THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, FEbrUAry 7, 2025 Page 15 SOUNDS | FROM PAGE 13 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. February Fireside Chats at Breakheart For three consecutive Wednesday mornings, through Feb. 26, Breakheart Reservation will host a Fireside Chat at its Christopher P. Dunne Memorial Visitor Center (177 Forest St., Saugus) from 10 to 11 a.m. Each week come warm up by a fire and join a staff member from the state Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR) who will be sharing their expertise and experiences at our parks. DCR staff goes well beyond the people you normally meet in the parks. There are many “behind the scenes” experts who are excited to share their role in keeping the park properties safe and healthy for the public. The lineup for the remaining three Fireside Chats is as follows: Feb. 12, Ryan Hutton, Digital Strategist Feb. 19, Sean Riley, Stewardship Research Biologist, and Liz Kernan, Shorebird Recovery Program Coordinator Feb. 26, Eric Seaborn, Director of Natural Resources What’s going on at the li• A workshop for aspiring brary writers: Pen to Paper: A Writing Workshop, by Laura Eisener, local journalist, historian and horticulturist. There are six workshops scheduled – Feb. 11, 18 and 25 and March 11, 18 and 25 – from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the Brooks Room on the second floor of the Saugus Public Library (295 Central St. in Saugus). Do you want to write? Perhaps you have thought about starting a blog, creating a memoir, writing your sixth murder mystery in a series, developing a series of articles, explaining how to knit or recreate a special family recipe or writing a textbook or the great American novel? Whatever your level of experience, goals or preferred literary genre, this free workshop can help you enjoy writing more and encourage you to keep at it. We will use a combination of discussions, prompts and writing exercises to give you new incentives and confidence. There is some optional “homework,” but no preregistration is required, and you can attend as often as your schedule allows. • Hello to fans of Needle Crafting: Are you into knitting, crocheting, cross-stitch embroidery, etc.? The SPL Needle Crafting Group will start on Thursday, Feb. 20 from 10-11 a.m. in the Brooks Room. No registration needed – drop-ins welcome. Bring your Work in Progress and enjoy the conversation. Cocoa and tea will be provided. Any questions, call Reference at 781-231-4168. • Cookie decorating: Come join us for our cookie decorating program! We will be having a professional come over on Monday, Feb. 10 from 5:307:00 p.m. in the Brooks Room on the second floor. • Styling with vintage & thrifted fashion: Saturday, February 22 from 1:30-3:00 p.m. in the Community Room; Karen (Ren) Antonowicz from Spirits of Fashion will be presenting the program. Did you know that you can create a unique wardrobe that suits your “style A BREAKHEART CONVERSATION: Amelia Zani, State Lands Management Forestry Assistant, spoke at the Breakheart’s Fireside Chat on Jan. 29. There are three remaining Fireside Chats this month – all from 10 to 11 a.m. on Wednesdays at the Christopher P. Dunne Memorial Visitor Center at 177 Forest St., Saugus. Please See “The Sounds of Saugus” for details of the program and upcoming speakers. (Photo courtesy of Laura Eisener) personality” without breaking the bank? Join us for this fun styling workshop where we explore ways to treasure hunt for vintage and secondhand clothing and accessories that speak to you and will inspire a new way of dressing. Fill your own closet with a personalized wardrobe that will bring you joy for years to come. Registration begins Saturday, Feb. 8 at 9 a.m. on our online Events Calendar – sauguspubliclibrary.org About The Saugus Advocate We welcome press releases, news announcements, freelance articles and courtesy photos from the community. Our deadline is 6 p.m. on Tuesday. If you have a story idea, an article or a photo to submit, please email me at mvoge@comcast.net or ~ Guest Commentary ~ Blame distrust of the response to COVID for declining childhood vaccinations By Wolfgang Klietmann O nly 40% of Americans now consider childhood vaccines “extremely important,” down from 64% in 2001. Among Republicans, that figure has plunged to just 26%, according to Gallup polling. The collapse reflects widespread and mounting distrust of public health authorities, and the reason for that distrust is no mystery. During the COVID-19 pandemic, officials from President Biden and Anthony Fauci down to state health departments and local mayors issued a string of heavy-handed mandates, decrees, and lockdown orders that were inconsistent and at times contradictory. Closing beaches? Mandating masks outdoors? Encouraging employers to fire workers for non-compliance? It was all too much. COVID fatigue and burnout left the public uncertain, confused, and angry. The mistrust extended to the point at which tens of millions of Americans were suddenly willing to hear out those pushing doubts about all kinds of routine vaccinations. People began to speculate that public health authorities were overselling the benefits and downplaying the risks of childhood immunizations writ large. That’s a shame, because those vaccines really are safe and effective. They’ve saved millions of lives and trillions of dollars. Decades of evidence show that childhood vaccination programs are safe and effective. Before public distribution, vaccines undergo a rigorous three-stage clinical trial process: initial safety tests with 20 to 100 volunteers, expanded immune response evaluations with hundreds of participants, and final safety and effectiveness trials involving thousands of volunteers. COMMENTARY | SEE PAGE 21 leave a message at 978-6837773. Or send your press release to me in the mail at PO Box 485, North Andover, MA 01845. Let us become your hometown newspaper. The Saugus Advocate is available in the Saugus Public Library, the Saugus Senior Center, Saugus Town Hall, local convenience stores and restaurants throughout town.
16 Publizr Home