11

THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020 Page 11 THE SOUNDS OF SAUGUS | FROM PAGE 10 Arthur also wanted to offer public praise to “Wendy Reed and her tireless workers who provide food for the less fortunate at the Saugus food pantry every week... and with Thanksgiving just around the corner, they are preparing to see that needy families get a frozen turkey as well as other groceries to enjoy at Thanksgiving time...God bless them!!!” 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 the mention in the subject line of “An Extra ShoutOut.” No more than a paragraph; anything longer might lend itself to a story and/or photo. Watch out for the fraudsters! The Saugus Police Department issued a recent press release warning residents of scammers posing as Saugus Police Officers. Police Chief Michael Ricciardelli said his department received two reports from people who said they had been contacted by phone by someone claiming to be a Saugus Police Officer and demanding money. In one instance, a woman reported that a person claiming to be a Saugus Police Officer demanded $8,000 from her. “It’s sad and unfortunate to see scammers posing as trusted individuals in the community,” Chief Ricciardelli said. “It’s important to remember that you should never provide personal information on the phone if you didn’t start the call, and don’t know where it originates from.” Chief Ricciardelli warns residents that a police officer will never contact you by phone to solicit payment. The Massachusetts’s Attorney General’s Office provides these tips for residents to protect themselves from other scams and frauds: z Do not give out your credit card information to someone calling over the phone. z Do not give in to the pressure to make a decision immediately. z If in doubt, do not give out your information. Report anyone claiming to be a government worker to local police. z Monitor incoming calls. Do not pick up unknown numbers or random calls. If a call is important, the caller will leave a message. z If you do pick up and learn it is a scam call, do not engage. Just hang-up. If anyone has questions or feels like they have been victimized, they are encouraged to call the Saugus Police Department at 781-941-1199. Beware of these online fraudsters! If you spend a lot of time on the computer and have an email address, don’t get sucked into the daily scams that go on. When you open an email that looks like a bank, business, the U.S. Postal Service or even your computer service, be careful not to hit the bar in the body of the email that allows the scam artist to get into your computer account and cause serious damage. It seems like every week I get a few emails from the Post Office telling me about a package that couldn’t be delivered to my home because nobody was at home. Normally, you get a card left in your rural mailbox or at the front door. I have received a bunch of these “unsuccessful package delivery” emails lately. Don’t fall for these. And don’t fall for the one that is sent to you under the heading of Comcast that says your email service is being updated and if you don’t respond, you may lose it. And anything having to do with financial institutions – stop! Delete the email. Don’t give out personal information that could lead to the theft of money from your bank account. Stay tuned. One-day trash delay due to holiday The Town of Saugus reminds residents that the trash and recycling collection will continue on a one-day delay through tomorrow (Saturday, Nov. 14), due to the observance of Veterans Day. The compost site will be open normal hours, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., tomorrow. The Town of Saugus would like to thank everyone for their cooperation. Please contact Solid Waste/Recycling Coordinator Lorna Cerbone at 781-231-4036 with any questions. Several opportunities to serve Saugus If you are in a civic-minded mood and feel like serving your town on a volunteer board, the Board of Selectmen is accepting applications for appointment to: The Affordable Housing Trust Board of Trustees The Cultural Council The Cemetery Commission Those who are interested in one or more of these positions may submit letter of interest/resume no later than Dec. 31 to: Saugus Board of Selectmen Saugus Town Hall, Suite #4 298 Central St. Cultural Council seeks funding proposals Attention, creative people! The Saugus Cultural Council is looking for you. Proposals for community-oriented arts, humanities and science programs will be considered for possible grants totaling $7,000. The council has set a Dec. 14 deadline for organizations, schools and individuals to apply for grants that support cultural activities in the community. According to Council Chair Mike Sullivan, these grants can support a variety of artistic projects and activities in Saugus – including exhibits, festivals, field trips, short-term artist residencies, performances in schools, workshops and lectures. The Saugus Cultural Council is part of a network of 329 Local Cultural Councils (LCC) serving all 351 cities and towns in the Commonwealth. The LCC Program is the largest grassroots cultural funding network in the nation, supporting thousands of community-based projects in the arts, sciences and humanities every year. The state legislature provides an annual appropriation to the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency, which then allocates funds to each community. Previously funded Saugus projects have included a field trip to see Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” an artist workshop at Breakheart Reservation, dramatic performances and local author speaking engagements. For local guidelines and complete information on the Saugus Cultural Council, contact Mike Sullivan at michaelsullivan027@gmail.com. Application forms and more information about the LCC Program are available online at www.mass-culture.org or https://mcc.smartsimple.com/s_Login.jsp. Be on the PEG Cable Access Board Feel like doing some volunteer work for the Town of Saugus? Well, Wendy Reed, Clerk of the Saugus Board of Selectmen, told us about this opportunity: The Saugus Board of Selectmen is accepting applications for appointment to the PEG Cable Access Board of Directors in Saugus. These are volunteer/nonpaid positions for Saugus residents. Those interested may submit letter of interest/resume to: Saugus Board of Selectmen Saugus Town Hall 298 Central St. Saugus For more details, please call Wendy at (781) 231-4124. Fall Curbside Leaf Collection dates The Town of Saugus announced that the Fall Curbside Leaf Collection will take place during the following weeks: Nov. 16–20 and Nov. 30–Dec. 4. Residents should place leaves outside by 7 a.m. during their regularly scheduled collection day. Please ensure that leaf containers are physically separated from trash and recycling. Paper leaf bags are the preferred method of leaf disposal. However, if using barrels, they must be clearly marked with yard waste stickers. Stickers, which are free, may be obtained at Inspectional Services in the lower level of Town Hall at 298 Central St. in Saugus. Barrel covers must remain removed so that the leaves are visible. Plastic bags, cardboard boxes, branches and brush will not be accepted. Please note that separate trucks collect the rubbish, recycling and leaves, so the leaves may be collected at a different time of day. “Missed pick-ups” will not be conducted. Please contact Lorna Cerbone at 781-231-4036 with any questions. Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus (HS2) The Grab-N-Go meals program is back for another year at the Saugus Public Schools to keep needy students from going hungry. Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus (HS2), in partnership with Whitsons Food Service, runs the program. Breakfasts and lunches are available for pick up at Veterans Memorial School at 39 Hurd Ave. every Tuesday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. weekly until further notice, according to Julie Cicolini, a board member with HS2. “Students will receive meals for Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at the Tuesday pick up,” Cicolini said. “Students will receive meals for Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays at the Friday pick up. This will ensure that meals are available for seven days a week…As a reminder, please maintain social distancing with food service employees and wear a mask during pick up.” HS2 is a nonprofit group that helps to offset food insecurity in households. HS2 provides a weekend supply of nutritious food for weekends or school holidays during the school year. For more information or assistance, please email hs2information@gmail.com or visit the Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus Facebook page. Food Pantry still open The Saugus United Parish Food Pantry will continue to remain open on Fridays between 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. despite concerns over the Coronavirus. But they have made adjustments to protect their core of volunteers and the needy people who receive the food. “For the protection of our volunteers & clients, and to limit personal contact & crowding/gathering, the food pantry has been distributing pre-bagged groceries,” said Wendy Reed, Clerk of the Saugus Board of Selectmen, who also oversees the operation of the all-volunteer food pantry. “We understand clients may receive items they don’t want or need, but feel this is the best course of action to mitigate the potential spread of COVID-19. Those in need, even for short-term or one-time assistance, are encouraged to come.” The food pantry is in the basement of Cliftondale Congregational Church at 50 Essex St. in Saugus. Food help for Veterans Saugus offers a Veterans Food Pantry on the third Wednesday of each month. “We have been holding it in Melrose since the Saugus Senior Center has been closed,” Saugus Veterans’ Service Officer Jay Pinette says. “The pantry provides a mix of fresh produce and non-perishable foods. The pantry is open to Veterans and/or surviving spouses. Registration is required and may be done by contacting the Veterans Services Office…The food market is generally held at the Saugus Senior Center, but given the current COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently offering a contact-free, drive-thru food pantry at Memorial Hall on Main Street in Melrose. If you are unable to pick-up, some limited deliveries may be available. This offering is year round. Please call the Saugus Veterans’ Service Office at 781-231-4010 or e-mail VeteransServices@saugus-ma.gov in order to register. Proof of Veteran status is required.” Library Front Door Pickup at the Saugus Public “We continue to offer our popular Front Door Pickup service from the Central Street foyer on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. THE SOUNDS OF SAUGUS | SEE PAGE 15

12 Publizr Home