Building Connection One Song at a Time

May 5 – The Morning Star Singers, a group of indigenous women who are hand drummers and singers, will be welcomed by First Parish Church of Stow & Acton (FPC) for an outdoor Sunday service about building community and beginning reparations. The Morning Star Singers seek to preserve and continue the beautiful tradition of women’s singing in native culture. For this service, they are planning on wearing red in remembrance of missing/murdered indigenous women and two-spirit individuals. Attendees are invited to join them in wearing red. The service will be held on May 5 at 10 a.m. on the lawn behind the church; come through the atrium doors and head through doors directly across. In case of rain, it will be held in Fellowship Hall (go through atrium doors and turn right). FPC is hoping to stream the service online if possible. Please check Sunday service listings at www.fpc-stow-acton.org/services for updated
information. Child care is available for ages 3 and under, and children over 3 are welcome to join
religious education classes. For information about those classes, contact FPC Director of Religious Education Rayla D. Baldwin-Mattson at dre@fpc-stow-acton.org. FPC warmly welcomes gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. Its facilities are wheelchair accessible. For more information, call FPC Admin Meg at 617-291-3351 or visit www.fpc-stow-acton.org. The church is located at 353 Great Rd., Stow.

Town Hazard Mitigation Plan Comment Period Open
Through April 30

A draft Hazard Mitigation Plan for the Town of Boxborough is available for public comment through April 30. The draft plan can be found on the town’s website at https://bit.ly/3w0jIVr.
  “Implementation of this plan will significantly enhance our resilience to hazards such as flooding, snowstorms, high winds, and extreme temperatures,” says Town Planner Alec Wade.
  Once the town adopts the final plan and it is approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the town will be eligible to pursue “pre- and post-disaster hazard mitigation grant opportunities.”
  Hard copies of the draft plan are available for in-person review at the Town Planner’s Office, 29 Middle Road, and at Sargent Memorial Library. Feedback can be provided by completing a Google Form at https://bit.ly/3w0jIVr or at the hard copy viewing locations.
  The Hazard Mitigation Plan “identifies and prioritizes strategies to mitigate the impacts of natural hazards and climate change on our community.” It was developed by Boxborough’s 17-member Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee in collaboration with Jamie Caplan Consulting, LLC, with funding support from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency.
  For more information, contact Town Planner Alec Wade at 978-264-1723 or awade@boxborough-ma.gov.

Select Board Rejects Building Committee’s Revisions to Fire Station Warrant Article


At its meeting on April 22, the Select Board discussed potential changes to Article 42 on the Town Meeting Warrant, “Professional Services for New Fire Station.” The changes, recommended by a unanimous vote of the Building Committee at its April 17 meeting, reduced both the dollar amount of the article and the scope of services.
  After much discussion, Select Board Chair Kristin Hilberg’s motion to reduce the dollar amount of Article 42 from $500,000 to $250,000 in accordance with the Building Committee’s recommendation did not pass. Hilberg and Priya Sundaram voted in favor of the motion; Wes Fowlks and Dave McKiernan voted against the motion.
  The Town Administrator clarified that the text of the warrant cannot be changed at this time, since it has been printed and will be posted imminently; however, a reduction of the funds and services in Article 42 could be presented as an amendment on Town Meeting floor.
  The Building Committee’s proposed revisions to Article 42 included decreasing the total funds requested from $500,000 to $250,000; funding only a preliminary “conceptual” design instead of a “schematic” design or “construction” design; identifying four properties for which conceptual designs and budgets will be developed; and removing funding for an Owner’s Project Manager.
  Before voting on whether to accept the Building Committee’s revisions, Select Board members discussed the purpose of Article 42, how the funds would be used, and the pros and cons of reducing the funding and scope of services as recommended by the Building Committee. The Board took comments from the public as well.
  In other business, the Select Board heard the Q3 Finance Report presented by Town Accountant Kelli Pontbriand and Treasurer/Collector Naomi Quansah. They reported on Q3 activities and indicated that the town is in good shape with respect to both expenses and revenues. Accountant Pontbriand noted that all American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds must be spent or committed with contracts in hand by December 2024. She suggested that the town make a plan for how to spend the remaining funds, which total just over one million dollars.
  The Board also unanimously approved a revised Boxborough Sustainability Policy presented by Kate Davies, co-chair of the Sustainability Committee. The Policy is intended to “support coordinated, ambitious, fact-based decision making and actions across all Town departments, committees, and groups, in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve Net Zero emissions by 2050, as set out in the Massachusetts Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2050, and to prepare for and mitigate the effects of climate change on the Town.”

Groton Garden Club Plant Sale

May 11th, 9:00-NOON, Legion Common
75 Hollis St., Groton, MA
Cash or Checks Only
*Native Plants
*Perennials
*Shrubs
*And More...
www.grotongardenclub.org

Littleton Country Gardeners Plant Sale

Town Common, Saturday, May 11, 2024, 9am-2pm
Perennial • Fairie Gardens • Herbs & Veggies• Pollinator and Native Plants
Ask a Master Gardener and Membership booths!
Keeping Littleton Beautiful
Littleton Country Gardeners maintain 13 civic sites in town with seasonal plantings.
Cash or Check only!

Memory Lane Café at the
Acton Senior Center

May 28, 2024, 12:00-1:30 pm at the Acton Senior Center, 30 Sudbury Road, Rear, Acton. A Memory Café is a welcoming place for people with memory impairment and their care partners /caregivers. Cafés are a place to talk with others, enjoy lunch and an activity or entertainment together. We do ask attendees to bring their care partners. Lunch will be provided. Sponsored by Concord Park Assisted Living and Memory Care Community and Cooperative Elder Services, Inc. RSVP by calling 978-929-6652. Groups will be held on the last Tuesday of each month.
Concord Park Assisted Living and Compass Memory Support is a project of the nonprofit Volunteers of America Massachusetts, which has supported local seniors with specialized services for over 75 years.

Hearts, Hugs & Hope: A Virtual Alzheimer’s Support Group Offered by Concord Park

May 9, 2024, 12:00 pm, hosted by Concord Park Assisted Living and Memory Care Community, 68 Commonwealth Avenue, West Concord. Dealing with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia isn’t easy, so it is helpful to share your concerns and personal experiences with others who completely understand what you’re going through. You will also learn about proven strategies to help you better care for your family member. Please call 978-369-4728 or email mking@concordpark.org for the details and a Zoom invite.
Concord Park Assisted Living and Compass Memory Support is a project of the nonprofit Volunteers of America Massachusetts, which has supported local seniors with specialized services for over 75 years.

Heritage Chorale 2024 Spring Concert:
Hold Fast to Dreams

Please join us for our Spring Concert, “Hold Fast to Dreams,” to be held on Sunday, May 19 at 4 pm at the Fuller Middle School, 31 Flagg Drive, Framingham. We’ll be presenting Roland Carter’s “Hold Fast to Dreams,” based on a poem by Langston Hughes, Florence Price’s “Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight,” based on a poem by Vachel Lindsay, and Margaret Bonds’s “Simon Bore the Cross,” based on a poem again by Langston Hughes. The concert will also feature baritone soloist Philip Lima. The Heritage Chorale, an auditioned mixed chorus, brings the joy of music to Metrowest communities. Visit heritagechorale.org for more details and to purchase advance tickets online, saving $5 per ticket versus the price at the door.

Mark Your Calendar!
Maynard Community Gardeners
Annual Plant Sale on May 18th

(Wanted: Your Surplus Plants!)
The Maynard Community Gardeners’ Annual Plant Sale will be held on Saturday, May 18th in the Maynard Elks Lodge parking lot at 34 Powdermill Road in Maynard, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon.  This is a great opportunity to choose from a wide variety of plants that flourish locally, at bargain prices!  Flowers, vegetables, hanging plants, perennials, annuals, herbs, and shrubs will all be available in an assortment of heights, types, and colors. We will also feature a small flea market of deeply discounted garden-related tools and objects. Come early for the best selection!
All plants at the sale are either donated by members/non-members who want to share their abundance or provided by Stow Garden Center. If you have surplus plants that you would like to donate to the plant sale, please email Loretta West at lorettawest3@aol.com for the drop off-site and times. If you need help digging up the plants you are donating, please contact Steve Smith at stevensmith@kw.com to make arrangements. We are especially interested in perennials that are native to our region and/or pollinator friendly.
Maynard Community Gardeners is an organization comprised of seasoned and novice gardeners who make it their mission to beautify our small town. All funds raised at the plant sale go directly to MCG’s ongoing efforts, including the many flower planters along the sidewalks and in public spaces downtown, the beautiful flower-filled alleyway off Nason Street, the seasonally changing downtown triangle, and Maplebrook Park. Your plant donations are what make the MCG Annual Plant Sale and its proceeds possible, bringing beauty and joy to all who live in and visit Maynard!

Joy Bible Study Spring Luncheon

Joy Bible Study invites area women to attend our annual Spring Luncheon
Date: Wednesday, May 8
Time: 9:45-11:45
Acton Joy Bible Study is a friendly community of women from different denominations who  desire to study the Bible, share laughter, develop lasting friendships, and share personal  insights. It has been meeting for 41 years.
The Spring Luncheon includes personal testimonies from two of our members, worship through  music, and announcement of our next study beginning September 2024. The morning  concludes with a complimentary luncheon provided by our members. Come see what we are all  about!
We meet at Faith Evangelical Free Church, 54 Hosmer St, Acton, MA  www.joybiblestudy.com

Ministry as Improv – FPC Sunday Service

Stow, Mass., April 28 – So much is changing in our world, faith, and congregational lives. As we engage this changing reality, we need tools to help us meet the needs of this liminal time. First Parish Church of Stow & Acton (FPC) is pleased to welcome the Rev. Darrick Jackson, ministerial credentialing director for the Unitarian Universalist Association, to lead the Sunday service on April 28 at 10 a.m. Rev. Jackson will show us how improvisation can provide us with a framework for ministry in these times. He will show us how to add some “Yes, and…” to our lives and as part of FPC’s congregation – and how “Yes, and…” can help us to better accept and understand others, create new possibilities, and more.
The service will take place both in person and virtually. Masking is optional. Child care is available for ages 3 and under, and children over 3 are welcome to join religious education classes. For information about those classes, contact FPC Director of Religious Education Rayla D. Baldwin-Mattson at dre@fpc-stow-acton.org. To enter the virtual room, go to tinyurl.com/22-23fpc.
FPC warmly welcomes gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. Its facilities are wheelchair accessible. For more information, call 978-897-8149 or visit www.fpc-stow-acton.org. The church is located at 353 Great Rd., Stow.

Windborne A Cappella Quartet
to Perform in Stow

Stow, Mass., April 27 – The critically acclaimed a cappella quartet Windborne will perform songs drawn from centuries of world music, from labor and civil rights struggles as well as modern folk compositions, at the New Revival Coffeehouse in Stow on Saturday, April 27. NPR called them “The best musical discovery of the year…stunningly powerful. Windborne sets a new bar for harmony singing today!”
Tickets are $20 in advance at tinyurl.com/WindborneMusic and $25 at the door. Doors open at 7pm. and the concert begins at 7:30pm. Masks are optional. The New Revival Coffeehouse is located at First Parish Church of Stow & Acton, 353 Great Road, Stow. For questions, call 978-274-2593 or email coffeehouse@fpc-stow-acton.org.

Nashobah Praying Indians:
A Living People, A Living Landscape

Boxborough (and Littleton) was originally the Praying Indian Village of Nashobah, a place of spirit and vision.   On Sunday May 5, the Boxborough Historical Society will present Sagamore Strong Bear Medicine of the Nashobah Praying Indians and local historian Daniel V. Boudillion at the Boxborough Town Hall, 29 Middle Road, starting at 2 p.m. They will discuss the Nashobah people, their spirit, their journey of survival, the village, and the sacred landscape that is all around us.
Strong Bear Medicine is Sagamore of the Nashobah Praying Indians and the founder of the Friends of the Nashobah Praying Indians.  Daniel V. Boudillion is an avid historian and author with a wide knowledge of early Nashobah history and has recently published “History of the Nashobah Praying Indians: Doings, Sufferings, Survival and Triumph”.
The event is free and registration is not required

Mt. Calvary Community Supper’s
12th Birthday

On April 10th Mt. Calvary Community Supper Acton celebrated its 12th birthday. Since our founding in April 2012, by Mike Tobia, Betty Andrews, Carol Graton, Pastor Tim Knapp and a core group of church members, in partnership with Acton-Boxborough United Way, we have now served over 55,000 meals to neighbors who have joined us every Wednesday throughout the years. As the only active community supper in Acton, it is evident that our mission to help alleviate food insecurity and social isolation is so very important and necessary in our communities. The success of Mt. Calvary Community Supper has been remarkable. Through the transitions of inside dining, to a “drive-thru parking lot supper” necessary during the pandemic, to the return to Fellowship Hall, it has filled a great void for all our guests. For some, it is a time to have a warm prepared meal that is not from a microwave. For others it is a time to be welcomed by our volunteers and join other guests, rather than be alone at home. Food and friendship are in abundance at our Supper. We strive to help all who join us to feel a sense of belonging to our community – “our family”.
Each week, families with children, singles, groups of friends and neighbors of all ages, sit down to enjoy a nutritious meal in the light, airy Fellowship Hall of the Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church at 472 Mass Avenue in Acton. Individual guests come from a unique background, but all come for a moment in their day when they can be treated with dignity and respect. It is gratifying for all the volunteers to see everyone enjoy the meal and engage in conversation and laughter. This is especially notable during holidays, birthdays, and other celebrations when everyone is treated to special decorations, singing and musical presentations, and recognition of birthdays and milestones.
The preparation and organization of Mt. Calvary Community Supper requires the dedication of many individuals. Throughout each year, over 100 compassionate, rotating volunteers offer their time and energy to make certain all runs smoothly. Every week preparations for the 3-course meal begin on Tuesday. Then on Wednesday, our cooking team creates a delicious dinner. Students come in to assist with setting up Fellowship Hall and greeting guests. Teams of volunteers arrive to welcome each diner and serve the meal. Of course, all would not be possible without those who arrive later to tackle the clean-up of the dining room and the kitchen.  Many hands make light work.
In addition to wonderful volunteers, Mt. Calvary Community Supper is indebted to the generosity of our sponsors, Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church members, civic, business and community organizations, fellow churches, and wonderful individuals who give from their heart with their time, gifts, and monetary donations. We are very blessed to have this support. It instills in us our commitment to our guests and provides each volunteer with the reward of knowing we are making a positive difference in their lives. As so well stated by one of our guests:
“While food is necessary to sustain the body, food and a community supper serve a much greater purpose of nourishing the entire human spirit as we dine and communicate with our friends and neighbors.”
In the words of our former Chairman Mike Tobia who passed away in November 2020:
We are “Always Grateful for Another Wednesday.”
Should you wish to learn more about our journey and weekly happenings, follow these links:
Https://MtCalvaryacton.org/community-Supper
https://wwwfacebook.comCommunitySupperofActonMA

Town of Acton, Massachusetts residents Rooting for a Greener Tomorrow!

In celebration of Dr. Shri Nanasaheb Dharmadhikari’s Birth Centennial, Acton residents joined hands as dedicated volunteers of the non-profit organization Dr. Shri Nanasaheb Dharmadhikari Pratishthan (DSNDP), undertaking a nationwide Tree Plantation and Conservation drive at NARA garden, 25 Ledge Rock Way, Acton, MA 01720 on 7 April 2024.
DSNDP aims to foster a brighter future by advocating for environmental sustainability and cultivating a greener and healthier planet for all. The organization is advocating tree plantation and conservation in collaboration with the US government to address the demand for afforestation, aid carbon sequestration, regulate environmental temperature, prevent soil erosion, and promote biodiversity.
During the 3-hour conservation drive at Acton, 12 dedicated DSNDP volunteers performed weeding around 194.33 yards and collected 33 large bags of weed.  This initiative is an integral part of DSNDP’s Nationwide Tree Plantation and Conservation Drive, reaching across 14 states and 27 cities. The joint effort between the Town of Acton - Acton Recreation Department and DSNDP volunteers signifies their shared commitment to enhancing the Town of Acton, progressing one mile at a time.
In alignment with DSNDP’s motto “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” (The world is one family), the organization is also involved in other initiatives such as Nationwide Cleanliness drives, Women’s Cancer Awareness Conference, Blood and Plasma donation campaigns among many others.


Discovery Museum To Hold Online Auction Fundraiser April 29 – May 8

ACTON, MA - Discovery Museum will kick off its annual Bid for Kids online auction fundraiser on Monday, April 29 at 8:00am at https://www.biddingforgood.com/discoveryacton and close on Wednesday, May 8 at 8:00pm.
Many individuals and local businesses have come together to support the Museum, donating popular and hard-to-get items to be auctioned off. The catalog will have more than 150 items, including a Red Sox VIP Package for 4 including scoreboard message, fly casting lessons, a Blackjack card-counting demonstration and lesson, theatre tickets, a create-your-own ice cream experience, gift certificates for local services and restaurants, and much more.
Proceeds from the auction will support the Museum’s Open Door Connections programs which serve to make the Museum affordable and accessible to all through programs such as Especially for Me, supporting free visits for families with children on the autism spectrum, are deaf or hard of hearing, or are blind or low-vision, and free Friday night admission year-round. Shoppers and museum supporters alike can visit the auction at https://www.biddingforgood.com/discoveryacton.

How You Can Get More  Election
Information In Acton.

The Acton Exchange has launched its newly re-designed website and is off and running. An article in the local online news source can tell you all about the upcoming elections and meetings. Don’t miss other articles that include interviews with candidates. There will be plenty of letters as well in this week’s edition of the Exchange as we debut that section. Join our cadre of volunteer writers, editors, and tech specialists working together to bring local news to Acton. Write to info@actonexchange.org if you want to get involved.

Flea Market

West Acton Baptist Church will be holding a Flea Market May 11th from 12 noon to 3:00 in the parking lot, 592 Mass Ave. during the West Acton Merchants Village Association Spring Fling.  Spaces available for a small donation. Limited number of tables, first come, first served.
Slated to date: Acton Police Dept with Zane their comfort dog! Handmade Greeting cards, Vintage used jewelry & the church membership will be offering vintage teacups for sale. Contact church office 978-263-5902 or wabcadmin@verizon.net.

Green News From Green Maynard

OK, so this one’s personal. Last night I had a dream that I was living in a sort of dormitory and discovered that the Assabet River had risen to the level of my second story floor and that with one more rainfall it would in fact be covering the floor. Fortunately, I’ll be dead before that ever happens, though with the melting of the polar ice caps, the dream is not far-fetched. The ground seems pretty saturated these days and perhaps (but I don’t know for sure) our aquifers are replenishing themselves. But looks can be deceiving. Younger readers will not recall or maybe even know, that only about 35 years ago there were spring floods so severe that parts of 117 at Nine Acre Corner, and Rt. 27 through Wayland were closed due to the kind of flooding that could stall your car and perhaps float you off. These were not floods caused by rain, but by the melting of snow. Yes! Not that long ago one would have to shovel many times a winter and not just your driveway, but your roof as well, lest it collapse under the weight of all that snow.
So, yes, there’s a lot of water now, but the very cause of rain as opposed to snow, is likely to give us a drought filled summer of record breaking heat. Remember to follow your town’s watering regulations, hand water your plants, and let your grass go brown when nature calls for it to do so.
There’s a sign at the Park Street stop on the Red line that says “Shower Tomorrow”. Good advice. Every time you shower you remove your body’s protective microbiome. For more on this please read “Clean: The New Science of Skin” by James Hamblin. Perhaps experiment with showering every other day. Speaking of over-washing, it’s pretty well established now that washing your clothes too often is a sure way to shorten their life, not to mention the issue of all the microfibers that end up in our waterways and back into our lives in unexpected and harmful ways.  On that note, sweet dreams!

Goward Playground Celebrates 10th Year Birthday!

Acton, MA – Join us to celebrate the  Goward Playground 10th Birthday on May 11, 2024, from 3-5 PM at Goward Playground, adjacent to the Acton Memorial Library parking lot.  We will have music, games, prizes, face painting, and a very large birthday cake!
The Goward Playground, adjacent to the Acton Memorial Library, was reopened on May 17th, 2014, after a major renovation.  A group of local parents formed the Friends of the Playground Committee to renovate the original wooden playground which was installed in 1995.  The group raised $80K from the community and local businesses while the balance came from town appropriations working closely with the Acton Recreation Department.   “While many of our kids who we planned the playground for are now off to college, it is great to see so many new families and kids enjoying the playground,” said co-founder and Acton parent Steve Leo. Join us as we commemorate this milestone anniversary with a party!
Many Acton residents don’t know that the Goward Playground was named for Clarence N. Goward. Before the land was a playground, according to Harold R. Phalen’s ‘History of the Town of Acton,’ it was the site of the Acton Fair. The Acton Fair, which started in 1917, was a popular event for many years and was run by the Acton Agricultural Association. Mr. Goward served as president of the Acton Agricultural Association intermittently from 1920 until 1932. In 1941, the town bought the land and built the first playground in 1944. It became known as the Goward Playground.

Flea Market

Flea market spring fling (2)
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Mark Your Calendar! MCGs' Annual Plant Sale
(Wanted: Your Surplus Plants!)

MAYNARD: The Maynard Community Gardeners’ Annual Plant Sale will be held on May 18 in the Maynard Elks Lodge parking lot at 34 Powdermill Road from 9am-12pm. This is a great opportunity to choose from a wide variety of plants that flourish locally, at bargain prices!  Flowers, vegetables, hanging plants, perennials, annuals, herbs, and shrubs will all be available in an assortment of heights, types, and colors. Get there early for the best selection!

All plants at the sale are either donated by members/non-members who want to share their abundance or provided by Stow Garden Center. If you would like to donate excess or unwanted plants of any kind or quantity, please contact Steve Smith at stevensmith@kw.com with your name, address, and times that are convenient for an MCG member to come and pick up the plants. If you need assistance with digging the plants, please let us know in your email. We are especially interested in perennials that are native to our region and/or pollinator friendly.

Maynard Community Gardeners is an organization comprised of seasoned and novice gardeners who make it their mission to beautify our small town. All funds raised at the plant sale go directly to MCG’s ongoing efforts, including the many flower planters along the sidewalks and in public spaces downtown, the beautiful flower-filled alleyway off Nason Street, the seasonally changing downtown triangle, and Maplebrook Park. Your plant donations are what make the MCG Plant Sale and its proceeds possible, bringing beauty and joy to all who live in and visit Maynard!

Town of Acton Announces Shares Information on Economic Development in Series of Videos

ACTON: Town Manager John Mangiaratti and Economic and Community Development Director Julie Pierce announce that the Town of Acton is highlighting its recent Economic Development initiatives through a series of videos. 

Each of the four videos pertains to an initiative that aims to assist the business community or seeks to connect residents with available goods and services.
 
  • Acton's Vacant Storefront Program is held with support from the state to aid small businesses in occupying vacant storefronts in the community. 
  • The Acton Business Directory was designed to make it easy for residents and visitors to explore what businesses the Town has to offer. To learn more about the Business Directory, watch the video here. 
  • The Acton Business Guide provides a variety of useful information for those running a business or wish to start a business. To view the video on the Business Guide, click here. 
  • Acton's Public Art Initiative aims to bring a sense of unity and community to the Town. To view the video on Public Art, click here. 
For an overview of all four initiatives, please view the Economic Development in Acton video here.

"Our hope is that this series of videos will help our residents and community members to learn about all of the important economic development initiatives we are supporting here in Acton," said Town Manager Mangiaratti.

"We have been working continuously to help support our small business owners and increase our overall economic development here in Acton," said Pierce. "These initiatives are just some examples of the progress we have made, and we hope that these videos will help bring light to the steps we have taken."
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Acton Fire Department Welcomes Member from Massachusetts Firefighting Academy

ACTON: Fire Chief Anita Arnum reports that the Acton Fire Department is welcoming a member who just graduated from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy. Firefighter/Paramedic Emil Hristache graduated from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy's Career Recruit program with Class 319 on March 29.

Hristache has worked in the fire service since he was 18, previously working as a full-time firefighter and EMT for the Peterborough Fire and Rescue department. He graduated from the New Hampshire Technical Institute in 2023 with an associates degree in paramedicine. Emil joined the Acton Fire Department in July 2023 and spent the last 10 weeks attending the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy in Stow.

The Massachusetts Firefighting Academy program teaches the essentials of fire and non-fire conditions, life safety, search and rescue, ladder operations, water supply, pump operation and fire attack. Graduates are now certified at the level of Firefighter I and II and in hazardous material operation.

“Massachusetts firefighters are on the frontlines protecting their communities every day, and today’s graduates are needed now more than ever,” said State Fire Marshal Jon Davine. “The hundreds of hours of foundational training they’ve received will provide them with the physical, mental, and technical skills to perform their jobs effectively and safely.”

"I'm pleased to welcome Firefighter/Paramedic Hristache back from the Fire Academy" said Chief Arnum. "The training he has received at the academy has prepared him well for a career here in Acton, and we look forward to seeing all that he will accomplish here."

PHOTO CAPTION: Acton Firefighters stand with Firefighter/Paramedic Emil Hristache after his graduation from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy. From left are Chief Anita Arnum, Firefighter/Paramedic Emil Hristache, Firefighter/Paramedic Joe Bernardini, Acting Captain/Paramedic Dave Sukerman, Deputy Chief Chris Sammet, and Acting Lieutenant/EMT Brent Carter. (Courtesy Acton Fire Department)
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Annual Spring ArtWalk Hosted by the Maynard Business Alliance

MAYNARD: Join the Maynard Business Alliance for their Annual Spring ArtWalk on May 4 from 4-7:30pm. Experience an evening of art, music and culture hosted by businesses throughout downtown Maynard.  Enjoy activities, exhibits and musical performances as you stroll along the streets in the heart of the Maynard Cultural District.

From 4-5pm. Blueprint Jazz Club & Friends will kick off the evening with another exceptional performance. Then from 5-7:30pm, all are invited to enjoy activities, art and performances at participating Maynard businesses.

For up-to-date information, follow the MBA on facebook.com/maynardbusinessalliance/or visit maynardbusinessalliance.org.

This event is made possible in part by the Mass Cultural Council and Maynard Cultural Council.
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“Horizons” Paintings by Gail Erwin

MAYNARD: 6 Bridges Gallery presents “Horizons” - paintings by Gail Erwin, on view at 6 Bridges Gallery, 77 Main Street from April 10-May 18. It will also be hosted online at 6Bridges.Gallery. A reception will be held on April 20 from 5-7pm. For more information about the exhibit, please visit 6Bridges.Gallery, Facebook, and Instagram.

Erwin writes of this body of work: "Expansive and unbound horizons engender feelings of unlimited possibilities and opportunities. It’s an invitation to dream and see beyond now. With reflections on water, banks of clouds—shimmering or threatening—one confronts the sublime. Light can be a kaleidoscope of colors constantly changing mood-bright, somber, atmospheric. Or does the horizon give the sense of too much space. Comfort disappears. Is there is fear of the unknown. What happens when the horizon is interrupted. Safety or imperiled dreams? An island of safe harbor or thwarted ambition.
Horizons can be a mirror of our hopes and dreams."  

6 Bridges Gallery was established in 2014 by a group of artists to create a retail and display gallery in the heart of downtown Maynard. The ever-changing work in the gallery includes a diverse range of media and artistic styles. All artisans are local. The gallery is owned and operated by the artists, so there is a unique opportunity to meet one or more of them on any given day.
Upcoming at Acton Memorial Library...
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Art and Civic Engagement in Kids: A Week-long Public Art Project & a Speaker Event

ACTON: Discovery Museum will host its Inaugural Artist-in-Residence, artist + educator Chanel Thervil, for a week-long public art program during April school vacation week to build a community art installation entitled Communal Gifts. Thervil will also deliver a Discovery Museum Speaker Series event at 7pm on April 25, “How Art Can Inspire Civic Engagement in Kids.” The public art program is free with Museum admission; the evening speaker event is free with pre-registration.

Thervil’s public art program, “Creating Communal Gifts,” will engage Museum visitors to create a gift for a community space. Thervil will bring these individual creations together to build a one-of-a-kind art installation that will remain on display at Discovery Museum. The program will be offered April 15-19, 10am-12pm and again at 1-3pm (drop-in). Advanced reservations are required to visit the Museum and can be made at www.discoveryacton.org.

Thervil’s Discovery Museum Speaker Series event, “How Art Can Inspire Civic Engagement in Kids,” will be held virtually via Zoom webinar on April 25 from 7-8pm. The event is free and advance registration is required at http://bit.ly/DMSpeakerSeries. Thervil will speak about her experience helping children consider what they love about their communities, so they see a place for themselves in making their communities better. She will share her expertise on how the creative process and experience of artmaking is a powerful tool in giving kids the space to connect, share ideas, and be present for others—all important steps in becoming active civic participants.

These Artist-in-Residence events are made possible by the Greater Lowell Community Foundation. The 2024 Discovery Museum Speaker Series remains free thanks to the support of Enterprise Bank and the Greater Lowell Community Foundation. Additional support is provided by Sutherland Realty Group/Keller Williams Realty Boston NW.
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Acton Police Department Appoints New School Resource Officer

ACTON: Chief James Cogan is pleased to announce that Detective Ana Dapkas has been appointed as the department's newest school resource officer (SRO). Detective Dapkas will be assigned to the elementary schools along with two collaborative schools.  Detective Dapkas is very excited to start in her new role this week.

Detective Dapkas brings 11 years of patrol service and over five years of experience working as a caseworker for the Department of Child and Family Services (DCF).  As SRO, Detective Dapkas will maintain a safe and secure environment at the schools and during special events, provide counsel and guidance to school administrators regarding school safety, build positive relationships with students and staff, and provide safety presentations and programs.

"I am pleased to appoint Detective Dapkas to this position," said Chief Cogan. "Ana will be a tremendous asset to the unit with her training, experience, and bilingual background."

Detective Dapkas holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and sociology with a minor in women’s studies from the University of Massachusetts Boston.
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Discovery Museum Welcomes New Board Member Samira Lawande

ACTON: Discovery Museum is pleased to welcome Samira Lawande to its Board of Directors. Lawande brings a broad range of global leadership experience in science and technology, product development, and business development in the medical technology industry. Currently Samira serves as a Senior Advisor at Global Health Labs, developing health technology portfolio solutions and partnerships that address unmet healthcare needs and reduce health disparities in low and middle-income settings around the world. Before partnering with Global Health Labs, Samira served as the Vice President, Global Program Management at Fresenius Medical Care and Chief Product Officer at WatchRx, Inc. Samira has held progressing leadership roles at Draeger Medical and Siemens Healthineers and continues to provide advisories on strategy and portfolio development, business development and deal structuring to various manufacturers worldwide.

Samira is a Founding Member of the Massachusetts Chapter of Chief, a private network and think tank serving more than 5,000 VP & C Level women executives in the United States. Previously, Samira has also served as a Board Member at Education Through Music - Massachusetts, a non-profit startup that partners with under-resourced schools to utilize music education as a catalyst to improve academic achievement, motivation for school, and self-confidence.

Samira holds an Executive MBA from Babson College, and a Degree in Engineering from Goa University, India. She lives in Acton, MA with her family.

“Samira brings valuable and varied experience and perspective to our Board as we undertake our leadership transition and work to continue to expand our support for kids and families,” said Board President Xuan Kong. “We are very happy to welcome Samira to the Museum community.”
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Church of the Good Shepherd Holy Week Schedule

ACTON: The Church of the Good Shepherd invites all to join services for Holy Week (including the Triduum) and Easter.  Holy Week Schedule:
 
  • Palm Sunday, March 24 at 8am and 10am. 10am service begins in the Courtyard for the blessing of palms and a festive procession into the church.
  • Triduum (Latin for Three Days) Services each evening at 7pm.  All designed to be an hour or less in length with opportunity for extended quiet reflection at the end.
  • Holy Thursday, March 28, 7pm Worship includes Holy Eucharist and Stripping of the Altar; 8pm-10pm Church open for silent vigil and Labyrinth.
  • Good Friday, March 29, from noon-3pm the Church will be open for Quiet Prayer & Labyrinth; 7pm Worship.
  • Holy Saturday, March 30, 9am Prayer Service to mark Christ's time in the tomb; 7pm Worship (Great Vigil of Easter) followed by champagne and chocolate covered strawberries!
  • Easter Sunday, March 31, 8am Holy Eucharist & Easter Hymns; 10am Festival Holy Eucharist with choir and special music; Easter Egg Hunt follows the 10am service; 7pm Outdoor Bonfire Service followed by refreshments.

The Church of the Good Shepherd (Episcopal) is a caring and inclusive community of faith located at 164 Newtown Road. They are situated in tranquil woods on a lovely piece of land at the junction of Newtown Road and Arlington Street. There is ample parking. For more information, visit goodshepherdacton.org.
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The Town of Acton Swap Shop Seeks Volunteers

ACTON: Did you love to visit the Swap Shop? Are you a people person? Will you have a few hours this year to volunteer doing something fun? The Town of Acton Swap Shop is looking for volunteers for the 2024 season!

The Swap Shop opened in 2015 at the Acton Transfer Station and Recycling center. Anyone with a recycling or trash sticker can use the Swap Shop, which is next to the textile recycling trailer, just downhill from the main recycling area. The idea is that gently used items can be left for free, and any of these items can be picked up for free. The purpose of the Swap Shop is to keep more objects out of the trash area, and put perfectly usable items into the hands of those that can use them. The Shop is open Tuesday through Saturday. Volunteers pick their own hours as the schedule is very flexible. For more information, visit www.acton-ma.gov/507/Swap-Shop or contact Debby Andell if you would like more information about volunteering at debbyandell@gmail.com.
 
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Bluebird7 Seeks Bluebird/Swallow Nesting Volunteers

MAYNARD: The "Bluebird 7" are looking for helpers to assist them taking care of and monitoring some of 75 Bluebird/ Swallow nesting boxes in the Maynard area. The boxes are all installed at eye level in quiet areas around town. Care includes a weekly check on their progress and wellbeing. These birds are very rare and badly need assisting during their nesting season from March to August.  Regrettably, current participants cannot do this by themselves any longer. If you like to get out for fresh air and exercise this would be ideal with added satisfaction in helping wildlife. If interested, please email 25bloo_brd@toast or eganvay@gmail.com.
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The Cannon Theater Proudly Presents “Blackadder (Returns)”

DEVENS: The Cannon Theatre is pleased to present Blackadder (Returns), combining episodes, “Potato,” “Ink and Incapability,” and “Corporal Punishment” from the amazing British series of Blackadder II, Blackadder the Third, and Blackadder Goes Forth. This hilarious show, directed by Aydan Bahe, is fast paced and frenetic; you won’t want to miss it! Show times are March 22, 23, 29, 30 and April 5, 6 at 7:30pm; with matinees on March 24 and April 7 at 2pm. Tickets are available at www.thecannontheatre.org, and are $25 for adults, and $20 for students/seniors.

Blackadder is a rollicking romp through British history, finding the funny in every age. Blackadder and his faithful companion, Baldrick, get into scrapes as they try to either make money, be famous, or just get ahead in their worlds. Hilarious antics always ensue, as this duo have you laughing out loud time and time again. Created for Rowan Atkinson in the 80s, this show is a must-see for all that love British humor. In the cast are: Jerry McMahon (Littleton) as Blackadder; Matt Foster (Tyngsboro) as Baldrick; Andrew Harrington (Newton) as Percy, Prince George, George; Simon Jensen-Fellows (Acton) as Melchett, Dr. Johnson, General Melchett; Meredith Jones (Ayer) as Queenie, Mrs. Miggins; Maren Caulfield (Harvard) as Nursey, Byron, Robinson; Ben Martin (Dracut) as Sir Walter Raleigh, Coleridge, Captain Darling; Kendra Sweitzer (Leominster) as Redbeard Rum, Sergeant Jones; Carolyn Mitchell (Bolton) as Shelley, Tipplewick; Rachel Cieslik (Littleton) as Background, Perkins and Brian Francis (Littleton) as Poet/Background, Fraser.

The Cannon Theatre is an intimate, non-profit community theater newly installed at 28 Andrews Parkway. The theater’s 2022 move from Littleton and interior space renovation was made possible by very generous funding from The Elizabeth B. McGraw Foundation, as well as donated work by Studio J2 (architect) and Frank Harrigan (structural engineer). Additional support is provided by the Community Foundation for North Central Massachusetts, and the Local Cultural Councils of Acton-Boxborough, Ayer, Groton, Harvard, Littleton, Lunenburg, Marlborough, Townsend, Templeton, and Shirley - local agencies which are supported by Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

25th Annual AB Community Skate FUNdraiser
is March 3

25th Annual Skate Party – Ice Skating, DJ, refreshments.  Sunday, March 3, 2:30pm-4:30pm at Nashoba Valley Olympia (rink #3), Boxborough.  All ages & skating abilities welcome + non-skater supporters too. Come learn about AB PIP STEM (Science Technology Engineering & Math) & our new STEAM (+ ART) vision!
 
Suggested donation is $5/pp, $20/family. Bring food pantry donations & items for Acton Housing families. ALL proceeds benefit Acton area causes: local food pantries, AB STEAM, wellness & eco causes thanks to the generous support of Nashoba Valley Olympia for ice rink time. Colonial Figure Skating Club (CFSC) members & teen volunteers will guide newbie skaters too! NEW this year One27 Photographer Lou Genovese will take professional 25th Annual event skate photos!
 
Thank you to Annual AB Community Skate supporters: NVO, Colonial Figure Skating Club, Cookes Skate Rentals, Acton Coffee, Legend Café, Edible Arrangements of Westford, Oscar's Burrito in Boxborough, Eve & Murray's Farm to Table, Bee's Knees British Imports & All Things Spiced Acton for hospitality donations + acanthi.com, Market Dynamics, UPS Store Acton, One27 Photo and Action Unlimited for event media & communications!
 
See you on March 3 for this AB Community FUNdraising event! More info at actonpip.org.
 

Q&A with BA-B’s new program director: What’s new with crew?

by Jill Maxwell

ACTON/BOXBOROUGH: The winter days are short and dark. The pond is frozen. To stay fit and have fun, the Bromfield Acton-Boxborough rowing team has to get creative. BA-B parent Jill Maxwell sat down with the team’s new program director, CB Sands-Bohrer, to hear about what they’ve been up to. 
Sands-Bohrer, who lives in Concord, rowed for the U.S. national team for eight years and is a two-time world champion. After working at Community Rowing, Inc. (CRI) for 17 years, Sands-Bohrer said, “I felt like I really wanted to be  on a team again.” When she heard about the position at BA-B, she jumped at the chance to work with Olympians Holly Hatton and Gary Piantedosi, who coach the varsity girls and boys. She knows Hatton well through the national team, and she ran a charity regatta for Access Sports America with Piantedosi for 10 years. “I felt like I knew before I came in that it would be a good fit and a good challenge. And high school kids are super fun.”

Congratulations and welcome, CB. You are new here, but BA-B recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. 
Yes. We had an anniversary party with several alums and former board members. Some were from as far back as when the program started at the Bromfield School prior to it becoming BHRA in 1993. A few of the recent grads spoke to the group about the different college rowing programs they are competing on now. It was a great way to get to know the history and hard work that went into making this program tick.

Rowing is all the rage these days, thanks to George Clooney’s “Boys in the Boat” movie. Tell us about the team’s special screening. 
In December, before the movie came out, we were able to rent a theater in Burlington. We got everyone together, the younger kids and the older kids, the boys and the girls. We just wanted to do something fun that was consistent with our team values of working hard and challenging yourself. It was a good message about somebody who starts rowing in college and works through adversity and makes it to the Olympic final and wins a gold medal. Kids might not be doing that, but they can understand the challenge of taking up a totally new sport, getting strong, and challenging yourself against yourself and your friends. 

How are the kids challenging themselves this winter? 
For the past four years the team has been lifting weights and working out on the ergometers (rowing machines, or “ergs”) in empty stores at the Gould’s shopping plaza in Acton. We work on strength, endurance, and technique. We can really work one-on-one with athletes more than we can in a launch on a pond where we can’t use megaphones. This year we did a “meters challenge” in January. We had 26 kids and two coaches row 3 ½ million meters. We had a lot of kids get over a quarter of a million meters. And now, over February break, some of the kids are going to Florida to train there for a week–some of our most competitive athletes and our seniors. Kids that are here will spend the week at the indoor rowing tanks at Holy Cross in Worcester. 
Another thing we did, for the first time, was an MLK Day of Service food drive. USRowing encouraged people to do some kind of service on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. Donelan’s in Acton was very welcoming and supportive, and the kids just jumped right in. They handed out a little card to the shoppers. We didn’t want to interrupt them; we just wanted them to know they could pick something up while they shopped. We donated half the food to the Acton Food Pantry and half to Loaves & Fishes in Devens. We weighed it at Devens–we collected 810 pounds of food! It’s definitely something we want to do again. We thought we’d challenge another team at the high schools to do it with us. 

Excellent! When do they get to compete in rowing again? 
Sunday, March 3, is Ergzilla, which is an indoor race on the ergs that we run at Bromfield for our kids and the other local teams. And we have six or seven races on the water in April and May. In rowing, everyone races. No one sits on the sidelines. So it’s always a big, fun, team event.

What goals do you have for the team for this upcoming racing season? 
From a competitive point of view, part of our goal is always going to be to have a robust number of kids do well. Last year we took three boats to nationals. We’d like to do that again–to make it to nationals and be relevant. The kids can feel confident that they can make it through the heats make it through the semis. We have had boats finish in the  top 10 in the country. That’s pretty good for a little public school program. So we want to keep that high level of performance. 

What would you say to someone who wants to give rowing a try?
Rowing is not like hockey or football, where you have to start young. You can try it for the first time in high school and go on to row in college. We have had kids who started rowing with us, worked hard, and then got recruited. You can start as a sophomore or junior and progress to varsity your senior year. It is a great sport for somebody who is looking to stay in shape for whatever winter sport they are doing. It’s also a great sport for someone trying to change or learn a new sport. If you’re someone who is 13, 14, 15, 16, and you’re looking for something different to do, to build strength and endurance, meet new people, and make new friends, this is fun. You’re outside, you’re on the water. It’s really a wonderful experience for kids to get out on the water five days a week. When I was at CRI, we did athlete feedback four times a year, and now we are doing it at BA-B. And whether it was middle school, high school, learn-to-row, or masters or pararowers, people always said, “I just love being outside on the water.”

Registration for the spring season is now open at barehillrowing.com. The team will host information sessions at Bromfield High School after school on February 28 and at the Sargent Library in Boxoborough on the evening of February 29. Email Sands-Bohrer at programdirector@barehillrowing.com with questions.
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Snakes of New England & the World with Rick Roth March 17

ACTON: Acton Conservation Trust presents Snakes of New England and the World with Rick Roth at their Annual Meeting on March 17. This will be held at Acton Town Hall, Room 204 from 1-3pm with a short business meeting first.

Rick Roth, local snake expert and Director CAVPT, will share some of his favorite snakes and talk about their lives and habits in this live animal presentation. Fourteen species of snake are native to New England, and Rick will speak to preserving habitat and land and the important role snakes play in our ecosystem. This program is appropriate for families with children aged 5 and older.

John Watlington has been the land steward for the 180 acre Great Hill Conservation Land since 2014 and is currently Steward at Large, working where needed in all Acton conservation lands. He gives informative monthly talks about invasive plants, and is also a sawyer, keeping the trails cleared of downed trees following storms.

For more information and registrations, visit ActonConservationTrust.org.
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Collage Night at the Windsor Institute

WEST ACTON: On February 23 from 7-10pm, you are invited to attend "Collage Night" at the Windsor Institute. Get creative! Make a piece of art or collage a box, bookmark, or gift tag - or just watch! Supplies will be available including lots of interesting paper, cardboard, calendars, magazines, plus glue, scissors, markers, pens, etc. Everything is provided, but feel free to bring anything else that you wish to work with or share... or just bring yourself! Please RSVP.

Park on the even side of Windsor Ave., in the driveway, or in the small parking lot on Pearl St. Let us know if you need to get picked up from the South Acton train station.

Windsor Institute is a non-profit based in Acton, and draws attendees from around the region. The Institute hosts, classes, events and visiting artists and scholars in a private home in West Acton, and
welcomes new people to its community. For more information, email windsor-owner@lists.mayfirst.org or call Karen at (617) 875-1790.
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Acton Garden Club Floral Design Demonstration

ACTON: On March 5, the Acton Garden Club will present a Floral Design Demonstration with judging by Thelma Shoneman and Cathy Fochtman at Acton Town Hall, Room 204. The program and location has been changed, different from how the program was described in the yearbook.

AGC's own Thelma Shoneman will demonstrate winning floral design techniques. Learn what a typical Flower Show theme and categories might be like. As she creates several arrangements, Thelma will explain what the judges look for when they are reviewing a design. Cathy Fochtman will be assisting Thelma and will show slides of arrangements from past shows. A few lucky audience members will take home Thelma's creations.

This is a great opportunity to increase your confidence to participate in a Flower Show, or come to improve your arranging skills for your own enjoyment. The program is open to the public. For more information, visit actongardenclub.org.
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Green News from Green Maynard

MAYNARD: As towns become more dense and lighting options more affordable there is a notable increase in the amount of light pollution. It may surprise you to learn that only 30 years ago, on any clear night one could easily see the Milky Way. This is no longer the case. Light pollution is harmful to many animals, including mammals, birds and insects who rely on natural cycles of light and dark to regulate their behavior. Light pollution also disrupts migration; interferes with reproduction cycles; changes predator-prey dynamics as well as pollination patterns and seed dispersal, therefore affecting plant populations and overall health of ecosystems. Many insects, (which are necessary as food for baby birds), are attracted to lights and expend needless energy, exhausting  themselves, flying  around the lights and become vulnerable to predators. You can help by not having unnecessary lights on at night, and when you must use outdoor lighting, be sure to use a warm (think yellow hued) bulb, as insects are more attracted to blue hued lights. For more information visit
darkskymass.org.
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Maynard Hometown Heroes Banners - Phase 4

MAYNARD: The Maynard Hometown Heroes committee is now accepting applications for all Maynard veterans that would like to purchase a banner. Phase 4 is now open. Any Maynard-based veteran, whether native or a new resident is welcome to be part of the program. If the Veteran, or Active Military person were born and raised in Maynard but does not currently reside in Maynard would also qualify. The deadline for placing your order is March 15, 2024. Applications are available at the Town Hall on the tables upstairs and downstairs, the library, the Council on Aging office, and at the Maynard-Clinton Lodge of Elks, or you can go to: townofmaynard-ma.gov - the Town of Maynard website - and search Maynard Hometown Heroes. If you would like more information, you can email: MaynardHometownHeroes@gmail.com
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“Military Mannequins” Photographs by Roy DiTosti

MAYNARD: 6 Bridges Gallery presents “Military Mannequins,” — photographs by Roy DiTosti. The exhibit will be on view at 6 Bridges Gallery, 77 Main Street from February 28-April 6. It will also be hosted online at 6Bridges.Gallery. (http://6bridges.gallery/6-bridges-gallery-updates.) A reception will be held on March 16 from 5-7pm.

Roy DiTosti has been going to military museums and exhibits for about 20 years. Many of the displays use mannequins to illustrate the lives of service men and women. The photographs in this show are the ones that he finds most intriguing. Some of them make him smile and some have the opposite effect. 
For more information about the exhibit, please visit 6Bridges.Gallery, Facebook, and Instagram.

6 Bridges Gallery was established in 2014 by a group of artists to create a retail and display gallery in the heart of downtown Maynard, Massachusetts. The ever-changing work in our gallery includes a diverse range of media and artistic styles. All of our artisans are local. Our gallery is owned and operated by our artists, so there is a unique opportunity to meet one or more of them on any given day.
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Acton Democratic Town Committee Annual Caucus

ACTON: Join the Acton Democratic Town Committee March 3 at 4pm at Congregation Beth Elohim, 133 Prospect Street, for their annual caucus to elect delegates to the 2024 State Democratic party convention which will be on June 1, and to elect representatives to the State District Conference on March 23.

Caucus Information:

Time: 3:30pm Registration/Doors Open; 4pm Caucus starts (if in-line, registration may continue process until 4:15pm). Election of representative(s) to the State District Conference will take place immediately after Caucus formalities are completed.
Eligibility: This meeting is open to any member of the public.
 
  • To vote in the Caucus, you must be a Democrat registered or pre-registered in the Town of Acton, and signed in before the caucus registration ends at 4:15pm. Absentee or proxy voting is not permitted.
  • To be a candidate for election in the Caucus as Delegate or Alternate: must be a Democrat registered or pre-registered in the Town of Acton, physically present at the caucus, signed in before registration ends and have formally consented to be nominated for election.
  • Pre-registered Democrats must be 16 years old by February 15, 2024 and must be pre-registered by the time registration at the caucus closes.
  • Rules for the follow-on meeting to elect representatives to the State District Conference are different. Though any Democrat registered in Acton may consent to be nominated only ADTC members (Full or Associate) may vote.

Please pre-register online at http://tinyurl.com/ADTC-2024. Any questions, please email ActonDTC@gmail.com or visit www.actondems.org for more information.

It Takes a Village – Revitalization of the Oval Garden

by Cathy Fochtman & Linda O’Neil, with commentary by Ann Marie Testarmata

ACTON: The Acton Garden Club, with the support of the Town of Acton, the Acton Historic District Commission, Club members, volunteers, members of the Acton community, and grants, is celebrating its 90th birthday with a revitalization of the Oval Garden in its very visible location in front of Town Hall at 472 Main Street.

Here’s the story of the Oval Garden…so much more than meets the eye...it takes a village. It started long ago with the building of the Italianate Town Hall in 1863, at the site of the town’s Second Meeting House, after fire burned the Meeting House down in 1862, along with the shoe factory and hotel. Acton Center was a much different place then, a bustling hub with a general store, commuting by horse and buggy and entrance to the Town Hall on Main Street.

A century and a quarter later came the creation of the Oval Garden by the Acton Garden Club in 1984 to commemorate its 50th birthday. Time did not stand still as the Town Hall was remodeled in 1988 and painted in its original colors in 2016.  Now, forty years after the first Oval Garden, the Acton Garden Club is celebrating its 90th birthday with a revitalization of the Oval Garden. The mission of the project is to reinvigorate the plantings in the Oval and create a focal point for the Town Center with a Victorian fountain.

An Oval Committee of the Acton Garden Club was formed under the leadership of Linda O’Neil, who has coordinated upkeep of the garden in recent years, and Cathy Fochtman, leader of the Garden Club Design Study Group. Eileen Ryan, Judy Dembsey, Maura Sharp, Janet Irons, Sue Whitcomb, Frances Portante, Joy Madden, Karen Martin and others have worked passionately to formulate a plan to renovate the garden. They have researched landscape and hardscape design elements, pursued grants and funding, and attended meetings with Town Manager John Mangiaratti, Select Board member Dean Charter, the Select Board, and the Historic District Commission.

I walked by the Oval Garden this morning, enjoying the early morning light, searching for the sun before the next gray day and storm come. Perhaps I was searching for more than light, for hope or peace, or perhaps I was just enjoying the light and remembering the days we worked planting the garden, this brisk January morning.

I thought about its story, one we’ve been asked to share with you by the Acton Exchange. It is very much the same as this emerging newspaper, a story of ideas, creativity, grants, volunteerism, and industriousness by members of all ages, of this diverse community. And like this blossoming news journal, it is in very much the same state, a state of evolution with a story.

The Oval Committee analyzed the site, noting the changes over the past forty years, such as the challenges of full sun exposure, car fumes, and changes in the Town Hall’s appearance. The Town Hall, a white building with black trim in 1984, was repainted in 2016 to its original colors of 1863, yellow with brown and green trim. Shrubs with green gold, like the former central shrub in the original Oval Garden, clash with the new building color palette. The Committee considered more compatible colors such as deep greens, silvery green, and blue green. They also considered plant maintenance which, in recent years, has become more difficult due to the encroachment of weeds, including bindweed and mugwort.

The plant material was also selected to coordinate with existing plantings next door in front of the Acton Memorial Library. That garden was planted by the Garden Club in honor of the club’s
70th anniversary and includes a tall evergreen tree, berry-producing hollies, and a low-growing juniper, all meant to accentuate the beauty of the Town Hall’s architecture.

To extend the Club's horticulture education efforts, one of each plant species in the Oval Garden will display a professional plant label from Nameplate & Panel Technology. The Botanical Labeling Project, in cooperation with Friends of the Acton  Arboretum, educates the public about the more than 580 specimen trees and shrubs at prominent Town locations.

The Oval Committee also recommended including a hardscape element in the center of the garden to be surrounded by holly and evergreen conifers. The Historic District Commission concurred with the design, and issued a Certificate of Appropriateness for the installation of a Victorian era fountain. The Fiske-style fountain, with elegant egrets surrounding the pedestal, was bequeathed to the O’Neil family by Mabel Jenks, a respected member of the Acton Garden Club. The O’Neil family has donated the fountain and it will be installed in the spring as a focal point in the garden. J. W. Fiske of New York was known for its cast iron ornamental fountains that were popular in the late 19th century.
A granite boulder will include an Acton Garden Club inscription.

The Oval committee obtained multiple grants to fund the project, including a $750 Civic Grant from the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts and $500 from an Acton Garden Club appropriation. The project was also chosen to be the recipient of a Plant America Community Projects Grant, from among one hundred applications nationwide, for $1,087 from National
Garden Clubs, Inc.

The Oval Garden’s construction will be completed this spring, in time for the club's 90th Anniversary and the Town's 250th Anniversary commemoration of the commencement of the
American Revolution.

The Town Highway Department prepared the site and provided new topsoil. Club members participated in the preparation of the soil and plant installation. Dick O'Neil of O'Neil Construction Co. assisted with ground preparation, and O'Neil Landscape/Oak Hill Mulch supplied the mulch.  Regular watering of the plantings and ongoing pruning, fertilizing, and weeding will be the responsibility of the Club's Oval Garden committee.

I see the garden in its winter state, the mulch, the bare spots, and the plantings that have held up in the recent rains and snows. I think back on the days of labor in November, digging the holes, planting the evergreens, raking the rocks, watching the spreading of the mulch with perfection by our landscape artist. I think about what spring will bring, the fountain, the flowers, the finishing touches and celebration.

I think about what people will see when they walk or drive by,  pressed by matters of importance. What will they see if they stop and look at all, for a moment, in the moment: a few green bushes and bare spots that need to be planted? Or will they see the story that has brought this garden to its present state, the story of Acton Center, community, volunteerism, and cooperation?

The Acton Garden Club, established in 1934, supports many historic garden areas and planters in town, as well as other community projects “to promote a greater interest in gardening and to share experiences that shall be of mutual benefit.” They welcome new members who are eager to participate in a wide range of engaging activities. Learn more about the Acton Garden Club by visiting their website or facebook page.
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Discovery Museum Presents “How To Have Brave Conversations that Build Empathetic Kids”

ACTON: Via a live Zoom event, Discovery Museum Presents “How To Have Brave Conversations that Build Empathetic Kids” with Dr. Valora Washington on March 6 from 7-8pm.  How can adults have the brave conversations that develop kids' sense of empathy over judgment, and respect the complexity of the world we live in? Dr. Washington will help us understand why keeping children "in a bubble" is not a reasonable option in today's world, and how choosing to be a powerful parent (or caregiver, or grandparent, or teacher) is one of the greatest gifts we can give the children in our lives. This presentation is part of the Discovery Museum 2024 Speaker Series.

Dr. Valora Washington is an internationally recognized authority in early childhood education. During her decade tenure as CEO of the Council for Professional Recognition, Dr. Washington advanced and professionalized the field of early childhood education with her leadership of the largest credentialing program for early educators in the United States, the Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential™. Dr. Washington is considered a pioneer in early education, having been named as a Legacy Leader by the Center for Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes (CEELO) for having shaped the early childhood education field, having a unique perspective on the history and context of today’s policy initiatives, and for developing strategies to address the issues that impact child outcomes. She formerly served as Vice President at Antioch College and the Kellogg Foundation and as a tenured faculty member at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has held leadership roles with the Massachusetts Governor’s School Readiness Commission; Voices for America’s Children; NAEYC; Black Caucus of the Society for Research in Child Development; National Head Start Association Commission on 2010; Boston Children’s Museum; and Wheelock College.

Brrrr-ave Supporters of Special Olympics Participate in Acton’s Second Annual Polar Plunge

by Alissa Nicol

ACTON: The Acton Police Department partnered with The Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) to host the second annual Polar Plunge at NARA Park on a sunny, but nippy, Saturday, February 3.  At last year’s inaugural event, plungers supported Special Olympics by running into the lake at NARA beach. This year, because the lake is frozen, a “Bear Force One” mobile plunge tank was brought in. Traveling to various schools, breweries and businesses in MA, the Bear Force One has assisted similar plunges around the state.

LETR is an international partnership between law enforcement personnel and Special Olympics, a year-round fundraising and awareness-building program. According to the specialolympicsma.org website, it was designed to “empower members of the law enforcement community to support Special Olympics athletes who live, work, and compete in their local communities.”

The Massachusetts chapter of the organization set a goal to raise $1 million, and Saturday’s Polar Plunge brought in $21K from the participating teams and individuals.

Awards were given to Westford Academy Student Council, the Top Fundraising Team, for raising $3000. Susan Guzman won the award for Top Fundraising Individual by raising $900. Guzman also won the Best Costume award for showing up dressed as Elsa from the animated film “Frozen.” She did lose her wig during her plunge, but the safety diver standing by in the tank was able to return it to her. Other participating organizations were the Hard Chargers Motorcycle Club, a motorcycle club for corrections officers and their families, local service organization Acton Lions Club, and Woodshed Strength and Conditioning, a personal training gym based in Littleton.

Winter Tracking Walk

Adapted by Franny Osman from an article by Jody Harris written for Acton Conservation Trust

ACTON: The last snowfall had been a week before, but as temps all week were low and skies gray, the woods still held plenty of snow for tracking the animals who make their home there. Tracker Paul Wanta from Western Massachusetts stood in the Senior Park at Pratt’s Brook Conservation Land in Acton on February 3, surrounded by a circle of more than twenty-five people eager to learn to read those tracks. The walk was organized by Acton Conservation Trust. Wanta began the walk by familiarizing participants with their surroundings. Most of Acton’s conservation lands are places where people and dogs walk, so it’s helpful to learn what dog tracks look like, and that when humans walk, we also leave a track. He reminded the novice trackers to walk next to an animal track to avoid  covering the track with human footprints. The group headed down the trail towards water, as all animals must drink!

As Wanta walked, he was always scanning the trail and the snow along the sides of the trail. One participant pointed out some scat next to a mossy rock in the middle of the trail.

Wanta poked at the scat with a stick and found bone fragments. Thinking about the size of the scat and its location at an exposed promontory, he thought it may have come from a fox, and that the bones were probably from a mouse the fox caught. He said that the scat was likely a year old.

A little farther along the trail, the group followed footprints that looked like small human hands, left by a raccoon. Down by a vernal pool there were deer tracks and a few areas where the snow was scraped off and pine needles fluffed up. Deer bedding! Leaves were also roughed up in places where deer had probably dug, looking for a little green. Wanta explained how to tell whether a broken piece of grass had eaten by a rabbit or a deer; the rabbit makes a neat forty-five degree cut while the deer tears the plant apart randomly.

Wanta led the group off the trail toward the railroad tracks near an industrial building on River Street, to a huge fallen tree with a layer of snow along its length. Running along the tree were otter tracks and a little scat. The prints continued onto the snow next to the tree, where the otter had jumped off and walked along the forest floor.

Wanta, a nurse by trade, spent a lot of time down on the ground, pointing out track features most people would miss. He joked that his friends no longer like to hike with him, as he spends so much time looking at signs of animals that he doesn’t make any forward progress. He also reminded everyone to remember to look up, too, to not miss surprises such as owls at the tops of trees.

Override Talks and Economic Development Plans:  Finance Committee & Acton Leadership Group Meetings

by Tom Beals

ACTON: The upcoming budget override, its amount, and how it would be split between the town and schools, were the primary topics of discussion at the January 23, 2024 Finance Committee and  January 29, 2024 Acton Leadership Group meetings.

Of note at the Finance Committee meeting was a presentation by Economic Development Director  Julie Pierce and Economic Development Committee member Catherine Usoff. Pierce noted a television news story featuring Acton art and artists, and described her efforts to support and publicize local businesses, as well as to create a directory of Acton businesses. Usoff described activities following the approval of Article 36 (creation of an economic development plan) at the 2023 Acton Town Meeting, such as facilitating interactions between businesses and Town government. A variety of questions from the Finance Committee were answered in detail. The presentation is available online.

The Finance Committee reviewed Town Manager John Mangiaratti's revised budget proposal made at the January 22 Select Board meeting, and contrasted the approach taken with the Town vs. the School Committee's budget. In preparation for the January 29, 2024 Acton Leadership Group (ALG) meeting, the
Finance Committee discussed the School Committee alternate budgets, the average single family home tax burden, what the Committee's consensus for the ALG meeting would be, and how to publicize financial issues before the upcoming Town election.

The ALG met January 29 on a snowy morning and many participants were connected remotely. Acton-Boxborough Regional School District (ABRSD) Superintendent Peter Light and Acton Town Manager John Mangiaratti gave updates, not announcing any major changes. Much of the meeting focused on the financial models that are used and maintained by the ALG, among them the prediction of the property tax impact of  a range of override amounts.

The role of the ALG is to coordinate and find consensus among its representatives. The various representatives agreed to take an override amount of $6.6 million back to their groups. Notably, how that amount - if passed by the electorate - would be split between the Town and the ABRSD was explicitly left open. ALG facilitator Bart Wendell characterized consensus as when no one is happy, the alternatives are unacceptable, and no one can walk away. The
meeting closed with an agreement to meet again on February 12.
Screenshot 2024 02 07 at 12.09.16 am

A Revolution in the News with Historian Joseph Adelman

by Greg Jarboe

ACTON: Looking forward to next year’s 250th anniversary of the start of the American Revolution, the Acton 250 Committee is hosting  a series of lectures by historians, looking back at what the community was like when our nation was born. The third lecture in the series, by Professor Joseph M. Adelman, packed the Faulkner Room at Acton Town Hall on January 30.

Professor Adelman told the story of the Revolutionary War’s forgotten instigators: newspaper printers and editors. Eighteenth-century printers were instrumental in protesting The Stamp Act of 1765, shrewdly gauging the political climate and interests of their communities and balancing them with their own
commercial interests. Their editorial opposition to a tax on publications as well as all legal and official papers in the American colonies rallied the public to the revolutionary cause.

Professor Adelman earned his bachelor’s degree in history from Harvard University and a Ph.D. in history from Johns Hopkins University. He currently teaches history at Framingham State University.  He is the author of Revolutionary Networks: The Business and Politics of Printing the News, 1763-1789, which  won an honorable mention for the St. Louis Mercantile Library Prize from the Bibliographical
Society of AmericaProfessor Adelman has published work in the Washington Post, Slate, and The Atlantic, is a regular contributor to the award-winning podcast, Ben Franklin’s World, and serves as an
Associate Editor for The New England Quarterly.

During the American Revolution, printed material, including newspapers, pamphlets, almanacs, and broadsides, played a crucial role as a forum for public debate. In his lecture at Acton Town Hall,
Professor Adelman argued that printers—artisans who mingled with the elite but labored in a manual trade—used their commercial and political connections to directly shape Revolutionary political ideology and mass mobilization. Adelman told the audience in Acton that printers balanced their own political beliefs and interests alongside the commercial interests of their businesses, the customs of the printing trade, and the prevailing mood of their communities.

Adelman described how these laborers repackaged oral and manuscript compositions into printed works through which political news and opinion circulated. Drawing on a database of 756 printers active during the Revolutionary era, along with a rich collection of archival and printed sources, Adelman analyzed
printers’ editorial strategies, summarized the development of the networks of printers, and explained how they contributed to the process of creating first a revolution and then the new nation.

By underscoring the important and  intertwined roles of commercial and political interests in the development of Revolutionary rhetoric, Professor Adelman helped to reframe our understanding of the American Revolution. Printers, he argued, played a key role as mediators who determined what rhetoric to amplify and where to circulate it. Offering a unique perspective on the American Revolution and early American print culture, he revealed how these men and women managed political upheaval through a commercial lens.

You can watch the third lecture in the “Acton 250 Lecture Series: A Revolution in the News” on Acton TV.

PHOTO: Pamela Lynn, Professor Joseph M. Adelman, and Robert Ferrara at the third lecture in a series commissioned by
the Acton 250 Committee to help us better understand and appreciate the times when our nation was born.