THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, SEpTEmbEr 18, 2026 Page 11 The Pumpkin Patch returns to Saugus Center on Sept. 26 F or the 24th year, First Congregational Church in Saugus Center will again host the Annual Pumpkin Patch, which will run from Sept. 26 through Halloween. Pumpkins of all sizes will be displayed on the church lawn and will be available for purchase every day from 10:00 a.m. to 6 p.m. What began as a fundraiser for the church’s Youth Group has continued to flourish as somewhat of a communitywide autumn attraction. Saugus is one of several communities that participates in a program called Pumpkin Patch USA, which coordinates the destination of the pumpkins from the Navajo Reservation in Farmington, N.M., to communities all over the country. The church and the Navajo Reservation both benefit from the sale of pumpkins. But the agreement the church has with Pumpkin Patch USA won’t allow the sale of any pumpkins after Halloween. Any leftover pumpkins on Nov. 1 will be available for free. The “Pumpkin Truck” will arrive Saturday, September 26, at 9 a.m. with lots of pumpkins. People who would like to help unload the truck are asked to arrive at the church by 9 a.m. For information, please contact Carl Spencer (781-2339196). “THE PUMPKIN PATCH” looks forward to having everyone come and enjoy this great fall event. THE PUMPKIN BRIGADE: Volunteers from a previous year unloaded pumpkins at the First Congregational Church “Pumpkin Patch” in Saugus Center. Volunteers are needed again, on September 26, to help with this year’s unloading. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate) Founders Day Heroes H ere is a list of the past “Persons of the Year” since the award became a key part of Saugus Founders Day in 1989. In 1993, separate awards were presented to a woman and a man selected for the honor. On two occasions, a husband and wife shared the honor for one of the awards (1999 and 2000), so there were three residents honored in both years. During the 36 years that the award has been presented (Nobody was honored during two years of COVID-19), there have been 70 honorees. Past honorees convene each year before Founders Day to vote on nominations for a new “Woman of the FOUNDERS DAY | FROM PAGE 6 I had passed the bar exam, the town elected me to the School Committee,” he said. He credits the town for his being able to run a productive law practice for over 50 years. “If I am able to give back to this town, it’s only because of what the town has done for me. I thank the town for their belief in me, for their confidence and their support,” he said. State Rep. Donald Wong (R-Saugus) and state Rep. Jessica Ann Giannino (D-Revere) Year” and “Man of the Year.” 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.” Year – Recipient 1989 – Stanley Day 1990 – William McKinney 1991 – Belden Bly 1992 – Dr. Herb Upton 1993 – Alice Vail & James Virnelli 1994 – Barbara MacKenzie & John Lumsden 1995 – Kathy Blasingame & Edwin “Bucker” Holmes presented Cicolini and Chang Citations on behalf of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. On behalf of State Sen. Brendan Crighton (D-Lynn), the two representatives presented a Citation from the Massachusetts State Senate to Cicolini and Chang. The two “Person of the Year” award recipients also received a Citation signed by all five members of the Saugus Board of Selectmen. Board of Selectmen Chair Debra Panetta shared some of her personal experiences 1996 – Rosemary DeGregorio & Clayton Trefry 1997 – Marie Poitras & Rev. Walter Smith 1998 – Therese Nolan & Ken Barnes 1999 – Louise Rossetti & Nancy & Earl Ellis 2000 – Barbara & Ralph Badger & Charles Aftosmes 2001 – Carol Cashman & Dr. Frederick Wagner 2002 – Donna Gould & Rev. Roger Nelson 2003 – Florence Chandler & Norman Hansen 2004 – Ellen Burns & Carmine Moschella 2005 – Janet Leuci & John Burns 2006 – Marilyn Carlson & and observations about this year’s Founders Day “Persons of the Year.” “I’ve always known Julie for being a warm, compassionate and incredibly intelligent person who consistently goes above and beyond to help others,” Panetta said of Cicolini. “Her compassion, dedication and willingness to help others are truly what makes Julie so deserving of this recognition. … Thank you for all the work you do for the children and the families of Saugus and your outstanding dedication Richard Barry Davis Brooks 2009 – Ann Marie Crowell & Harry Mazman 2010 – Shirley Bogdan & Doug Cooper 2011 – Katie Galenius & Stephen Rich 2012 – Dorothy Amsden & Peter Bogdan 2013 – “Margie” Berkowitch & Stephen Carlson 2014 – Ann Devlin & Gordon Shepard 2015 – Joyce Rodenhiser & Timothy Hawkes 2016 – Donna Manoogian & Edward Carlson and service to our community,” she said. Panetta recalled back in 2003 when she and Chang were both appointed to the Family-related Apartment Committee. “Since then, we’ve had the opportunity to work together on a number of community efforts, including serving on the Saugus Business Education Collaborative for many years,” Panetta said. “Over that time, I have come to appreciate Nelson’s dedication to our community and his willingness to give his time 2007 – Jean Banks & Bob 2008 – Janice Jarosz & Fred Long 2017 – Ruth Berg & Robert 2018 – Janette Fasano & Peter Manoogian 2019 – Debra Dion-Faust & Randy Briand 2020 – No recipients/event canceled (COVID-19) 2021 – Event held, but no recipients (COVID-19) 2022 – Laura Eisener & Thomas Sheehan 2023 – Gail Cassarino & Jack Klecker 2024 – Mary Dunlop and William Boomhower 2025 – Nancy Prag and Eugene Decareau 2026 – Julie Cicolini and Nelson Chang and energy to causes that matter to Saugus. We all know of Nelson’s longtime commitment to the Lions and the many ways he has supported organizations, events and initiatives throughout our town,” she said. “He has consistently demonstrated his belief in giving back and doing what he can to make Saugus a better place. Community service is not about showing up. It’s all about showing up, getting involved and making a difference. And Nelson has certainly done that over the years.”
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