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THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2022 Page 13 THE SOUNDS OF SAUGUS | FROM PAGE 12 The rest is some pretty rich sports history that few football fans around the country have ever experienced. Brady went on to help lead the Patriots to a Super Bowl title after taking over Bledsoe’s job. And during his 19 years as a starter, the team went 141-25 in Foxboro and posted a 20-4 home playoff record. For 17 seasons, the Patriots won their division in the AFC East, which meant that they hosted at least one playoff game for their fans. Seven times they hosted the AFC Championship Game, winning six of them for a trip to the Super Bowl. To put things into context, Pats fans got to see 24 home playoff games during Brady’s 29 years as a starter. During that time, the New York Jets and the Miami Dolphins each hosted a playoff game. And the Buffalo Bills fans never got to see one. During those glorious years when Brady was the starting quarterback, New England won 85 percent of its home games – playoffs and regular season. And the two seasons that the Patriots didn’t go to the playoffs, they tied for the division title, but lost on the tie-breakers. One of those seasons, the Patriots went 11-5 after Brady suffered a season-ending injury in the home opener. My favorite Brady moment has got to be the Pats pulling out a stunning come-from-behind victory over Oakland in the infamous “Tuck” Game, where Brady appeared to fumble the ball late in the game. But the referees ruled it an incomplete pass after citing an obscure rule. So the Patriots drive survived with Adam Vinatieri kicking the game-tying field goal through a blinding snowstorm. From where my brother Wayne and I sat on our aluminum bench, it didn’t look like the kick had the altitude to reach the goal post. But it did. And the Patriots won the coin toss to begin overtime and went down the field with Adam Vinatieri kicking the game-winning field goal. And then a Patriot did snow angels on the cold Foxboro Stadium turf. It was 20 years ago last month that Brady and the Pats won the game which built the foundation of great things to come for New England sports fans throughout the region. Brady didn’t do it all by himself, of course. Football is a team sport. There were a few famous and not so famous Pats who contributed to the so-called Patriots Dynasty. But he was the greatest Patriot who ever played and the only involved in those 19 straight winning football seasons that ended in 17 trips to the playoffs, nine trips to the Super Bowl and six Super Bowl Titles. So, eat your hearts out, NFL fans outside of New England. It was a great run, with Tom Brady leading the way. SAVE announces 2022 Environmental Scholarship Saugus Action Volunteers for the Environment (SAVE) is very pleased to announce that it is offering a $1,000 Environmental Scholarship to Saugus Residents of the Graduating Class of 2022. This is a scholarship for students who will be attending a two/fouryear college or other educational institution and pursuing a degree in an area that would positively impact the environment. Applicants can download the SAVE 2022 Environmental Scholarship Application Form found at www. saugusSAVE.org. Together with the completed application form, please include a separate sheet (identified with your initials only) that provides a summary of any of your activities relating to the environment and describe how you feel your career choice will positively impact the environment. Please mail your application (postmarked by April 22, 2022) to: SAVE, P.O. Box 908, Saugus, MA 01906 or email your application (no later than midnight on April 22, 2022) to: SAVE Co-President Ann Devlin at adevlin@aisle10.net. Again, the deadline to submit your application is April 22, 2022. A Rabies Vaccination Clinic in May Town Clerk Ellen Schena wants cat and dog owners to know about an upcoming rabies vaccination clinic that is set for Wednesday, May 4 from 4 to 6 p.m. This is for cats and dogs only. This will take place at the Animal Shelter at the rear of the DPW Building (515 Rear Main St. in Saugus). The vaccination costs $10 and can be paid by cash or check only. State Law requires all dog owners to license their dogs. Food pantry seeking driver volunteers The Saugus United Parish Food Pantry seeks volunteers to make food and bread pickups on Thursdays and Fridays from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Anyone who has the time and interest to help out should contact Jeff Hirtle at 781-922-0661. The food pantry operates out of the basement at Cliftondale Congregational Church at 50 Essex St. in Saugus. Friday morning Legion Hall breakfasts are back! Here’s some great news for people who enjoy their Friday morning breakfasts at the Saugus American Legion Cpl Scott J. Procopio Post 210. Legion Hall, which is located at 44 Taylor St., this week planned to resume its Friday breakfasts starting today (Feb. 11) and will continue through the last Friday in May of 2022. The buffet breakfast is served at 8:00 a.m. for a donation of $7. Concerns about COVID-19 had led to a temporary shutdown of the popular Friday morning breakfasts. But Debra Dion Faust, Building Manager of American Legion Post 210, wants all veterans, regulars and newcomers to know that the breakfasts are finally back. Bon appétit! And good luck to the Kitchen Crew. Looking for book donations The New Friends of the Saugus Public Library are asking for donations of gently used adult hardcover and softcover fiction for the ongoing book sale in the Community Room. They would also appreciate donations of gently used children’s books. Please limit donations at this time to only fiction and children’s books; they do not have storage space for other genres or media. Please...clean and newer books only. No tattered pages, bad odors, stains, or dirty covers! Books may be dropped off at the Main Circulation Desk during business hours. Please do not place donations in the outdoor book drops. Live Bingo at the Kowloon The Kowloon Restaurant will continue with Bingo every Wednesday through March 30 from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Hong Kong Lounge. Prizes will be given away each week with a grand prize set at the finale. A full Chinese gourmet spread is available during bingo – featuring pu pu platters, egg rolls, crab Rangoons, Saugus Wings, General Gau’s chicken, lobster sauce, fried scallops, lo mein, moo shu pork, salt and pepper calamari and sushi – along with a full bar menu, including the signature mai tais. Call the Kowloon Restaurant at 781-233-0077 to reserve your table. Town posts Compost Site Winter Schedule The Town of Saugus has announced that the community’s compost site and recycling center will be open to residents the third Saturday of the month during the winter months. The site will be open on Feb. 19 and March 19 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The site is located behind the Department of Public Works at 515 Main St. Yard waste must be disposed of in brown compost bags or open containers. The Town will accept grass clippings, leaves, and brush. As in years past, no branches or limbs larger than three inches in diameter are permitted. At this time residents will not need a compost site sticker to access the site. The Town asks all residents to please wear a mask and maintain and respect social distancing from others while visiting the site. Residents may call Lorna Cerbone at the Solid Waste and Recycling Department at 781-231-4036 with questions or for more information. Want to be a Knight? The Knights of Columbus is looking for new members to join. If you are interested in becoming a member of this local organization, please call 781233-9858. Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus program (Editor’s Note: The following info is from an announcement submitted by Julie Cicolini, a member of the Board of Directors for Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus.) Who we are: Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus (HS2) is a nonprofit group of volunteers who are helping to offset food insecurity in households. HS2 provides students/families who enroll in the program a supply of nutritious food for when school lunches and breakfasts are unavailable to them on weekends. How HS2 can help you: HS2 bags are distributed at school on Fridays to take home. Bags include such items as peanut butter, jelly, a loaf of bread, canned meals/soups/tuna/vegetables, pasta/sauce, fruit cups, cereal, oatmeal, goldfish, pretzels and granola bars. To sign up go here to complete online form: https://forms.gle/gmMGguycSHBdziuE9. Want to partner with us: HS2 relies on donations to create take-home bags for a weekend full of meals. All food is provided to children free of charge. It is our hope these resources will support the health, behavior and achievement of every student who participates. We would love to partner with organizations, youth groups, PTOs, businesses and individuals to assist in feeding students of Saugus. To learn more about how you can partner with us, visit the Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus Facebook page or email us at HS2Saugus@gmail.com. Checks can also be sent directly to: Salem Five c/o Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus, 855-5 Broadway, Saugus, MA 01906. Online donations can also be made at: https://givebutter.com/HealthySaugus Food Pantry still open The Saugus United Parish Food Pantry continues to remain open on Fridays between 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. despite concerns over the Coronavirus. They have made adjustments to protect their core of volunteers and the needy people who receive the food. For the protection of volunteers & clients, and to limit personal contact and crowding/gathering, the food pantry has been distributing prebagged groceries. Even though clients may receive items they don’t want or need, food pantry organizers feel this is the best course of action to mitigate the potential spread of COVID-19. Those in need, even for short-term or one-time assistance, are encouraged to come. The food pantry is located in the basement of Cliftondale Congregational Church at 50 Essex St. in Saugus. Clarifying some veterans issues Jay Pinette, the Veterans Services Officer for the Town of Saugus, wanted to pass along a few words to promote a better understanding of how his office works: “Veterans Service Officers (VSOs) are not VA employees and do not have direct access to VA systems or information,” Jay wrote in an email to us. “Local VSOs are employees of their respective cities and towns. VSOs are generally able to assist veterans and eligible dependents with VA-related claims and benefits activities. “One of the primary duties of the VSOs is to administer a program for veterans and eligible dependents that is referred to as ‘Chapter 115’. Under Chapter 115 of Massachusetts General Laws (M.G.L. CH. 115), the Commonwealth provides a uniform program of financial assistance for low income veterans and their dependents. Qualified veterans and their dependents who meet the income and asset eligibility criteria may receive monthly financial benefits that are intended to assist the veteran with housing and living expenses. “If local Veterans wish to enroll in VA healthcare and/or obtain a VA ID card, representatives from the VA Bedford will be on-site at the Lynn VA Clinic twice a month. The on-site enrollment will be held on the 1 THE SOUNDS OF SAUGUS | SEE PAGE 15

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