The Sounds of Saugus

By Mark E. Vogler

 

Good morning, Saugus!

 

It’s back to work for me on Tuesday (Sept. 5), as my two-week vacation officially comes to an end after the Labor Day weekend. I’ve enjoyed the time off, primarily to rest and recuperate from a medical procedure I had on Aug. 24. And I want to thank the kind Saugus Advocate readers who have emailed, texted me or called to wish me well in my recovery.

My current plans are to be at Tuesday (Sept. 5) night’s Board of Selectmen’s meeting. I’m also looking forward to hanging out at Saugus Center next Saturday (Sept. 9) for the annual Founders Day celebration. Hopefully, good weather prevails and there’s a big turnout.

I am looking forward to covering the biennial town election, which is just a couple of weeks away from the start of the formal political campaign. Candidates for the Board of Selectmen, the School Committee, the Housing Authority, the Charter Commission and Town Meeting have up until 5 p.m. Sept. 19 to submit their nomination papers to the Town Clerk’s Office. Soon after, we’ll know who’s running for what and which political races will be hotly contested.

For anyone who’s civic-minded, has concerns about the state of local government in Saugus and thinks he or she could contribute to the betterment of Saugus as a volunteer office holder, now is the time to pull nomination papers from the Town Clerk’s Office. There’s plenty of opportunities: 50 seats on the Annual Town Meeting, nine seats on the Charter Commission, five seats on the Board of Selectmen, five seats on the School Committee and a pair of seats on the Saugus Housing Authority.

Instead of complaining about the local politics, run for public office. If you don’t want to get involved in an election, send your resume to the Board of Selectmen or Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree and volunteer to fill a vacancy on one of many of the town committees or boards.

 

Chicago made my summer

  I can’t remember a worse summer weatherwise. There were a lot of days when I wanted to get some walking in, but I decided against it because I didn’t want to get rained on. Sure. My grass was green and my marigolds thrived in the midst of the heavy rains.

But as summers go, I didn’t do as much as in past years. I’d call it a pretty unremarkable summer compared to past summers.

But July 1 was a memorable day for me. My good friend Keith Gentili had asked me weeks earlier not to make any plans for the first Saturday in July. Keith was my assistant and sports editor when I was editor of The Nantucket Beacon newspaper back in the early to mid-90s.

I figured it would be a cookout or family outing at his home in New Boston, N.H., where Keith publishes The New Boston Beacon, a very good monthly newspaper that incorporates many of the features from our days at The Nantucket Beacon. But it was a glorious day, which began with a great late breakfast at a downtown eatery overlooking the river’s edge. We did some hiking downtown and through a wooded section of New Boston, where I had a close encounter with a deer. Later in the day, I was treated to one of the best pizza pies I ever ate.

Just when I thought the excitement to my Saturday was over, Keith kept driving farther away from New Boston, towards the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. Keith kept driving around the backroads until we passed a police detail at a sign indicating a concert was scheduled for that night. We were going to an outdoor concert! Soon after, we entered the parking lot of the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion in Gilford, N.H.

This would be my first outdoor concert, but a very special one as it turned out. Keith treated me to one of my favorite bands dating back to my college days. Keith knew Chicago was coming to New Hampshire and bought two tickets ahead of time. What a surprise! The band had a great light show going on for two plus hours as it played all the familiar songs I knew from my teenage years and 20’s. There were four members of the original band that’s been touring for about 56 years. The concert was really super. In fact, for the next two weeks that followed, I found myself singing the words to Chicago tunes that were stuck in my head.

July 1 was one heck of a surprise. But it wasn’t the first time Keith had done something like this.

On a Thursday night after clearing deadline several years ago, Keith made arrangements to pick me up and go for a few beers somewhere local. I wondered what was up when we drove all the way to Salisbury, and we parked outside the Seaglass Restaurant and Lounge. I enjoyed a great seafood meal at a table with an ocean view.

As we exited the restaurant, Keith directed me to the Seaglass and Blue Ocean Event Center next door. I figured we would end the night listening to a local band perform. When we got to the table inside the event center, Keith asked me what group was playing. I looked down at the program and noticed “America,” another one of my favorite groups. What I was expecting to be a few brews and a quiet night turned into a lavish meal followed by a couple of hours enjoying America as it performed in its 50th anniversary tour.

What a surprise! And what a surprise it was on July 1 when Keith tricked me into seeing a Chicago concert.

Just a few days later, Keith texted me and wanted to know if I was interested in seeing another one of my favorite groups – The Eagles – who would be performing at TD Garden on Sept. 11. I told him I would do it, except I already had a “Saugus Over Coffee” forum scheduled at the Saugus Public Library on that day.

 

Get Ready for Founders Day

One event I’m looking forward to soon after my return is Founders Day, which is set for Saturday, Sept. 9. Hopefully, the weather cooperates so folks can enjoy a special Saturday down at Saugus Center.

It’s the biggest fund-raising day of the year for many of the nonprofit organizations in town. Central Street will be closed off from the rotary at Town Hall nearly all the way up to the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site. The place will be swarming with school-age kids trying to raise money for their various causes. The Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts, Youth sports leagues and High School students seeking contributions to various clubs and activities will all be there. So will various churches, social organizations and various fraternal groups that contribute to the betterment of Saugus in their own way. For Saugus residents hoping to see their friends or newcomers to town who want to make some friends, Founders Day is a great event.

Joyce Rodenhiser has a good way of summing up Founders Day: “Founders Day is a great time to see old friends and classmates! It’s a big block party with lots of food, fun, civic organizations, entertainment and shopping. Join us downtown to see what’s happening!!”

Joyce, who is a member of the Founders Day “Persons of the Year Committee,” also noted that it’s important to not lose sight of the purpose of Founders Day – to honor the town’s proud heritage of its founders – from the town’s ancestors who contributed to the development of the town all the way through the contemporary founders who contribute to the betterment of Saugus. “At noon time, in front of our Saugus Town Hall, on Founders Day, the Persons of the Year will be announced! Come, see who has been helping Saugus be a better place because of what they have done voluntarily for Saugonians and organizations,” Joyce said.

The Persons of the Year presentation is a Founders Day tradition that dates back to 1989, with that first award going to Stanley Day. In 1993, separate awards were presented to a woman and a man selected for the honor. The plaque is inscribed with this tribute: “In Recognition of Your Dedication to The Town of Saugus. This Award Truly Exemplifies the Outstanding Ideals and Spirit of Our Founding Fathers. THE TOWN OF SAUGUS SALUTES YOU.” Other than for two years when the presentation was postponed because of public health concerns related to COVID-19, this wonderful tradition has continued.

Past recipients of the award have already met and selected a deserving man and woman for this year, who will be honored at noon. Most of the living past recipients will sit in chairs on a platform set up on the steps of Saugus Town Hall. For those Saugonians who attend Founders Day frequently, but haven’t taken the time to watch the Persons of the Year ceremony, it’s a great opportunity to meet and greet a collection of special people who have helped make Saugus a community that residents expect and love. If you go to Founders Day, embrace the essence of what the day is about.

See you near the steps of Saugus Town Hall at noon on Sept. 9.

 

Food Pantry notes:

The Saugus United Parish Food Pantry is open today (Friday, Sept. 1) from 9:30-11 a.m.).

 

Town Election Watch

  In a normal biennial Town Election year, the most competitive political races would be for the five-member Board of Selectmen and the five-member School Committee. But with Board of Selectmen Chair Anthony Cogliano leading the charge on a campaign to change the form of Saugus government, the selectmen and School Committee seats don’t seem as competitive at this point as the nine Charter Commission seats that will be on the Nov. 7 town election ballot. As of Wednesday (Aug. 30), twice as many potential candidates (22) had pulled out nomination papers for the Charter Commission’s nine seats as the Board of Selectmen (six) and the School Committee (five) combined.

As a rule of thumb, a local election isn’t much of an election unless you have at least two candidates running for one seat.

Nine more town residents pulled papers for the Town Charter Commission over the past week to make it a potential 22 running for the nine seats. The latest candidates to express an interest in serving on a panel to study potential changes in Saugus governance are Finance Committee Chair Kenneth DePatto, Town Moderator Stephen Doherty, Precinct 3 Town Meeting Member Richard Thompson, Gary Sund, John O’Brien, Precinct 1 Town Meeting Member Sue Palomba, Precinct 10 Town Meeting Member Peter Manoogian, Matthew Parlante and Selectman Michael Serino. That’s quite a bit of institutional expertise and knowledge about Saugus government in the latest batch of candidates for the Charter Commission seats. And by the time the Nov. election ballot comes out, there could be three to four dozen people wanting to serve, which could make for some spirited political debate during September and October.

In the signature race, Selectmen Corinne Riley and Jeffrey Cicolini pulled out papers for what would seem like a run for another two-year term on the board. Cogliano is the only one who hasn’t pulled out papers yet, but he’s already said he intends to run for a third consecutive two-year term. School Committee Member Ryan Fisher and Stephanie Mastrocola pulled papers for School Committee.

Nothing is official yet. Each of these candidates may run or decide not to. They have a little more than two weeks – up until 5 p.m. Sept. 19 – to submit nomination papers to the Town Clerk’s Office for certification of signatures. Fifty certified signatures of registered voters are required for the Board of Selectmen, School Committee, the Housing Authority and the nine-member Charter Commission. Only 10 certified signatures of registered voters are required for Town Meeting, but each of the signatures must be from registered voters in the candidate’s precinct. Sept. 15 is the final day to obtain nomination papers – just four days before the filing deadline.

Stay tuned.

 

Special “Shout Outs”

  Janice Jarosz nominated two people for special “Shout Outs” this week.:

“Shout out to Candy Jarosz

  “Several weeks ago, Candy attended a cookout with about 20 friends and families. The weather was beautiful, and everyone was enjoying the event. It was when the desserts were being served that Candy, and many others, noticed one woman seemed to be having trouble breathing and was beginning to look pale.

“The guests all gathered around her – not knowing what to do. It was then that the CPR training course Candy took many years ago took over.

“It was like all of a sudden it clicked in and without any actual firsthand experience, I, and two others, placed her on the ground, put a pillow under her head and at this point, she was not breathing at all. I began giving her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation for approximately 10 – 12 minutes before she was able to start breathing on her own.”

“Candy explained that this was the first time using her CPR training.

“I urge everyone to take a CPR class, the procedure has changed today, but I was so grateful to have been able to put what I had learned years ago into good use today. We never know when any of us might be called on to save someone’s life.

“A ‘Shout Out’ to Kathy Giannetta.

“A member of the Cliftondale Congregational Church recently lost her treasured and very sentimental charm bracelet. After checking and retracing her steps, her efforts to locate it failed.

“She was discouraged but on a ‘last ditch effort’ she called Kathy Giannetta, a member of the MEG Foundation and told her of her loss. Kathy went out to the MEG parking lot, and, lo and behold, found the treasure that was ‘hiding’ beneath a few leaves.

“Kathy returned it to Pastor Joe for safekeeping until the owner came to retrieve it.

“Thank you Kathy for a ‘job’ well done!!!!”

 

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.

 

We have a winner!

  Congratulations to Joe Johnson, whose name was drawn in last Friday’s Sketch of the Week Contest. Joe was one of several readers who guessed correctly. But there can only be one winner of the $10 gift certificate.

Now here is the answer – provided by the Saugus resident who goes by the nickname of “The Sketch Artist”: “The answer to last week’s sketch is the Inspirational Memoir Author of ‘Walking is Overrated,’ Michael Maruzzi and his beautiful wife Arlene! I now leave you in Mr. Michael Maruzzi’s care as he continues in his own words …’Michael, you will never walk again.’ That was the first thing the doctors told me after I broke my neck more than 3 decades ago.

  “After the first night in the hospital, not only had I lost control of my legs I lost control of my entire body. My wheelchair allows me freedom of movement and a measure of independence. As days turned to weeks and ultimately months and years, I have come to realize many life lessons. Despite not having control of my body, I have still been able to live a happy, purposeful life.

  “I enjoyed a career teaching mathematics at Saugus High School. Through teaching, I had an opportunity to be a positive influence on my students, at a time when so many of them struggle searching for their purpose. I took great pride in this responsibility. I also know that my students had as much of a positive impact on my life as I ever had on theirs.

  “It took me many years, but the last and most important part of my body that I regained control is my heart. Because of my disability I never felt that I would be enough for somebody to love. This was a great source of sadness for me. It is the only time life put an obstacle in front of me and I could not find my way through. Ultimately, I met the most beautiful blonde woman with blue eyes and my heart awakened. My wife Arlene and I have been married for 8 years and we now have 7 grandchildren. We currently live in Fort Myers. Florida where I still enjoy teaching online and have authored my first book.

  “My existence will never be easy. I have come to accept this. Despite the limits of my existence, I have made a personal choice to take advantage of the opportunities of life. That was the toughest but most rewarding choice of my life.’

  “Michael’s book, ‘Walking is Overrated,’ is a compelling read and thanks to Michael and Arlene’s generosity we have two opportunities to enter a FREE raffle. Enter a free raffle at the Saugus Public Library Saugus Advocate Sketch Artist September Exhibit for the sketches in 2021 of Saugus Luminaries.

“Also, at the reading of this, if you are one of the first five readers to call (978-683-7773) or email (mvoge@comcast.net), you will win a Free copy of Michael’s book ‘Walking is Overrated.’

“Thankyou Michael and Arlene. You both shine a light into the lives of countless individuals worldwide.

“Yours Truly, The Sketch Artist”

 

“Saugus Over Coffee”

The next “Saugus Over Coffee” forum is set for 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 11 in the Community Room of the Saugus Public Library and will feature Precinct 9.

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.

One of my major hopes for the forums is that it spurs an interest in 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 9 – Sept. 11; Precinct 10 – Oct. 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.

 

Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus (HS2) is back

The Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus (HS2) Program has returned for the 23-24 School Year! The nonprofit organization will begin service starting on Friday, Sept. 22, and continue during the school year. HS2 volunteers help to offset food insecurity in households by providing a supply of nutritious food for when school lunches and breakfasts are unavailable to them on weekends. How HS2 works:

• HS2 bags are distributed at Saugus Public Schools on Fridays to take home to anyone that signs up. 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.
• There is no qualification needed.

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

Feel free to email HS2Saugus@gmail.com for additional information.

 

Founder’s Day Book Sale

The New Friends of the Saugus Public Library are preparing for their September 9 Founders Day Book Sale in the Community Room. They are asking for donations of gently used adult hardcover and softcover adult fiction and children’s books. Please limit donations to only adult fiction and children’s books; they do not have storage space for adult nonfiction or media like music CDs and DVDs. And please… clean and newer books only. No tattered pages, odors, stains or battered/dirty covers!

Books may be dropped off at the Library’s Main Circulation Desk during business hours. Please do not place donations in the outdoor book drops.

 

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.

“Sketch Artist” exhibit: This month’s art exhibit in the Reading Room features the Saugonian Luminaries of 2021, done by the Saugus Advocate Sketch Artist in the “Guess Who Got Sketched” series. For the past three years, Saugus’ only newspaper ran a weekly sketch done by the formerly secret sketch artist – unveiled this year as Joanie Allbee. These sketches depict, describe and honor prominent Saugonians. Each week, The Advocate publishes one of these works in its pages and invites readers to guess who the subject is. The accolades on each artwork provide clues for the reader to identify the subject of the sketch. Readers could guess the identity of the portrait subject and there would be a drawing from the correct answers – the person whose name was drawn would receive an award, usually a gift card to a local business.

Stop by the Library’s Reading Room this month to see a sampling of sketches you might remember from past issues of The Advocate and to help celebrate some of our good friends and neighbors!

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 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the Community Room of the Saugus Public Library. The class covers 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. 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! Space is limited; please call to register (781-231-4168 x 3106). The next session is Wednesday, Sept. 20, at 10 a.m. in the Brooks Room on the second floor of the library.

 

Outdoor concerts continue at Kowloon

  The Kowloon Restaurant – located at 948 Broadway, Route 1 North, Saugus – continues its outdoor concert series with TriF3cta, a high-energy music group, live tonight (Friday, Sept. 1); and the Dave Macklin Band, a party dance band, playing live tomorrow night (Saturday, Sept. 2). Doors open at 6 p.m. and the shows start at 7 p.m. Tickets for reserved seating are $10 and general admission is free. For tickets, call the Kowloon Restaurant at 781-233-0077 or access online at www.kowloonrestaurant.com

 

Bingo is back!

  The Kowloon Restaurant announced Bingo every Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Hong Kong Lounge. Prizes will be given away each week. A full Chinese gourmet spread 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.

 

Legion Breakfasts returning soon

Debbie Faust, building manager of Saugus American Legion Post 210, announced some good news for folks who enjoy the Friday morning breakfasts at Legion Hall: “The American Legion Post 210 at 44 Taylor Street in Saugus will be starting its weekly Friday morning breakfasts for the 2023-24 season on Friday, September 8. Doors open at 7:30, with breakfast served from 8-9:00 a.m. for an $8 donation. Veterans who cannot afford the donation may be served free.”

 

MEG Xmas Tree Festival dates

  The MEG Christmas Tree Festival Committee has been meeting throughout the summer and preparing for the 2023 Christmas Tree Festival. They have already been in touch with Santa, Petting Zoo Animals and the elves Kathy and Karen. The Schedule:

Nov. 3 – 3 to 8 p.m.

Nov. 4 – 3 to 8 p.m.

Nov. 5 – noon to 5 p.m.

Nov. 10 – 3 to 8 p.m.

Nov. 11 – 3 to 8 p.m.

Many more surprises are in the planning stage and further information will be provided in the coming weeks!!

 

Veterans Food Market

  The Veterans Food Market will always be held on the third Wednesday of each month. The distribution point is at the Saugus Senior Center. The food market will take place from 10:30 to noon each month. ln order to ensure that we have the proper amount of food and to avoid waste, we are no longer going to make telephone calls to clients to confirm their monthly participation. lf you are on our list, we are going to assume that you will be attending. We would ask that you contact us one week in advance if you will not be participating. lf you no-show twice without notifying us, you may be dropped from our list and may not be able to participate in the future. Veterans and/or eligible dependents of Veterans must be preregistered with the Saugus Veterans’ Services Office to participate in the food market.

PIease feel free to contact the Saugus Veterans’ Service Officer, Paul Cancelliere, or Nancy Stead at 781-231-4010 or email nstead@sauqus-ma.gov to register or with any additional questions.

 

CHaRM facility is open

  The CHaRM facility will be open during the summer to residents on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. 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 of Saugus 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.

 

Saugus Cultural Council seeks help

The Saugus Cultural Council is recruiting new members. If you have a passion for arts, education, community engagement and building an inclusive community, feel free to apply. Please send a letter of interest and brief resume to the Saugus Board of Selectmen. The Saugus Cultural Council is a local agency funded by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency. For more information, please contact saugusculturalcouncil@gmail.com.

 

Saugus Democratic Town Committee seeks new members

The Saugus Democratic Town Committee currently has openings for new members. The primary function of the Committee is the selection and support of Democratic candidates for office both locally and at the state level. It also works to support voter education and voter registration. If you are a registered Democratic living in Saugus and are interested in playing an active role in the political process in Saugus as a Democrat, contact Committee Chairman Joe Malone at lincoln66in56@verizon.net.

 

Sharon’s Sneaker Crew is back

Sharon Genovese and her group – Sharon’s Sneaker Crew – will be walking on Oct. 1 in the Boston Marathon Dana-Farber Jimmy Fund Walk. The crew will also be sponsoring a craft fair in September. All the proceeds will be going to the Jimmy Fund. If you need more information, you can call or text Sharon at 617-966-3475 or email her at sunkin1@aol.com.

 

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 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.

 

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” 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.

 

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 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 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.