of Fine Arts and was a prolific and respected artist, a calling to which she devoted her life.

Juliet earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) in 1950 and her Master of Fine Arts at SAIC in 1973. Her career in higher education began in 1969, when she became a professor of fine arts at Loyola and taught painting until her retirement in 2002. Prior to this, she was an art instructor at Barat College of the Sacred Heart in Lake Forest, Ill., from 1970-1971. She spent many summers working independently at arts colonies throughout the country, notably Yado, Ragdale, Oxbow Summer School of Art, Vermont Studio Center, and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts.

A member of the College Art Association and the Women’s Caucus for Art, Juliet had a long career as an educator, lecturer, and artist. She received numerous awards, fellowships, and grants and is listed as a notable artist by Marquis Who’s Who. Juliet prolifically explored abstractions, landscapes, sky, sea, and figurative subjects in her work as an artist. She often depicted elements of nature and the ever-changing cloud formations over Lake Michigan and wherever she traveled. She was captivated by the human figure moving through water or space, especially in the form of angels, which graced most of the holiday cards she sent out yearly.

In addition to her work as an artist, Juliet loved music. She played guitar, dulcimer, and piano, and was a gifted singer, singing in local choirs wherever she lived. Her interest in art, music, and the humanities enabled her to create rich and varied friendships that mirrored what she cared most about.

Juliet continued through her over 70 years as an artist to create art works and exhibits in galleries and museums (in both solo and group shows) and leaves a rich and complex legacy as an artist and friend to many.

A celebration of life and memorial service will be announced at a later date at First Parish Church in Lincoln and at Rago Brothers’ Funeral Home in Chicago. In lieu of flowers, please contribute to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America or a charity or scholarship of your choice in Juliet’s name.

News acorns

Cello concert on Friday

Helen Gillet

See Helen Gillet, a “whirling dervish of the cello,” in concert on Friday, June 28 at 8 p.m. in Bemis Hall. Gillet is a cellist, singer, composer, and master improviser who grew up in Belgium, Singapore, Illinois and Wisconsin. Calling New Orleans home since 2002, she is a jazz festival favorite who regularly performs on stages all over the world. Her solo shows are an eclectic mix of styles including French chansons, Belgian folk sung in Walloon, contemporary jazz, North Indian blues and classical. She combines acoustic cello with voice, percussion and live looping and layering technology to explore and push the boundaries of sound and rhythm. See videos of her performing here. Free; sponsored by the Bemis Free Lecture Series.

Coming up at the library

Kids’ Comic Workshop with LJ Baptiste
Monday, July 8 from 7–8 p.m., Tarbell Room
ids ages 7+ are invited to join Boston cartoonist and comic artist LJ-Baptiste for a three-week workshop on Monday nights in July to learn how comics are made. You will also create your own comics and original characters using techniques from pros in comics and manga as well. All supplies will be provided by the library. Registration required; participants are encouraged to register for all three workshop sessions. Register here.

Ricardo Frota

Ecology of Sound: Ricardo Frota
Wednesday, July 10 from 11 a.m.–noon, Tarbell Room
Join us for a performance by Ricardo Frota that inspires children and parents to absorb the rhythms, sound and music from different global cultures and the natural world that surrounds them. Ricardo entertains and educates while playing multicultural songs and improvising with Earth elements. His interactive performances use traditional rhythm instruments, and instruments made of recycled materials and also objects found in nature. All ages welcome; no registration required.

Dungeons and Dragons: A Library Campaign
Thursday, July 11 from 4–5 p.m., Tarbell Room
Come play Dungeons and Dragons in the library with DM Nikolas Metcalf. Registration required; for ages 11+. Register here.

Donate art supplies to Lincoln hospice house

Lincoln resident Stacey Sawyer-Mackie, who volunteers with the Care Dimensions hospice house in Lincoln, is collecting adult coloring books, colored pencils, thin-tipped markers and similar items to have available for family members and visitors at the hospice house. If you can donate such items or easy word search, simple crossword puzzle books or other similar items, email her at slsweet830@aol.com.

News acorns

A Lincoln alpaca

Learn about large farm animals in Lincoln

The spring issue of the Lincoln Agricultural Commission newsletter focusing on Lincoln’s large animals is now available — click here. Learn more about horses, pigs, cows, sheep, and alpacas that live (today and historically) on Lincoln farms.

Coming up at the library

Family bingo
Monday, June 24 from 6–7 p.m., Tarbell Room
Come one, come all for a fun night of family bingo with prizes for everyone All ages welcome; no registration necessary.

Chess for kids
Tuesday, June 25 and July 2 from 3:30–4:30 p.m., Tarbell Room
Chess players of all ages and abilities are encouraged to come check out the library’s new Chess Club. Members of the L-S Chess Club will be hosting, so come learn if you’re interested or play if you’re ready for a challenge. Bring your own board or play with one of ours. For ages 5+. Click here to register for June 25; click here to register for July 2.

Movie matinee: “The Sandlot”
Wednesday, June 26 from 3:30–5:30 p.m., Tarbell Room
All ages, no registration required.

Virtual Q&A with author of “The Library of Borrowed Hearts”
Wednesday, June 26 from 7–8 p.m., Zoom
The transformative power of books helps us connect with those around us. Author Lucy Gilmore discusses her book The Library of Borrowed Hearts, the follow-up to The Lonely Hearts Book Club. We’ll be chatting about these heartwarming novels about some of our favorite things: friendship, books, and how important it is to find the family you were always meant to have. Register here.

Summer karaoke night
Thursday, June 27 from 6–7:30 p.m., Tarbell Room
You choose the song, you sing along. Impress your friends, show off your favorite song, and dance to the songs of the summer. Light refreshments will be available. Ages 11+, no registration required.

Virtual deepfakes and AI media
Thursday, June 27, 7–8 p.m., Zoom
Join Bard College Film Professor Joshua Glick for a wide-ranging conversation about artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on contemporary media. We’ll talk about how these technologies are shaping the film and TV industry as well as the proliferation of “deepfakes” – AI-enabled videos that depict people doing or saying things they never did or said. Come with your hopes, questions, and concerns about this emerging media landscape. Register here.

Super story time: read, white, and blue
Tuesday, July 2 from 10-11 a.m., Tarbell Room,
Your favorite story time, but bigger! Recommended for ages 0-6. No registration necessary.

Saturday stories
Saturday, July 6 from 10:30–11:30 a.m., Tarbell Room
Families with young children are invited to listen to some stories and learn some songs. No registration required.

Girls’ summer basketball clinic

There will be a summer girls’ basketball clinic on July 15-18 for girl entering grades 2-9 in fall 2024. The program will run daily from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. in Gym 1 at L-S. The program will be run by the coaching staff and members of the L-S basketball program. Cost is $250 per person; click here to register. For questions and/or financial hardship, please contact Howie Landau at howie_landau@lsrhs.net.

Girl Scout recognized at annual meeting

Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts (GSEMA) elected Alexandria Taylor of Lincoln to serve as a girl member of the organization’s Board of Directors during the council’s annual meeting, which was held on May 19. Alexandria is a high school sophomore and has been a Girl Scout since Daisy level. She and several other Girl Scouts earned their Bronze Award by worked together with the Lincoln Council on Aging and Human Services to create a sand-bucket program to prepare senior citizens for winter ice while being mindful of the environmental impacts of salt. She earned her Silver Award by working with her local library to develop a town wide virtual reading buddy program during the covid pandemic and she is currently in the planning stage of her Gold Award.

Alexandria was named to the 2024 U.S. Youth Olympic team and Youth/Junior World Championships Team for biathlon, and she also competes in cross-country skiing and mountain biking. She is a member of her school’s newspaper, biology club, and works as a lifeguard. She plans to pursue a career in both athletics and medicine.

TEDx Walden Pond event in October

The second annual TEDx Walden Pond event, TEDx Walden Pond 2024 “Two to Tell the Truth,” will take place on October 30 at a Lincoln location to be announced. The theme echoes Henry David Thoreau’s quote: “It takes two to speak the truth: one to talk, and one to listen,” so we will be focused on both speaking and listening in our search for compelling truths. There will be 10 speakers, with time in between speakers to discuss the impact of their messages. Refreshments will be served. Watch clips of last year’s event, and reserve tickets at www.tedxwaldenpond.com. Questions? Email info@tedxwaldenpond.com.

Do you have a TEDx talk in you, or do you know someone who does? If so, please nominate that person (whether yourself or someone else) on the website above and with no more than two sentences on what the talk would be about.

Community center spaces to be named for Desais, Tingleys

The future community center will have some familiar Lincoln names attached to it: Desai and Tingley.

After a fundraising campaign to help offset some of the construction cost, the Friends of the Council on Aging announced that a central meeting space in the new building will be named for the Desai family (Moha and her parents Samir and Milima), and the senior courtyard and terrace will be called the Tingley Terrace after Dilla Tingley and her late husband Fred. Dilla is a member of the Community Center Building Committee (CCBC) and chair of the Council on Aging & Human Services board.

“If there’s anyone who deserves [a naming honor], it’s Dilla for all her hard work on this over the years,” said Peter Von Mertens, a CCBC member who helped spearhead the fundraising drive.

“It isn’t meant to be an honor; it’s meant to be a footprint,” Tingley replied at the June 17 Select Board meeting, adding that it reflects her whole family who have lived in Lincoln for more than 60 years.

Von Mertens also lauded two others whose past donations to the FCOA are being used to help pay for the building. Thomas E. Pascoe’s estate gave a total of $535,611 in 2017 and Joseph L. Hurff and his wife Elizabeth gave approximately $300,000 in 1998. However, neither family has relatives in town, and Von Mertens welcomes any information from residents to help locate their families so they can be recognized.

Private donations to the community center raised a total of $351,000 from 103 donors. The FCOA contributed anoehr $1 million and the Ogden Codman Trust has pledged $500,000. The bulk of the $24 million cost will be funded by $15.77 million in bonding, which voters approved at Town Meeting and the ballot box in March.

The building will have a wall of recognition for everyone who has donated, as well as a “buy a brick” campaign in the fall, Von Mertens said. “And if we can work out plans with the landscape architects we would like to create a timeline with tiles or stones summarizing significant events in Lincoln’s history placed appropriately along the walkway.”

The CCBC had looked at including a weight/exercise space in the center, and architect ICON developed an design option for such a room but was not able to fit it into the approved project budget. “We’ll keep the option in mind if our budget capacity changes for some reason at a later time,” the CCBC said in May.

At their meeting, the Selects approved the choice of an owner’s project manager and design contract. A schematic design is now being developed, and construction documents will be prepared starting in December. Bidding is expected to take place in April and May 2025 with construction starting in June 2025.

Lincoln firefighters attack pair of house fires

The rear of the house on Old County Road after the fire. (Photo courtesy Lincoln Fire Department)

Lincoln firefighters helped extinguish two house fires in the area in the past week, including one in Lincoln.

The Lincoln fire started in the early afternoon of Friday, June 21 at 15 Old County Rd. in a home owned by Scott and Angela Kadlec. A passer-by called the Fire Department after seeing smoke in the area, investigating further, and then discovered the house with part of its roof on fire. Because it was caught early, damaged was fairly minimal. The cause is still being investigated but firefighters suspect it was a lightning strike during the thunderstorm storm that ended shortly before the fire. See more photos on the Lincoln Fire Department’s Instagram page.

On Wednesday, June 18, firefighters from Lincoln and 11 other towns responded to a major house fire at 17 Bartkus Farm Rd. in Concord. It quickly became a four-alarm fire. Each alarm brings about four pieces of apparatus with four firefighters on each piece, according to Lincoln Fire Chief Brian Young; normally there would have been fewer firefighters, but more were called in due to the hot weather so they could relieve each other frequently.

According to the Concord Bridge, a neighbor saw the fire, knocked on doors, and then tried to break into the house, fearing the family dog was trapped inside, though it turns out it wasn’t. The owners were not at home because the house was being renovated, the news site said. The fire’s cause and origin is under investigation. See aerial photo on WHDH.com.

Police log for June 6–13, 2024

Several times this week (June 6, 7, 11, and 12), police advised people fishing in the Concord Reservoir on Trapelo Road that fishing there is not allowed and were asked to move on. Lincoln Police Chief Sean Kennedy noted that the reservoir is under the management of the Cambridge Water Department, which prohibits fishing, mainly because people who fish there sometimes leave beer cans and other litter, or throw it into the water. 

June 6

Virginia Road (9:16 a.m.) — A caller reported that several cans of paint were left on their property. The DPW was notified.

The Commons of Lincoln (5:08 p.m.) — Officers assisted an outside agency in conducting a well-being check of a resident.

Cambridge Turnpike eastbound (6:20 p.m.) — A caller reported an individual was sitting in the median on Route 2 by Route 95. The area was checked by Lincoln and Massachusetts State Police but nothing was found.

The Commons of Lincoln (7:10 p.m.) — A caller spoke to an officer regarding several possibly stolen items.

June 7

Bedford Road (11:18 a.m.) — Officers conducted a check of the area after the report of several cars that had items removed during the overnight hours (click here for more information).

Todd Pond Road (4:33 p.m.) — An officer served court paperwork in hand to an individual.

June 8

North Great Road (12:45 a.m.) — An officer provided a courtesy transport.

June 9

Lexington Road Cemetery (4:38 p.m.) — Several lost items were reunited with their owner.

June 10

Wells Road (5:20 p.m.) — An individual came to the station to report possible harassment from a neighbor.

Wells Road (8:38 p.m.) — An individual spoke with an officer about being the victim of a possible scam.

June 11

Todd Pond Road (12:28 p.m.) — An attempt to serve court paperwork was unsuccessful.

Winter Street (10:27 p.m.) — A vehicle failed to stop at the stop sign by Old County Road, resulting in a single-vehicle crash. There were no injuries reported. The operator was cited for failure to stop at a stop sign. The vehicle was towed from the scene.

Beaver Pond Road (10:47 p.m.) — A caller reported a dog barking nearby. Officers were unable to respond due to being tied up with a motor vehicle crash.

June 12

Baker Farm Road (11:18 a.m.) — An individual reported that they had been separated from their partner on the trails by Walden Pond. The two were reunited a short time later.

Concord Road (4:10 p.m.) — A caller reported an altercation with another motorist earlier in the day.

MMNHP Hartwell lot (10:09 p.m.) — An officer checked on an occupied vehicle that had briefly pulled off the road.

June 13

Mary’s Way (8:48 p.m.) — A single-vehicle crash occurred on Mary’s Way when a car collided with a guardrail. There were no injuries.

Old Sudbury Road (12:13 p.m.) — A caller reported a malfunction with the railroad gates on Old Sudbury Road. Officers were already on site due to other maintenance work in the area. Keolis was notified.

Lincoln Public Library (3:11 p.m.) — A caller reported a large SUV was parked in a compact vehicle spot. Library staff was advised.

Lincoln Town Hall (11:41 p.m.) — A caller reported seeing several lights on in the Town Hall. An officer checked the area and noted nothing out of the ordinary.

My Turn: A celebration of Lincoln’s historic homes

By Kim Bodnar, Lincoln 250 Chair

On June 5, the Lincoln250 Planning Committee, along with the Lincoln Historical Society and the Historical Commission, hosted a reception for Lincoln’s Historical Homeowners (homes that were built on or before 1776). About 17 private homes in Lincoln qualify, along with public properties in Minute Man National Historical Park, Historic New England (Codman Estate), and Farrington Memorial. Twenty homeowners and representatives from Lincoln’s public properties shared the origin stories of these treasured historic homes.

The meeting began with an introduction of the Lincoln250 Planning Committee, formed by the Select Board in early 2023 to begin planning events, programs, and activities to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord and Lincoln’s role in these early days of the American Revolution. Andrew Glass, chair of the Historical Commission, provided background on Lincoln’s historic districts and the commission’s goal of preserving and protecting places significant to the history of the town. Finally, Sara Mattes, chair of the Historical Commission, offered a fascinating history of the Lincoln militia and Minute Men who lived in these historical homes, as well as the enslaved that were also present in Lincoln in April 1775.

Wiggin, author of Embattled Farmers: Campaigns and Profiles of Revolutionary Soldiers from Lincoln, Massachusetts, 1775-1783, shared the following pieces of information:

  • Lincoln’s most prominent citizen of that era, Dr. Charles Russell, was a loyalist and left Lincoln on April 19, 1775, never to return.  He was subsequently said to have tended to the British wounded at Bunker Hill.
  • There were somewhere between 105 and 115 Lincoln men (militia, Minute Men, and volunteers) who responded to the alarm of April 19.  This represents between 13.5% and 15% of Lincoln’s population at the time.

Don Hafner, author of Tales of the Battle Road: April 19, 1775 and an upcoming book-length manuscript on the Black community of Lincoln at the time of the Revolution noted that in 1774, there were 16 enslaved adults in Lincoln. There were also perhaps 12 free Black adults and children. Lincoln’s total white population was about 775.

The reception concluded with a discussion on how we can share the history of these homes and their 1775 residents with all of Lincoln as we approach the 250th anniversary in April 2025. A sincere thank you to all who attended and to our partners, the Lincoln Historical Society and the Lincoln Historical Commission. 

To stay up to date on Lincoln250 events and programs, follow us on Facebook or Instagram.  We will also be posting event information on LincolnTalk and the Squirrel. If you would like to support Lincoln250’s fundraising efforts, please shop our store or contact Peggy Elder at elderp@lincolntown.org to purchase a Lincoln250 car magnet.

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

News acorns

Hannan Health Foods Farm fest on Saturday

Join Hannan Healthy Foods for its annual Farm Fest on Saturday, June 15 from noon–3 p.m. at Umbrello Field (270 South Great Rd). There will be food, farm tours, children’s activities, live music and more! The event is free and open to the public, but requires registration due to parking capacity. See the farm’s website for more information about the farm and CSA shares.

Teen violist plays in the great halls of Europe

Margaux Hemant on stage with the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra.

Violist Margaux Hemant of Lincoln, a recent L-S graduate, is now in Europe as part of a two-week tour with the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (BPYO), a tuition-free, 120-member ensemble of musicians age 12-21. The orchestra will perform a program including Schumann’s Cello Concerto and Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 in some of Europe’s most famous concert halls: the Stadtcasino in Basel, the Rudolfinum in Prague, the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, the Musikverein in Vienna, and the Philharmonie in Berlin.

Margaux auditioned successfully for the BPYO last year because her grandmother, who suffered from Alzheimer’s, loved Zander’s master classes. “Those recordings brought her through tough times as the illness progressed,” she said.

The young musicians will also have musical and cultural exchanges with local young people and youth orchestras. “It’s going to be fantastic — so many concerts, so many things to see, and enough time to visit museums and experience the culture,” said Margaux, 17, who’s been playing violin and viola since age 6. She joined the group last fall and hopes to continue with them after recently learning that she got into Tufts University.

Register for kids’ triathlon

Lucy Reiner crosses rhe finish line in a previous Splash, Mash, Dash.

Lincoln’s Splash, Mash, Dash Kids’ Triathlon is back on Saturday, June 29 for its 20th year. The race starts at 8:30 a.m. at the Codman Pool. Kids ages 5-14 are invited to participate. Race distances are as follows:

  • Ages 5-6:  25m swim (1 length), quarter-mile run (no bike portion)
  • Ages 7-8:  25m swim (1 length), one-mile bike ride, half-mile run
  • Ages 9-10: 50m swim (2 lengths), two-mile bike; half-mile run
  • Ages 11-12: 75m swim (3 lengths), two-bike, 3/4-mile run
  • Ages 13-14: 150m swim (6 lengths), four-mile bike, 1 mile run

Racers ages 8 and younger are individually accompanied by a guard in the water. Click here to register ($35 includes a t-shirt and a finisher’s medal). Pick up packets on Friday, June 28 from 12:30–6: p.m. in Hartwell Pod B. Volunteers are also needed during the race; email ginger.reiner@gmail.com if you can help.

Show off your electric vehicle on July 4

Do you have an EV you’d like to show off? CFREE is looking for ambassadors and their cars and trucks to join us on July 4 at the EV car show after the parade. We will be at the Pierce House from 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. but participants must park their cars before the parade to avoid traffic. Lincoln Road is closed during the parade.

Please email Belinda Gingrich at belinda.gingrich@gmail.com if you’re interested in joining us. CFREE (Carbon Free Residential, Everything Electric, a working group of the Lincoln Green Energy Committee) is hoping for one of each model car.