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THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, AUGUST 25, 2023 Page 13 The Sounds of Saugus By Mark E. Vogler Good morning, Saugus! Thank you to all the kind folks who called or emailed me to wish me well as I prepared for a medical procedure yesterday (Thursday, Aug. 24). I am nearing the end of the first week of my two week vacation. Besides tending to some health issues, I’ve been tackling some projects around the house, relaxing and getting some rest before I return for the final third of the year. I am looking forward to covering the biennial town election, which is just a couple of weeks away from the formal political campaign. Candidates for the Board of Selectmen, the School Committee, the Housing Authority, the Charter Commission and Town Meeting have up until 5 p.m. on Sept. 19 to submit their nomination papers to the Town Clerk’s Office. Soon after, we’ll know who’s running for what and which political races will be hotly contested. I will be returning from vacation on Sept. 5, the Tuesday after Labor Day, just in time for a Board of Selectmen’s meeting that night. As in past years, readers and public officials should still feel free to email me any notices, announcements or news tips during the period I will be off. And I will make sure that the information is passed on to our home office in Everett. Get Ready for Founders Day One event I’m looking forward to soon after my return is Founders Day, which is set for Saturday, Sept. 9. Hopefully, the weather cooperates so folks can enjoy a special Saturday down at Saugus Center. It’s the biggest fund-raising day of the year for many of the nonprofit organizations in town. Central Street will be closed off from the rotary at Town Hall nearly all the way up to the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site. The place will be swarming with schoolage kids trying to raise money for their various causes. The Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts, Youth sports leagues and High School students seeking contributions to various clubs and activities will all be there. So will various churches, social organizations and various fraternal groups that contribute to the betterment of Saugus in their own way. For Saugus residents hoping to see their friends or newcomers to town who want to make some friends, Founders Day is a great event. Joyce Rodenhiser has a good way of summing up Founders Day: “Founders Day is a great time to see old friends and classmates! It’s a big block party with lots of food, fun, civic organizations, entertainment and shopping. Join us downtown to see what’s happening!!” Joyce, who is a member of the Founders Day “Persons of the Year Committee,” also noted that it’s important to not lose sight of the purpose of Founders Day – to honor the town’s proud heritage of its founders – from the town’s ancestors who contributed to the development of the town all the way through the contemporary founders who contribute to the betterment of Saugus. “At noon time, in front of our Saugus Town Hall, on Founders Day, the Persons of the Year will be announced! Come, see who has been helping Saugus be a better place because of what they have done voluntarily for Saugonians and organizations,” Joyce said. The Persons of the Year presentation is a Founders Day tradition that dates back to 1989, with that first award going to Stanley Day. In 1993, separate awards were presented to a woman and a man selected for the honor. The plaque is inscribed with this tribute: “In Recognition of Your Dedication to The Town of Saugus. This Award Truly Exemplifies the Outstanding Ideals and Spirit of Our Founding Fathers. THE TOWN OF SAUGUS SALUTES YOU.” Other than for two years when the presentation was postponed because of public health concerns related to COVID-19, this wonderful tradition has continued. Past recipients of the award have already met and selected a deserving man and woman for this year, who will be honored at noon. Most of the living past recipients will sit in chairs on a platform set up on the steps of Saugus Town Hall. For those Saugonians who attend Founders Day frequently, but haven’t taken the time to watch the Persons of the Year ceremony, it’s a great opportunity to meet and greet a collection of special people who have helped make Saugus a community that residents expect and love. If you go to Founders Day, embrace the essence of what the day is about. See you near the steps of Saugus Town Hall at noon on Sept. 9 Food Pantry notes: The Saugus United Parish Food Pantry is open today (Friday, Aug. 25) from 9:3011 a.m.). Saugus High Band exhibit on display tomorrow Jack Klecker will be holding an open house for the band exhibit tomorrow (Saturday, August 26) from 12-3 at 30 Main St. in Saugus. The exhibit showcases uniforms and photos from the Saugus High School Band, which has long been a proud institution in Saugus. The band – first formed in 1937 – became renowned under the direction of Jerome Mitchell, who was the music director for many decades. In late fall 2022, the auditorium at the new school was named the Lemoine-Mitchell auditorium after him and beloved drama teacher Nancy Lemoine. Town Election Watch The nine Charter Commission seats that will be on the Nov. 7 town election ballot continue to draw the most interest among potential candidates pulling nomination papers from the Town Clerk’s Office. As of Wednesday (Aug. 23), eight more town residents had pulled papers for the Town Charter Commission, increasing the overall total to 13. They included Precinct 8 Town Meeting Member Thomas Traverse, Lori Gallivan, Arthur Grabowski, Precinct 9 Town Meeting Member Judy Worthley, Eugene Decareau, Donald Cicolini, Precinct 2 Town Meeting Member Peter Rossetti Jr. and James Russo. Board of Selectmen Vice Chair Debra Panetta pulled papers for selectman. School Committee member Leigh Gerow pulled papers for another term. Town Democratic Committee Chair Joseph Malone pulled papers for one of the five seats as a Precinct 2 Town Meeting member. Nothing is official yet. Each of these candidates may run or decide not to. They have about three weeks – up until 5 p.m. Sept. 19 – to submit nomination papers to the Town Clerk’s Office for certification of signatures. Fifty certified signatures of registered voters are required for the Board of Selectmen, School Committee, the Housing Authority and the nine-member Charter Commission. Only 10 certified signatures of registered voters are required for Town Meeting, but each of the signatures must be from registered voters in the candidate’s precinct. Sept. 15 is the final day to obtain nomination papers – just four days before the filing deadline. Stay tuned. Special “Shout Outs” We had no nominations from readers for “Shout Outs” this week. With a new school year set to begin on Tuesday (Aug. 29), let’s show some appreciation for the faculty and staff of Saugus Public Schools – particularly Acting Superintendent Michael Hashem, who continues to preside over a challenged school system indefinitely, filling in for Superintendent Erin McMahon, who has been on paid administrative leave since January, pending the outcome of an investigation into alleged misconduct. Hashem, who gave up his administrative post as Saugus High Principal to return to his first love as a math teacher in June 2021, would prefer to be in the classroom. He deserves tremendous respect and praise for putting his professional goals aside to help his hometown school district through troubled waters. This isn’t the first time Hashem has pitched in to help. He was in his third year as principal of Saugus High School in 2016 when he offered to accept the role of interim superintendent and later acting superintendent before the School Committee hired Dr. David DeRuosi, Jr. Hashem, who has spent more than three decades in Saugus Public Schools, is viewed by school officials as a stabilizing force, and Saugus is lucky to have him. 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. We have a winner! Congratulations to Shirley THE SOUNDS | SEE PAGE 14 —Cont est— CONTEST SKETCH OF THE WEEK Can You Guess Who? If you know, call 978-683-7773 and your name will be entered into a drawing contest to win. The prize is a $10 gift certificate of your favorite Saugus coffee place or restaurant. Thank you.

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