THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, OCTObEr 17, 2025 Page 15 The Sounds of Saugus By Mark E. Vogler Good morning, Saugus The Town Election is 18 days away. Registered voters will go to the polls on Nov. 4 to elect the next Board of Selectmen (five contested seats), the next School Committee (five contested seats), the next Town Meeting (50 seats, 40 of them contested) and one new Housing Authority member (for a four-year term). If you are a civic-minded Saugonian who takes his or her voting seriously – and you have no evening plans for Wednesday, Oct. 29, at 7 p.m., why not spend a couple of hours in the second floor auditorium of your historic Town Hall in Saugus Center listening as the nine candidates running for Selectmen answer randomly-selected questions drawn from a fish bowl? Those citizens who attend will get one final chance to see all of the Board of Selectmen candidates sitting together at a long table in front of a packed audience, nine people trying to make a case on why they should be elected to one of the five seats while answering questions submitted by Saugus citizens on a wide range of issues. This forum is being organized by a group of citizens and The Saugus Advocate. The doors will open at 6:30 p.m. We’re hoping to have a color guard unit from Saugus Boy Scout 62 and a special appearance by an esteemed musical group from Saugus High School who will perform the National Anthem to open the evening on a high note. Other plans are in the works to make this a classy and productive event that, hopefully, will lead to the betterment of Saugus and spur similar candidate forums in future election years. Win or lose, each of the nine candidates has something to offer to the ongoing dialogue, which is aimed at improving the quality of life for all Saugus residents. For any of our readers who would like to contribute questions that will be placed in a fishbowl that night, you may email me at mvogeatcomcast. net. Please insert in the subject SIGNS FOR A CAUSE: Kristy Baker, a kindergarten teacher at the Veterans Early Learning Center (VELC) in Saugus, displayed the signs she made to promote a one-day Pop-Up Thrift Shop run by school staff that raised more than $7,000 to support breast cancer awareness. For details, please read this week’s “Sounds of Saugus” column. (Courtesy photo of Emily Puteri, assistant principal at the VELC). line of your email “Candidate Night 10/29.” The questions asked by the moderator will be drawn randomly, so please phrase the question directed at all candidates running. Stay tuned for more details. Fun Fall Fest today at Blessed Sacrament Church There will be a Fun Fall Fest sponsored by WIN Waste Innovations from 4 to 6 pm today (October 17) at Blessed Sacrament Church, at 14 Summer St., Saugus. There will be a live DJ, bounce house, pumpkin painting and more. The entry fee is a donation of any amount to the Boys & Girls Club. WIN Waste will match all community donations made during the event. Support an incredible nonprofit while having fun with your friends, family and neighbors. Another batch of pumpkins to replenish the patch Another “Pumpkin Truck” arrived at the First Congregational Church in Saugus Center this past Saturday (Oct. 11). Plenty of pumpkins of all sizes are now displayed on the church lawn and will be available for purchase every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Halloween, Oct. 31. Pumpkin Patch coordinator Carl Spencer said, “We very much appreciate the volunteers who unloaded the truck including students from the Pioneer Charter School and Saugus High School as well as people from the community and the church who made it happen. A special thanks to Scott Cogliano for off-loading the truck and Bob Camuso, administrator of Anything in Our Town of Saugus Facebook, for providing our updates. Their help has been outstanding and much appreciated. Without their help the task would have been impossible.” Visit the Pumpkin Patch! It offers a great way to get in the fall spirit. “Shout Outs” for SAVE Joyce Rodenhiser offered multiple “Shout Outs” for members of the Saugus Action Volunteers for the Environment (SAVE) who were instrumental in the success of the recent environmental forum for the candidates running for the Board of Selectmen in the Nov. 4 Town Election: “Pam Goodwin works tirelessly behind the scenes setting up and seeing to details of Environmental Candidates night and other presentations for SAVE. “Margie Hunter who has served as Vice President of SAVE for a long time - always creating lovely pieces to raffle off. “Stephanie Shalkowski, co-president of SAVE, for her continued work and thoughtful speeches. “Mary Kinsell, Treasurer of SAVE, for her honest assessments and timely paying of bills. “And, Ann Devlin, co-president of SAVE, who pours over details of so many SAVE events even though she lives out of town.” 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 (mvogeatcomcast.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. A Pop-Up Thrift Shop at the VELC raises more than $7,000 for breast cancer awareness The Veterans Early Learning Center (VELC) in Saugus turned generosity and creativity into action this month, hosting a one-day Pop-Up Thrift Shop that raised more than $7,000 to support breast cancer awareness. Over just two short weeks, VELC staff collected gently used clothing, shoes, handbags, jewelry and accessories from colleagues, families and community members. The cafeteria was transformed into a vibrant community thrift store for a day, complete with organized clothing racks, displays and cheerful volunteers from every corner of the school. In addition to thrift treasures, the event featured a raffle table stocked with gift cards and items generously donated by local businesses, and a bake sale table overflowing with homemade treats from staff. The idea for the event began with a shared purpose among staff, many of whom are breast cancer survivors or have close connections to those affected. What started as a simple idea to honor Breast Cancer Awareness Month quickly became a schoolwide labor of love. “We wanted to do something meaningful that also brought our staff and community together,” said Assistant Principal Emily Puteri. “Many of our staff bond over thrift shopping, so this felt like the perfect way to combine something we love with something that truly matters,” she said. The result was a day filled with laughter, teamwork and an overwhelming spirit of giving. Community members left with great finds, and VELC staff left with full hearts — knowing their efforts made a real difference. The Veterans Early Learning Center plans to make the Pop-Up Thrift Shop an annual event, celebrating community, compassion and connection! Saugus United Parish Food Pantry The Saugus United Parish Food Pantry is open today (Friday, Oct. 17) 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) THE SOUNDS | SEE PAGE 16
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