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THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, SEpTEmbEr 16, 2022 Page 13 The Sounds of Saugus By Mark E. Vogler A great day for Saugus Good morning, Saugus! What a great day it was for folks who decided to hit Saugus Center for the 41st Annual Founders Day last Saturday. The weather was great. And people of all ages seemed to be enjoying themselves. I’ve been to all six of the Founders Day Saturdays that the town has hosted during the last seven years (the 2020 Founders Day got canceled because of health concerns about COVID-19). And I would have to say this was a special one. Donna Gould, the beloved founder of Founders Day, has been in declining health in recent years. And she wasn’t around town for last year’s event, and a lot of folks didn’t expect to see her this year. But when it came time for the presentation of this year’s “Person of the Year” Awards at about 12:30 p.m., Donna was there along with her best friend, Kathy Blasingame (a 1995 “Person of the Year” recipient), and other past recipients of this prestigious award to Saugonians who have contributed greatly to the betterment of their community. I didn’t recognize her at first because it’s been two years since I last saw her. But she recognized me right away and gave me a huge hug. A lot of people were hugging Donna before and after the ceremony. For me, seeing her again was a highlight of this year’s Founders Day. It was a heartwarming moment when she was recognized and applauded by the other living recipients who turned out for the ceremony. It’s quite a tradition that has been done since 1993, publicly honoring the man and woman of the year – a vote taken by a meeting of past recipients. The 1989-92 honorees were all men before Founders Day organizers decided to get with the times and start honoring deserving women, too. For me, it’s always a moving moment when the Master of Ceremonies (This year it was 2015 “Person of the Year” recipient Joyce Rodenhiser) reads off a full list of past recipients. It’s almost like a quick Saugus history lesson of who’s who among the town’s great citizens over the past four decades. This year’s recipients were great choices – Thomas Sheehan (Saugus High Class of 1947) and Laura Eisener (Saugus High School Class of 1973). I have had the pleasure of interviewing both recipients for “The Advocate Asks” question and answer feature. Both are proud, civic-minded Saugonians who have done a lot for the betterment of their hometown. And to see “The Founders Day Founder,” Donna Gould, welcoming them to this special club last Saturday made the occasion even more special. Donna is a 2002 “Citizen of the Year” Award recipient. Everybody loves Gino! Another high point of Founders Day was watching Gino Figliola, of Haverhill, perform on the drums and watching the way the crowd responded to him. Gino and his agent – or, rather his mom, Brenda Figliola – have become regulars at Founders Day over the years since 2015, when he first performed as a nineyear-old. “It’s my way of giving back to the community I grew up in,” Brenda told me a few years ago. Gino has no direct connection to Saugus, but the town residents who watch him play apparently love him, appreciate his drumming skills and welcome him every time he returns to Saugus for another performance. Gino is 16 ½ and in the ninth grade at Whittier Tech. He’s been drumming for 16 years of his life, according to Brenda. “He mainly plays drums, but knows how to play guitar and bass as well. He has performed for seven years for Saugus Founders Day,” Brenda says. Gino’s brother, Rocco, is 14 ½ and also attends Whittier Tech. He is also musically talented. He mainly plays guitar, but also plays the drums, bass keyboard and trombone. “Both my parents loved music and were a big influence on us,” Brenda told me. “My parents moved out of Saugus [in] 1978. I am not a Saugus grad. I graduated from Peabody High. I lived in Saugus for 12 years and only went to Lynnhurst School,” she said. But Saugus remains part of her roots – and for good reason. “I have seven siblings and five of them graduated from Saugus High School,” she said. Founders Day Reflections While the weather was great, it’s too bad more Saugus residents weren’t able to get out and enjoy the Founders Day festivities. Some people may still be concerned about the spread of COVID-19, so that could have contributed to some folks staying away. I also noticed that there were fewer booths than in past years. Again, COVID-19 may have had something to do with that. All in all, it was a successful event for the town and its residents. It would be great to see more young people attend – and not just for the fun and games. It’s a way for them to get closer to their Saugus roots and develop an appreciation for what the community’s founding fathers – and more recently, the “Citizen of the Year” Award recipients – did in the history of this town. It’s a great opportunity for them to learn about their local history – and the people whose contributions are celebrated by Founders Day. Founders Day honors the Citizens of Saugus – past and present. It’s a great tradition to keep going. Mums for Youth Soccer Starting today (Friday, Sept. 16), Saugus Youth Soccer will be selling beautiful, hardy mums at Anna Parker Field at 124 Essex St. (next to Fire Station). There will be multiple colors to choose from – red, lavender, yellow, orange and white – priced at $8.00 each. The mums will be sold starting today around 5 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and Sunday (if needed) 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. They have ordered over 300 hardy mums, so don’t hesitate and come down to the field to support Saugus Youth Soccer! Thank you and if you have any questions please contact Mary Migliore at mry8765@aol.com or 781-521-5081. Multiple “Shout-outs” this week! It’s always a great week for The Saugus Advocate when we receive several nominations from readers for folks they think are deserving of a few shout-outs. The more, the merrier, I always say. This week, we heard from: Albert Rodenhiser: “Let’s have Shout Outs, please, for Donna Gould and Kathy Blasingame.Donna Gould started Founders Day thirty years ago and Kathy Blasingame has helped her all along!All that you see in Saugus Center on Founders Day is a result of their ideas and the work of their committees through these last Thirty years!!Such a lot of volunteer work!! Debra Dion Faust, Building Manager for American Legion Post 210: “Cpl Scott J Procopio Saugus American Legion would like to Shout Out and give a big thank you to all those who supported the Legion at Founder’s Day by buying a raffle ticket or purchasing hand-crocheted goods of various kinds. The winner of this year’s basket of $250 in scratch tickets was Lisa Tracia.” Jeanie Bartolo, the Precinct 6 Town Meeting member who initiated the “Shout-Out” feature in “The Sounds of Saugus” column and has been a frequent contributor ever since: “I have two ‘Shout Outs’: “The first ‘Shout Out’ goes to Laurie Davis congratulating her on being appointed as Director of the Saugus Senior Center. Laurie is beloved by all who frequent the Senior Center and could not be happier for her! “The second ‘Shout Out’ goes to Crystal Cakounes. After working nearly a year as Interim Director she was just appointed Director of the Youth & Recreation Department. Congratulations and best of luck Crystal!!” Michelle Nadeau, senior marketing strategist at WIN Waste Innovations, wanted to recognize Eugene Decareau for being one of 32 people recently receiving the “New England Community Champion Award” from the New England Patriots Foundation: “Gene Decareau is an absolute gem. “We chose him from hundreds of community partners we work with in the region and we are proud to see him honored for all the good that he has done in the community for more than a half-century.” Sue Fleming: “I would like to give a Shout Out to the Saugus Public Library for all of the wonderful programs they have done over the summer. There were so many things for the kids of Saugus to take advantage of, the programs at the Saugus Iron Works, the new teen program they are starting, the reading groups for kids and adults over the summer, the adult coloring group and the on-going book sale. We are lucky to have a wonderful library in our town. Thanks to the entire library staff! From Sue Fleming aka Maddy, Jack and Isabella’s Nana.” Joanie Allbee: “CONGRATULATIONS to Woman of the Year 2022 Laura Eisener!!! A BIG Shout out to such a talented exceptional woman! She’s such a GREAT person! All around in everything Laura does, there is a caring excellence in her quality. Laura aims to GIVE her very best, even when no one’s looking. Laura’s a fine true friend. 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. Legion breakfasts resume We received this announcement from Debra Dion Faust, the House Manager of Saugus American Legion Post 210: “At last night’s (Aug. 30) E-Board meeting it was decided that, when we reopen the breakfast at the American Legion for the 2022-23 season on Friday, September 9, with breakfast served from 8 - 9 a.m., we will need to raise the donation for it to $8 rather than $7 due to the great increase in the price of food. “I will be sending out an email to those of our guests who have signed onto a group emailing list laying this out, on Friday, September 2, but I thought you might want the information to include in The Advocate. (And thank you.) ...” Even with the increase, this is welcome news for the folks who look forward to the Friday morning breakfasts at Legion Hall. Bon appétit! We have a winner! Congratulations to Patricia Arsenault for making the right identification in last week’s “Guess Who Got Sketched!” contest. Patricia was one of several readers answering correctly. But she was the only one to have her name picked in a drawing from the green Boston Red Sox cap. Here’s the correct answer, offered by the person who goes by the name of The Sketch Artist: “The answer to last week’s sketch is U.S. Army Veteran THE SOUNDS | SEE PAGE 14

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