THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, JUnE 19, 2026 Page 9 The Sounds of Saugus By Mark E. Vogler Good morning, Saugus In another two days (Sunday, June 21), it will officially be summer. And if you are the parent of a child in pre-K through the sixth grade, make sure he or she takes advantage of the Summer Reading Program being offered at the Saugus Public Library. It’s a great way to spend a few hours each week. The program drew participation from about 400 Saugus kids last year. Strawberry Festival tomorrow Here’s a reminder from Laura Eisener: The Saugus Historical Society Strawberry Festival and Saugus Garden Club Plant Sale will be tomorrow (Saturday, June 20). Strawberry Shortcakes, hot dogs, soda and chips will be available at the Legion Hall from 10 a.m.2 p.m., and the Garden Club as well as several craft vendors will be set up on the Roby School Lawn as usual from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. There are some new vendors planning to come in addition to several regulars. The Festival is Rain or Shine! Hope to see you there for this popular town tradition, which has been running since at least the 1980’s with the exception of 2020. Home Base tomorrow night Tomorrow (Saturday, June 20), Team Marshalls4Vets and Staff Sergeant Arthur F. DeFranzo VFW Post 2346 will be cosponsoring a Fundraiser Party Benefiting Home Base from 7 p.m.-1 a.m. at the Post. Tickets will be $50 per person with a limit of 100. Catering will be provided by Kowloon, Texas Roadhouse and other local restaurants. There will be prize Raffles, 50/50 raffle & more. Home Base, a Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Program, is dedicated to healing the invisible wounds for Veterans, Service Members and their Families through world-class clinical care, wellness, education and research. To donate online: https://runtohomebase. PUMPKIN PATCH SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS 2026: Left to right: Carl Spencer, Connor DeSantis (recipient), Pastor Rev. Bill Ladd, Lily Panico (recipient), Karen Spencer and Mason Ranno (recipient). Please see this week’s “The Sounds of Saugus” for details. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate) org/support/#marshalls4vets. Saugus United Parish Food Pantry The Saugus United Parish Food Pantry will be open today (Friday, June 19) from 9:30-11 a.m. at 50 Essex St. in the basement of Cliftondale Congregational Church. The food pantry welcomes all neighbors facing food insecurity on Friday mornings. Volunteers are also welcome. Please call the Food Pantry Office at 781-233-2663 or go to the website (cliftondalecc.org) for details. 2026 Pumpkin Patch Scholarship Winners First Congregational Church Saugus, also known as “The Pumpkin Church, this week announced its Pumpkin Patch Scholarship Winners for 2026. They are Lily Panico, Connor DeSantis and Mason Ranno. All three graduated from Saugus High School, according to Pastor Rev. Bill Ladd. “Lily Arrow Panico is going to North Shore Community College and then to Salem State College to study nursing. Connor DeSantis is going to Salem State College to study computer science. Mason Ranno is going to Wheaton College to study finance,” Rev. Ladd said. “They are three extraordinary kids and we are just so proud of them,” he said. “Every year when the pumpkins return to Saugus, our front lawn is overrun with wonderful volunteers from all ages and sizes helping us to unload the thousands of pumpkins that will be looking for new homes. A very large part of the incredible volunteers are students, especially high school students who give of their time and energy. As a result of the generosity of our friends and neighbors from as far away as five states, The Pumpkin Patch raises thousands of dollars for the church. So every year it is our pleasure to honor high school students with scholarships to thank them for their love and kindness. Each year we get so many inspiring essays from these young people chronicling their life paths and their educational journeys going forward and then we have to make the difficult decisions in selecting the recipients. It is never easy and there’s always much prayer involved.” Summer Reading time at the library The 2026 Summer Reading Program at the Saugus Public Library begins Monday (June 22) and will last through Friday, Aug. 21. Preregistration using the Beanstack app began this week. Here’s a summary of the program: WHO: Kids Pre-K through 6th grade. WHAT: Kids read the books they love, log their reading and earn prizes! They’ll enjoy reading what they love, free programs, crafts and activities. WHY: Don’t lose those hardearned skills! Summer reading plays a vital role in helping reduce the “Summer Slide” – the learning loss experienced between school years, which can leave students significantly behind their peers. The Saugus Public Schools recommend kids read at least 20 minutes every day. We also recommend reading to your child, even as they become an independent reader. Talk about what you’ve read together. Help them find books they like – we can help with that. Make it a fun part of a daily routine they look forward to! PRIZES: Every reader wins prizes, and books to keep. We’ll also raffle vouchers for ice cream, pizza, roller skating, mini golf, bowling and much more. Grand prize drawings include tickets to Canobie Lake Park and Nova Adventure Park! HOW: Download the Beanstack App! • CREATE AN ACCOUNT: If this is your first time participating in one of the SPL’s reading challenges using Beanstack, here are step-by-step instructions [https://www.loom.com/ share/0efe0cc7c0f64b96b3c0a38ade8b04f6] on how to create a Beanstack account. If you’ve used Beanstack before, simply register for our 2026 Summer Reading Challenge. • REGISTER FOR A CHALLENGE: This video [https:// www.loom.com/share/9cfd52f03a4c4444bc9ab86d94b51cea] will show you how to register for a reading challenge using the app. • LOG YOUR READING: This video [https://www.loom. com/share/fda67bebf80e443faaad2529fa3ca486] will show you how to log your reading using the mobile app. • FROM A COMPUTER: If you prefer not to use the app, here’s a link to access the SPL’s 2026 Kids Summer Reading Challenge using a computer. Beanstack Link [https://sauguspubliclibrary.beanstack. com/reader365] • Or Register in Person: Stop by the library to register in person and use our paper reading log. • Download free e-books and e-audiobooks from the library! Can’t make it to the library? Our digital collections provide easy access to the books kids love, 24 hours a day seven days a week. Download free, fresh titles all summer using the hoopla and Libby apps! [https://www.sauguspubliclibrary.org/children/family-resources/] This week’s “Shout Outs” From Gloria Dipietro: “Annette Chapdelaine (Slocomb), longtime resident of Saugus celebrated her 103rd birthday on June 2, 2026 with her friends at the Saugus Senior Center, where she spends most days out, enjoying bingo, socializing with friends, etc. Annette is a Spitfire and one of the most wonderful people I’ve ever met on the planet, alTHE SOUNDS | SEE PAGE 10
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