The Sounds of Saugus

By Mark E. Vogler

 

Good morning, Saugus

Hope you are making the most of your summer in a safe, healthy and happy way. There are still three full weeks of summer vacation before Saugus kids head back to class for a new school year. That’s three weeks for parents and kids to shop for new clothes and school supplies. That’s three weeks to relax, to read a book or two for pleasure or do something fun.

It’s an odd summer this year where kids will be going back to school in September instead of late August. The first day of classes for students in grades 6 through 12 is Sept. 2. Classes begin for kids in grades 1 through 5 with half days on Sept. 2 and 3. Pre-K and Kindergarten begins on Sept. 3 with half days. Stay tuned.

 

Election alert: Sept. 1 primary coming

Town Clerk Ellen Schena and her staff have about three weeks and four days to complete preparation for the upcoming Sept. 1 primary election. A major order of business is signing up enough election workers – both paid and volunteers.

Every two years, there is a state election that involves a September primary. With school not being in session yet, it becomes more challenging for the Town Clerk to recruit civic-minded Saugus High School juniors and seniors. So a flyer began circulating headlined “CALLING ALL SAUGUS HIGH JUNIORS AND SENIORS,” with the hopes of attracting civic-minded teens who want to help the elections run smoothly this fall: the State Primary (Sept. 1) and the Nov. 3 State General Election.

“Come work for Community Services to fulfill your high school hours OR you can be a Paid $$$$$$ Election Worker,” the flyer stated.

For those Saugus juniors and seniors who are interested in being paid or volunteer election workers, here are the particulars:

• 16 years old can work part-time shifts (6 to 8 hours)
• 17 & 18 year olds can work full shifts (8 to 12 hours)
• The Town Clerk’s Office can accommodate any hours for interested students.

“Great to have on your College Applications/Resumes,” the flyer noted.

Those who are interested should stop by Town Hall or contact the Town Clerk’s Office to apply to work. Ask for Jacey Ruisi, Saugus Election Coordinator, at 781-231-4102 for more details.

A second flyer went out directed at adults who want to work the polls and earn some extra cash. The Town Clerk’s Office is looking to fill specific shifts: all day, or 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. or swing shifts (accommodating hours). For those who are interested in applying for any of those paid positions, please contact the Town Clerk’s Office at 781-231-4102 or 4013.

 

In-Person Early Voting set for Aug. 22

This week, the Town Clerk’s Office also released information for those registered voters who don’t want to wait until Sept. 1 to vote. In-Person Early Voting for the Sept. 1 State Primary Election will begin on Saturday, Aug. 22, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the Community Room of the Saugus Public Library at 295 Central St. Voters should enter through the Taylor Street Entrance. This is also the last day to register to vote in the election.

In-Person Early Voting will be held for five additional days, as follows:

• Monday, August 24, 2026 – 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, August 25, 2026 – 8:15 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, August 26, 2026 – 8:15 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Thursday, August 27, 2026 – 8:15 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Friday, August 28, 2026 – 8:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

 

Saugus United Parish Food Pantry

The Saugus United Parish Food Pantry will be open today (Friday, August 7), from 9:30-11 a.m. at 50 Essex St. in the basement of Cliftondale Congregational Church. The food pantry welcomes all neighbors facing food insecurity on Friday mornings. Volunteers are also welcome. Please call the Food Pantry Office (781-233-2663) or go to the website (cliftondalecc.org) for details.

 

KOC Crafts fair tomorrow

The Saugus Knights of Columbus No. 1829 will host a crafts fair tomorrow (Saturday, Aug. 8) from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 57 Appleton St. in Saugus: baked goods, candles, handmade textiles, jewelry, wood carving and much more. Visitors can also enjoy making their own sundaes or enjoy popcorn, hot dogs, hot coffee, donuts and raffles.

 

Children’s Festival at the Iron Works Aug. 12

The Saugus River Watershed Council and the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site will be collaborating on a night of family fun next Wednesday (Aug. 12), beginning at 6 p.m. at the Iron Works. This year’s Saugus River Picnic & Children’s Festival will be a free family night for kids and will feature games, refreshing snacks, environmental activities, crafts and music.

The event will coincide with the free Summer Concert Series. The Squeezebox Stompers (Cajun, Zydeco, Blues, Folk) are set to perform.

 

This week’s “Shout Outs”

Precinct 6 Town Meeting Member Jeanie Bartolo, the loyal reader who initiated the weekly “Shout Outs” feature for “The Sounds of Saugus” column, offered this one: “This ‘Shout Out’ is for Chris Tarantino, Coach of the Saugus Sachems Track Camp for placing first among the 18 teams competing! Congratulations to Chris and the 64 young Saugus athletes who participated. You are the pride of Saugus!”

Here’s a collective “Shout Out,” taken from the Saugus Firefighters Local 1003 Facebook Page: “On behalf of Lieutenant Damian ‘Jug’ Drella and his family, thank you to everyone who came out to show their unwavering support during his dignified and honorable return home from Brigham and Women’s Hospital. The outpouring of kindness, respect, and solidarity from our fellow firefighters, public safety partners, family, friends, and community meant more than words can express. As Jug continues his courageous battle with occupational cancer, your support serves as a powerful reminder that he is never fighting alone.

“Special thank you to all who were able to join us on Lt. Drella’s honorable return home, and the companies who covered the town so our members could support our brother the way the fire service does.”

Former Saugus Veterans Service Officer SueAnn Cheung resigned last month to become the new director of the Veterans Services’ Office in the Town of Brookline. In an interview this week, she expressed her appreciation to people in the Saugus veterans community: “I want to give thanks to the Saugus Veterans Council. They’re amazing and were very helpful. I loved all of the relationships and contacts I made in Saugus, especially with the American Legion. I loved going to the American Legion breakfasts on Friday mornings and I tried to go every week. The Legion breakfasts are great. No other town is doing that, as far as I know. That’s amazing and great for the community. I’m proud of all of the events I worked on with the veterans – Veterans Day, Wreaths Across America with the DAR, the Memorial Day Parade. State Rep. Donald Wong showed up at all of the events I went to. He showed up at the weekly breakfasts. He really cares about the veterans. As a VSO in Saugus, I enjoyed working with all of the veterans and the veterans organizations.”

 

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 (mv***@*****st.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.

 

Shining Stars of Starlight Cinema

Saugus Community Television reports a successful debut of its Starlight Cinema Movie Night on Tuesday (Aug. 4) at Parcher Field. This was a makeup date for the event that had to be cancelled last week. Saugus residents gathered on the field to enjoy what amounted to a throwback outdoor movie. This year’s featured film was the beloved family adventure “Jumanji” (1995) starring Robin Williams. The movie is about a magical board game that brings jungle dangers to life. This year’s event featured a large LED movie screen, allowing the film to begin before sunset while still providing an outstanding viewing experience for everyone in attendance.

Michelle Madar Fox, the executive director of Saugus Television, offered a collective “shout out” of the sponsors and others contributing to the success of an event that the organizers hope to build on:

“We want to thank all our sponsors and donors, Starlight Cinema would not have been possible without them.

“Platinum Sponsors: Saugus Cultural Council, Richard A. Kowalsky Insurance Agency, Inc., Eccentricity Studio, and Northeastern Fence & Supply Corporation.

“Gold Sponsors: The Rubin House Assisted Living, and Soc’s Ice Cream.

“Silver Sponsors: Lotus Nails Spa, Tax Shop & Financial Center and Rockland Bank.

“Bronze Sponsors and other Donors: 27Str8 Apparel, MCM Nation, The Moulaison Family and Russo Painting.

“We also want to thank all our vendors who provided food for our viewers. Rick Kowalsky and Cliftondale Congregational Church served up nacho chips and cheese, Tiffany’s Tasty Treats had her signature Chocolate chip cookies and other tasty treats, It just so happened to be National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day as well! Soc’s Ice cream was there with their slush and ice cream sandwiches. And Cliftondale Roast Beef and Pizza swooped in to save the day when our last food vendor backed out the day before. They served pizza by the slice, salads and chicken ziti broccoli alfredo!

“I would also like to highlight superstar Maureen Whitcomb! She’s our superhero event coordinator and nothing would have been possible without her!

“Our first ever starlight cinema was amazing and we look forward to hosting another movie night soon!”

Based on preliminary estimates, the organizers consider the event a smashing success. “We counted about 75 raffle tickets which were passed out to every audience member coming through the gate,” Madar Fox said. “Plus at least another 25 or so including the vendors, volunteers and staff. Definitely about 100 or more in total, which is amazing for a first-time event and rain date.”

 

Free Summer concerts series continues

You know it’s truly summer in Saugus when the Wednesday night crowds start to gather at the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site, where they sing, clap and dance to the music. It’s that time of year again. Another summer of free outdoor concerts over an eight-week period at the Iron Works began on July 1.

This marks the fifth consecutive summer that the Saugus Public Library and the National Park Service are collaborating on a local outdoor event that seems to get more popular every year. The Saugus Cultural Council (a local arm of the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency) is also a key sponsor of the event. The concerts are free and open to the public. The concert series celebrates local musical talents in Essex County and creates opportunities for residents and visitors to engage with the park during evening hours.

Shows begin at 6 p.m. each Wednesday in August. People can bring blankets and chairs, snacks, etc. Don’t forget to bring a friend, too, to enjoy a couple of hours of music outdoors. The events take place on the stage behind the museum building, and spectators can settle down on the upper lawn. It is suitable for all ages. Restrooms are available until nearly 8 p.m. when the concerts conclude. If weather looks bad for any particular Wednesday, concertgoers are urged to check the library website (www.sauguspubliclibrary.org), which will update for cancellations on that day.

This year’s lineup features a combination of new bands and familiar faces. Concerts begin at 6 p.m. on the Big Lawn each Wednesday through August 19. This week’s scheduled headliner (Aug. 5) was The Implications, a band that performs Rock & Country music. Here is the rest of the schedule for the summer concert series:

• August 12: Squeezebox Stompers (Cajun, Zydeco, Blues, Folk).
• August 19: Coco Brown & The Invitation (Motown & Soul).

 

Jewelry Making with Mandy Aug. 17

There will be a special jewelry making program in the Brooks Room of the Saugus Public Library on Monday, Aug. 17. Mothers, daughters, grandmothers and friends of all ages are welcome to join Mandy Roberge in making new items or for help repairing your favorite costume jewelry pieces. From necklaces and bracelets to earrings and keychains, this workshop invites kids, teens and adults to explore beads and findings and different types of wire and hemp to create their own unique pieces to take home. Bring a friend and have some fun!

 

Summer Reading time at the library

The 2026 Summer Reading Program at the Saugus Public Library is underway and will last through Friday, Aug. 21. Here’s a summary of the program:

WHO: Kids Pre-K through 6th grade.

WHAT: Kids read the books they love, log their reading and earn prizes! They’ll enjoy reading what they love, free programs, crafts and activities.

WHY: Don’t lose those hard-earned skills! Summer reading plays a vital role in helping reduce the “Summer Slide” – the learning loss experienced between school years – which can leave students significantly behind their peers. The Saugus Public Schools recommend kids read at least 20 minutes every day. We also recommend reading to your child, even as they become an independent reader. Talk about what you’ve read together. Help them find books they like – we can help with that. Make it a fun part of a daily routine they look forward to!

PRIZES: Every reader wins prizes, and books to keep. We’ll also raffle vouchers for ice cream, pizza, roller skating, mini golf, bowling and much more. Grand prize drawings include tickets to Canobie Lake Park and Nova Adventure Park!

HOW: Download the Beanstack App!

• CREATE AN ACCOUNT: If this is your first time participating in one of the SPL’s reading challenges using Beanstack, here are step-by-step instructions [https://www.loom.com/share/0efe0cc7c0f64b96b3c0a38ade8b04f6] on how to create a Beanstack account. If you’ve used Beanstack before, simply register for our 2026 Summer Reading Challenge.
• REGISTER FOR A CHALLENGE: This video [https://www.loom.com/share/9cfd52f03a4c4444bc9ab86d94b51cea] will show you how to register for a reading challenge using the app.
• LOG YOUR READING: This video [https://www.loom.com/share/fda67bebf80e443faaad2529fa3ca486] will show you how to log your reading using the mobile app.
• FROM A COMPUTER: If you prefer not to use the app, here’s a link to access the SPL’s 2026 Kids Summer Reading Challenge using a computer. Beanstack Link [https://sauguspubliclibrary.beanstack.com/reader365]
• Or Register in Person: Stop by the library to register in person and use our paper reading log.
• Download free e-books and e-audiobooks from the library!

Can’t make it to the library? Our digital collections provide easy access to the books kids love, 24 hours a day seven days a week. Download free, fresh titles all summer using the hoopla and Libby apps! [https://www.sauguspubliclibrary.org/children/family]

 

Veterans Day Bricks Program is Back

The Saugus Veterans Council is pleased to reinstate the Brick Program! After our vendor retired last year (thank you, Del from Pavlok, for working with us over the years), we have found another engraver who will be taking our orders for Veterans Day! Proceeds from the brick sales are devoted to the upkeep of Saugus Veterans Park. If you are interested in purchasing a brick, a 4×8″ is $100 (three lines) and an 8×8″ (five lines) is $200. Please contact Corinne Riley (781-231-7995) for an application or more information. All orders must be in no later than Sept. 10.