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THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, AUGUST 29, 2025 Page 15 SOUNDS | FROM PAGE 14 or a photo. Saugus United Parish Food Pantry The Saugus United Parish Food Pantry is open today (Friday, Aug. 29) 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 (781-233-2663) or go to the website (cliftondalecc. org) for details. Town Democrats meet Sept. 10 The Saugus Democratic Town Committee will meet Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. in the second floor conference room of the Saugus Public Safety Building (27 Hamilton St., Saugus). Alcohol/Drug Recovery program Oct. 20 The Saugus-Everett Elks Drug Awareness Committee is sponsoring an Alcohol and Drug Recovery presentation from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Monday October 20, at the Saugus Senior Center (466 Central St. in Saugus). This will be an hourlong presentation conducted by Sober Shuttle, Inc. explaining the benefits offered to recovering individuals. This is a free event, and people who are interested are welcome to attend. If you or someone you know would like to know more about these services, you should not miss this informative event. Services provided are cost-free transportation into treatment, recovery coach services, placement assistance, food assistance, clothing assistance, community engagement and much more. Light refreshments will be served. Call the Saugus Senior Center at 781-231-3178 to attend. Walk-ins are also welcome. Wayne keeps winning by losing People often ask me how my brother Wayne is doing, as there has been great reader interest in my periodic updates on his efforts to lose weight. As you may recall, I was at wit’s end back in the fall of 2020. Wayne weighed 377 pounds on Oct. 5 of that year, which American Legion Post #210 Women’s Auxiliary held its annual cookout on Aug. 23. Seated in the front row: 2024 Saugus Woman of the Year Mary Dunlop, Marie Marshall, Judith Worthley, Diane Bogdan McConnell, Emylee Hayes and Joanie Allbee. Standing behind: Shannon Davis, Louise Davis, Shirley Bogdan, Sandra Milano and Mary Lou Graham. (Courtesy photo of John Davis) prompted me to request some help from his primary care physician, Mark A. Ringiewicz, of Swansea. Dr. Ringiewicz made a referral to Dr. Jessica Inwood, a Fall River physician who specializes in diet and weight loss. Wayne had the option to have surgery or be placed on a weight reduction plan based on medication. We chose the natural way – without surgery or medication. “You’re still doing great! I’m your biggest cheerleader,” Dr. Inwood told Wayne during his visit last week. Wayne’s weight hit a new low – down to 238 pounds – still a little heavy for a guy who is five-foot-ten-inches tall. “A 36 percent weight loss just since we met about five years ago – and doing it without medication or surgery – is just remarkable,” Dr. Inwood said. “Now, it’s just 18 pounds and you will be down to your goal,” she said. Wayne had previously set a goal of slimming down to 220 pounds, his high school football playing weight. I asked Dr. Inwood to put Wayne’s dramatic weight loss into the context of all of the patients she’s seen over the years. It turns out Wayne is at the top of the list of her stars. “I’ve had a lot of patients who have lost over 100 pounds – but not without medication or surgery,” she said. “You stand as a great example of what a person can do. You took the first step and followed through. Every day is a new day.” Wayne achieved his incredible weight loss through exercise (he walks a half hour with weights a couple of times a day several days a week while making adjustments in his eating – following Dr. Inwood’s food plan, lowering his consumption and not eating at night. It definitely worked. And the trick will be for Wayne to continue what he’s been doing. Stay tuned. Cultural Council seeks grant applicants Tori Darnell, co-chair of the Saugus Cultural Council, submitted this announcement to alert town residents and local organizations about local grant opportunities: Did you know that the Saugus Cultural Council has awarded grants to people and organizations for artistic, educational, and cultural projects and programs since 1998? We are committed to supporting cultural programs and events that showcase diversity and add vibrancy in the Town of Saugus. This includes the visual arts, education, dance, drama, interpretive science, the environment, literature, music, public art, and wellness. If you have an idea for a project and/or program that brings public benefit to the Saugus community, then consider applying for a Local Cultural Council Grant! Our 2026 grant application period runs from September 2 through October 16, 2025. We prioritize applications from Saugus organizations, individuals, and organizers, and to projects that take place in the Town of Saugus. More information about grant guidelines and priorities can be seen at https://massculturalcouncil.org/local-council/ saugus/. On Tuesday, September 9, the Mass Cultural Council will host an online information session on how these grants work and how to apply. The session is free and can be accessed at https://massculturalcouncil.org. The Saugus Cultural Council will be available at Founder’s Day, Saturday, September 13 to provide live support in submitting an application or provide project feedback. Come with a description of your project and any questions about the grant application process. The Saugus Cultural Council will also be available at the Saugus Public Library on Tuesday, September 23 to provide additional live support. Newspapers at the library Thanks to a donation from a patron, The New York Times is now available at the Library, according to Saugus Public Library Director Alan Thibeault. “You can also stop by and read the Saugus Advocate, Lynn Item, Boston Herald, and the Boston Globe as well!” Thibeault said. Adult Craft Night returns! Join us on Tuesday, September 2, from 6-7 p.m. in the Brooks Room at the Saugus Public Library. We will be making Acorns with fabric and twine for fall decor. Registration begins August 19 on our Events Calendar: sauguspubliclibrary.org Saugus Youth Cross Country 2025 Grades 1-5 and 6-8 students not running for a school team can start: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3:45 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Belmonte; Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Breakheart Reservation. The training distances are 1st to 3rd, .7 miles; 4th and 5th, 1.2 miles; 6th-8th, 1.9 miles. Practice races are Saturdays (to be determined) at Frey Park in Lynn at 285 Walnut St. Saturday, Oct. 25: Fun Run practice at Breakheart. Athletes are encouraged to wear a costume. Saturday, Nov. 1: 16th Annual Massachusetts State Middle School Cross Country Championships at Willard Field in Devens; more information to be announced. Tuesday, Nov. 11: 11th Annual Massachusetts Elementary School Cross Country Championship; 8:30 a.m. arrival and 9:30 a.m. start; Lynn’s Gannon Golf Course, 60 Great Woods Rd.; lunch at Prince Pizza following the meet. Ending Thursday, Nov. 13 – wrap-up session at Belmonte. Cost: $150 for first year, $75 returning from Cross Country 2024. If you have any questions, need further information or want to register, please contact Coach T at 781-854-6778 or Christophertarantino24@ gmail.com. THE SOUNDS | SEE PAGE 18

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