Embedded Files
All About the Friends of the Boxborough Library: Q&A with Outgoing President Anne McNeece
All About the Friends of the Boxborough Library: Q&A with Outgoing President Anne McNeece
(12-MAR-26) On April 10-12, the Friends of the Boxborough Library (Friends or FOBL) will host their twice-yearly used book sale, with proceeds supporting library programs and museum passes.
It will be the final book sale for outgoing Friends president Anne McNeece, who has been leading the organization for the last twenty years.
The Friends of the Boxborough Library is a 501(c)(3) organization committed to the benefit of The Sargent Memorial Library. The funds raised by the Friends, through used book sales and direct appeals to local businesses, are used for cultural and educational programs and exhibits at the library, and to support the museum, park and recreational passes that are available to library patrons. The FOBL became a 501(c)(3) in 2014.
Boxborough News reached out to McNeece with questions about her twenty-year tenure as president and the future of the organization.
Q: When was the Friends established? When did you become involved?
A: Friends of the Boxborough Library was first established in 1978. The group then lasted for two years. In 1985, Pat Fallon had moved to town and restarted it. Pat was a driving force and really helped it grow. I moved to Boxborough in 1975 and served as a Library Trustee from 1978 to 1985 (chair from 1981 to 1985, when I resigned to join the Friends). I joined the Trustees after visiting Ginny Richardson at her store on Rt. 111, where she often did her Town Clerk work while running the store. I had just finished dusting off whatever I was buying when she asked if I’d like to be a Library Trustee – I said 'sure,’ and the rest is history.
Q: How does the Friends differ from the Library Foundation and the Library Board of Trustees?
A: The Sargent Memorial Library Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that was established in 2003, when the new library building opened, to further the expansion of its collection of books and materials, both paper and electronic. The Board of the Foundation is appointed by the Trustees. The Friends pay for programs – specifically the children’s summer reading program and the museum passes. Both programs will pay for additional needs of the library, such as the recent redesign. The Trustees are an elected board, and they help the director with decisions about the building, collections, and finances.
Q. What do you think has been the greatest accomplishments of the Friends?
A: The Friends have grown into a vibrant, fun-loving group that supports the library in any way we can. Our Business Campaign, which was started in 2009, has been a huge success. Twenty years ago, one of our members warned that our book sales would soon cease to be successful because people would no longer be reading real books – that, fortunately, has not come true, and our twice-a-year book sales continue to be successful both financially and as a community builder. As a result, the summer reading program and our list of library passes have grown substantially.
Q: What do you think are the biggest challenges facing the Friends?
A: The Friends need to remain flexible and adapt to changing circumstances. We don’t know what unexpected needs the future might bring or if financial support for the library will shift. The Friends should be open to new ways of offering support, whether financially or through other types of volunteer assistance.
Q: What are your hopes for the Friends’ future?
A: I hope the Friends will continue to grow and support the Library in any way that they can. FOBL monthly meetings are open, and we encourage anyone interested to attend. We are always happy to have more volunteers help at our book sales.
The Friends of the Boxborough Library used book sale will be held in the meeting room of the Sargent Memorial Library, 427 Massachusetts Avenue, on Friday April 10 through Sunday April 12. The weekend begins with a Preview Sale for members on Friday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The main public sale takes place on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The "Everything Must Go" sale is on Sunday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Cash and checks only. Donations will be accepted from Monday, April 6 through Thursday, April 9 during regular library hours.
Winter Movement Series a Success; Spring Sessions on the Horizon
Winter Movement Series a Success; Spring Sessions on the Horizon
(12-MAR-26) The five-session Winter Movement Series, hosted by the Boxborough Well-Being Committee, has wrapped up another successful season. Across five chilly, wintry Saturday mornings, residents gathered at the Sargent Memorial Library for exercise, connection, and a healthy dose of fun – proving that a little frost won't keep this community down.
The “Movement” program continues to grow in popularity, with every session reaching full registration and maintaining active waiting lists. These sessions are offered free to the community thanks to a generous grant from the Acton-Boxborough Cultural Council (ABCC) procured by Boxborough’s Community Services Coordinator (CSC) Wendy Trinks.
The series showcased a wide variety of movement styles—ranging from the quiet focus of mindfulness and yoga to the high-energy "bounce" of hip-hop and Zumba and line dancing, and combining both Jazzercise and Stretch.
Trinks not only obtained the grant from ABCC but she also helped oversee the program logistics and communication. Trinks noted the unique community spirit in the room.
After joining in for a round of line dancing, Trinks shared, "It is an amazing sight to see families with young children all the way up to seniors interacting, which is the goal of our intergenerational programs."
Despite bitter cold and falling snow, more than 100 participants took part across the five weeks. The enthusiasm was palpable, even during the final, more reflective sessions. One resident, attending the concluding Mindfulness class, noted the social value of the program; "I am excited about today’s class, but I’ve actually come to all of them. It’s a chance to connect with people while having fun."
The Well-Being Committee is looking ahead to planning another installment, “May Movement Saturdays” at 10 a.m. on May 2, 9, 16, and 30. The program will again take place at the Sargent Memorial Library.
Says Well-Being Committee Chair Mary Pavlik, “if you missed out this winter or are looking to keep the momentum going, the Well-Being Committee is already gearing up for the spring. …If you have an idea for a class or a specific movement style you'd like to see, please reach out to Wendy Trinks at wtrinks@boxborough-ma.gov.”
Boxborough By The Numbers: 2025 Data
Boxborough By The Numbers: 2025 Data
(12-MAR-26) Curious about the demographics of Boxborough? The Boxborough Town Clerk tracks population metrics on an annual basis through the annual census (also known as the “annual street listing”), voter registration, and the issuance of various licenses.
In January, all 2,355 households (unique addresses) in Boxborough received an annual census form from the town.
According to data from the returned 2025 census forms, Boxborough had 5,107 residents in 2025. In 2024, the town counted 5,302 residents in the annual census.
Commenting to Boxborough News on the accuracy of the street listing back in January, Town Clerk Rebecca Harris noted, “in reality, the number of people is higher because some don't return their street listing forms, and some leave their children off it. The 2020 Federal Census number was 5,506, and that is more accurate.”
The Town Clerk’s voter data shows Boxborough had 4,006 registered voters as of the May 2025 town election. In May 2024, there were a total of 4,080 registered voters.
In 2025, there were 53 births, defined as “children born this year to parents living in Boxborough,” and 28 deaths, defined as “people living in Boxborough who died this year or died in Boxborough, living elsewhere.” In 2024, the town recorded 42 births and 33 deaths.
Harris also provided the following tallies on other paperwork processed by the Town Clerk’s office in 2025: 7 marriage licenses, 613 dog licenses, and 5 kennel licenses. In 2024, there were 11 marriage licenses, 576 dog licenses, and 6 kennel licenses.
Boxborough Frog Brigade Prepares for a “Big Night”
Boxborough Frog Brigade Prepares for a “Big Night”
(5-Mar-26) Every year, usually early spring or very late winter, on a wet, rainy evening when ambient temperatures are at least 40 degrees Fahrenheit, wood frogs, spring peepers, and salamanders “wake-up,” emerge from their winter locations, and head to vernal pools to “mate” and lay their eggs. This is usually referred to as a “Big Night.”
Vernal pools are critical habitat locations for these species. The pools provide a “safe” transitional water habitat for these species to mate and lay their eggs before they dry up later in the season. However, frogs and salamanders sometimes have to cross a street to get to their vernal pool – and when driving after sunset on a rainy evening, it is almost impossible to see them until it’s too late.
So, over the last six years, volunteers in Acton, Littleton, and Boxborough have rallied to monitor the roads in an effort to prevent these species from being run over. Rita Grossman and Ann Seymour coordinate the “frog brigade” in Boxborough. Seymour first began volunteering with an amphibian crossing group from Acton, and Grossman joined her in 2021 when Depot Road was added as a crossing area.
When they mobilize for a “Big Night,” usually in March or April, Seymour, Grossman, and other volunteers grab their rain gear and flashlights and head out in search of frogs and salamanders along the roadway.
“We pick them up and move them in the direction they are traveling – almost always towards the vernal pool, which is obvious by the cacophony of frog sound,” explains Seymour. “If we make a mistake, they will not be deterred and will turn around and go the other way than where we put them. They are smarter than us for sure.”
Kids get in on the action, too. “I love doing it because it’s helping animals,” says Sadie, age 12. Her advice? “Make sure you put them on the opposite side of the street!”
“It is really striking how you can get a bit of the amphibian’s perspective when you are out there on a ‘Big Night,’” said Sadie’s mom, Becky. “There are so many frogs, and the speed and carelessness of cars is striking. It’s very hard to avoid hitting some, unless you slow down and take caution in these areas of high crossing for just a few nights a year. The more helpers, the better, because moving live amphibians is much more rewarding than counting dead ones!”
In Boxborough, volunteers work primarily on Depot Road. According to Seymour’s log books from the past several years, the Boxborough group has saved anywhere from 15 to 91 creatures on a “Big Night.”
Each volunteer gathers data on what species was found, where it was found, and whether it was dead or alive. The data is submitted to Ian Bergemann, the Town of Acton’s Community Conservation Specialist, who coordinates the Amphibian Brigade effort for Acton, Boxborough, and Littleton.
“For me, the most important thing is that every life is important,” said Seymour. “One female wood frog carries between 500 - 3000 eggs, so every adult life saved is the potential of that many offspring. With the overwhelming environmental pressures we see on all animals around us, whatever number we stop from being run over by a car is helpful to the species. This makes being outside in the cold wet rain of early spring worthwhile.”
“These frogs and salamanders are critical to controlling mosquito populations as they eat mosquito larvae,” added Grossman. “Which I consider far preferable to spraying insecticides.” Anyone interested in volunteering or learning more can contact Ann Seymour (Ann@daringdogyoga.com) or Rita Grossman (rgibesgrossman@gmail.com).
Boxborough Delegates from L to R: Grace Connor, Dick Wagman, Andrew Gruskay, Renee Smutny-Fritz, Nathaniel Kim, Megan Connor, Alethea Chew, Andrew Tan, Abby Reip
Boxborough Democrats Elect Young Delegates to MassDems Convention
Boxborough Democrats Elect Young Delegates to MassDems Convention
(5-MAR-26) At their caucus on Saturday, February 28, Boxborough Democrats overwhelmingly supported Boxborough students Grace Connor, Nathaniel Kim, and Andrew Tan, all Acton-Boxborough Regional High School juniors, to serve as Delegates to the Massachusetts Democratic State Convention in May.
The three student delegates will join the fourth delegate, Renee Smutny-Fritz, and four alternate delegates: Alethea Chew, Megan Connor, Andrew Gruskay, and Dick Wagman. Boxborough gets four delegates and four alternate delegates that must be gender-balanced.
Elected delegates attend the convention and determine (vote) which candidates for statewide office (Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, Treasurer, Auditor, Secretary of State, and U.S. Senate) will be the Democratic party’s endorsed candidate for office.
Over thirty people attended the caucus, which was held in the meeting room of the Sargent Memorial Library. Representatives from statewide campaigns gathered signatures on nomination papers while Boxborough Democratic Town Committee (DTC) Chair Abby Reip welcomed everyone and introduced elected officials in the room, including Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Governor’s Councillor Mara Dolan, who spoke briefly to the group.
Once the business of the caucus began, Connor, Kim, and Tan declared their intention to run for Delegate, and each stood at the front of the room and spoke about why they were running. While Connor did not have competition for her (female) delegate seat, Kim and Tan faced four other (male) candidates. In a secret ballot vote, Kim and Tan won handily.
Boxborough News reached out to each of the young Delegates for a statement about why they decided to run for delegate.
Grace Connor: “I decided to run for delegate because it felt like a great opportunity to get involved at the state level and see firsthand how a campaign and election process works. As a member of the Young Democrats Club at AB, I also believe it's important for young people to have the chance to participate and be represented in politics. Youth voices bring fresh perspectives, and getting involved now helps us take part in shaping our own generation's future.”
Nathaniel (Nate) Kim: “One reason I decided to run was to show my peers that students can make a difference in the political process and that our voices can be heard. Many people around my age feel distrustful of the American political parties and see them as two evils, believing their own views and concerns do not matter. Through participating in political events and activities both in and outside of school, however, I have learned that making a meaningful impact often begins simply by showing up and getting involved.
For these reasons, I see the process of becoming a delegate and the town of Boxborough electing three students stand as testament to people placing trust in the next generation and students taking steps toward civic engagement and progress.”
Andrew Tan: “The motivation behind why I was interested in becoming a delegate and why I attended the caucus in the first place was because I thought it would be a great opportunity to engage in the political process to further my interest…I also ran because I wanted to be someone who could represent the Asian community and the neurodivergent community. Being Asian and autistic is a key part of my identity, so putting myself out there and running for delegate was a way I could represent both communities.
… I believe that younger people should be more involved in politics. I often see that people in my generation are not very interested in politics. I’m also seeing more older politicians than younger politicians. I don’t think our generation wants that…I’m very privileged and excited to be a delegate, and I hope to make my vote count.”
When reached for comment, Boxborough DTC Chair Abby Reip expressed her pride in the students’ participation. “I am so proud of Grace, Nathaniel, and Andrew for running. It’s great to see young people paying attention to what’s happening in our country and understanding that their involvement in the political process is a way forward.”
Flerra Summer Playground Counselor Experience Provides “More Than a Job”
Flerra Summer Playground Counselor Experience Provides “More Than a Job”
(5-MAR-26) As the snow thaws on Flerra Meadows, Flerra Summer Playground is once again looking for students ready to step into a role that many current counselors once envisioned themselves in.
For Kareem Elsallal, a counselor since 2024, the best part of the job is simple: "The kids. Just being able to get out there and connect with your community," said Elsallal, who attended Flerra as a camper, remembers long summer days spent outside of school with friends and the sense of security counselors provided. One rainy memory stands out for him where a counselor calmly guided campers to safety. "I looked up to them,” he said. "And to be a counselor is to become those whom I looked up to once."
That sense of continuity lives throughout the program. "Many of our counselors were campers themselves and have fond, lifelong memories of their counselors and their time at camp," said Lead Director Brian Picca. "We like to remind our counselors that it is now their job to do the same for their campers.”
Picca added that the role offers students from 7th grade the opportunity to mentor children from Acton, Boxborough, and surrounding communities through sports, games, and arts and crafts. “In an era dominated by screens, Flerra provides the timeless fun of outdoor times, teamwork, and safe play. Counselors model inclusivity, responsibility, and enthusiasm, giving campers space to be energetic and creative outside the classroom,” said Picca.
Elsallal says the role has helped him grow as a mentor and a role model. He particularly enjoys the camp-wide "Gaga Ball" tournaments, which bring together campers of all ages and skill levels. "It includes everyone,” he added, noting that the games highlight individual talents while strengthening the camp's tight-knit culture. Many staff members are familiar faces in the community, and seeing them connect with the younger generation has deepened his pride in being part of Boxborough.
For students considering applying, Picca said, “Flerra offers more than a summer job. It is a great opportunity to step into leadership, build relationships, and create the same lifelong memories that once inspired them.”
Flerra Summer Playground Counselor Application: https://boxboroughma.myrec.com/info/activities/program_details.aspx?ProgramID=29851
UCC Boxborough Pastor Fran Graveson Reflects On Her First Year
UCC Boxborough Pastor Fran Graveson Reflects On Her First Year
(5-MAR-26) On a warm August afternoon last year, Boxborough News interviewed Pastor Fran Graveson, a few months after she had been called as minister at UCC Boxborough. The day after the blizzard, Boxborough News again spoke with Pastor Fran as she reflected on her nearly one year tenure.
When asked what most surprised her about this congregation and community, she said, "They're constantly just doing the little things that connect everybody and make people feel seen and loved." Fran expressed relief and inspiration at witnessing this organic connection among church members, which she sees as a source of strength and unity within the congregation. "The congregation has a strong sense of community, and there is a constant heartbeat of dedicated individuals who naturally provide care and support to others."
As she mentioned in her previous interview, one reason she came to Boxborough was that the church had already established itself as active and involved in the community, both as an organization and as individuals within the church. She has spent the past year learning about all of the activities and seeing the church in action at the Merrie Christmas Fair, the FreeBee Market, the MidCoast Maine mission trip, Fifers Day, the Gleaning Program, musical events, and more. She has also had the pleasure of watching the building’s daily busy atmosphere with Boxboro Children’s Center and the Council on Aging serving people throughout the week as well as the many scouting groups and other organizations that use the facilities.
Fran sees many congregants quietly doing good work. She has been observing what the church does in the community and has reached out to colleagues in the area to understand what other churches are doing and how UCC Boxborough fits into that network. Fran stated that one of her goals for the upcoming year is to be more transparent about church activities, invite more people to participate, and build partnerships with community organizations to accomplish larger projects than “we could do on our own.” This summer, UCC Boxborough will be transitioning the Maine mission trip to a series of workdays at a local Habitat for Humanity site. Pastor Fran said, “We are looking forward to working together locally and hopefully involving more people in this work. We will celebrate with a cookout on the last day.”
Pastor Fran has started some new things at UCC Boxborough this year, including a book group and a new small group called Aging Together. During Lent, the book group meets weekly and is reading “The Sabbath: Its Meaning for the Modern Man” by Jewish scholar Abraham Joshua Heschel. The Aging Together group meets on the last Thursday of each month for brown-bag lunches and is currently focused on the topic: What is home?
Pastor Fran also discussed the new “Hope Grows Here” banner on the building. She highlighted the importance of churches offering hope and healing during these difficult times. Fran explained that UCC Boxborough is working to find partners and strategies that are aligned with providing hope. This includes efforts to advocate for immigrant rights and support local families impacted by the increased immigration enforcement activities.
“Churches are redefining themselves in our times,” she said. “Our communities no longer place the community church at the center of all social and family activities. We are now one of many options people plug into for social activities; small group discussions; family time; and spiritual practices. And to be honest, churches have work to do with many who have been excluded or harmed in the past. In this redefinition, UCC Boxborough wants to be clear in our role in this community.”
Fran concluded by saying, “We have three priorities: being welcoming to all, caring for the earth, and growing in spirit. These priorities drive who we are and the relationships we nurture. UCC Boxborough is a noncreedal church where people can come to ask questions; find meaning and purpose; and be in community. We're open to honest conversations with open hearts and are here to support people with whatever they need in life. It is an honor to serve with this community. I am excited to see what we can do together.”
Boxborough Historical Society Collecting Stories for 2026 “Snapshot”
Boxborough Historical Society Collecting Stories for 2026 “Snapshot”
(26-FEB-26) When Boxborough Historical Society member Michelle Ryan moved into her home in Boxborough, she encountered a unique gift from the prior owner, a “whole binder of how to enjoy and maintain” the garden on the property. Between this “gesture of kindness” and the warm greetings she received from her new neighbors, Ryan soon realized that she had moved into a town with a strong sense of community.
Now, Ryan and the Boxborough Historical Society (BHS) have launched a project to capture these stories of community. The BHS is asking all Boxborough residents to consider submitting a story for publication in an anthology that captures “how everyday connections are shaping the identity of the town,” said Ryan. All types of stories - of neighbors, connections, events, peoples, and places, are welcome.
The Boxborough Historical Society is an all-volunteer non-profit organization, with the mission to “preserve the past for the future.” Now, the BHS is focused on capturing the present - to create a “portrait” of what it’s like to live in Boxborough right now.
All Boxborough residents (kids, too!) are encouraged to contribute however they can, and the BHS is doing their best to make it as easy as possible.
Don’t want your name to be associated with your story? It can be submitted anonymously. Don’t want to write down your story? It can be submitted verbally and a member of the Society will write it down for you. Haven’t lived in Boxborough that long? No problem - Ryan herself has only lived in town for about a year.
Submissions will be accepted through April 30, 2026. They can be sent to BoxboroughHistoricalSociety@gmail.com or can be given in person at the Boxborough Museum, 575 Middle Road, on Sunday, March 8 or Sunday, April 12 from 2-4 p.m.
So far, the Society has received a handful of stories that recount neighborhood parties, school experiences, and more significant events, like the 2021 Swanson Road fire. “We’re asking anyone and everyone” to participate, said Ryan.
Once complete, the BHS plans to post the anthology on the Historical Society’s website and publish it as a book that will be donated to the Sargent Memorial Library.
Meditations with Ann: FROGS!
Meditations with Ann: FROGS!
(26-FEB-26) March is soon upon us, and with this month comes a visual transition to Spring. The snow begins to melt, the birds begin to sing differently, and sap starts to flow for new growth in the trees. Some birds have already nested, and eggs have been laid; others are feeding newly hatched chicks, and the child raising has begun. Still others are not even here yet to begin their reproductive journey to successful little ones. It is a time of rebirth, a shift in energies, and feelings of renewal and growth abound.
Many find their Yoga interest peaked after a month or two of challenges to stay motivated. Since I wear two hats in my life (yoga teacher and ecologist), I find March a perfect time to blend my interests in modifications to Frog pose (mandukasana, for those who want to “Google it”) and the annual spring migration of frogs and amphibians in our backyards.
Yoga first. If you “Googled” the pose, you will find a hard variation that requires a genetic expression of extremely open and flexible hips. Most of us do not have that ability. A more accessible and sensible variation is trying the same move while laying down, letting gravity open the hips without load on the ball and socket joint. That way, if any pain arises, the joint is not loaded with your weight and injury will not occur.
Start with lying down on your back and pulling your knees to your chest. Hold onto the back of your hamstrings for support, not the shins. Feel the stretch in your back, hamstrings, shoulders, and you can increase and decrease those feelings by pulling the legs tighter or letting them fall further away. Play here for a bit. To add the Frog part, simply widen the knees apart and let gravity pull the thighs further from the center, getting all the hip open benefits without the worry of injury to the femur head.
Practicing this pose during the annual Spring Migration of frogs and amphibians to their vernal pools is doubly potent. As the ground thaws and the first spring rains fall, thousands of frogs and salamanders embark on a journey to the local vernal pools to mate and lay their eggs.
This mass movement (often occurring on the first warm, rainy nights in March) is a stunning display of determination and drive accompanied with great risk. On those nights, you will find me and many local volunteers walking on Boxborough’s study sites and lifting frogs and salamanders off the road surfaces so they can continue to the vernal pools without the threat of being hit by cars. This work is essential with the developmental and environmental pressures on vernal pools and the high rate of traffic during these few nights it happens. If we save only a few females who mate and lay their hundreds of eggs successfully, we have saved hundreds of lives.
So next time you practice a lovely hip opening pose with modifications, channel your inner scientist and appreciate the time by thinking about the amphibians, designing ways to make their lives a bit easier, and think about volunteering to be part of our rescue efforts in town. Feel free to contact me, Ann@daringdogyoga.com, anytime for more information. It will happen once the snow melts!
Holocaust Survivor Tells Audience to Speak Out Against Antisemitism
Holocaust Survivor Tells Audience to Speak Out Against Antisemitism
(19-FEB-26) “Get involved..You can’t sit by and let this happen. It happens so fast,” was Werner Salinger’s answer to the question, “What message do you want to leave us with and what do you want people to take forward?”
Salinger, a 93-year-old Holocaust survivor and U.S. Veteran, spoke to a packed meeting room at the Sargent Memorial Library on the evening of Tuesday, January 27, which is International Holocaust Remembrance Day. The event was organized by Boxborough Police Chief John Szewczyk in partnership with the Lappin Foundation.
Recounting his earliest memories of growing up in Berlin and life as a boy in the U.S., Salinger drew parallels to what is currently happening in the U.S. (“book banning…the militarization of our cities…people being shot and killed…”) and the political climate in Germany in the 1930s that led to the Holocaust.
Salinger was born in Berlin in April 1932, just nine months before Hitler came to power. He explained how Hitler rose to power (he was appointed Chancellor by President Hindenburg) and how the Nuremberg Race Laws stripped “anyone who had a drop of Jewish blood” of their German citizenship.
“Did that affect me? Overnight!” Salinger said emphatically. His mother was an orthodontist, and his father was a lawyer. “Overnight,” his parents could no longer work or have business partners who were not Jewish. Asking the audience a rhetorical question, “Can you imagine that? One day you’re a citizen, and the next day you’re not?”
He was only six years old, but remembers Kristallnacht, the night of shattered glass, November 8-9, 1938, when Nazis initiated state-sanctioned violence and vandalism on synagogues and Jewish-owned businesses. From the windows of his home, he could see bodies and smell the “acrid smoke.”
Salinger told the story of how his father escaped the Nazis, how he and his parents obtained a visa and sponsorship to come to the U.S. in 1939, and how, after the loss of his mother, he went to live with relatives in Princeton, New Jersey, where he frequently visited with Albert Einstein, who was a neighbor. During the Korean War, he served in the U.S. Air Force as an Intelligence Officer and was stationed in Germany.
Debbie Colton, President and Executive Director of the Lappin Foundation, sat by Salinger’s side, asking him questions and moderating questions from the audience.
Colton first explained that January 27 is the anniversary of the liberation of the death camp Auschwitz-Birkenau. “It’s a time to remember the more than 6 million Jewish victims of the Holocaust, including 1.5 million Jewish children, and the millions of other victims of Nazi persecution. With the alarming rise of antisemitism and forms of hatred here and around the world…with Holocaust denial, distortion and lack of knowledge amongst younger generations on the rise, it’s more important than ever to understand the critical lessons of the Holocaust.”
Several audience members, including some high school students, asked Salinger questions about his feelings on what’s happening in the U.S. now and they wanted his opinion on how the country can get back on track.
Salinger acknowledged that he’s “been asked this question a lot.” He emphasized that “this is still a democracy,” and the way to change the current course toward fascism is “through the midterm elections…we have to become involved in it and work on it…make sure the right people get elected and we’ll change it.”
He also responded to a question about what we can do to combat the rise of antisemitism. It’s “incredibly important to support Israel, to defend Israel. It’s also incredibly important to make some movement towards the creation of a state for Palestinians and for other people repressed.”
Colton and Salinger both spoke about the importance of Holocaust education and directed the audience to speak out against antisemitism. “You just can’t sit back and accept it”, Salinger said. “…If you know people who are saying antisemitic things or taking antisemitic actions, you just have to be brave and responsive…because it happens awfully quick…We just have to fight it. You can’t accept it. It happens so fast.”
In his opening remarks, Chief Szewczyk said, “I came here three years ago and made a commitment to grow and learn with the community…Tonight is truly special…commemorating a day that we should not forget.”
Szewczyk also gave Boxborough News a statement after the event: “We are very grateful to Mr. Werner Salinger and the Lappin Foundation for working with the Boxborough Police Department to bring the International Holocaust Remembrance Day event to town. The Boxborough Police Department is steadfast in its commitment to learning and growing together with our community and other town officials. We are very thankful to the approximately 60 members of the community who attended and so appreciative of Mr. Salinger who shared his testimony.”
LCTV recorded the event. To view the video, visit https://tinyurl.com/BoxboroughHolocaustRemembrance
The Year of the Fire Horse: Local Families Celebrate Lunar New Year
The Year of the Fire Horse: Local Families Celebrate Lunar New Year
(19-FEB-26) Tuesday, February 17 marked the beginning of the Lunar New Year, a major holiday celebrated in many Asian countries, including China, Korea, and Vietnam. Lunar New Year marks the beginning of a new year in the lunisolar calendar as well as a new zodiac animal year.
This is the Year of the Fire Horse. There are 12 creatures on the zodiac: mouse, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. In addition to the animals, the calendar also cycles through five elements — wood, fire, earth, metal and water — which change every two years. While the horse appears every 12 years, the pairing of horse and fire only occurs once in a 60-year cycle. The Year of the Fire Horse runs from Feb. 17, 2026, through Feb. 6, 2027, when the Year of the Fire Goat will begin.
In many East and Southeast Asian countries, the Lunar New Year celebration lasts 15 days. The 15th and last day of the holiday is the lantern festival, which celebrates the first full moon of the lunar new year (March 3, 2026).
Town of Boxborough Financial Director Honghoa Le, originally from Vietnam, told Boxborough News that on New Year’s Eve, they clean the house by sweeping but avoid sweeping things outward because it symbolizes sweeping away wealth, luck, and prosperity for the coming year.
Honghoa explained that the first three days of the Lunar New Year are the most important. On New Year’s Day, the family stays in, does not cook or clean, and does not permit friends or anyone from outside the family to visit the house, as they may bring bad luck. Family elders give out red envelopes to younger children that contain money and symbolize good luck and blessings for the year. Although she has been in the U.S. since the 1980s, Honghoa said, “...we still want to maintain our tradition and pass it down to future generations.”
Boxborough resident Alethea Chew told us that during their celebrations with family, they “exchange auspicious greetings of the new year, which include idiomatic phrases for health and wealth, which at times contain witty puns that reference the zodiac creature of the new year (this year is the year of the fire horse, symbolizing change for more stable–pun intended– times).”
They also exchange “auspicious gifts, including oranges (the word for orange sounds like the word for gold), pomelos (the word for pomelo sounds like the word for prosperity/abundance), sweet treats as a symbol for a sweet new year, and any gifts in auspicious colors (red, orange, gold, yellow) are all good.”
Food plays a major role in Lunar New Year celebrations, and each culture has its own food traditions. Alethea told us, “in my Chinese culture, as part of the Chinese diaspora in Singapore and Malaysia, there is a unique fish salad called Yu Sheng (fish toss, where the words sound like the words for prosperity toss); we toss communally, lifting the ingredients as high as our chopsticks can reach. The higher the ingredients are tossed symbolizes the higher the level of prosperity achieved.”
Alethea also provided some examples of the “auspicious” foods that her family eats during the celebration: “whole fish (the word for fish sounds like the word for abundance), dumplings (symbolizing wealth), sticky rice (symbolizing unity), and long noodles (for longevity).”
Honghoa also elaborated on food. She said that she cooks traditional Vietnamese foods for the New Year celebration, choosing a vegetarian dish the first night, but her favorite dish is braised pork with eggs. And Boxborough News team member Nate Kim told us that his family celebrates by eating tteokguk, a traditional Korean soup with rice cakes.
Boxborough resident Hongbing Tang shared how she and her family celebrated this year. “On New Year’s Eve, Monday (2/16), we gathered at a friend’s house, where we made dumplings together and shared a fish dish. This is a tradition symbolizing abundance and good fortune for the year ahead.” She added, “...so many families–including ours–continue to observe small traditions throughout the (15-day) festival period.”
Meet Boxborough’s New Treasurer/Collector: Emily Roux
Meet Boxborough’s New Treasurer/Collector: Emily Roux
(19-FEB-26) The Town of Boxborough welcomed Emily Roux as its new Treasurer/Collector in December 2025.
Roux comes to Boxborough with extensive experience in both the private and public sectors. She started her career working in accounting for a Dunkin franchise. When she had learned all she could in that position, she moved on to a career in the municipal sector. She worked first as an Assistant Treasurer/Collector and later as the Treasurer/Collector in the Towns of Shirley and Leicester.
Having grown up in Acton, where her parents still live, she liked the idea of being closer to her family. Roux said the position in Boxborough provides a “more equitable work-life balance,” which is important to her.
So far, she said, the most challenging part of the job is learning the way Boxborough operates. “It’s like trying to put a puzzle together with the pieces face down. In time, the oversight and inconsistencies will dissipate, as my assistant and I are committed to seeing the office succeed.”
Roux is looking at ways to streamline Treasurer/Collector processes to make them more efficient, in particular, the process for how benefits and payroll were managed. While not finalized, plans are in the works to eliminate the “lockbox” where residents mail property tax payments to a third-party vendor. Eliminating the “lockbox” will reduce expenses for the town. Either way, residents can still mail in or drop off tax payments at Town Hall.
There are also plans to mail property tax bills to residents on a quarterly basis, rather than bi-annually, starting in Fiscal Year 2027, making it easier for residents to remember when a tax payment is due.
Boxborough News asked Roux what she wanted Boxborough residents to know about her. She responded that she wants residents to know that she is accessible either in person, by phone, or by email.
When she’s not doing bank reconciliations, issuing and paying debt, or the other myriad tasks and daily functions of the Treasurer/Collector’s office, Roux spends her free time making sure her children get to their swim lessons and other activities. She’s an avid and frequent hiker at Wachusett and Mount Watatic, and she and her children love spending time at Wingaersheek, their favorite beach.
Photo courtesy of the Boxborough Police Dept.
A Devastating Fire and “the Best of Boxborough” - Remembering the Swanson Road Fire Relief Five Years Later
A Devastating Fire and “the Best of Boxborough” - Remembering the Swanson Road Fire Relief Five Years Later
(12-FEB-26) Just after sunset on Wednesday, February 10, 2021 the residents of 101 Swanson Road (Leverett House Condominium) heard the fire alarm sound in their building. Many were cooking dinner, doing homework, or relaxing after a day’s work. Over a foot of snow covered the ground, and temperatures hovered around the freezing mark. Some residents fled the building with open-toed shoes and no coats.
According to a February 11, 2021 report from news source WickedLocal, Boxborough Police and Fire arrived on the scene first and entered the building, going door to door to evacuate residents who had not already fled when they heard the alarm. Shortly after all 24 units were evacuated, the roof collapsed, and firefighters from several towns, including Acton, Bolton, Concord, Maynard, and Westford, were on the scene to help extinguish the fire. There was no loss of life and no injuries.
In the report obtained by current Boxborough Fire Chief John Kivlan, “the fire was in the attic and after an extensive investigation by the State Police investigators assigned to the Department of Fire Services, the cause was undetermined.”
The building was deemed unsafe to enter, so residents were not allowed back in to retrieve their belongings. But the day after the fire, the Boxborough Fire Chief, then Paul Fillebrown, and the Boxborough Police Chief, then Warren Ryder, met with the residents and asked them if there was anything in the apartment that they really wanted. Some residents provided a list of valuable and/or sentimental items, and Fillebrown and Ryder retrieved what they could. It was not until months later, in May 2021, that residents were allowed back into the building. According to Barbara Birt, a resident of the building, “anything that was not metal, ceramic or glass was pretty much destroyed by water damage.”
The Swanson Road fire was devastating and left thirty people homeless.
But the Boxborough community rallied like never before.
As quickly as the fire raged, word spread throughout town. Now, five years later, Boxborough News spoke with several people who were involved with assisting Leverett House residents. The story of how Boxborough residents, the United Church of Christ (UCC) Boxborough, Town government, local businesses and organizations formed a “fire relief team” to assist the building residents exemplifies the caring nature and strength of the Boxborough community.
After their evacuation from the building, the Swanson Road residents were transported to the Boxboro Regency hotel. The Regency became a sort of “headquarters” for fire relief efforts in the first few days after the fire and housed many of the residents for weeks until they could secure housing. Hotel management provided rooms and food at greatly reduced rates.
Former UCC Rev. Cindy Worthington-Berry heard about the fire while she was at home several miles away; she felt the call to be there and drove to the Regency, where she met with residents and started to learn what their needs were.
Worthington-Berry explained to Boxborough News that the Town had been without a social worker for some time during the pandemic, so the church was helping local residents through a “Community Support Fund that folks in town were donating to to help other Boxborough folks…It was all about helping neighbors during Covid.” At that time, the Town did not have the capacity to accept gift cards and money donations.
Worthington-Berry remembers sitting in the Regency lobby seeing Leverett House “residents in flip-flops,” feeling overwhelmed, and thinking “who is going to help these people?” Using money from the Community Support Fund, she went to TJ Maxx and bought gift cards to distribute to the residents.
Meanwhile, Acton-Boxborough United Way (ABUW), now Acton-Boxborough Community Compass (ABCC), staff members reached out to Boxborough residents Becky Neville and Heather Fleming and organized a Zoom call with Worthington-Berry. Neville and Fleming agreed to help, and according to Worthington-Berry, “that was the turning point.”
ABUW also set up a fund for the residents. According to Katie Neville, Executive Director of ABCC, the fund “served as a non-religious option through which people could donate…raising over $65,000 which was then given directly to the families who had been living in the building.”
From the beginning, there was an outpouring of support on social media. Town residents were bringing ready-to-eat food, pajamas, and toothbrushes to the residents staying at the Regency, but the relief was not organized.
Meeting by Zoom, Fleming, (Becky) Neville, and Worthington-Berry began building a “Fire Relief Team” of volunteers. They had to figure out what individuals needed, so they established a structure that would ensure that efforts were not duplicated. They recruited over 40 volunteers within a couple of weeks and created specific roles. It was “the best of Boxborough,” said Neville.
One such role was that of “advocate.” Fleming said that she remembers “thinking…what would be needed was direct care. Individuals seemed like they needed to be paired with someone” who could help them find resources. Not all residents wanted an advocate, but many took advantage of the resource. And each advocate customized their role, depending on what the resident needed.
Boxborough resident Mary Pavlik served as an advocate for a young man and his roommate. Pavlik told Boxborough News, “there were so many available resources that the community contributed, the role of the advocate was to simplify and find what was more useful for each person/family. For these two, it was housing, moving, a little furniture and information about other things available.”
In addition to the financial support provided by the community, the Fire Relief Team was flooded with donation offers of household items and clothing. They organized a one-day thrift shopping event in the library meeting room where Leverett House residents could come and take whatever they needed. Everything was free.
A local “glean team” of volunteers who rescued surplus and soon-to-be expired food from local grocery stores coordinated with Worthington-Berry and Fleming to offer free food to the resident shoppers at the event, as well. A few weeks later, another “shopping day” for residents was held in the UCC Gathering Room, and in May, the market moved outdoors and was open to all as the “FreeBee Market,” which continues to exist and expand five years later. FreeBee “never would have happened without the fire. It needed the opportunity, awareness of gleaning, and the combination of the pandemic and need,” Fleming said.
When asked how she thought the fire impacted Boxborough, Mary Pavlik stated, “I think it was a real catalyst that showed the difference that a small group of people can make for their neighbors. Margaret Mead's quote became reality. ‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.’”
Recreation Commission and Craft Food Halls Partner for Flerra Playground Fundraiser
Recreation Commission and Craft Food Halls Partner for Flerra Playground Fundraiser
(12-FEB-26) For the month of February, the Boxborough Recreation Commission (Rec Com) is partnering with Craft Food Halls at 500 Beaver Brook Road in Boxborough to raise money towards renovating the playground at Flerra Meadows.
On its website, Craft Food Halls promotes their “Your meal builds your playground” initiative: “When you dine with us in February, we’ll match your donations dollar for dollar. Use our Kiosk to order your meal, and you’ll be prompted for a donation of $1, $3, or $5. We will match all donations made, doubling your impact! Our goal is to help raise $15,000, making a significant impact towards the town’s fundraising goal.”
“We are excited for Craft Food Halls taking interest in the Flerra Playground renovation and grateful for their commitment to fundraising,” said Rec Com Chair Hilary Greven. “It’s wonderful to have a local business involved in the community.”
The Flerra playground renovation will include replacing the main playground structure and installing an ADA-compliant surface. The total cost of the project, including a contingency, is expected to be $300,000.
Rec Com is also seeking Community Preservation Act (CPA) funding for the renovation project. On January 8, the Community Preservation Committee approved $300,000 in FY2027 CPA funds for “replacement of the main structure and installation of an ADA-compliant surface at the children’s playground at Flerra Field.” This and other CPA-funded projects will be on the warrant for Boxborough’s May 2026 Annual Town Meeting.
“Over the years, the current large structure has seen a lot of wear and tear,” Greven told Boxborough News last year, when first seeking CPA funding. “So we are looking to install a new large structure to complete the improvements to the playground, providing a safe and exciting playground for residents and the hundreds of children who attend Flerra Summer Playground.”
“It is the same playground that has been there since 1999, so improvements are much needed,” said Brian Picca, Director of the Flerra Summer Playground program.
If the funding for this project is approved at Annual Town Meeting in May 2026, the Rec Com plans to begin installation in August 2026, after this year’s Flerra Summer Playground program has ended.
More information about the Craft Food Halls fundraiser is available at https://www.craftfoodhalls.com/boxborough.
Where Policy Meets Imagination: Boxborough’s Right to Farm Signs
Where Policy Meets Imagination: Boxborough’s Right to Farm Signs
(12-FEB-26) At every road that crosses into Boxborough, just past the welcome sign and the shift in pavement, there is another marker that visitors might miss if they blink: “Right to Farm.”
The words are official, rooted in a bylaw adopted at Boxborough’s Annual Town Meeting in May 2012. But the images surrounding those words, with bright cows, red barns, tractors, bees hovering over oversized flowers, and horses mid-gallop, are anything but bureaucratic. Each sign carries a different drawing, created by a student at Blanchard Memorial School.
The bylaw itself is straightforward. It “encourages the pursuit of agriculture, promotes agriculture-based economic opportunities, and protects farmlands within the Town of Boxborough by allowing agricultural uses and related activities to function with minimal conflict with abutters and Town agencies.” Section 4 of the law requires that signage be posted at town borders declaring Boxborough a “Right to Farm” community.
However, what the bylaw does not require is whimsy. That part came from the kids.
Rather than install identical, standard-issue signs, the Agricultural Commission turned the mandate into a community project. They organized a contest at Blanchard Elementary School, inviting students to imagine what “Right to Farm” meant. Each border sign features a different student’s artwork, transforming a legal declaration into a gallery of childhood interpretations of agriculture.
Farming in Boxborough is not only a matter of statutes and protections. It is part of the town’s identity, something residents want children to see, draw, and claim as their own. By asking elementary students to design the signs, the Agricultural Commission wove the next generation into the story of local agriculture. The signs do not just warn newcomers that tractors may share the road, but they announce that farming is valued enough to be celebrated by the youngest members of the community.
The bylaw emphasizes that farming benefits “the neighborhood, community, and society in general,” even if it brings noise, dust, or odors. A child’s drawing softens what might otherwise read as a defensive statement. Instead of a stern notice about legal rights, drivers encounter bright colors and playful lines.
More than a decade after the bylaw’s adoption, the signs remain small landmarks. For local residents, they are familiar indications marking the threshold of home. For visitors, they are an introduction to a town that sees agriculture as a living practice worth protecting.
In Boxborough, the Right to Farm is written into law. Nevertheless, it is also drawn in crayon and paint and posted at every edge of town, where policy meets imagination.
Well-Being Committee’s Morning Movement Series To Finish with Line-Dancing and Mindfulness
Well-Being Committee’s Morning Movement Series To Finish with Line-Dancing and Mindfulness
(12-FEB-26) The Boxborough Well-Being Committee’s “Morning Movement Series” at Sargent Memorial Library has two sessions remaining: a line-dancing class on Saturday, February 21 and a mindfulness class on Saturday, February 28. Both classes will begin at 10 a.m.
The Morning Movement Series, with five free classes in all, is organized and overseen by the Boxborough Well-Being Committee. Each session is free and open to all, but registration is required.
The series is made possible by an Acton-Boxborough Cultural Council grant secured by Boxborough Community Services Coordinator Wendy Trinks.
The first two sessions in January featured Jazzercise and Yoga. The third session took place on February 7, when 18 hardy individuals braved the snow and cold to join a Hip Hop and Zumba class taught by Gina and Nicole Flaherty from Gina’s dance studio located at 629 Massachusetts Avenue in Boxborough. This Zumba/Hip Hop class, set to upbeat music and choreographed routines, had everyone moving their feet to the beat and feeling energized, engaged, and inspired.
On February 21, Donna Shea, a line dance instructor for over 30 years, will teach basic steps and dance to a variety of genres including pop, country, and oldies. On February 28, Erin Loporto, IAYT Certified Yoga Therapist, will lead mindfulness and meditation practices.
Registration for line dancing is at https://boxlib.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/morning-movement-series-11/ and registration for mindfulness is at https://boxlib.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/morning-movement-series-13/.
Boxborough Celebrates Another Snowy Winterfest at Steele Farm
Boxborough Celebrates Another Snowy Winterfest at Steele Farm
(5-FEB-26) On Saturday, January 31, Boxborough residents and friends gathered at Steele Farm on a cold but sunny afternoon to celebrate the town’s annual Winterfest with a bonfire, music, food, drink, and sledding. The event was organized by the Boxborough Recreation Commission.
For the second year in a row (after many years without) there was plenty of snow on the ground for Winterfest sledding. All afternoon, kids bundled in snow gear sailed down the hill on sleds, snow tubes, and snowboards - only stopping to grab their complimentary hot chocolate and popcorn.
“Thank you to all the local businesses and groups who participated in Winterfest! It was wonderful to see so many people come out and enjoy the afternoon with us,” said Hilary Greven, Chair of the Boxborough Recreation Commission. Greven estimated that around 125 people attended the event over the course of the afternoon despite the cold temperatures.
Visitors enjoyed catching up with friends and neighbors around the bonfire, eating treats from Boxborough small businesses Two Friends Chocolate and Thinking Flower, and perusing the tables of local groups, including the Boxborough Minutemen, Boxborough Conservation Trust, Boxborough News, and the Boxborough Fire Station Building Committee.
“Thanks to Boxborough Recreation Services Coordinator Ami Scheen, Boxborough DPW, Fire, and Police, and the folks running the [Boxborough Connects] shuttle,” added Greven.
Flerra Summer Playground Camper Registration Now Open
Flerra Summer Playground Camper Registration Now Open
(5-FEB-26) Camper registration for the Boxborough Recreation Commission’s Flerra Summer Playground has opened.
Flerra Summer Playground is a half-day summer program held outdoors at Flerra Meadows in Boxborough during the month of July. It is open to children who are entering kindergarten through seventh grade. This year, Flerra Summer Playground will run for four consecutive weeks: July 6-10, July 13-17, July 20-24, and July 27-31. The cost is $150 per week.
Campers are organized by grade and participate in arts & crafts, games, and sports. The campers also enjoy visits from local visitors. Last year, visitors included a local author, the Youth Services librarian from the Sargent Memorial Library, and Boxborough Police K9 Koda.
The Flerra Summer Playground program will be run by longtime director Brian Picca and returning director Courtney Stevens, along with a paid staff of high school and college students and junior high volunteers.
Applications for Counselor and Counselor-in-Training paid positions, as well as volunteer positions, will open March 1.
Campers can be registered through the Boxborough Recreation MyRec page at https://boxboroughma.myrec.com/. Questions about Flerra Summer Playground or the camper registration process can be directed to flerrasp@gmail.com.
Meditations with Ann: February Breathing
Meditations with Ann: February Breathing
(5-FEB-26) February. Need I say more? It always seems like the longest month of the year and yet there is a bit of new promise in each day. This year, the temperatures have stayed below normal and we still have a couple of feet of snow outside. Even though it looks like full winter out there, the birds are singing their spring songs. This begins the break-up of their cooperative flocking behavior, and marks the beginning of creating distance between themselves to find territory to defend. That territory must have plenty of nesting options and be large enough to feed a new family. The spring territories of many species will revolve around a bird feeder though so we still see “OUR” birds interacting there.
With all of these warmer weather changes coming our way, and the feeling of transitions in the air, I like to focus on breathing. The average person breathes between 12-20 breaths a minute at rest. One cycle includes breathing in oxygen and breathing out carbon dioxide. Each breath involves the brainstem, brain, lungs, chest muscles, abdominal muscles, airways and blood vessels. From there, the exchange needs to infuse all parts of our body.
Many issues can interfere with this natural process. Fitness level, daily habits, posture, illness, medications and simple aging can decrease our lung elasticity and capacity and put stress on our organs. This stress can influence our quality of life so now is the time to create new habits that will benefit us going forward.
There are numerous breathing exercises out there. Yoga practices utilize many of them, therapists utilize a couple of them, social media utilizes a few of them and I have tried them all. The one that I land on for everyone, beginners and seasoned practitioners alike, is a timed breath.
Find a clock that you can easily see from a comfortable position. Sitting up or laying down is up to you but comfort is the key. Throw a blanket over your shoulders or body to add one more level of comfort. Look at the clock and breathe in for 5 seconds and breathe out for 5 seconds. As you settle into the rhythm, keep the 5 second rule but think of filling the lungs to capacity plus some. Feel the stretch around the side ribs, the collar bones, the back ribs. Feel the abdomen move as you deepen your breath. You are increasing volume but not speed so watching the clock helps keep us on task and regulated. Stay here breathing deeply and evenly for 2-5 minutes if you are just starting out.
Exercises like this influence all systems in our body and are available regardless of fitness level or age. The important part is to try it and to feel more awake, aware, energized and emotionally more regulated in the end. Enjoy.
Boxborough “Open Mike” Tradition Continues on Monday, February 2
Boxborough “Open Mike” Tradition Continues on Monday, February 2
(29-JAN-26) On Monday, February 2, the long-running acoustic music and poetry/spoken word “Open Mike” series, known as “Ellen Schmidt’s Open Mike,” will be held in the Meeting Room of the Sargent Memorial Library in Boxborough at 7 p.m. and on Zoom.
The monthly event is organized by Boxborough resident and musician Dan Tappan and is “open to all as performers or listeners.”
“An Open Mike is a community of people sharing their art,” Tappan told Boxborough News.
“If you have never attended an Open Mike before, you will find it to be a non-competitive, welcoming community. Each performer is introduced by the host and is given a 5 or 10 minute (depending on how many people sign up) time slot at the microphone. Performers can range from professionals trying out new material, to people who want to work on their performing skills in a supportive environment, to people who have never performed in public before.”
The audience can expect a wide variety of performances. “Some people play songs they've written, others may play songs by their favorite contemporary performers, covers of 60's hits, selections from the Great American Songbook, Blues, or even Classical instrumental pieces,” explains Tappan. “Other performers may read poetry, essays or short stories. We've even had standup comedians. Basically anything that fits in the allotted time is acceptable.”
The event also includes a “Featured Performer” who is given a longer performance slot. The Featured Performer on February 2 will be Acton musician Eric Kilburn. The Featured Performer at the next Open Mike on March 2 will be folk duo Ergo Canto.
The monthly event is a continuation of Boston-area open mikes run by singer/songwriter Ellen Schmidt over several decades. Schmidt was “a force in the local music scene” and the open mike series lives on after her passing two years ago.
Boxborough resident and musician Tom Horsky has been performing at Ellen Schmidt’s Open Mike at the Sargent Memorial Library “since its inception.” Horsky is a blues and American folk guitarist and singer. He also composes guitar instrumentals; his 2018 release, “Origins,” consists of eleven original compositions for guitar. Horsky also has a YouTube channel, @tomhorsky9568.
“This event attracts a community of musicians and poets from not only our neighborhoods, but also from locations across the country, who participate through a video link,” Horsky told Boxborough News.
Horsky plans to perform a gospel song, “A Little More Faith,” at the Open Mike night on February 2.
The event is free for performers and free to attend. Although Tappan tries to accommodate walk-in performers, participants are encouraged to preregister at https://dantappanmusic.com/open-mike-signup. Audience members do not need to register to attend.
The Open Mike is open to performers on Zoom, and audience members can also watch on livestream at https://youtube.com/dantappan/live.
More information on the Open Mike can be found at https://dantappanmusic.com/open-mike.
Boxborough to Host Another Snowy Winterfest This Saturday, January 31
Boxborough to Host Another Snowy Winterfest This Saturday, January 31
(29-Jan-26) Boxborough’s annual Winterfest, sponsored by the Boxborough Recreation Commission, will be held on Saturday, January 31 at Steele Farm, 484 Middle Road from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
For the second year in a row, Steele Farm will be covered in snow for Winterfest sledding. Last year was the first time in eleven years that Winterfest looked like winter. The recent snowfall on January 25 and 26, dumping more than a foot of snow on Boxborough, will allow for plenty of action on Steele Farm’s iconic sledding hill.
This year’s celebration will include a bonfire, live music, and face-painting. There will be complimentary popcorn and hot chocolate, and food and beer will be available for purchase from Craft Food Halls of Boxborough and Dirigible Brewing Company of Littleton. Two Friends Chocolate, Thinking Flower, and local Girl Scouts will be selling their goodies as well, and a number of local organizations will be sharing information about events and happenings around town.
“Enjoy some sledding and warm up by the bonfire after with some tasty treats from our local vendors,” said Recreation Commission Chair Hilary Greven.
Winterfest attendees are encouraged to park at Town Hall, 29 Middle Road, and use the Boxborough Connects MART shuttle for a ride to and from Steele Farm. The rain/snow date for the event is the next day, Sunday February 1, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Boxborough’s 2025 Holiday Gift Drive Assists 46 Families
Boxborough’s 2025 Holiday Gift Drive Assists 46 Families
(29-JAN-26) The generosity of Boxborough residents and local organizations allowed Boxborough Community Services Coordinator (CSC) Wendy Trinks to assist 145 individuals across 46 families during the 2025 holiday season. This represents a 46% increase in residents assisted compared to the prior year.
“I’m grateful for all the contributions and being able to make the holidays brighter for a lot of families in Boxborough,” said Trinks.
Trinks reported that she collected $8,370 in gift cards from the United Church of Christ Boxborough, St. Vincent de Paul Society of Acton/Boxborough, Keller Williams Boston Northwest, A Friend in Need, the Rotary Club of Acton-Boxborough, and the generosity of Boxborough residents. Trinks delivered holiday gift bags and visited with individuals who were isolated and housebound.
Trinks shared that she also worked to connect Boxborough residents to the Acton-Boxborough Community Compass (formerly the AB United Way) gift drive.
The Boxborough Children’s Center (BCC) donated gifts to families in need for the third year in a row. The gift drive held at BCC is in memory of Director Amy Paakki’s brother, Scott Paakki. Like last year, the BCC children came to Town Hall carrying bags of gifts.
The Boxborough Minuteman Company again donated $2,000 to the Community Services Gift Account to support the holiday assistance effort, as well as other emergency needs.
“The Boxborough community continually steps up; individuals, groups and businesses are willing to help quickly and generously,” said Mary Pavlik, Chair of the Boxborough Well-Being Committee. “Wendy had done a tremendous job with her outreach to those in need and those ready to help.”
As the Community Services Coordinator, Trinks supports people in Boxborough all year round. The CSC “monitors the social service needs of residents of all ages in the areas of housing, emergency assistance, and mental health. Work includes outreach and communication of locally available resources to Boxborough residents as well as assessing specific client needs and connecting those clients to resources for assistance with follow up as needed.”
The Community Services Gift Account, established in 2024, “enables residents and organizations to support Boxborough residents experiencing financial crises.” To donate, checks can be made payable to the Town of Boxborough and include “Community Services Gift Account” in the memo line.
Trinks has served as Boxborough’s CSC since August 2022. Trinks can be reached at wtrinks@boxborough-ma.gov.
Library Interior Redesign Project Nears Completion
Library Interior Redesign Project Nears Completion
(22-JAN-26) Patrons of the Sargent Memorial Library can now begin to enjoy a new layout of the library building, as the town finishes installing new study “pods” and rearranging spaces.
The redesign includes a new Young Adult lounge area in the middle of the main hall. This area will be open to the general public during school hours and reserved for young adults during the after-school period. The area will be framed by a three-sided cabana, to be installed in March.
In the former Young Adult Room, now a Study Room, two study “pods” have been installed. The pods are small, enclosed study areas that provide quiet zones for individual or small group work. The Study Room will also feature a copier corner and reading corner. The current printer and copier area will be transformed into a new reading nook with freshly reupholstered chairs and laptop tables.
The library expects the pods to be ready for public use by the end of January.
The project also included rearranging the reference shelves, multimedia shelves, and newspaper shelves, and adding new shelving in the Children’s Room. In addition, the library will now offer laptops for in-building use instead of desktop computers.
“I would like to especially thank Fran Flynn [Building and Grounds Maintenance Team Leader] for his assistance, recommendations, and support of this project,” said Library Director Peishan Bartley. “I would also like to ask visitors to be patient with us as we continue to finish the project.”
The redesign was funded by multiple sources. The Sargent Memorial Library Foundation pledged $200,000, the Friends of the Boxborough Library sponsored $7,500, and the Town approved $50,000 at the May 2025 Annual Town Meeting.
The Sargent Memorial Library Foundation, Inc. is a 501c(3) non-profit that was established in 2003 to provide support for the Sargent Memorial Library. The Friends of the Boxborough Library is also a 501c(3) organization that raises funds through semi-annual book sales and corporate donations and sponsorships.
In a statement provided to Boxborough News, the Friends of the Boxborough Library shared, “[w]ith so many moving pieces, Peishan and her team of wonderful librarians have put them all together to make a beautiful, functional interior. Very impressive job of reimagining the building for the next 25 years.”
The project began back in July 2023, when the town hired Stefura Associates to design a new layout for the library. The initial plan, which included moving interior walls at a cost of $650,000, was deemed too expensive. In 2024, a second design using pods to create new spaces came in at $250,000. The redesign project was initiated in response to repeated community feedback about the need for private meeting spaces within the library.
Boxborough to Host Annual Winterfest on January 31
Boxborough to Host Annual Winterfest on January 31
(15-Jan-26) Boxborough’s annual Winterfest, sponsored by the Boxborough Recreation Commission, will be held on Saturday, January 31 at Steele Farm, 484 Middle Road from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Winterfest has been a Boxborough tradition for at least twenty years. What began as an afternoon of neighborhood sledding has progressed to an annual community party. Over the years, the Recreation Commission has added to the festivities with music, food and drink, local vendors, and activities for kids. While the event has grown bigger over time, it has always taken place at Steele Farm.
Last year, for the first time in eleven years, Winterfest actually looked like winter, with plenty of snow for sledding on Steele Farm’s iconic hill. This year, the Recreation Commission is “hoping for sledding conditions” again, says Recreation Commission Chair Hilary Greven.
This year’s celebration will include a bonfire, live music, face-painting, and a “human foosball” game courtesy of the Harvard Lions Club.
There will be complimentary popcorn and hot chocolate, and food and beer will be available for purchase from Craft Food Halls of Boxborough and Dirigible Brewing Company of Littleton. Two Friends Chocolate, Thinking Flower, and local Girl Scouts will be selling their goodies as well, and a number of local organizations will be sharing information about events and happenings around town.
“Come join your friends and neighbors around the bonfire,” said Greven.
Winterfest attendees are encouraged to park at Town Hall, 29 Middle Road, and use the Boxborough Connects MART shuttle for a ride to and from Steele Farm.
The rain/snow date for the event is the next day, Sunday February 1, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Holocaust Remembrance Day Speaker Coming to Sargent Memorial Library
Holocaust Remembrance Day Speaker Coming to Sargent Memorial Library
(15-Jan-26) On January 27, Holocaust survivor and celebrated speaker Werner Salinger will be speaking at Boxborough’s Sargent Memorial Library at 7 p.m. in recognition of International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Salinger’s visit is a rare opportunity for community members to speak with someone who experienced the horror of the Holocaust. Salinger personally experienced Kristallnacht as a child, emigrated to the United States with his family where he was a neighbor of Albert Einstein, and then returned to Germany as a U.S. soldier post-World War II. Now retired, he tours the country sharing his life story.
Boxborough Police Chief John Szewczyk helped arrange the event as a community-building exercise, in collaboration with the Lappin Foundation, which seeks to educate youth about Jewish identity. The Lappin Foundation did a presentation for students at Acton-Boxborough Regional High School in the Fall, and the foundation has also helped police officers visit Holocaust museums to provide them with cultural training on the Jewish experience.
When announcing the event in November 2025, Chief Szewczyk explained that he felt the community and police officers could benefit from a discussion with a Holocaust survivor. "We are excited to continue to strengthen the bond between the police department and the community as we grow and learn together with those we serve," he said. The event is free and all are welcome to attend.
New Year Resolutions: Help Us Make Boxborough News Better
New Year Resolutions: Help Us Make Boxborough News Better
(8-JAN-26) Happy New Year, Boxborough! How are your “new year” resolutions going? New year resolutions aren’t just about starting diet and exercise programs; they can be about trying or learning something new or spending more time doing something you enjoy.
Are you pursuing a new hobby or interest? Do you have a passion or expertise that you’re ready to share with others?
Boxborough News will mark its third anniversary this April. With a small team of dedicated volunteers, we have provided neutral, independent reporting on town news and events, and stories on Boxborough residents.
Our “new year” resolution is to expand both the breadth and depth of Boxborough News. We want our publication to reflect the lighter side of life in Boxborough, alongside deep dives on the more complex issues. We want to capture stories and entertainment from all corners of our town. We want to offer something for everyone.
Do you have a resolution that might align with ours?
We’re seeking ideas and volunteers for hobby columns and other fun content this year. Perhaps 2026 is the year we introduce an advice column, a cooking column, a weather column, guest essays, or school sports coverage.
No journalism background is required. Whether you can contribute occasionally or on a regular schedule – or if you’re just curious and want to learn more about the Boxborough News project – we want to hear from you! Email us at info@boxboroughnews.org.
A Conversation with Barbara Shapokas, Fine Artist
A Conversation with Barbara Shapokas, Fine Artist
(8-JAN-26) If you live or work in Boxborough, it’s likely that you’ve driven through the intersection of Massachusetts Ave and Stow Road. There, on the second floor of the 1832 brick building on the corner, is The Art Studio – the gallery and workspace of fine artist Barbara Shapokas.
Many of Shapokas’ paintings on display against the building’s historic beams will look familiar to Boxborough residents: “Ice House, Steele Farm: February Light,” “Boxborough Town Line,” “Barn on Stow Road,” and “Steele Farm: Late August.”
Originally a self-described “city girl” from New York, Shapokas has lived in and painted Boxborough for the past two decades.
Flagg Hill Conservation Area is Shapokas’ favorite place to go for inspiration. “I’ll go…with my colors and sketch book,” she explains. “I’ll photograph and sketch… I’ll sit in my car if it rains or snows and watch the beauty of the landscape happen.” She paints, usually with pastels, in her studio.
Shapokas has been an artist her entire life. Both of her parents had artistic natures – her father renovated churches and her mother was a musician – and Shapokas first began drawing at the early age of three. “I always liked nature and was always drawing,” she says.
After earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Cooper Union in New York City, Shapokas continued to live there while pursuing a career as a designer in both the publishing and entertainment industries. “I’m a fine artist… but artists have to work,” she laughs.
Shapokas designed book jackets for Simon & Schuster and later held the position of Senior Art Director at NBC, as well as Creative Director for Cardinal Communications and Stark Ltd.
She recalls this time of her life fondly, sharing stories of her work designing the “NBC Sports” logo; receiving a CLIO award for a calendar showcasing NBC archival footage; and creating a jacket commemorating 15 years of “Saturday Night Live” that was given out to famous guests appearing at the anniversary celebration.
At the same time, Shapokas continued to paint. “I had monthly art shows in my apartment; a hundred people would come through in a weekend,” she recalls. “Eventually management said I couldn’t do that anymore.”
In 2004, Shapokas moved to Massachusetts with her husband, settling in Boxborough three years later. At this time she did freelance work for several years, frequently traveling back to New York City, before focusing on painting again.
About ten years ago, Shapokas began renting the second floor at 25A Stow Road. She opened The Art Studio and taught painting classes before the Covid pandemic, then closed for several years until its end.
Now, she teaches private classes to high school students as well as “mature artists.” She is considering teaching remote painting classes and potentially hosting an “art talk” group session for artists to talk through artistic challenges.
Through it all, she continues to paint the landscapes of Boxborough.
She recalls once when leaving the Boxborough transfer station she was drawn to the way the sun lit a swampy area nearby. She parked her car and waded into the mud to get a good photograph to paint from. “And the police stopped and checked on me!” she laughs.
“I paint what I see,” she continues. “When you do landscapes you have tops twenty minutes because the light changes so quickly.”
Barbara Shapokas’ The Art Studio is located at 25A Stow Road. Learn more at https://shapokas.com/.
Meditations with Ann: The New Year
Meditations with Ann: The New Year
(7-Jan-26) The New Year marks the beginnings of our desire to start over, to make resolutions and to better ourselves in some way. We start off strong with determination and drive. As the weeks go by, we find ourselves falling into old habits and old ways of seeing the world and our place in it. I am here today to show you the value of the OLD information and ways to make it NEW for the New Year.
Our bodies are made up of muscle, bones, connective tissue and organs. The exact blueprint is different for everyone, all bodies are unique and astounding. That said, over time, we experience natural breakdown of these systems. Joints become achy, range of motion is compromised and years of physical habits begin to hurt. This is where true learning begins.
All of us have been in physical therapy at some point in our lives. We have all had overuse injuries or sudden movement that did damage. Chronic discomforts and acute ones. If we pursue these discomforts, a physical therapist has been assigned to access our personal body.
They look at muscle imbalances, genetic or behavioral misalignments of joints and other areas of the body that have responded to years of usage. They make a personal list of exercises that will help bring about better strength, flexibility and balance around the problem area that YOU have and send you on your way.
Most people do those exercises diligently until the pain is gone, then we suddenly feel they are no longer necessary. This is where we are wrong. Those exercises should be included in our weekly exercise routine for the REST OF OUR LIVES. They are curative AND preventative. If you have shoulder pain, chances are the alignment of the joint is off, and your regular PT exercises will help prevent the issue from creeping back into your life as you continue to age.
For me, the most important New Years Resolution is to revisit what I have already been taught, weave the knowledge into my life, correct my habitual posture and do any and all PT exercises that have been assigned to me over my lifetime. It is a doable challenge and your body will thank you in the years to come.
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