THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – WEDnESDAy, nOVEmbEr 27, 2024 Page 15 The Sounds of Saugus By Mark E. Vogler Good morning, Saugus The spirit of Thanksgiving was alive and well in the basement of Cliftondale Congregational Church on Saturday morning. More than 40 volunteers showed up in the basement – home of the Saugus United Parish Food Pantry – to hand out turkeys with all of the trimmings to about 140 families who might not otherwise get to enjoy the conventional Thanksgiving Day. Each meal contained a box of fresh produce and a bag of nonperishable items to complete the meal. From what I observed over a couple of hours, it was clear that there was a lot of love flowing as the corps of volunteers helped members of needy families carry out the meal to their cars. And the recipients of these meals were pretty grateful. It was great to see Saugus High Football Head Coach Steve Cummings, a few assistant coaches and many of this year’s Sachems team participate in the event before they headed off to practice on a cold, rainy day. Team Captain Cody Munafo told me it was an experience that touched his heart, and one that he will remember every Thanksgiving going forward. Tenth graders Rose Means and Andrea Montenegro said it was heart-warming for them to feel the gratitude of the people they helped on Saturday. It helped them understand how fortunate they are to have a sit-down Thanksgiving Day meal every year and how too many people take the meal for granted. My favorite meal of the year For a lot of people I’ve encountered during my travels as a reporter, turkey and all of the trimmings on Thanksgiving is just another meal. For those less fortunate people showing up at the food pantry on Saturday, it was a huge deal. It’s always been a big deal to me, from my childhood on. I’ve always seen it as a time for family and friends to gather around the table for a delicious 44 Taylor St. in Saugus offers Friday morning breakfasts for the 2024-25 season. Doors open at 7:30 a.m., with breakfast served from 8-9:00 a.m. for an $8 donation. Veterans who cannot afford the donation may be served free. No new Legion Hall bookings till 2025 The American Legion Post 210 announced recently that it will honor any contract it has signed for a party from now through the end of December, but will not book any new ones until after the first of the year. This week’s “SHOUT OUTs” Here’s a mega “Shout Out” from the Saugus United Food Pantry: “The Saugus United Parish GRATEFUL ABUNDANCE: The Saugus Advocate wishes all of our readers a happy, healthy and safe Thanksgiving Day. (Courtesy photo of painting of this cornucopia by Joanie Allbee) meal – usually prepared by somebody who stayed up all night to make sure everything was just right. I know what goes into it firsthand from watching my mom at work all those years. Her turkey dressing was delicious. And I loved the way she blended the carrots with the mashed potatoes. It was a great meal. The best. In November of 1973 during the fall of my senior year at UMass Amherst, I drove all the way from Washington, D.C., dropping off some fellow interns in Central and Western Massachusetts before heading to Swansea. It was probably a 500-mile trip. I remember driving through torrential rain to make it home for that meal prepared with lots of love. I might have got in at 3 a.m. or later. But my mom was still up preparing that special meal. During the parts of 10 years I spent in Florida and Texas – times when I couldn’t get home for Thanksgiving – I always got at least one invitation to enjoy Thanksgiving in somebody’s home. And I was never disappointed. Sometimes I would join some of my newsroom friends. Count your blessings On this particular holiday, it’s always a nice time to pause and reflect on all of the good things in life that we too often take for granted. Last Friday, I went in for my annual wellness visit at the office of my primary care physician. I was a little apprehensive going into the checkup. But I’m happy to report that I had pretty good numbers. Sure, I could stand to lose some weight. But all of the results from the blood work I had done was positive. And I had an encouraging conversation with my primary care physician. So, as I near my 72nd birthday, I’m grateful that my health is good enough to allow me to continue working as a newspaperman. But I’m hoping that the storm forecast for Thanksgiving Day doesn’t materialize and threaten my travel plans to Southeastern Massachusetts, where I hope to enjoy another Thanksgiving Day buffet with my brother Wayne at White’s of Westport. Best wishes to all of our readers and Saugus residents for a happy, healthy and safe Thanksgiving. Holiday Trash Delay The Town of Saugus announces that trash and recycling collection will run on a one-day delay for the Thanksgiving holiday. Trash and recycling will not be collected on Thursday, Nov. 28, due to the Thanksgiving holiday. Collection will resume on a one-day delay on Friday, Nov. 29. Residents are kindly asked to leave trash and recycling curbside by 7 a.m. the day after their normally scheduled collection day. The Town of Saugus would like to thank everyone for their cooperation. Please contact Solid Waste/ Recycling Coordinator Scott A. Brazis at 781-231-4036 with any questions. Food Pantry notes The Saugus United Parish Food Pantry will be closed on Friday, Nov. 29, in honor of the Thanksgiving Day holiday and will reopen on Friday, Dec. 6, from 9:30-11 a.m. at 50 Essex St. in the basement of Cliftondale Congregational Church. The Saugus United Parish Food Pantry welcomes all neighbors facing food insecurity. If you are able to donate to the food pantry, you can also stop by during those hours or drop donations off at the Saugus Public Library during library hours. Legion Breakfasts today There’s a good deal for Saugus veterans and other folks who enjoy a hearty breakfast on Friday mornings. The American Legion Post 210 at Food Pantry is grateful for the many people, organizations, and businesses that partner with us to fight food insecurity on a weekly basis and to provide a special Thanksgiving meal every holiday. We are grateful for our regular volunteers (Robin, David, Roger, Vinny, Donald, Karen, Jo, Steve, Sandy, Bonnie, Elizabeth, Ronnie, Mitch, Edna) and our pantry admin (Debbie), as well as for other community members who donated of their time to help us sort, pack, and distribute meal baskets with a turkey, produce box, and grocery bag to over 130 families. We are also grateful for food and financial donations from businesses like Market Basket, Price Rite, Trader Joe’s, NorthShore Bank, Saugus Everett/Elks, and also MetroCredit Union and Eastern Bank who donated the tote bags for the groceries. We also counted on generous food drives from the Saugus library, Belmonte STEAM Academy through the leadership of teacher Anita Cafarelli, and the Hammersmith Restaurant. The Saugus High Football team once again helped us carry out the meal baskets for clients and spread holiday cheer – even in the rain! We also thank the many churches of Saugus, including the Saugus Catholic Collaborative and East Saugus United MethTHE SOUNDS | SEE PAGE 17
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