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THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, FEbrUAry 9, 2024 Page 13 The Sounds of Saugus By Mark E. Vogler Good morning, Saugus! For the men who are having difficulty picking out a Valentine’s gift for their girlfriend or wife, they might get some good ideas by reading Laura Eisener’s “Saugus Gardens in the Winter” in this week’s Saugus Advocate. Plants and flowers make romantic gifts, and Laura offers her thoughts on how to celebrate Feb. 14 with plants. Red roses are always a favorite choice for 94-year-old Eugene Decareau when he tries to get something for his wife Arlene, 90. They have been married 71 years. “We have each other; we don’t need flowers or anything,” Eugene said this week, as he reflected on his approach to Valentine’s Day. “At our age, we don’t give each other presents. We got so much to be thankful for. But I might get her a bouquet of flowers,” he said. Eugene credits his good health to eating a banana every day. For someone his age, he has an impressive blood pressure at 110 over 70. And he stresses that he’s on “Zero medication.” Eugene and Arlene are believed to be the longest-married couple in town. Budget time nearing Selectmen have scheduled their next meeting for 6 p.m. Feb. 27 in the first floor conference room at Saugus Town Hall. That session will essentially kick off the town’s municipal budget season. Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree will unveil his spending plan for the 2025 Fiscal Year that begins July 1. Soon after, the town’s Finance Committee will schedule its series of Wednesday review sessions of each of the department budgets and make recommendations for the Annual Town Meeting, which is set to convene on the first Monday in May. Stay tuned. A “Shout Out” for library staffer Avid Saugus Advocate reader Sue Fleming gave a huge “Shout Out” to Lisa LeJeune, the Young Adult/Reference Librarian at the Saugus Public Library, “for organizing the first Adult Craft Night at the Saugus Library.” “We made Mason Jar Luminaries and everyone did a great job! Hopefully the first craft night of many to come. Thank you Lisa!!” 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. Food Pantry notes The Saugus United Parish Food Pantry is open today (Friday, Feb. 9) from 9:30-11 a.m. Legion Breakfast today There’s a good breakfast deal for Saugus veterans and other folks who enjoy a hearty breakfast on Friday mornings. The American Legion Post 210 at 44 Taylor St. in Saugus offers Friday morning breakfasts for the 2023-24 season. Doors open at 7:30 a.m., with breakfast served from 8-9:00 a.m. for an $8 donation. Veterans who cannot afford the donation may be served free. Compost/Recycling DropOff Site winter hours The Town of Saugus Compost/Recycling Drop-Off Site is closed for the winter. But it will reopen for recycling on the third Saturday of February and March 2024 weather permitting. Please note: The site will be open on Feb. 17 and March 16 during the period from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Please contact Scott Brazis, Director of Solid Waste/Recycling, with any questions at 781-231-4036. Town Meeting Sessions Precinct 10 Town Meeting Member Peter Manoogian is providing an opportunity for Saugus citizens who want to learn the basics about Town Meeting – the legislative body of Saugus town government. Manoogian is a veteran of about four decades in local town government at various levels, including many years as a Town Meeting member. The three sessions Manoogian will be leading this year are tailored for newly elected Town Meeting members or veterans who want to refresh themselves about Robert’s Rules of Order or how to put forward an article for consideration. The sessions that Manoogian is planning are free and open to the public – for all inA COLLECTION OF HEART ROCKS: Joanie Allbee shows off all the heart-shaped rocks she has found in her travels. (Courtesy Photo by Joanie Allbee, the Valentine’s Day Birthday girl, as a gift of love to our readers) terested citizens. The sessions will take place on these three nights – Feb. 16 and 29 and March 25 – from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Community Room of the Saugus Public Library at 295 Central St. Democratic Town Committee Caucus Feb. 28 The Saugus Democratic Town Committee (SDTC) will hold its Caucus on Feb. 28 to elect delegates to the Democratic State Convention held in June. The Caucus will be at 7 p.m. at the Saugus Public Safety Building, 27 Hamilton Street, Second Floor. The Caucus is open to the public, but only registered Saugus Democrats can vote on delegates. The primary function of the SDTC is to support Democratic candidates for office, both locally and at the state level. It also engages in voter education and voter registration. Registered Democrats living in Saugus who are interested in playing an active role in the political process in Saugus are welcome to attend any meetings of the Committee. For questions contact saugusdtc@ gmail.com Kindergarten Enrollment 2024-2025 Open enrollment for kindergarten will begin on Monday, April 22, and continue through Friday, April 26. Kindergarten is free and full day (8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.). Families can pick up a kindergarten registration packet at the main office of the Veterans Early Learning Center between 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Completed registration packets will be due on Wednesday, May 22, and Thursday, May 23, during the following hours: 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. (All registration documents must be included on the packet return dates.) Staff will be available to collect your documentation at the main entrance. Once all documentation is confirmed they will schedule an appointment for a mandatory kindergarten screening. Kindergarten screenings will be held on June 3 & 4 and will last 20 minutes. *While there is no official deadline for kindergarten registration, we ask that you register your student by May 24, to help us effectively plan staffing and programming for next year.” SAVE 2024 Environmental Scholarship Available Saugus Action Volunteers for the Environment (SAVE) is very pleased to announce that it is offering a $1,000 Environmental Scholarship to a Saugus resident who is or will be attending a two- or fouryear college or other educational institution and pursuing a degree in an area that would positively impact the environment. A qualifying applicant may be a 2024 high school graduating senior or a current college undergraduate student continuing their education. Applicants can download the SAVE 2024 Environmental Scholarship Application Form found at www.saugusSAVE.org. Please note: Section C of the application should be identified with your initials only and should provide a brief summary of any of THE SOUNDS | SEE PAGE 14

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