THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, SEpTEmbEr 6, 2024 Page 17 The Sounds of Saugus By Mark E. Vogler Good morning, Saugus Fall is quickly creeping up on us. Summer isn’t officially over yet. Autumn doesn’t start until Sunday, Sept. 22, a little over two weeks away. But we’ve already been blessed by the comfortable fall weather that’s certainly preferable to the hot and humid days we’ve experienced this summer. Professional, collegiate and high school Football is already underway. The beautiful mums are already out. In another couple of weeks, “The Orange Glow” will suddenly appear at Saugus Center as a tractor trailer full of pumpkins from the Navajo Reservation near Farmington, N.M., is delivered and lined up across the lawn in front of the Hamilton Street entrance to First Congregational Church Saugus UCC. It really isn’t fall in Saugus until the annual “Pumpkin Patch” appears. And people will be able to buy their pumpkins all the way up to Halloween. Saugonians are gearing up for lots of fun, family events that happen every fall. Stay tuned. Founders Day Sept. 14 Founders Day, one of the most popular town events of the year, will be a week late this year. It’s usually observed on the first Saturday in September. This year it will be observed on Sept. 14 instead of Sept. 7. If you are new to town, this is a great event to make new friends and learn more about your community. If you are a town resident who has never been to a Founders Day or who hasn’t been to one in years, this is a great opportunity to visit with your friends or get reacquainted with friends you haven’t seen in years. Founders Day Book Sale Sept. 14 The New Friends of the Saugus Public Library are preparing for their annual Founders Day Book Sale, which is set for Saturday, Sept. 14, in the library’s Community Room. The Friends are requesting donations of gently used adult hardcover and softcover adult, young adult and children’s books; no text books, encyclopedias or pamphlets. And please... Donate clean and newer books only; no tattered pages, odors, stains or faded/battered/dirty covers! Books may be dropped off at the Library’s Main Circulation Desk during normal business hours. Please do not place donations in the outdoor book as well as colleges, streets and parks. This summer Salem, Lexington, and other Massachusetts towns have held reenactments, vintage balls, and other events on the anniversary of his visits to each town. What makes his popularity so enduring? Historical Society president Laura Eisener will talk about this inspiring personage at the first historical society meeting of the fall on September 11, 2024 starting at 7 PM at 30 Main Street. The meeting is free and open to the public and light refreshments will be served. “Lafayette was born on September 6, 1757, which makes today his birthday. He was 19 when he first came to this continent to offer his services to General Washington, and he celebrated his 67th birthday during his 3rd and final visit to this continent when he was feted by every town he passed through.” SISTERS WITH BRAIDS AND BOOKS: Amaya and Gianna Bradley, who are attending classes at Veterans Early Learning Center this fall, were both winners in the Summer Reading Program at the Saugus Public Library. (Courtesy photo of Amy Melton) drops. The New Friends, a nonprofit organization, is a group of people with an interest in improving the Library building, programs, services and collections. The New Friends sponsor activities and provide services that benefit and stimulate interest in the Saugus Public Library by: • Presenting free programs for all ages at the Library • Purchasing museum passes for use by Saugus Public Library patrons • Purchasing books, videos, magazines and equipment for the Library • Funding the Library’s online events calendar and museum pass reservation software • Holding used book sales and the on-going used book sale in the Community Room in addition to other fund-raising events to benefit the Library • Becoming Library Volunteers Thank you for your support of the New Friends of the Saugus Public Library. Food Pantry notes The Saugus United Parish Food Pantry will be open today (Friday, Sept. 6) from 9:3011 a.m. at 50 Essex St. in the basement of Cliftondale Congregational Church. The Saugus United Parish Food Pantry welcomes all neighbors facing food insecurity. If you are able to donate to the food pantry, you can also stop by during those hours or drop donations off at the Saugus Public Library during library hours. Legion Breakfasts resume today Beginning today, American Legion Post 210 at 44 Taylor St. in Saugus will begin its 2024-25 breakfast season. There’s a good deal for Saugus veterans and other folks who enjoy a hearty breakfast on Friday mornings. Doors open at 7:30 a.m., with breakfast served from 8-9:00 a.m. for an $8 donation. Veterans who cannot afford the donation may be served free. The Mums are coming soon The 6th Annual Saugus Youth Soccer Mums Fall Fundraiser will be here in less than a week. Starting on Thursday, Sept. 12, Saugus Youth Soccer will be selling beautiful, hardy mums at Anna Parker Field at 124 Essex St. (next to the Fire Station). There will be multi colors to choose from: red, lavender, yellow, orange and white. The plants will be priced at $9 apiece and three for $25. Saugus Youth Soccer has ordered more than 300 hardy mums. So, if you want to come down and support a good cause – Saugus Youth Soccer – and take a pot or two of pretty flowers home to celebrate the colors of fall, c’mon down to Anna Parker Field while the mums last. If you have any questions, please contact Amy Freethy at AmyFreethy@hotmail.com. Saugus Historical Society has Sept. 11 plans Historical Society president Laura Eisener, author of the weekly “Saugus Gardens” column in The Saugus Advocate, wanted to alert the community to news of an interesting program that the Historical Society has planned for Sept. 11 about the Marquis de Lafayette’s 182425 tour of the United States. Laura wanted to share this information about the upcoming program, which is set for 7 p.m., Sept. 11 at the society’s office at 30 Main St.: “1824 marked the start of Lafayette’s triumphant farewell tour of the United States, which ended up lasting over a year. Many parts of the country are holding celebratory events to mark the 200th anniversary of his visits to all 24 of the states that existed at that time. After volunteering his services to the Continental Army and helping George Washington win the Revolutionary War, he returned to find his moderate views did not suit either side in the French Revolution, and as a result was forced to spend 16 years in an underground prison with his family. Eventually he was released, and came back to visit the United States, being greeted by his old friends and the public at large as a cherished hero. Even now, people are finding his views to have been ahead of his time in many ways, and new monuments have been added. At the time, his visit inspired many new towns to be named after him First Baptist Church celebrates 100 First Baptist Church at 105 Main St. will be celebrating its centennial anniversary of existence in the Town of Saugus on Sunday, Sept. 22 at 3 p.m. Pastor Leroy Mahoney will officiate the service. Rev. Franklin Murray of Bethel Baptist Church will be the guest preacher. For more details, please go to htps:// www.firstbaptistsaugus.org/ Elks plan Alcohol/Drug Recovery program Sept. 16 The Saugus-Everett Elks Drug Awareness Committee is sponsoring an Alcohol and Drug Recovery presentation from 10 to 11 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 16 at the Saugus Senior Center (466 Central St. in Saugus). This will be an hour-long 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 781-231-4178 to attend. Walk-ins are also welcome. Coach T.’s Cross Country for kids The Saugus Youth Cross THE SOUNDS | SEE PAGE 18
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