THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, MAY 21, 2021 Page 9 THE SOUNDS OF SAUGUS By Mark E. Vogler H ere are a few tidbits that you might want to know about this week in Saugus. Reports of teacher absences anger parents We all know how events can get exaggerated on social media. But School Committee members are asking questions after seeing some of the angry chatter from parents. Committee members are obviously concerned after seeing the recent reports of faculty and staff absences which contributed to a lack of class coverage at the Saugus Middle-High School because enough substitutes couldn’t report to duty on short notice to take their place. At least, there have been rumblings to that effect on Facebook. So, School Committee members have asked retiring School Superintendent David DeRuosi, Jr. to provide any details on the absences at last night’s meeting. The Middle-High School had reports of 39 teachers absent on a recent day and many students with no supervision. This concern happened to spike on a Friday morning on local social media at a time when there was horrible traffic, scheduled days off, Covid-19 protocols and inability to get substitutes contributing to a bad scenario. “There are so many layers to this,” according to one School Committee member. “The morning everything came to a head, we had two lanes of Route 1 shut down so traffic was backed up for miles, impacting teachers getting to work. Teachers have scheduled days off that they weren’t using during the pandemic. The Covid protocols are in place. “The substitute shortage remains an issue. These are valid reasons, but in the end, it doesn’t make it any better that students are sitting in the cafeteria when they should be learning. I had a parent reach out to me in tears when I ran for School Committee that her son hadn’t had a math teacher in a year. The reasons were valid, but it’s our job to get these kids a great education. We’ll help however we can.” “Last year we sought to increase substitute pay to combat what’s really a national shortage of substitutes, and with covid that’s become a more difficult challenge.” Sounds like the perfect storm for a day of in-school learning without any learning going on at school. Stay tuned. We have a winner! We have a winner in last week’s “Guess Who Got Sketched” contest. Congratulations to Carolyn Brown, who contacted us with the correct answer. Her name was picked from a number of potential winners’ names out of the green Boston Red Sox cap. Here’s last week’s answer, offered by the person who goes by the name of The Sketch Artist: “The answer to last week’s sketch is Mr. Peter Ruggeri “Retired Carpenter and Homebuilder. He is a U.S. Navy Veteran who served two years at the end of WW11, serving on the U.S.S. Pocono, AGC-16. “Peter built his own home when he married the love of his life Ruth. They were just two young kids with a dream and people laughed at them failing to see the gift in Peter’s hands that would years later eventually be released all over Saugus. “He built and helped with designs of many buildings. In their 20’s starting with a book on How To Build Your Dream Home; line by line precept upon precept wood, brick cement they both developed skill and set a solid foundation which their house in all its splendor Still stands today in awe; Everything in the house is made by Peter’s hands! Grandfather clocks, beds, dressers, bureaus, tables, bowls. “Even his cereal bowls are fabulous. He uses a wood burn stamp for his name on his bowls. “He said he enjoys making these bowls. It’s a piece of cake! (It comes easy because it’s his exquisite gifting within himself.) Nat King Cole and his wife had bought a whole floor at the Ritz Carlton and sought out Peter to put in their whole new floor! “Peter’s most beautiful tribute to his wife Ruth, who recently passed, 2018 (70 years of marriage) is as he has said, he built his home around his bride, his home was for his one and only Ruth outside as well as inside. As soon as they married he built her a Full size bed for them. They have a daughter Jennifer. “Peter Ruggeri would very well be a candidate for an interview about the work of his hands, and photographs to showcase his masterpieces throughout. Such a rare talent. “Thank You to an exceptional Artist Peter! “Yours Truly, “The Sketch Artist” proven to be an asset to her garden club and the GCFM through consistent volunteering beyond normal membership requirements. Laura is an agricultural expert and local resident. She has been taking weekly pictures throughout the year of trees and plants in Saugus that residents drive or walk by. She has a weekly feature – ‘Saugus Gardens in the Pandemic’ (often front page) in The Advocate paper which is published every Friday. Laura is the landscape design consultant at Northeast Nursery. She teaches landscape courses at North Shore Community College and taught for many years at Boston Architectural College.” Over the past year, as Saugus – like every other place in America – attempted to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, Laura has been providing Saugus residents with a unique perspective on homegrown flowers and plants in her weekly column, “Saugus Gardens in the pandemic,” which appears in The Saugus Advocate. And she also accompanies her articles with photos that capture the beauty of a particular plant or flower. In her column, she often tells readers little tidbits about the history of a plant or flower in Saugus and interesting facts about the plant or flower she wants to spotlight. Indeed, she has made outdoor walks more rewarding for those who have ventured out of the house for some exercise. 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 ShoutOut.” No more than a paragraph; anything longer might lend itself to a story and/or photo. Third annual Touch-A-Truck event Sunday UNSUNG HERO: Left to right, Laura Eisener receives the Saugus Garden Club 2021 Unsung Hero Award from Saugus Garden Club President Donna Manoogian. Laura, a landscape design consultant at Northeast Nursery, was cited in part for her weekly feature column and photos – “Saugus Gardens in the Pandemic” – which have been published each week in The Saugus Advocate since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in March of last year. She has been taking weekly pictures throughout the year of trees and plants in Saugus that residents drive or walk by. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate) A super “Shout-Out” for Laura Eisener We didn’t receive any nominations this week from readers who wanted to publicly compliment a fellow Saugonian for a remarkable achievement or noble act of kindness or a gesture that captures the true essence of community spirit. So, we will borrow one from the Saugus Garden Club, who this week honored Laura Eisener with a certificate of recognition as the Saugus Garden Club 2021 Unsung Hero. The award says: “Outstanding Service … In honor of her outstanding service and dedication, we gladly present Laura Eisener with this certificate of recognition as the Saugus Garden Club 2021 Unsung Hero, Northeastern District, Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts 13 April 2021.” And it is signed by Sue Andersen, Northeastern District Director, Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, and Donna Manoogian, President, Saugus Garden Club. The presentation Donna made to the club on Wednesday (May 19) says: “The Unsung Hero Award recognizes that under-appreciated individual who truly makes a difference on a daily basis through outstanding service and dedication. The award honors that someone who personifies the spirit of the Saugus Garden Club as well as the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts’ mission. “The Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts and the Saugus Garden Club recognize and thank Laura Eisener as the club’s 2021 Unsung Hero. Laura has The Moms Cancer-Fighting Angel’s Relay Team will be holding their 3rd annual Touch-A-Truck event to benefit the American Cancer Society Relay For Life on Sunday (May 23) at Fuddruckers in Saugus at 900 Broadway (Route 1). The event will take place from noon to 3 p.m. Event organizer Guy Moley says the event will include a wide range of vehicles: military vehicles, first responders, Saugus Police and Fire Departments, the Saugus Department of Public Works, a crane from Iron Tree, a response boat from the U.S. Coast Guard in addition to vehicles from National Grid, Amazon, Coca-Cola, Broco Oil, Angelo’s Petroleum, Junkster Bags and many more. Special guest Todd Angilly, who sings the National Anthem at the Boston Bruins games, will open the event with the National Anthem. The Melrose Police Officer trainer will hold a K9 demonstration with his K9 partner Nero at 1:30 p.m. Social distancing will be enforced, and sanitation stations will be available throughout the lot. Masks are mandatory. Also, please come hungry because Fuddruckers will be generously donating 20 percent of all food sales to the American Cancer Society Relay For Life Wakefield during the event. Please contact Guy Moley with any questions about the event at 781-640-1310. No Memorial Day Parade, but… There won’t be a Memorial Day Parade this year. But the Saugus Veterans Council would like to invite all to Saugus’s Memorial Day ceremony on Monday, May 31 at 10 a.m. at Riverside Cemetery to recognize all soldiers who died in service to the country. The guest speaker will be Sgt. Maj. Kenneth Oswald, who is the Lynn English Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC) program leader. The program began in 1995 with Sgt. Maj. Oswald at the helm, and since that point the team has become nationally recognized for their achievements. The Lynn English JROTC team is among the best in the nation, winning three national championships in 2007, 2014 THE SOUNDS OF SAUGUS | SEE PAGE 10
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