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THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2021 Page 17 VOKE VOTE | FROM PAGE 8 the project. “Town Meeting has to understand there’s going to be hurt – there’s going to be significant impact if we pay through the operating budget.” Crabtree identified other potential sources of funding for the project, noting that the debt exclusion would be a preferred option and one that would go before a vote of the Saugus people. COVID-19 | FROM PAGE 1 than sitting in a regional testing site line that is now hours and hours long to wait,” he said. As Saugus residents prepared But some Town Meeting Members cautioned that the vocational school district had to get more invested in selling the project in order to secure support from Saugus voters. Precinct 2 Town Meeting Member Christopher P. Riley said the project would lose support if it were presented as a negative vote – warning that voters had to approve it or there would be consequences. for the holiday weekend celebration, town and state health officials had braced themselves for the anticipated surge in newly confirmed COVID-19 cases. “Our hearts and prayers go out THE SOUNDS OF SAUGUS | FROM PAGE 16 confirmation between Santa and parent.) “This time of year Santa’s very busy loading up the sleigh and last minute December duties! Santa oversees fattening and strengthening up the reindeer to ensure they will make that yearly world trip and making sure the Elves are having lots of fun while making toys. “Santa made these two his Chief Special North Pole Mail Elfs for all Saugus letters! Santa keeps in close contact with these two! “Only the best stationery specially designed for Santa is used to answer letters! Some of the times, John & Karen have been known to do random acts of kindness reaching out with a special delivery or two to the homes of the letter writers. “Thankyou John and Karen for ALL you do! Keep shining brightly! “Yours truly The Sketch Artist” Virtual Bingo Night at the library The Saugus Public Library Foundation will hold its second annual Virtual Bingo Night on Thursday, January 13, beginning at 7 p.m. This family fun event is open to bingo players of all ages and abilities. “Last year’s Virtual Bingo Night was a great success, and we look forward to beginning the new year with another night of fun and excitement,” Foundation President Kristen Tozza said. “We hope Saugus residents will join us as we raise funds for the Saugus Public Library’s programs and services.” The cost to participate is $25 for five cards, $40 for 10 cards, and $50 for 15 cards. Bingo cards will be sent via email after registration and payment are received. The registration deadline is January 12. To register, scan the QR Code or click on the Register Now button on the library website: www.sauguspubliclibrary.org/virtual-bingo-2/. About the Saugus Public Library Foundation: It was established in 2004 through significant gifts from the estates of Douglas Lockwood, Josephine Kibbey and Marie Weeks, as well as funds turned over by the now-disbanded environmental nonprofit Noblast, Inc. and smaller individual trust funds and bequests. The Foundation provides the means for the library to make long-range plans and commitments using the interest earned on the principal balance of the Foundation, and promote and carry out charitable and fundraising activities. To learn more about the Saugus Public Library Foundation, or to make a donation to the Saugus Public Library, please email SaugusPLF@gmail.com. Veterans Council Meeting date switched We received this email from CAPT Stephen L. Castinetti, USN (Ret.), Commander of the Saugus VeterPrecinct 10 Town Meeting Member Peter Manoogian warned Town Meeting members and project supporters that the “gun to the head” approach won’t work. He said the district didn’t brief the public well enough about the project. “This to many Saugonians is an ‘all of a sudden’ thing,” Manoogian said. “People in this town will rebel big-time,” Manoogian said, if voters are told “Here’s 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 offiwhat you are going to lose.” Manoogian suggested it would be advantageous to enlist the support of the legislators of the communities served by the school district so the state reimbursement money wouldn’t be jeopardized. Legislators can also help promote the project, he said. Manoogian said getting support for the project is going to be “a hard sell,” whether in Saugus or in the other cials to call on residents to exercise caution when they are in a crowd – either inside buildings or outside. The latest numbers released yesterday by Crabtree are more ans Council, regarding a change of dates in the upcoming Veterans Council meeting. “Good afternoon and I hope you all had a great holiday. Unfortunately, I will be out of state on January 3, 2022 so I am moving the meeting to January 10, 2022 at 1900,” Steve writes. “Hopefully that’s not a major inconvenience for anyone. “I have rapid home Covid tests available and I will have them at the meeting if anyone needs them. In the meantime, have a Happy New Year and let’s hope that 2022 is better than the first two 20’s!” CAPT Stephen L. Castinetti, USN (Ret.) Commander, Saugus Veterans Council stevecastinetti@comcast.net 781-389-3678 COVID-19 halts Friday breakfasts Concerns about COVID-19 have led to a temporary shutdown of the Friday morning breakfasts at the Saugus American Legion Cpl Scott J. Procopio Post 210 Legion Hall (located at 44 Taylor St.). We received the following email from Debra Dion Faust, Building Manager of American Legion Post 210: “Be aware that, due to a loss of one of our members to Covid (He caught it at a family wedding, not at the Legion itself.) we shut down the breakfast the Friday before Thanksgiving, intending to re-open tomorrow, December 3. “However, concerns about the new Omicron variant, the fact that the rather unseasonably warm weather actually works against us, and the fact that the success of the breakfast means that the numbers who come make it difficult to ‘socially distance,’ we took a poll of those breakfast-goers who have given us their email addresses to make notifications possible, and have made the decision to shut down the breakfast for the month of December…We plan to re-open on Friday, January 7. (We hope by that time to have had a truly hard freeze to help short-circuit transmission fears.) Thanks for your support. Have a good holiday season and a Happy New Year.” We will keep you posted on any developments affecting the Friday breakfasts at Legion Hall. Compost/Recycling Drop-Off Site temporarily closed The Town of Saugus Compost/Recycling Drop-Off site closed for the winter season on Dec. 11. However, the site will reopen from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the third Saturday of the month in January, February, and March, weather permitting. Please contact Solid Waste/Recycling Coordinator Lorna Cerbone at 781-231-4036 with any questions. Want to be a Knight? The Knights of Columbus is looking for new members to join. If interested in becoming a member of communities. Regardless of whether Saugus voters oppose the project, a majority vote of the 12 communities will enable the project to continue. At that point, Saugus officials would have to consider how the town will pay its share. It would be better for the town to initiate a debt exclusion to avoid having to pay its share of the project by making budget cuts, town officials said. than double the 203 new cases reported a week ago (on Dec. 23). The town has reported 1,163 new COVID-19 cases since Nov. 22. this local organization, please call 781-233-9858. Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus Program (Editor’s Note: The following info is from an announcement submitted by Julie Cicolini, a member of the Board of Directors for Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus, providing information about the program.) Who we are: Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus (HS2) is a nonprofit group of volunteers that are helping to offset food insecurity in households. HS2 provides students/families that enroll in the program a supply of nutritious food for when school lunches and breakfasts are unavailable to them on weekends. How HS2 can help you: HS2 bags are distributed at school on Fridays to take home. Bags include such items as peanut butter, jelly, a loaf of bread, canned meals/soups/tuna/vegetables, pasta/sauce, fruit cups, cereal, oatmeal, goldfish, pretzels and granola bars. To sign up go here to complete online form: https://forms.gle/gmMGguycSHBdziuE9. Want to partner with us: HS2 relies on donations to create take-home bags for a weekend full of meals. All food is provided to children free of charge. It is our hope these resources will support the health, behavior and achievement of every student who participates. We would love to partner with organizations, youth groups, PTO’s, businesses and individuals to assist in feeding students of Saugus. To learn more about how you can partner with us, visit the Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus Facebook page or email us at HS2Saugus@gmail.com. Checks can also be sent directly to: Salem Five C/O Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus, 855-5 Broadway, Saugus, MA 01906. Online donations can also be made at https://givebutter.com/HealthySaugus. Let’s hear it! Got an idea, passing thought or gripe you would like to share with The Saugus Advocate? I’m always interested in your feedback. It’s been close to six years since I began work at The Saugus Advocate. I’m always interested in hearing readers’ suggestions for possible stories or good candidates for “The Advocate Asks” interview of the week. Feel free to email me at mvoge@comcast.net. Do you have some interesting views on an issue that you want to express to the community? Submit your idea. If I like it, we can meet for a 15- to 20-minute interview over a hot drink at a local coffee shop. And I’ll buy the coffee or tea. Or, if you prefer to continue practicing social distancing and be interviewed from the safety of your home on the phone or via email, I will provide that option to you as the nation recovers from the Coronavirus crisis. If it’s a nice day, my preferred site for a coffee and interview would be the picnic area of the Saugus Iron Works. 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