Page 14 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2021 Sweet Dreams By Gini Pariseau I t was an especially dark night. The moon was only showing a sliver of itself. It looked like it had been dipped in chocolate. A hint of cloud that looked like a scoop of marshmallow fluff could be seen beside the sliver of moon. It was a night for sweet dreams. Some girls and boys knew what time of year it was by the change in the weather. Some knew by the amount of shopping their parents suddenly did. Others knew by the name of the month on the calendar…December! It was the time of year to be especially good. It was a night to catch a sweet dream. Sweet dreams love an especially dark night. They fly around out there by the dozens, bumping into each other, trying to find a lovely little sleeping child to share their magic. It is a very difficult and tedious task to make the perfect match. When morning comes, all sweet dreams must be gone. All are, hopefully, in the hearts and minds of children somewhere in this world. Babies in cribs, boys and girls in their beds, sleeping bags, ~ OP-ED ~ Tips on reducing waste during the holidays A duce waste over the holidays. With thanks to the EPA, here are some ideas: zGive treasure — a favorite book, plant start, or antique. Check estate sales, flea markets, and resale shops for unique finds. zChoose recycled or sustainably sourced materials. Shop local to support area shops, makers, and artisans while reducing shipping costs and impacts. zGive “anti-matter” — event tickets, museum memberships, gift certificates, or even your time and talents. zReuse maps, comics, newsprint, kid art, or posters as gift wrap. Wrap gifts in recycled paper or a reusable bag. Or, skip the gift wrap, hide the gifts, and leave clues or trails for kids to follow. zGive rechargeable batteries with electronics. zConsider a potted tree that can be replanted, or a red cedar slated for removal during habitat/farm maintenance. zAll food-soiled paper products are commercially compostable, unless plastic- or foil-coated. zReuse packing and shipping materials. Save ribbons, bows, boxes, bags, and décor for the next holiday. zReplant, mulch, or compost your live tree. Compost food scraps. We can make a difference. If every family reused just two feet of holiday ribbon, the 38,000 miles of ribbon saved could tie a bow around the entire planet, according to Stanford University. If every American family wrapped just three presents in re-used materials, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields. If we each sent one fewer greeting s anyone who has spent time cleaning up wrapping paper or the remnants of a holiday meal knows, this is the season of celebration, giving … and waste. In fact, Americans throw away 25 percent more trash during the Thanksgiving to New Year's holiday period than any other time of year. The extra waste amounts to 25 million tons of garbage, or about 1 million extra tons per week, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). But, with a little creativity and planning, all of us can recard, we’d save 50,000 cubic yards of paper. Whether it be during the holidays or any other time of year, as always, we will be on the job, collecting and safely disposing of whatever cannot be recycled and converting it into clean, renewable energy to power local communities. At WIN Waste Innovations, supporting the needs of the communities we serve is one of many ways we bring our Performance for the Planet vision to life. From all of us at WIN Waste Innovations, we wish you a happy and sustainable holiday season. Saugus Health Dept. announces distribution of at-home COVID-19 tests (Editor’s Note: The following info is from a press release issued this week by The Town of Saugus.) T he Town of Saugus and the Saugus Health Department announced the receipt of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’s allocation of at-home COVID-19 test kits. These kits will serve as a valuable additional tool in the fight against the spread of COVID-19 and bringing an end to the ongoing pandemic. These kits will be initially allocated to vulnerable populations – including seniors, severely immunocompromised residents and those in low-income housing – as well as places of worship and local food banks. It is hoped that the general public understands the need to allocate these resources to those with the greatest need first and also understands the very limited quantity that was given to the Town of Saugus by the Commonwealth based on income demographics. The Town of Saugus continues to encourage Saugus residents to continue to utilize programs – including the free Stop the Spread drive-through testing site at the Square One Mall, 1204 Broadway from 2-7 p.m., Monday through Saturday – for all testing needs. According to the Commonwealth, this program has been extended until March 31, 2022. The Stop the Spread testing site allows the Commonwealth and local communities to track and trace new positive cases. In addition, this also allows communities to reach out to help those families that are in need. For Advertising with Results, call The Advocate Newspapers at 781-233-4446 or Info@advocatenews.net After the first allocations are concluded, the Saugus Board of Health will make the remainder of tests available to the general public on a first come, first served basis while the Board’s limited supply lasts. All distribution will require registration with the Health Department in order to receive test kits. Please call 781-231-4117 to register to receive test kits (max one kit per household). “While, we at the Town of Saugus understand that the supply cannot meet the demand for these products, especially during the holiday season, we hope that the residents of Saugus will understand that the Town and the Health Department are doing everything in their power to provide a safe and healthy community as we continue to navigate the pandemic. Thank you. “For more information, please contact Saugus Director of Public Health John R. Fralick III at 781-231-4120 or 781-2314177. Or you can email him at jfralick@saugus-ma.gov.” The COVID-19 Update Town reports 203 newly confirmed cases over the past week By Mark E. Vogler A s Saugus residents prepared for the holiday weekend celebration, town and state health officials were bracing themselves for the anticipated surge in newly confirmed COVID-19 cases. Over a seven-day period through yesterday (Thursday, Dec. 23), Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree reported that the state Department of Public Health had notified the town of 203 new cases and one additional death. That brings the total of COVID-19 cases and deaths to 5,986 and 86, respectively, since March of last year when the state Department of Public Health began keeping statistics on how the global pandemic is affecting cities and towns across Massachusetts. “Our hearts and prayers go out to those families affected by this health pandemic,” Crabtree said. Saugus continues to see a significant spike in the number of newly confirmed COVID-19 cases, prompting health officials to call on residents to exercise caution when they are in a crowd – either inside buildings or outside. Crabtree last week (Thursday, Dec. 16) reported there were 182 new cases and one additional death over the last seven days. The town has reported 717 new COVID-19 cases since Nov. 22. tents and parent’s arms – all were sound asleep and hoping for a sweet dream. Now, it was getting close to morning and getting close to December 25. There was one dream still out there this night. It was floating around frantically trying to find some child who would cherish the magic of dreaming and would want what this sweet dream had to offer. It was December and children are very particular about their sweet dreams. But, that was the hard part… what this sweet dream had to offer. It wasn’t sweet like candy or fun like doing a puzzle or riding a bike. It was plain and simple and shared in a minute. As the sun came up and the moon melted into day, somewhere in this world a little child awoke from the night and remembered the sweet dream that was shared and whispered in their ear…you are loved! How sweet it is!
15 Publizr Home