The Sounds of Saugus

Here are a few tidbits that you might want to know about this week in Saugus.

Veterans Day in Saugus

  The Saugus Veterans Council plans to hold its annual Veterans Day ceremony at 11 a.m. next Thursday (Nov. 11) in Veterans Park, which is located at the intersection of Central and Winter Streets. Andy Biggio, a former veterans service officer for the Town of Saugus, who currently works as a police officer for the Town of Winthrop, is scheduled to give the keynote speech. Biggio is a published author who has written “The Rifle,” a book about World War II and veterans of the war.

  Veterans Day provides everyone the perfect opportunity to express their appreciation for fellow citizens who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces or, who are currently serving their country. It is a special holiday – not to be confused with Memorial Day, which honors those who gave their lives while serving their country – which is also known as Armistice Day. The World War I armistice was signed on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. Armistice Day was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.

  So, how about a few thousand shoutouts for all of the Saugus veterans as we pause to reflect on the holiday next week.

DAR honoring veterans

  The Parson Roby Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution is taking orders for American flags to be displayed at the Saugus Town Hall lawn on Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11, from 8 a.m. to noon. Each flag purchased will list the full name and rank of service, branch of service, and years served, if known. Otherwise, whatever knowledge you have will be included on the tag. Each flag will be tagged with the information you provide, either In Memory of, if deceased, or In Honor of, if still living (An example: “In Memory of Ensign Paul Jones, US Navy 1980-1995”), and several members of the DAR will place them on the lawn. At noontime, you may pick up your flag and place it on the grave of the veteran or give it to the veteran you are honoring, if living, to thank them for their service.

  The DAR is a women’s group service organization honoring the American Flag and our veterans, and a part of their work is promoting history, education and patriotism.

  Please send your requested information, along with a check for $5.00 made out to the DAR Parson Roby Chapter, to Ms. Linda Ross, DAR, 88 Main St., Saugus, MA 01906.

  If you require further information, please call Charlotte Line, Regent, Saugus Parson Roby Chapter, at 781-820-7815.

Everybody can be a winner

  The voters of Saugus have spoken, at least for another two years, as to how their town and public education system will be governed.

  Congratulations to those candidates who were elected or reelected to seats on the Board of Selectmen, the School Committee, the Housing Authority and the 50-member Saugus Town Meeting.

  And hats off and good luck to those candidates who didn’t get elected, but contributed to the betterment of their community – just by running a good race. Run again in the next election and keep running until you win. Don’t get discouraged.

  Or use this electoral experience as a springboard to greater volunteer involvement in various public service opportunities which are out there for the asking. Check out the vacancies on various boards and committees and participate in your hometown local government. The town manager, Board of Selectmen and Saugus Public Schools will surely welcome anyone who wants to get involved in helping Saugus to serve its people better. So, get involved.

A 60-pound loss

  About a year ago this time, I pressed my brother Wayne’s doctor to make a referral to a dietician so he could enhance his health by dropping some pounds. Wayne will be 70 by year’s end and really needed to make adjustments in his diet. At one point, I had concerns about him going over the 400 mark. That’s more weight on his knees and legs and extra stress on his heart.

  Well, I’m happy to report that his doctor found Wayne a dietician who he has been meeting with every two to three months. She and the doctor have also encouraged the staff at the assisted living place where my brother lives to encourage him to make better food choices.

  Just a few weeks ago, Wayne’s weight dropped to 313 – a 60 pound drop over the past year. We have set a new goal for the new year – to get the weight under 300 and eventually under 275 – and to keep it off.

Farewell Jerry

  During my final two years at Joseph Case High School in Swansea (Class of 1970), I got to watch a gifted baseball player my age play for our rival Somerset High School. I knew back then – and pretty much everybody did who followed the old Narragansett (or “Narry”) Baseball League – that Jerry Remy was headed places after he graduated in 1970.

  As a sports correspondent for the Somerset Spectator Press weekly newspaper in 1969 and 1970, I had the privilege of covering Somerset when they played Case in baseball. And as a sports writer, I assumed the role of official scorer at many of the games played. Years later, after Remy became a Major Leaguer and later became the great baseball analyst for the Boston Red Sox games, I used to joke with friends that I probably cost Jerry Remy the Narragansett League Batting title by giving a catcher on my team a few cheap hits that should have been scored as errors.

  Jerry’s promising baseball career ended too early. But it opened the door for a much better career as a great analyst who covered Red Sox baseball games on TV.

  On my drive to Saugus last Sunday to interview the 2003 Saugus Little League World Series team, I was saddened to hear on the radio that Jerry Remy had died in his seventh bout with cancer. Jerry was the guy who added another dimension to baseball TV coverage that just made the game more fun and interesting to watch, especially for Red Sox fans. Everybody in Red Sox nation loved Jerry. And we will all miss him.

Legion Hall Fridays for breakfast!

  Great news for people who enjoy the Friday morning breakfasts at the Saugus American Legion Cpl Scott J. Procopio Post 210. Legion Hall, which is located at 44 Taylor St., has resumed its Friday breakfasts and will continue through the last Friday in May of 2022. The buffet breakfast is served at 8:00 a.m. for a donation of $7.

Take-out roast beef at St. John’s

  If you have a hankering for roast beef, check out St. John’s Episcopal Church tomorrow (Saturday, Nov. 6) from 5 to 6:30 p.m. The church, which is located near the Saugus Iron Works, is sponsoring a roast beef dinner – pick up and go.

MEG Holiday Craft Fair Nov. 14

  Come and enjoy the 2nd annual MEG Holiday Craft Fair, on Sunday, Nov. 14, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the MEG Building at 54-58 Essex St. in Saugus. Admission is free. The craft fair features handmade wreaths, personal gifts, Christmas decorations and many special crafts perfect for gift giving

  For further information contact Kathy at 671-231-2842 or Patty at 781-983-3979. The Marleah Elizabeth Graves (MEG) Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and restoration of the historic Cliftondale school.

The Turkey Trot is back!

  The annual Turkey Trot – a popular race that’s been going for more than 20 years – returns to Breakheart Reservation after health concerns about COVID-19 led to its cancellation last year. This fun race, which usually draws 125 to 150 participants from surrounding towns, is usually held the Sunday before Thanksgiving and offers a great chance to win a turkey for that holiday meal. It’s also a great chance to get outside and enjoy some nice fall weather.

  The race this year is set for Sunday, Nov. 21, beginning at 10 a.m. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. This year’s event features a 5K run or 3K walk on mixed terrain, rain or shine! A $10 donation is requested to enter. Proceeds are used by the Friends of Breakheart for park activities and future events. Turkeys will be awarded to the fastest male and female runners. Raffle prizes are open to all who donate.

  This year’s sponsors include the Friends of Breakheart Reservation, Peter A. Rossetti Insurance, Stop & Shop Saugus, MP Realty Group, Nazzaro Family and Val Kappa Art.

  For more information, please call 781-233-1855.

Stumped by the Sketch Artist

  Sorry to say, we have no winner to congratulate for making a correct guess in identifying last Friday’s Sketch. But here’s the answer, provided by the person who goes by the name of “The Sketch Artist”:

  “The answer to last week’s sketch is very Artistic & talented Susan Moriello Curry.

  “Susan is a 1985 Graduate of Saugus High. Susan created the ‘Be Like Georgie’ Saugus Event last year during the early days of the pandemic. It involved putting bears up in windows during all this social distancing so kids could spot the bears out on drives or walks. Georgie is Susan’s teddy bear given to her over twenty-five years ago by her Father George Moriello (of George’s Barbershop) who passed on.

  “This bear activity helped many little ones feel secure again. The parents were joining in and having just as much fun looking to spot bears!

  “It was nice to see families out for bike rides enjoying the weather and on adventures to spot bears!

  “These uncertain times shook many children up emotionally and Susan provided an outlet of fun happy times with parents involved. Susan created comforting times for children to be looking for bears … Many families were creative putting up scenes and displays with the bears in the windows for all to see and join in with Susan.

  “This all happened because of Susan’s idea and efforts she put forth. Susan was like a ray of sunshine in dark dismal skies to these kids and parents.

  “Susan who not only started a Be like Georgie facebook (to showcase bear sightings and fun things for families and children); she also sparked whole towns to get involved and City Hall too! Saugus Town Hall proudly displays Hope the bear! … Hope the Town Hall bear was donated by the Ricupero Family to inspire Saugus with Joy & Hope!

  “How cool is that! Susan Moriello Curry is a Marketing & Social Media Specialist and Founder of AdScoop.net (executive virtual Marketing)

  “Thank you Susan for All you do, you surely do shine!

  “Yours Truly, The Sketch Artist”

This week’s special “Shout-Outs”

  We have a few “Shout-Outs” to share this week from loyal Saugus Advocate readers. The first one is from Shirley Bogdan:

  “The Saugus American Legion Auxiliary, Unit 210 met recently to pack up Christmas gifts for the veterans at Chelsea Soldiers Home. The Auxiliary has been collecting sox, underwear, pajamas, sweatpants, shirts, woolen hats, scarves, knitted lap robes etc. during the year. The girls boxed up 347 gifts with a value of $4,576.00.

  “Hopefully we will be able to deliver these gifts personally but if COVID restrictions are still in place these boxes will be delivered to the hospital’s front door!

  “After a COVID delay, the Auxiliary held a successful pasta dinner in September. We also participated in the flagging of graves for Memorial Day, Gordon Shepherd’s Civil War project at the cemetery, the POW/MIA ceremony, the World Series Lightening ceremony, and a private visit to the USS Constitution. The Auxiliary meets on the third Monday of the month at 12:30 P.M. at 44 Taylor Street from March until November. President Eleanor Gallo extends a warm welcome to anyone to come down and meet with us.”

  If you want to help, call Shirley at 781-233-1677.

  Jeanie Bartolo, who is a prolific “shout-out” artist and is the one who instigated this special feature in “The Sounds of Saugus,” offers two this week:

  “The first one is a repeat of a Shout Out from 2 years ago: ‘I think some after-election comic relief is needed. So I thought that a “Shout Out” should go to all the LAWN SIGNS in town for the candidates who had one. These sturdy, trusty, hard working LAWN SIGNS withstood sun, rain, wet leaves, winds AND a Nor’easter for their owners and have earned a well deserved rest and a Shout Out!’

  “The second “Shout Out” is a huge thank you to our DPW Department for all their hard work cleaning up after last week’s Nor’easter. They truly did a great job. You guys are the best!!!”

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.

“Night of the Living Dead” still playing

  The Theatre Company of Saugus wants folks to know that they can still get to see the ongoing production of “Night of the Living Dead” by Lori Allen Ohm – which is based on the 1968 horror film of the same name by George Romero and John Russo. If you missed the Halloween weekend performances, there are three chances to catch the show this weekend. It’s playing today (Friday, Nov. 5) at 8 p.m. and tomorrow (Saturday, Nov. 6), also at 8 p.m. And the final performance is Sunday (Nov. 7) at 2 p.m.

  The performances will be in person at the American Legion Post 210 at 44 Taylor St. in Saugus. Tickets are $20-25 and can be purchased in advance online, or you can buy at the door for a slightly higher rate (and no guarantee of seating). There is limited space, so please plan accordingly.

  This production is being codirected by Sean Perry and Matthew Garlin.

  Similar to the film, a mysterious radiation has turned the dead into flesh-eating zombies. The play focuses on seven people trapped in a farmhouse who are trying to deal with the impending doom from the attacking zombies and trying not to get on each other’s nerves too much and survive the night.

One-Day Holiday Delay Due to Observance of Veterans Day

  The Town of Saugus announced that the trash and recycling collection will run on a one-day delay on Friday and Saturday of next week. There will be no collection on Thursday, Nov. 11, due to the Veterans Day holiday. Services will resume on a one-day delay on Friday and Saturday.

  The compost site will be open normal hours on Saturday, November 13, 2021, from 8 a.m.-2 p.m.

  The Town of Saugus would like to thank everyone for their cooperation. Please contact Solid Waste/Recycling Coordinator Lorna Cerbone at 781-231-4036 with any questions.

Fall curbside leaf collection

  The Town of Saugus announced that fall curbside leaf collection will take place during the weeks of November 15–19 and November 29–December 3. Residents may dispose of leaves curbside on their regularly scheduled collection day. Leaves should be left outside by 7 a.m. on the appropriate days. Please ensure that leaf containers are physically separated from trash and recycling.

  Paper leaf bags are the preferred method of leaf disposal. If you are using barrels, they must be clearly marked with yard waste stickers. Barrel covers must remain removed so that the leaves are visible. Plastic bags, cardboard boxes, branches and brush will not be accepted.

  Please note that separate trucks collect the rubbish, recycling and leaves, so the leaves may be collected at a different time of day. “Missed pick-ups” will not be conducted.

  Please contact Lorna Cerbone at 781-231-4036 with any questions.

Want to be a Knight?

  The Knights of Columbus is looking for new members to join. If interested in becoming a member of this local organization, please call 781-233-9858.

Household Hazardous Waste Day – Nov. 13

  Residents are invited to dispose of their household hazardous waste in an environmentally responsible manner during a collection event on Saturday, November 13, from 9 a.m. to noon. This event will be held at the Belmonte Upper Elementary School located at 25 Dow St. This year it will be a contactless event; there will be no preregistration. Residents must stay in their vehicles and hold up a driver’s license, and all materials must be placed in the trunk or rear of the vehicle.

  The rain-or-shine event will allow residents to dispose of a series of household waste products, including rubber cement, airplane glue, fiberglass resins, aerosol cans, photo chemicals, furniture polish, floor and metal polish, oven cleaner, drain and toilet cleaner, spot remover, rug and upholstery cleaner, hobby and artist supplies, photography chemicals, turpentine and chemistry sets. The following garage supplies will also be accepted: fuel, gasoline, kerosene, engine degreaser, brake fluid, carburetor cleaner, transmission fluid, car wax, polishes, driveway sealer, car batteries, antifreeze, cesspool cleaners, roofing tar, swimming pool chemicals, motor oil and car batteries. Accepted workbench waste includes oil-based paints, stains, varnishes, wood preservatives, paint strippers or thinners, solvent adhesives and lighter fluid. Residents may also bring the following yard waste: weed killer, chemical fertilizers, flea control products, moth balls, poisons, insecticides, herbicides, pesticides and fungicides.

  Residents are urged to take caution when transporting household hazardous materials. Locals may do so by keeping the materials in their original containers, tightening caps and lids, sorting and packing products separately and packing containers in sturdy upright boxes padded with newspaper. Please remember never to mix chemicals or to smoke while handling hazardous materials.

  The hazardous household waste collection will not accept commercial waste. Residents will be limited to two car loads – the equivalent of 50 pounds or 50 gallons – of hazardous waste. The following items will not be accepted: empty containers or trash, latex paint, commercial or industrial waste, radioactive waste, smoke detectors, infectious and biological wastes, ammunition, fireworks, explosives, fire extinguishers or syringes. TVs, computers and car tires may be recycled at the drop-off site located at 515 Main St. on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

  The Town of Saugus would like to thank everyone for their cooperation. Please contact Solid Waste/Recycling Coordinator Lorna Cerbone at 781-231-4036 with any questions.

Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus program

  (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, providing information about the return of the program for the new school year.)

  Who we are: Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus (HS2) is a nonprofit group of volunteers helping to offset food insecurity in households. HS2 provides students/families that 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 school on Fridays to take home. Bags include such items as peanut butter, jelly, a loaf of bread, canned meals/soups/tuna/vegetables, pasta/sauce, fruit cups, cereal, oatmeal, goldfish, pretzels and granola bars. To sign up to complete online form: https://forms.gle/gmMGguycSHBdziuE9.

  Want to partner with us? HS2 relies on donations to create take-home bags for a weekend full of meals. 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. We would love to partner with organizations, 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.

  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. HS2 is accepting nonperishables to support the program. Items can be dropped off in a designated donation bin at the Saugus Town Hall lobby.

  Items have been carefully chosen and we ask that donations are not expired and come only from this list:

  – Macaroni & cheese, 7.5 oz.

  – Peanut butter, 15 oz.

  – Jelly (squeeze plastic bottles)

  – Canned vegetables (i.e., sliced carrots, green beans, peas, corn), 15 oz.

  – Canned tuna, 5 oz.

  – Canned chicken, 10 oz.

  – Canned beans

  – Canned meals (i.e., soups, chili, SpaghettiOs, raviolis)

  – Fruit cups

  – Oatmeal packets

  – Cold cereal

  – Granola bars

  – Pasta

  – Pasta sauce (no glass) 

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 over five 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.