THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – Friday, June 19, 2020 Page 15 SOUNDS | from page 14 all-volunteer food pantry. “We understand clients may receive items they don’t want or need, but 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 the Cliftondale Congregational Church at 50 Essex St. in Saugus.” Food help for veterans This just in from Saugus Veteran Services Officer Jay Pinette: “We want to share a couple of opportunities with you for food assistance that are being offered to Veterans and/or their surviving spouses. First, the Melrose-Wakefield-Saugus Veterans’ Services Offices partner with the Greater Boston Food Bank to provide food to Veterans and their surviving spouses on the third Wednesday of each month. The food market is generally held at the Saugus Senior Center, but given the current COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently offering a contact-free, drive-thru food pantry at Memorial Hall on Main Street in Melrose. If you are unable to pick-up, some limited deliveries may be available. This offering is year round. Please call the Saugus Veterans’ Service Office at 781-231-4010 or e-mail VeteransServices@saugusma.gov in order to register. Proof of Veteran status is required.” Strawberry Festival 2020 cancelled This is about the time that Saugus residents and visitors get to enjoy some tasty strawberry shortcake. But for the first time since the 1980’s, the Saugus Historical Society has cancelled its Strawberry Festival for this year, due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Society announced this week. “Although some events and businesses are being phased back in, the Legion Hall would be limited to 10 people (and sometimes our greeters and servers number that many),” said the Society’s President, Laura Eisener. “We hope to be able to return to our delicious and nostalgic tradition next June. This has been our annual fundraiser for decades but we want to be sure our volunteers and our shortcake eaters are safe.” For more details, you can contact Laura at 781-231-5988 or email her at LDELD@shore.net. Main attractions at the Saugus Public Library All programs and events scheduled at the Saugus Public Library are cancelled until further notice. Anyone who has books to return to the library gets a pass during the time the library is closed, according to Library Director Alan Thibeault. Meanwhile, the library announced a series of virtual programs that can be viewed each week on Zoom: The (virtual) Yoga Experience: Join us each Wednesday evening at 6:30 p.m. for a free, basic yoga class that is ideal for beginners. This 45-minute slow flow class opens with a brief meditation, followed by a gentle warmup, some core strengthening, standing postures, and flexibility poses. Each session winds down with deep relaxation. This event will be held via Zoom. You can participate from your personal computer, mobile device or smart TV. For best results, download the Zoom app to your device. Registration is required and you must register separately for each weekly session. To register, please send an email to sau@ noblenet.org and type the word YOGA into the subject line. You will receive an email within a few days containing a link for the event. Please register before noon on the day of the event. Spaces are limited. Lisa Poto is a registered yoga teacher and a member of the Yoga Alliance. She graduated from Barre & Soul’s 200-hour yoga teacher training program. “Yoga is my passion, and has been transforming in my life. I believe that yoga is for everybody. It is your own personal exploration and journey.” Virtual Music & Mother Goose: Every Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Registration is required. Email melton@noblenet.org to register! Recommended for children ages one to four years. Join us for music & rhymes, dancing & skipping, shaking & marching! Virtual Meditation: Join us online for meditation on Tuesdays at 6 p.m. This is a free program, held via Zoom, but registration is required. Please email sau@noblenet.org to register. Type the word MEDITATION in the subject line. You will receive an email with the log-in information. You can participate from your personal computer, mobile device or smart TV. For best results, download the Zoom app to your device. The session will be led by Crayola Tidd, a certified mindfulness meditation teacher. Crayola led a meditation class at the Helping the Vets During these challenging times, your local Veterans’ Service Officers would like to share some information on a benefit program that is available to those who qualify. If you are a Veteran or the surviving spouse of a Veteran, the “Chapter 115 Benefits Program” is a Massachusetts state initiative that provides financial aid for Veterans and/or their surviving spouses who reside in Massachusetts and meet certain income and asset guidelines. Benefits may include monthly ordinary benefits and/or payment/reimbursement for medical expenses. Whether laid off, in transition or living on a fixed income, the program is designed to provide short-term or longterm assistance as needed to provide relief. The program is overseen by the Massachusetts Department Veterans’ Services (DVS), which runs the program in partnership with local Veterans’ Service Officers (VSOs). Every town or district in Massachusetts has a VSO. VSOs assist Veterans and their dependents in learning about, applying for and receiving Chapter 115 benefits. VSOs can also help you in applying for other benefits and connecting with local resources. Your local VSO handles applications, obtains program approval from DVS, and provides local benefits. The program is funded by a combination of state and local funds. DVS pays for 75% and your city or town pays for 25% of the approved benefits. There are income and asset limits for the program. As a general rule, income and asset requirements are: Family of 1: monthly income less than $2,081and an asset limit of $5,000. Family of 2: monthly income less than $2,818 and an asset limit of $9,800 To determine if you may be eligible for financial assistance through the Chapter 115 program, visit the following link and follow the instructions – https://massvetben.org/ – or call your local VSO for more information. The VSOs are also able to help Veterans apply for Federal VA benefits, local benefits and provide food assistance monthly. For example, did you know that if you own a home and have a VA service-connected disability, you are eligible for a partial or full exemption of your property taxes? “Please contact your local Veterans’ Service Officer for more information on any of the services mentioned. We are all here to assist. We are regularly checking voicemails and emails as we continue to work remotely and in our offices throughout COVID-19.” Melrose: Karen Burke, 781-979-4186, kburke@cityofmelrose. org. Wakefield: David Mangan, 781-246-6377, dmangan@wakelibrary last February, and we are very pleased to welcome her back, although in virtual form! If anyone in town has any ideas they want to bounce off Library Director Thibeault, you can call him by phone at 781-2314168 x3122 or email him at athibeault@noblenet.org. Murder at Breakheart Laura Eisener wanted us to know about this interesting, upcoming program set for the fall, providing social distancing is no longer an obstacle: “Since the May meeting of the Saugus Historical Society had to be cancelled due to COVID-19, the program planned has been rescheduled to Sept. 9. Doug Heath and Alison Simcox have agreed to speak about their upcoming book which gives new details about the murder at Breakheart in the early 20th century. It will be the first program in the newly enlarged Saugus Historical Society building since the SCTV moved in and began broadcasting from this site. All Saugus residents, whether or not members of the Saugus Historical Society, are welcome free of charge.” For more details, contact Laura at 781-231-5988. Buy a brick to honor your vets The Saugus War Monument Committee, once again, is sponsoring the Buy A Brick Program to honor all those who have served their country. If you would like to purchase one in the name of someone who is presently serving or has served, in the memory of a loved one, or just from your family, school, etc., the general pricing is $100 for a 4″ X 8″ brick (three lines), $200 for 8″ X 8″ brick (five lines) and $500 (five lines) for a corporate brick. Each line is a maximum of 15 characters. The improvement and upkeep of the monument on the corner of Winter and Central Streets rely on the generosity of donors through fundraising. The brick application must be in by Sept. 30 to ensure the bricks will be ready for Veterans Day. Please contact Frank Manning at 781-929-9723 for more information and applications. field.ma.us. Saugus: Jay Pinette, 781231-4010, jpinette@saugusma.gov. Recyclers won’t touch contaminated bins/barrels Due to increasing contamination rates in curbside recycling, JRM will not collect any bin/barrel with contamination, according to Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree’s Office. Bins should contain aluminum/ steel cans, food and beverage cartons, bottles and jars, mixed paper, newspaper, magazines and cardboard and kitchen, laundry and bath plastic containers. Please empty and rinse containers. Please remember no plastic wrap or bags, clothing, hoses, Styrofoam, rigid plastic, toys, electronics, metal pans or glass dishes. These items would cause your bin/barrel to be rejected. Please contact Solid Waste/ Recycling Coordinator Lorna Cerbone at 781-231-4036 with any questions. For JRM Customer Service, please call 1-800-323-4285. Update for compost/ recycling drop-off site “At this time the compost/ recycling site is open by appointment only. We are currently open Monday – Saturday 7:30 am – 2:00 pm. You can call 781-231-4036 to schedule an appointment. You can also email lcerbone@saugus-ma.gov for an appointment. We are no longer accepting the rigid plastic for recycling, you can dispose of curbside on your trash day with a $2.00 green sticker. Town stickers are available at the Stop and Shop and the Big Y at their courtesy booth. Thank you” Let’s hear it! Got an idea, passing thought or gripe you would like to share with The Saugus Advocate? I’m always interested in your feedback. It’s been four years since I began work at The Saugus Advocate. I’m always interested in hearing readers’ suggestions for possible stories or good candidates for “The Advocate Asks” interview of the week. Feel free to email me at mvoge@comcast.net. Do you have some interesting views on an issue that you want to express to the community? Submit your idea. If I like it, we can meet for a 15to 20-minute interview while practicing social distancing outside a local coffee shop. And I’ll buy the coffee. Or, if you prefer to be interviewed from the safety of your home on the phone or via email, I will provide that option to you as the nation copes with the Coronavirus crisis.
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