The Sounds of Saugus

Good morning, Saugus!

  It’s a great and very beautiful time of the year for the community, with the gorgeous yellow daffodils sprouting in gardens and along roadsides throughout town.

  There’s a lot going on across the community. Saugus Little League Opening Day ceremonies are just a week from tomorrow (Saturday, April 15). Be sure to mark your calendar for 10 a.m. April 22 for the Saugus Little League parade, which will begin from Anna Parker Field and wind its way through Cliftondale Square down Lincoln Avenue to Central Street and onto Hurd Avenue, ending at Grabowski Field for the Opening Day ceremonies that will feature a 20th anniversary celebration of the 2003 team that made it to the Little League World Series. That team finished runner-up in the United States and fourth in the world, and most of the players are expected to ride a makeshift duck boat in the parade.

  League officials are doing all they can to make this year’s Opening Day a communitywide event. They are hoping to beef up the parade with representatives from the senior citizens and veterans’ communities. Guy Moley has already agreed to participate with some cars from his charity car shows. The Saugus Police and Fire Departments will be involved.

  There will be a DJ and a food truck at Grabowski Field. So, with good weather, it could be a nice family and community event that appeals to Saugonians of all ages.

  It’s also a busy, but very engaging time of the year for Town government officials and civic-minded Saugonians who like to stay informed on the important local issues affecting their community. The Annual Town Meeting is set to begin on the first Monday of the month – May 1 – at 7:30 p.m. in the second floor auditorium at Saugus Town Hall.

  In its April 21 edition, The Saugus Advocate will have a comprehensive preview of this year’s Town Meeting session and the Special Town Meeting, which will be scheduled for Opening Night. The warrant is 20 pages long, containing 22 articles – a lot of reading, homework and preparation for the 50-member Town Meeting that will vote on the issues.

  But Article 22, which would create a Cliftondale Square Zoning Overlay District, takes up 17 pages of the warrant and is considered to be by far the most controversial of the articles. Some opponents have already complained that it could change the character of the Cliftondale neighborhood by allowing the construction of tall buildings – some as high as 50 feet – in Cliftondale.

  Precinct 10 Town Meeting Member Peter Manoogian noted that 50-foot buildings could indeed be allowed in Cliftondale for developers who are able to obtain a special (S-2) permit from the Board of Selectmen. “Given that the BOS have NEVER denied a height S2 due to the enormous developer pressure, one can safely assume that every project in Cliftondale will be 50 feet,” Manoogian said.

  But Precinct 2 Town Meeting Member Joe Vecchione disputes that claim, insisting that the scale and type of growth which has taken over Route 1 will not be repeated in Cliftondale.

  Stay tuned.

Forums on Manoogian articles

  Town Clerk Ellen Schena announced this week that she received a request from Precinct 10 Town Meeting Peter Manoogian to inform all Town Meeting members and the Board of Selectmen that the Saugus Public Library will host two forums in its Community Room for a briefing on three articles on the warrant for the Annual Town Meeting. The forums on Articles 17, 18 and 19 are set for Tuesday, April 18, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:50 p.m. and on Saturday, April 29, from noon to 1:30 p.m.

Books in Bloom starts today!

  It’s one of the great indoor local events that promotes reading and gardening in the spring. The Community Room at the Saugus Public Library will host the Books in Bloom event today (Friday, April 14) from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and tomorrow (Saturday, April 15) from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This event is free and features literary-themed floral displays throughout the library and is sponsored by the Saugus Garden Club. If you love flowers and want to get some ideas for some books, check this one out.

  I always enjoy the Books in Bloom event and plan to stop there today before I head off to Ashby, Mass., with my college buddy Bob Callahan for a Saturday public service project authorized by the Woburn Kiwanis Club. Ashby, a bedroom community of about 3,200 residents, is situated in the northwestern corner of Middlesex County near the New Hampshire border and is the home of 4-H Camp Middlesex.

  There were about 60 Woburn Kiwanians when I participated in my first Ashby work project weekend in the late 1990s. But participation over the last decade has dwindled to five or fewer members. And the duration has gone from two days to one. It’s kind of a shame, but a sign of the times of difficulties facing service clubs.

  My friend Bob is the one person keeping a nearly seven-decades-old tradition between the Woburn Kiwanis Club and the camp alive. Over the years, the Kiwanians built a bridge at the camp, helped get a $50,000 grant for swimming pool improvements, worked on the construction and repairs of other buildings and completed numerous other projects instrumental to the camp’s survival.

  On Saturday, the small group of Kiwanians and I will devote our time to clearing fallen trees and branches from the winter off cabin rooftops and pathways.

“Saugus Over Coffee”

  I’m very optimistic about getting a good turnout for the next “Saugus Over Coffee” forum, which is set for Tuesday, April 25. Three of the five Town Meeting members from Precinct 4 – Moderator Stephen Doherty and members Maureen Whitcomb and Glen Davis – have notified us that they will be there to meet Precinct 4 residents and answer questions about issues facing Precinct 4.

  For those unfamiliar with the “Saugus Over Coffee” forums, they are cosponsored by The Saugus Advocate and the Saugus Public Library. The primary purpose is to give citizens in each of the town’s 10 precincts an opportunity to voice their concerns about top issues in their respective precincts. It also gives them an opportunity to meet their Town Meeting representatives and chat over a cup of coffee or tea. Town Meeting members will benefit by getting to know more about concerns in their precincts. Viewers of the forums videotaped by Saugus TV will also get to learn a little about the history or interesting things about the precinct being featured each month.

  The “Saugus Over Coffee” forum was originally set for April 17. We had to reschedule because it happened to be set for Patriots’ Day, a state holiday – a day when the Saugus Public Library and all municipal and school buildings in Saugus will be closed.

  We also decided to change the date of the “Saugus Over Coffee” forum that was planned for Precinct 5 on May 8. As it turns out, Saugus’ Annual Town Meeting convenes on Monday, May 1. And each Town Meeting session happens on a Monday. So the Town Meeting would most likely be meeting on May 8. Because of that potential conflict, we switched the forum for Precinct 5 to a Tuesday, May 2. We mailed the invitations out this week.

  One of my major hopes for the forums is that it spurs an interest for citizens to become potential candidates for Town Meeting in this fall’s town election. The public should keep in mind that there was a paucity of candidates for Town Meeting seats in the town elections back in 2021. In five of the 10 precincts, only five candidates ran for the five seats. That means half of the 50-member body was elected without competition.

  Stay tuned for more information as “Saugus Over Coffee” continues. Here is the remaining schedule:

  Precinct 4 – April 25

  Precinct 5 – May 2

  Precinct 6 – June 12

  Precinct 7 – July 10

  Precinct 8 – August 14

  Precinct 9 – September 11

  Precinct 10 – October 23

  Please check with The Saugus Advocate or library for any changes in dates. Residents can check the programming guide on the station’s website (www.saugustv.org) for dates and times. A video of the forum will also be available for viewing on the station’s vimeo page within a day or two after the event – www.vimeo.com/saugustelevision.

Multiple “Shout Outs” this week

  It’s a great week when we receive more than one “shout out.” It was one of those weeks, as we received multiple “shout outs.” This week’s nominations:

  Police Chief Michael Ricciardelli used the occasion of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week (NPSTW) to thank Saugus’ public safety dispatchers. NPSTW, held this year from April 9-15, is a time to celebrate and thank telecommunications professionals across the country who serve their communities, citizens and public safety personnel 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

  “I would like to recognize Saugus’ team of dedicated dispatchers for their commitment each day to keep our residents safe,” said Chief Ricciardelli. “These dispatchers serve as the first point of contact for people in crisis and we are extremely grateful for their service to our department and our community.”

  Precinct 6 Town Meeting Member Jeanie Bartolo praised beloved Saugus Advocate columnist Bill Stewart: “A ‘Shout Out’ for Bill Stewart who writes the weekly ‘The Old Sachem’ column for the Advocate. He wrote a great article on Vincent Van Gogh in this week’s edition. Keep them coming, Bill!”

  Joanie Allbee: “This Shout Out is also a BIG Congratulations to a SEVENTY FIVE plus AWARDS Winner (yes you heard me right 75 Awards! Including a couple Commendations and Legislative Bill signing Ceremonial pens used to sign passing Bills by Governors in two States that this man helped to pass laws on).

  “Our Saugus Advocate Editor, Audubon Award and Pulitzer Prize winner, Mr. Mark E. Vogler! Editor Mark is going to have to exempt a few Patriots memorabilia in his office in order to make way for yet another award!

  “In May, at a prestigious Awards Recognition banquet, Mark and four other elite and distinguished journalists throughout the six states will be receiving ‘The New England Newspaper Hall of Fame’ Award. Mark, Let us hope for you that your walls don’t start to buckle under the weight of all the awards it beholds! Bravo!”

  A special “Shout Out” from The Saugus Advocate to the 23 Saugonians who are registered to run this coming Monday, Patriots’ Day (April 17) in the 127th Boston Marathon.

They have been training for months for the 26.2-mile run. Hopefully, the runners will complete the race without any ill health effects while matching their endurance goals. The marathon runners are Danielle Casazza, 48; Bob Catinazzo, 55; Abbey Chesna, 44; Michelle Cronin, 44; David M. Diaz; 53; Christine Digirolamo, 29; Brett DiPanfilo, 31; Robert Favuzza, 58; Danielle Good, 33; Chris Hancock, 49; Casey Hyde, 28; Brenda Iafrate, 58; Dave Jefska, 66; Anthony LoPresti, 53; Michael Mclaughlin, 47; Cassandra Norton, 31; Shelagh O’Connell, 34; Andrea Oneil, 31; Stephen Rappa, 37; Trina Riley, 28; Gina Spaziani, 56; Ingrid Torres Ulate, 36; and Sheree Wheeler, 48.

Want to “Shout Out” a fellow Saugonian?

  This is an opportunity for our paper’s readers to single out – in a brief mention – remarkable acts or achievements by Saugus residents or an act of kindness or a nice gesture. Just send an email (mvoge@comcast.net) with a mention in the subject line of “An Extra Shout Out.” No more than a paragraph; anything longer might lend itself to a story and/or a photo.

Kindergarten registration information

  Saugus Public Schools has announced that Kindergarten registration packets for the 2023-24 school year in the Saugus Public Schools will be available starting Monday, April 24. The packets can be picked up at the Veterans Early Learning Center’s main office on Monday, April 24 through Friday, April 28 between 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The VELC is located at 39 Hurd Ave. in Saugus. The packet will also be available on the Saugus Public Schools’ website.

  Completed registration packets should be dropped off at the VELC on Wednesday, May 17 or Thursday, May 18 between 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Mandatory Kindergarten screenings will be scheduled at this time. The screenings will be held on Wednesday, June 7 and Thursday, June 8 and will last about 20 minutes. There is no deadline for registration; however, we ask that students register by May 19 to allow for staff and program planning. Students must be five years old by Aug. 31, 2023, in order to enter kindergarten in the fall of 2023; there are no exceptions.

  Saugus moved to a free, all-day kindergarten model for the 2021-21 school year to better prepare students academically, socially and emotionally. A half-day option is not available.

  For more information, please contact the Veterans Early Learning Center at 781-231-8166.

Seeking Sachem sports historical data

  If you are knowledgeable about the Saugus High Sachem Boys and Girls sports teams prior to 1969, Saugus Public Schools could use your help. The School District is looking for data on Saugus High Sachem Boys and Girls sports teams prior to 1969 that won a conference, regional and/or State Championship.

  “For example, we need data on the 1966, ’67 or ’68 Saugus varsity cross country team that won the State Championship,” Saugus School Committee Member Dennis Gould wrote in a press release this week.

  “We need the team, the year and what championship they won. Pictures of the teams, trophies or old banners would be great also,” Gould said. “The data will be used by the School District to generate historical banners to hang in the new complex and to give to the Saugus Sports Hall of Fame for permanent record.”

  If you happen to have access or knowledge of such data, please email it to Dennis Gould, School Committee,jdgould1969@aol.com. Dennis can also be reached at 1-617-257-4847.

WildFire Concert at Kowloon next weekend

  The Kowloon Restaurant is set to host WildFire live in concert at a dance party set for next Saturday (April 22) at 8 p.m. at the Route 1 landmark in Saugus. Tickets are $10. WildFire is a five-piece band playing rock, such as AC/DC and Journey, to R&B and “hip-shaking” sounds of Shakira and Lady Gaga. For tickets, call the Kowloon Restaurant at 781-233-0077.

Beatle Juice at Kowloon

  The Saugus Lions Club will present Beatle Juice in Concert at 6 p.m. on May 19 at the Kowloon Restaurant (948 Broadway in Saugus). Beatle Juice is an American Beatles cover band based in New England and features some of the region’s finest rock musicians. It initially featured Brad Delp, former frontman for the band Boston, and has continued since his death in 2007. Beatle Juice plays regularly at venues throughout New England.

  Tickets are $35 and can be purchased from Frank Rossetti (frank@mycbagents.com), Nelson C. Chang (nelsonchang@nelsonchanglaw.com), Tom Traverse (781-727-5629) or your local Saugus Lion. In the event of rain, the club has set a makeup date for May 20. Stay tuned for more details.

Bingo is back!

  The Kowloon Restaurant announces Bingo every Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Hong Kong Lounge. Prizes will be given away each week with a grand prize set at the finale in March. A full Chinese gourmet is available during bingo – featuring pupu platters, egg rolls, crab Rangoons, Saugus Wings, General Gau’s chicken, lobster sauce, fried scallops, lo mein, moo shu pork, salt & pepper calamari and sushi – along with a full bar menu, including the signature mai tais and scorpion bowls.

Seeking Hall of Fame nominations

  Do you know of a former Saugus High School athlete who deserves to be inducted into the Saugus High School Sports Hall of Fame? If you do, nominations are open for the Hall of Fame through today (Friday, April 14).

  Previously, there have been 263 athletes inducted since the Hall of Fame’s inception (1987). The hall’s first class included Arthur Spinney, a Saugus High football great, who played for two NFL championship teams with the Baltimore Colts in 1958 and 1959.

  A Saugus High athlete has to be out of school for at least 10 years before he or she can be nominated. Anyone looking to nominate a former Saugus High athlete can mail their letter of nomination to Barbara Wall at 28 Pleasant St., Saugus, MA 01906.

Spring and Summer Track camps gearing up

  Chris Tarantino – a 1990 Saugus High School graduate who has a reputation for mentoring young athletes in the sport of track & field – is gearing up for the start of another Saugus Sachems track camp. Tarantino said the summer program targets kids in grades one to eight, in the age bracket of five to 14 years old. The program is sponsored by the town’s Youth & Recreation Department.

  But first things first. He will start out with Spring Track and Field behind the Belmonte STEAM Academy, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 4 to 5:15 p.m., starting April 25 and running for five weeks, with the last day Thursday, May 25. “This is developmental and instructional, serving as a precursor to the summer camp,” Tarantino said.

  “Returning athletes will be given the opportunity to get a leg up on training while first year students will get a run through in the fundamentals of the sport,” he said.

  The cost: first-fifth grade: $100 first year. Those runners returning from last spring will only have to pay $50.

  Now for some details on the Summer Track Camp, which will be scheduled on running days behind the Belmonte, from 6-8 p.m. Some important dates for six to 18 year olds:

  June 19-22: Trial and final registration week.

  June 26-30: First formal week.

  July 3-7: Second formal week.

  July 7: Pasta Dinner at Prince Pizzeria at 6 p.m.

  July 8: In-house meet at Belmonte starting at 10 a.m.

  July 10-13: Retrain week.

  July 15: Summer Showdown at Cranston, R.I.

  First-year runners will be charged $250. The price will be $200 for runners returning from spring; $150 for returning runners from spring who have a uniform; $100 for runners with three-plus years in the program; and $50 for those with three-plus years in the program who have a uniform. The cost includes Camp t-shirt, pasta dinner, entry in Summer Showdown and uniform.

  Please register for Summer Track Camp by June 1 to assure uniform for Cranston.

C.H.A.R.M. Center opens tomorrow

  The Town of Saugus announced that the community’s C.H.A.R.M. compost site will be open to residents on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., beginning tomorrow (Saturday, April 15). The site is located behind the Department of Public Works at 515 Main St.

  Stickers are required to gain seasonal access to the site. Stickers may be purchased for $25.00 at the Department of Public Works (DPW) located at the Compost Site when making your visit to the Compost Site. The Town accepts checks only for payment of the $25. No cash will be accepted. Kindly bring a check when visiting. Thank you!

  Compost site stickers must be permanently placed on the lower left corner of residents’ automobile windshields. Vehicles registered out of state are not permitted. Yard waste must be disposed of in brown compost bags or open containers. The Town will accept grass clippings, leaves and brush. As in years past, no branches or limbs larger than three inches in diameter are permitted.

  Residents may call Scott Brazis at the Solid Waste and Recycling Department at 781-231-4036 with questions.

SAVE 2023 Environmental Scholarship

  Saugus Action Volunteers for the Environment (SAVE) is very pleased to announce that it is offering a $1,000 Environmental Scholarship to Saugus residents of the graduating Class of 2023 or to Saugus residents who are currently first-year college attendees. This is a scholarship for students who will be or are attending a two/four-year college or other educational institution and pursuing a degree in an area that would positively impact the environment.

  Applicants can download the SAVE 2023 Environmental Scholarship Application Form found at www.saugusSAVE.org. Together with the completed application form, please include a separate sheet (identified with your initials only) that provides a brief summary of any of your activities relating to the environment and describe how you feel your career choice will positively impact the environment.

  Please email (preferred method) your application – no later than midnight on April 21, 2023 – to: SAVE Co-President Ann Devlin at adevlin@aisle10.net OR mail your application (postmarked by April 21, 2023) to: SAVE, P.O. Box 908, Saugus, MA 01906. Again, the deadline to submit your application is April 21, 2023.

Food Pantry notes:

  The Saugus United Parish Food Pantry is open today (Friday, April 14) from 9:30-11 a.m.

Veterans bricks available

  The Saugus War Monument Committee, once again, is sponsoring the Buy A Brick Program to honor all those who have served their country. If you would like to purchase one in the name of someone who is presently serving or has served, in the memory of a loved one, or just for someone from your family, school, etc., the general pricing is $100 for a 4″ X 8″ brick (three lines) or $200 for an 8″ X 8″ brick (five lines). Each line is a maximum of 15 characters. The improvement and upkeep of the monument on the corner of Winter and Central Streets rely on the generosity of donors through fundraising.

  The brick application must be in by Sept. 15 to ensure the bricks will be ready for Veterans Day. Please contact Corinne Riley at 781-231-7995 for more information and applications.

Media truck will honor late veterans

  The Saugus Veterans Council will be doing something new this year in the Memorial Day Parade. There will be a media truck displaying sites that honor our veterans, and photos of our deceased military men and women to remember them during the parade. If you want a deceased family member or friend that served in the military to be included, please send a photograph and name to stevecastinetti@comcast.net

Run for a Cause, Run with the Y

  Join the Saugus Family YMCA’s Not a Walk in the Park 5k and help support your community. This family-friendly run/walk takes you through the beautiful scenery of Breakheart Reservation in Saugus. Registration includes post-race refreshments and prizes for runners in every age category. All proceeds support the YMCA of Metro North Annual Fund to provide access to YMCA childcare, camp and health & wellness programs to everyone.

  Race details: Saturday, April 22, 8:30 a.m. race start; packet pick-up for preregistered runners: 7:00 a.m.; race day registration: 7:00 a.m.; where: Breakheart Reservation – 177 Forest St., Saugus.

  Packet pick-up: Friday, April 21, 3:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.; Saugus Family YMCA, 298 Main St., Saugus.

  Race features: Chip Timing by Bay State Race Services; post-race refreshments; awards to the top finishers in each age group; T-shirt guaranteed to those who register prior to April 7.

  The YMCA of Metro North Road Race Series raises funds for a variety of charitable activities that benefit our community. Participants in their four unique 5k races run or walk to support the YMCA of Metro North Annual Fund and raise money to provide access to YMCA childcare, camp and health & wellness programs to everyone. In 2022 the YMCA of Metro North provided more than 1.6 million dollars in financial aid, providing all children, adults and families with opportunities to develop a healthy spirit, mind and body regardless of income.

Saugonians will lead a tour of trees class next week

  Celebrate spring – and April vacation week – with Saugus artist Kelly Slater and horticulturist Laura D. Eisener at the Lynn Museum. At 12 p.m. on Tuesday, April 18, Laura will lead a tour of the trees at the Lynn Museum/Lynn Arts property, followed by a 1 p.m. artist book-making workshop facilitated by Kelly.

  Laura’s tree tour will include identification of trees and some shrubs on the Lynn Museum grounds – including pines, pears, magnolias, rhododendron and azalea. We will look at the overall form, bud, bark and twig details. We will think about the role each tree plays in the landscape and in our lives, as our connection to the trees will play a part in the art books we make about them. Are there buds swelling in the spring? Does sunlight streaming through the branches create shadows on the pavement?

  Kelly will demonstrate how to make unique and colorful accordion books inspired by the trees and shrubs we have just seen. Each participant will be able to make one or two books using a combination of collage and printmaking techniques. Our books will incorporate both artist’s paper and a wide variety of found and recycled paper.

  The tour and workshop are free and are open to all ages. The first portion of the event will be held outside on the museum grounds, so in case of rain, this event will move to 12-2 p.m. on Wednesday, April 19.

  This program is supported in part by a grant from the Lynn Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

  Workshop participants will also have the opportunity to exhibit their creations at an exhibit beginning in June at the Lynn Museum. (See Upcoming Exhibits for more information.) The opening reception will include a short artists’ talk and a chance to ask questions of participating artists.

  For more information about workshop content, contact Kelly by email at kellyslaterart@hotmail.com or by phone at 617-529-0181 (cell) or 781-231-6864 (landline).

Legion breakfasts on Friday mornings

  Saugus American Legion Post 210 hosts its popular breakfasts from 8-9 a.m. on Fridays. The Legion requests a donation of $8 from those who are looking for a delicious meal at Legion Hall. The Legion also welcomes veterans who can’t afford the meal to enjoy a free breakfast. Bon appétit!

What’s happening at the Saugus Public Library

  For schoolchildren looking for interesting projects and programs to participate in this fall, there’s plenty to do at the Saugus Public Library. There are some very good programs offered for grownups, too.

  Library will host talk by Emmy winning reporter next week: TV reporter and book author Hank Phillippi Ryan will be a guest speaker from 6 to 7:45 p.m. next Thursday (April 20) in the Community Room of the Saugus Public Library. Her talk: “An Inside Look at Fiction, Journalism, and the Mysteries of Both!”

  How does an Emmy winning reporter become a USA Today best-selling author of fast-paced murder mysteries? And how does a just-the-facts journalist add mystery fiction to her resume – and juggle being a reporter, an author, a wife and a grandmother?

  Hank Phillippi Ryan has managed to mix the worlds of fact and fiction – in an amazing career from radio reporter to Rolling Stone magazine to undercover investigations at Boston’s WHDH-TV. She’ll discuss the obstacles and challenges of a newbie in 1971, as well as the risks and rewards of an experienced senior reporter. The craziness, the fun, the stress – and how she ended up where she is at age 72. She’ll also reveal how she made a major career move at midlife. Now an author of 14 novels, national reviews have called her “a superb and gifted storyteller.”

  This event is sponsored by the New Friends of the Saugus Public Library. Spaces are limited. Register for this event on our online Events Calendar or call our Reference Dept. at 781-231-4168 ext. 3106

  Service Dog Project Visit! April school vacation week: Wednesday, April 19, 10-11 a.m. in the Community Room; age 11 and up. Meet and pet Great Danes! De-stress from school, homework, relationships, etc. Come by the library to visit with these gentle giants! Please register in advance; call 781-231-4168 or register online. This program is supported in part by a grant from the Saugus Cultural Council, a local agency that is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

  Join our Teen Advisory Board: first Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. in the Teen Room; fifth grade and up. Meet with the Teen Librarian once a month to talk about what you’d like for programs and materials at the library. Your opinion matters! No registration required; snacks provided! (sauguspubliclibrary.org – 781-231-4168)

  Just Sew! Saugonians are welcome to join a monthly sewing class for adults that is held the third Monday of each month from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Community Room of the Saugus Public Library. The class will cover basic topics like sewing buttons, hemming clothing and mending torn fabric and will move on to more advanced topics in the coming weeks. This class is free. (See sauguspubliclibrary.org)

  Adult Coloring Group: Come relax with our continuing Adult Coloring Group. The next class is set for Wednesday, April 19 at 10 a.m. in the Brooks Room (second floor) at the Saugus Public Library. It’s a great opportunity to take time to unwind, be creative and have fun, no experience necessary! We have pencils and coloring pages ready and waiting . . .. See you there! Spaces limited – please call to register (781-231-4168 x 3106).

  A neat teen group called Manga & Anime Club: The Manga & Anime Club, from all accounts, is a lot of fun for kids in Grades 6 and up. So, if you are curious, check out the Teen Room. Chat with friends! Make crafts! Try Japanese snacks! Club meetings will continue on Saturdays through May from 10-11 a.m. It will be held on May 13. Please sign up in advance; call 781-231-4168 or stop by the Reference Desk (https://www.sauguspubliclibrary.org/new-manga-anime-club…/).

  Saugus Public Library, 295 Central St., Saugus, Mass.

First Baptist Church presents “Can We Talk…”

  First Baptist Church Pastor Leroy Mahoney invites troubled people to join others in a special program called “Can We Talk … Community conversations on Trauma and Healing” on the first Thursday of every month from 6 to 7 p.m. at Rev. Isaac Mitchell Jr. Fellowship Hall (105 Main St. in Saugus). “Join us as we gather in community to share our stories, thoughts and feelings about whatever you are going through,” Rev. Mahoney states in a written announcement.

  “As always, it is a safe space to come together in community,” he says.

An Earth Day event

  The Saugus River Watershed Council plans an Earth Day Cleanup for Marshview Park in Lynn from 9:30 a.m. to noon on Sunday, April 23. The park is located across the river from the KPub Restaurant on Lincoln Avenue in Saugus. Volunteers are welcome to join the council and the state Department of Conservation & Recreation in a cleanup along the river in the Lynn-Saugus vicinity.

  The Saugus River Watershed plans a fundraiser in person or by takeout, from 4 to 8 p.m. on May 3 at Prince Pizzeria, 517 Broadway (Route 1 South) in Saugus.

Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus

  (Editor’s Note: The following info is from an announcement submitted by Julie Cicolini, a member of the Board of Directors for Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus.)

  Who we are: Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus (HS2) is a nonprofit group of volunteers who are helping to offset food insecurity in households. HS2 provides students/families who enroll in the program a supply of nutritious food for when school lunches and breakfasts are unavailable to them on weekends.

  How HS2 can help you: HS2 bags are distributed at Saugus Public Schools on Fridays to take home. Bags include such items as peanut butter, canned meals/soups/tuna/vegetables, pasta, fruit cups, cereal, oatmeal, goldfish, pretzels and granola bars. All food is provided to children free of charge. It is our hope these resources will support the health, behavior and achievement of every student who participates. To sign up go here to complete online form: https://forms.gle/gmMGguycSHBdziuE9

  Want to partner with us: We would love to partner with organizations, sports teams, youth groups, PTOs, businesses and individuals to assist in feeding students of Saugus. To learn more about how you can partner with us, visit the Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus Facebook page or email us at HS2Saugus@gmail.com

  HS2 relies on donations to create take-home bags for a weekend full of meals. Checks can also be sent directly to: Salem Five C/O Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus, 855-5 Broadway, Saugus, MA 01906. Online donations can also be made at https://givebutter.com/HealthySaugus

About The Saugus Advocate

  We welcome press releases, news announcements, freelance articles and courtesy photos from the community. Our deadline is noon Wednesday. If you have a story idea, an article or photo to submit, please email me at mvoge@comcast.net or leave a message at 978-683-7773. Let us become your hometown newspaper. The Saugus Advocate is available in the Saugus Public Library, the Saugus Senior Center, Saugus Town Hall, local convenience stores and restaurants throughout town.

Let’s hear it!

  Got an idea, passing thought or gripe you would like to share with The Saugus Advocate? I’m always interested in your feedback. It’s been about six and a half years since I began work at The Saugus Advocate. I’m always interested in hearing readers’ suggestions for possible stories or good candidates for “The Advocate Asks” interview of the week. Feel free to email me at mvoge@comcast.net.

  Do you have some interesting views on an issue that you want to express to the community? Submit your idea. If I like it, we can meet for a 15- to 20-minute interview over a hot drink at a local coffee shop. And I’ll buy the coffee or tea. Or, if you prefer to continue practicing social distancing and be interviewed from the safety of your home on the phone or via email, I will provide that option to you as the nation recovers from the Coronavirus crisis. If it’s a nice day, my preferred site for a coffee and interview would be the picnic area of the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site.