THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2020 Page 11 Community sponsors put smile on seniors’ faces during trunk-or-treat By Tara Vocino A pproximately 170 Saugus senior citizens felt Senior Center Director Joanne Olsen (good witch) handed senior citizen Shirley Fallon Halloween items. Seniors Nancy Giardina and Mary Scolastico got out of their car to take a closer look at the Halloween gifts. the community’s generosity during last Friday’s trunkor-treat at the Senior Center. Community sponsors included the Friends of the Senior Center, which sponsored a grab-and-go luncheon featuring Harrows Chicken Pies; Wheelabrator Saugus donated pumpkins and bottles of honey, and Chestnut Woods Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center donated cookies, according to Senior Center Director Joanne Olsen. Senior Center staff hand-delivered these items inside seniors’ cars while socially distant in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Senior Center Director Joanne Olsen (good witch) was glad to see seniors Charles and Sis Varney. Senior Carolyn Gunther said her favorite item was Harrows chicken potpie, while Judith Rigano’s favorite was a pumpkin. Pauline Nelson, Wheelabrator Saugus Community Relations Specialist Stephanie Mastrocola and Ed Nelson said the event made them aware of the community’s generosity. GARDENS | FROM PAGE 8 called cataract palms. Cataract palm (Chamaedorea cataractarum), which is native to Mexico and Central America, is also known as cat palm or cascade palm. It often grows along rivers and waterfalls, and even in its native habitat is rarely over six feet in height. The entire family gets into the gardening project and helps out with the maintenance demanded by these Board of Directors Member Gloria Johnson said she’s grateful for the support from the Senior Center and the community, especially during the pandemic. special plants. Janai Matt says, “My husband and I love the feel and beauty of the tropical plants. It gives us the opportunity to bring the tropics to us. Our neighbors also enjoy it and tell us they love to see the palm trees. My husband was a landscape designer many years ago, and has always enjoyed gardening.” In addition to the tropical plants, there are many other interesting horticultural features, such as pruned topiary and a pale pink ‘Queen Elizabeth’ rose that nearly reaches the roof! Of course we are all keeping an eye out for the inevitable frost which puts an end to the gardening season. Some of the Matts’ tropical plants can winter over in their sunroom; bulbs, such as the cannas, can be stored dormant overwinter, but the palms are too tall to fit in the house. The tropical hibiscus is a popular house plant, and some people manWheelabrator Saugus Communications Officer Stephanie Mastrocola appreciated veteran William Stewart’s Old Sachem mask. (Advocate photos by Tara Vocino) age to keep them for a number of years, though part of the challenge is that the tropical plants don’t always like the same temperatures and humidity that the human residents do. The travel restrictions put in place because of COVID-19 this year make it seem less likely that most of us will be experiencing a tropical climate any time soon, but this family seems to have found a great antidote. Editor’s Note: Laura Eisener is a landscape design consultant who helps homeowners with landscape design, plant selection and placement of trees and shrubs, as well as perennials. She is a member of the Saugus Garden Club and offered to write a series of articles about “what’s blooming in town, since so many people have taken to walking the streets in their neighborhoods as a way to get some exercise and get out of the house!”
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