The Sounds of Saugus

By Mark E. Vogler

 

Good morning, Saugus

Last week, I was fortunate enough to receive a guided tour of the ChaRM Center, courtesy of the town’s Director of Solid Waste & Recycling, Scott A. Brazis. In case you missed it, Scott was the subject of last week’s interview for “The Advocate Asks” feature of The Saugus Advocate. And if you don’t know what the acronym “CHaRM” stands for, it means Center for Hard to Replace Materials.

And if you haven’t visited the CHaRM Center yet, it’s a worth a trip to the back of the Department of Public Works Building at 515 Main St. The former Saugus selectman has a lot to be proud of when you consider the transformation that the center has undergone since he took over the Solid Waste/Recycling Department 20 months ago. But when it comes to accepting credit for the many aesthetic and functional improvements, Scott’s standard line is “Any of the improvements made at the CHaRM Center was a team effort.”

Scott gave me the nickel tour last week, showing me the various trash receptacles, sheds and bins that store various recyclables. He replicated the guided tour he gave me with a photo and PowerPoint presentation that he gave this past Wednesday at the 51st Annual Dinner and Meeting of Saugus Action Volunteers for the Environment (SAVE). As this year’s guest speaker, Scott noted that close to 1,500 people a year use the CHaRM Center.

“It’s a place where people can bring their clothes and shoes,” he said.

When it comes to getting rid of trash – like old TVs – there are some bargains to be had. For instance, town residents can pick up three stickers for free so they can drop off a maximum of three television sets. Compost stickers cost $25.

Scott conceded that the town could be making a lot more money than $3 apiece for the tires that are dropped off. “Better to have them at the CHaRM Center than on the side of the road or in the river,” he said.

One of the storage receptacles is collecting mattresses that were illegally dumped throughout town. People need to remember that the town stopped picking up mattresses on Nov. 1, 2022, when a state law went into effect that bans mattresses from disposal in the trash. Really, the best way to get rid of an old mattress these days is to pay the extra $25 to discard the old mattress when you buy a new one.

It’s safe to say that there’s a lot more stuff getting recycled at the CHaRM Center these days.

SAVE Co-President Ann Devlin asked Scott if it were possible to find room for a Swap Shop at the CHaRM Center. Scott said it’s doable if he can find a suitable area or space where stuff being swapped doesn’t get ruined by inclement weather. Stay tuned.

 

Gearing up for July 4

With the Fourth of July winding up on a Thursday this year – our normal production day in Everett – The Saugus Advocate and the three sister papers of Advocate News will have an early deadline for next week’s paper. Any announcements or news items must be submitted by Monday morning to get into next week’s paper.

 

A Holiday trash delay

The Town of Saugus announces that trash and recycling collection will run on a one-day delay for the July 4th Holiday. Trash and recycling will not be collected on Thursday, July 4, due to the holiday. Collection will resume on a one-day delay on Friday, July 5.

Residents are kindly asked to leave trash and recycling curbside by 7 a.m. the day after their normally scheduled collection day. The Town of Saugus would like to thank everyone for their cooperation. Please contact Solid Waste/Recycling Coordinator Scott A. Brazis at 781-231-4036 with any questions.

 

Summer Concerts “In The Park”

  Here’s some good summer music to your ears. Once again, the Saugus Public Library and the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site will be teaming up to bring free outdoor concerts “In The Park” at the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site. The Squeezebox Stompers, a Boston area Americana Roots band, will kick off the summer series on July 10.

“They’ve performed Americana, Cajun, zydeco, blues, folk, and originals all over New England for the past 15 years,” according to promotional information provided by the Iron Works.

“Members of the band have received Boston Music Awards and Songwriting Awards. They are noted for their step-lively up-beat music inspiring audiences to get up and dance. Their instrumentation includes accordion, keyboards, fiddle, saxophone, harmonica, penny whistle, guitar, bass, and drums. The Squeezebox Stompers guarantee a rockin’ good time.”

These free weekly concerts are open to the public and begin at 6 p.m. on Wednesdays beginning July 10 through August 28. Here’s the 2024 lineup:

July 10: Squeezebox Stompers (Cajun & Zydeco).

July 17: Memorylaners (50s & 60s).

July 24: Mamadou (World Music, West African Rhythms).

July 31: Sweet Soul Sounds (Motown, Funk, Hip Hop).

August 7: Atwater & Donnelly (Trad. American & Celtic Folk & Dance).

August 14: Ditto (Folk & Rock: 60s and 70s).

August 21: Headlands (Folk, Country, Americana Pop).

August 28: Jumpstreet (Rock, R&B, Blues, & Jazz).

Bring chairs or a blanket and a picnic! Enjoy a summer evening at the historic Saugus Iron Works with great music and friends!

This year’s summer concert series is partially funded through a generous grant from the Mass Cultural Council.

 

Keeping the weight off Wayne

It’s been going on for close to four years when my older brother Wayne got on the scale at the office of his longtime primary care physician Mark A. Ringiewicz and hit his heaviest weight of 377 pounds. Oct. 5, 2020. That was not a great day. And at that point, I requested that Dr. Ringiewicz make a referral to a doctor who specializes in diet and weight loss. It was four days later that Dr. Jessica Inwood took Wayne on as a new patient.

Fast forward to last Friday, June 21. I wasn’t happy that Wayne had gained about five pounds since a previous visit with Dr. Inwood about four months earlier. But Dr. Inwood urged me to look at the complete story of Wayne’s weight loss. The fact is that since Oct. 5, 2020, Wayne has managed to maintain a cumulative weight loss of 117 pounds – roughly a third of his original body weight.

“Don’t rest on your laurels,” Dr. Inwood told Wayne. “But be proud of what you’ve done. Keep up the good habits,” she said.

In Wayne’s case, the good habits are regular exercise and making smart choices about food – which has been an ongoing challenge. Over the past four years, I’ve maintained a tough approach with my brother – oftentimes, getting in his face when he gained weight or didn’t lose anything.

“So, of all the patients you have, how does Wayne size up?” I asked Dr. Inwood.

“You’re a SuperStar,” the doctor told Wayne, noting that none of her patients have maintained the weight loss to the extent that Wayne has.

Of course, at 5-foot-10, he could stand to lose 30 to 40 more pounds. But Dr. Inwood wanted to reinforce in Wayne’s mind that what he’s done to this point is remarkable. He’s much closer to 200 pounds than the 400 pounds he came close to at one point.

Wayne still looks upon me as his younger brother and sometimes complains to both doctors that I’m too demanding about his weight. But I keep reminding him that somebody has to play the heavy and continue to motivate him if he wants to keep the weight off – because he could easily gain it all back and wipe out all that progress. Stay tuned.

 

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.

  Upcycled Feather Wall Hanging: by Pop Up Art School, ages 10-18, Friday, July 12, 11:30-12:30 in the Community Room. Please sign up using the online Events Calendar starting on June 28. Get ready to turn upcycled materials into an amazing wall hanging for your room! You’ll use strips of leftover fabric to create a backdrop for feathers made from fringed pages of old books. If you want, you can give the feathers a splash of color with watercolor paint. This project is sustainable and perfect for adding a personal touch to your space! sauguspubliclibrary.org – 781-231-4168.

  Saugus Police and Cruiser Visit: Come along to enjoy a special story time, Wednesday, July 10 at 10 a.m. at the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site. Recommended for ages three and up. Rain date is July 17. Please check the event calendar the day of the program for updates.

 

Community Garden volunteers welcomed

  If you love gardening and would love to volunteer a few hours for a good cause this summer, offer your services at the Community Garden at St. John’s Episcopal Church. Volunteers are welcome to come any Friday or Saturday morning for the rest of the summer to help weed and nurture the crops. If these times are difficult, arrangements can be made for other days. For details, contact The Rev. John Beach at St. John’s Episcopal Church (revjbeach@gmail.com).

 

Food Pantry notes

  The Saugus United Parish Food Pantry is open today (Friday, June 21) from 9:30-11 a.m. at 50 Essex St. in the basement of Cliftondale Congregational Church.

 

Legion Breakfasts over for summer

  American Legion Post 210 would like to thank all those who made the 2023-24 breakfast season such a success, and wish them a wonderful summer. We will resume serving breakfast on Friday, September 6, 2024.

 

A “Shout Out” for volunteers

We didn’t receive any “shout outs” this week from readers who wanted to publicly recognize somebody for doing a good deed or a project that contributes to the betterment of Saugus. This week, we’d like to recognize all of the summertime volunteers who work in the library, the town parks, on the athletic playing fields, in the food pantry, at the Saugus Senior Center, in the nursing homes and all over town.

 

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.

 

Theatre Company of Saugus sets audition dates

  This came in from the Theatre Company of Saugus, which will present “Evil Dead the Musical” in October 2024. Auditions are scheduled for July 8, 9 and 11; with callbacks on July 13.

The Story: Five college students go to an abandoned cabin in the woods and accidentally unleash an evil force that turns them into demons. It’s all up to Ash (a housewares employee turned demon-killing hero) and his trusty chainsaw to save the day. Blood flies. Limbs are dismembered. Demons tell bad jokes … and all to music. The songs in the show are completely off the wall, with titles like “All the Men in My Life Keep Getting Killed by Candarian Demons” and “What the F**k was That?” and have had the audience rolling in their seats and screaming for more and more blood.

You don’t need to be a fan of Evil Dead to love this show. You don’t need to be a fan of horror to love this show. You don’t even need to be a fan of musicals to love this show. This is a pure comedy start to finish. It has fun with the horror genre, and in doing so appeals to a wider audience than you could ever imagine.

The director is Jason Hair-Wynn, who directed previous Theatre Company of Saugus productions of “Little Shop of Horrors” and “Nevermore.” The music director is Shane Stetcher, with choreography by Jason Hair-Wynn and Jill Tokac and fight choreography by Amanda O’Donnell. The stage manager is Ally Lewis.

Performances of “Evil Dead the Musical” are on October 11-12-13 and 18-19-20, 2024. Rehearsals are planned for Sunday afternoons and on Monday and Wednesday evenings, with the possibility of adding more based on actor availability.

For the audition, please prepare a song from the show for a character you are most interested in, or sing a song in the style of the show. All songs, sheet music, and sides are linked on the theatre’s website. Sign up for an audition slot on one of these dates:

• Monday, July 8 – 7-10 p.m.
• Tuesday, July 9 – 7-10 p.m.
• Thursday, July 11 – 7-10 p.m.

To sign up for an audition slot, to see the role descriptions and to view the audition sides, music and other information, please visit the Auditions page on the Theatre Company of Saugus website: TCSaugus.org/auditions/

Callbacks will be on Saturday, July 13, starting at 1:00 p.m. (Plan for a long afternoon.) Callbacks will consist of singing, acting, movement and possible stage combat. You will be learning a short combination from the show. This dance is not very complicated, and you do not have to be a strong dancer to be in this show. The main focus is that you can commit to this hilarious choreography and show the character as a “deadite,” as well as retain choreography quickly.

Performances, auditions and rehearsals of “Evil Dead the Musical” will be at the Theatre Company of Saugus home at the American Legion Post 210 at 44 Taylor St. in Saugus, Mass. The upstairs performance space is not wheelchair accessible.

 

June events at Kowloon

JUNE 28: CONCERT SERIES: DAVE MACKLIN BAND – 7:00 p.m. – Free General Admission or $10 Reserved Seating.

JUNE 29: Concert Series: XS BAND – 7:00 p.m. – Free General Admission or $10 Reserved Seating.

For all tickets, call the Kowloon Restaurant at 781-233-0077 or visit online at www.kowloonrestaurant.com

 

What’s breaking at Breakheart

On Thursdays now through August, the Visitor Center will host a Wild Breakheart Series from 10–11 a.m. There will be no program on July 4. Join us for this rotating nature series as we explore different aspects of Breakheart! Meet outside the Visitor Center; rain cancels. This month will feature the Breakheart Birding Club – come see what birds call Breakheart their home as we explore the park! During July, it will be Tree ID – explore the park and discover what trees are in the park and how to identify them. In August, park visitors can participate in Animal Exploration – enjoy discovering what animals call Breakheart home!

On Saturdays now through August, there will be an Easy, Breezy, Beautiful Hike from 1:30–3:30 p.m. (There will be no program on July 13.) Join the Park Interpreter for this weekly guided hike! Each trip will highlight natural and historic features that make Breakheart unique. Hikes will be moderately paced and range from two to three miles over sometimes uneven and rocky terrain; best for ages eight years and up. Meet at the Visitor Center. Rain cancels.

On Fridays now through August, the Visitor Center will host a Kidleidoscope from 10:30–11:30 a.m. Come join our park interpreter for a story time and nature walk! Complete a small craft and explore the woods! Walks are gently paced and approximately one mile, though not accessible for strollers; appropriate for families with children three to five years old. Meet at the Visitor Center. (No program on July 13.)

There will be Family Fishing on Saturdays now through August from 9:30–11:00 a.m. at Camp Nihan (131 Walnut St.). Join our park interpreter for a drop-in fishing program! Learn how to fish, what fish live in our ponds and how to catch and release responsibly. Bait and a handful of rods will be provided, but feel free to bring your own gear and fish with us and share your tips! No license required if fishing in this program. Appropriate for families with children five years old and up. Meet at Camp Nihan. Rain cancels.

 

Summer track is coming

Coach Christopher Tarantino’s popular Summer Track for youths ages five through 18 begins on July 1. The program is scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. at the track outside Belmonte STEAM Academy. Registration will run from June 24-28. Here is the schedule:

July 1-5: first formal week.

July 8-11: second formal week.

July 12, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.: makeup practice (if necessary).

July 12, 6 p.m.: pasta dinner at Prince.

July 13, 9 a.m.: in-house meet at Serino Stadium.

July 15-18: retrain week.

July 20: Summer Showdown, Cranston, R.I.

July 24: wrap up.

Cost: $250 first year, $200 returning with uniform, $150 if three years or more in summer program; includes pasta dinner, t-shirt, uniform and entry into Summer Showdown.

Please note that these programs are not being offered through the town’s Youth & Recreation Department. Please contact Coach Christopher Tarantino directly with questions at 781-854-6778 or christophertarantino24@gmail.com.

 

CHaRM Center is open

  The Town of Saugus recently announced that the CHaRM Center is open Wednesday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Residents will be required to buy a $25 Sticker to use the Compost Facilities as well as to recycle hard plastics. The rest of the Facility’s features are free to use for any Saugus resident. Residents are also allowed three TVs or computers/CRT monitors for free per household each year. The Town of Saugus reserves the right to refuse any material if quantity or quality is questionable.

The final date the CHaRM Center will be open for the season is December 14. However, the Facility will be open the following winter dates, weather permitting: January 18, 2025, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.; February 15, 2025, from 8 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.; March 15, 2025, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Please contact Solid Waste/Recycling Coordinator Scott A. Brazis at 781-231-4036 with any questions.

 

Brick program for Saugus War Monument

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 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. 10 to ensure the bricks will be ready for Veterans Day. Please contact Corinne Riley at 781-231-7995 for more information and applications.

 

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.