Embedded Files
Boxborough Fire and Police to Host “Truck or Treat” on Sunday October 26
Boxborough Fire and Police to Host “Truck or Treat” on Sunday October 26
(9-OCT-25) On Sunday, October 26, the Boxborough Fire and Police Departments will host their fifth annual “Truck or Treat” at the fire station, 502 Massachusetts Ave., from 10 a.m. to noon.
As in past years, kids are encouraged to wear their costumes (no toy weapons please) and trick-or-treat at the vehicles parked in the fire station parking lot.
Vehicles will include police cruisers as well as a fire engine, tanker/tenders, and an ambulance. New this year will be the fire department’s recently delivered “utility terrain vehicle.”
Public safety personnel will give out candy, and kids will have the opportunity to sit in each of the vehicles, take pictures, and learn more about various public safety initiatives. Boxborough Police K9 Koda and handler Officer Bressi are also expected to attend and give a short K9 demonstration. The event typically averages about 400 participants each year.
“The Boxborough Fire and Police Trunk or Treat event provides a safe and festive atmosphere where children and families can positively interact with police officers,” said Boxborough Police Chief John Szewczyk. “We are excited to see all the terrific costumes and share Halloween treats with all those in attendance.”
Last year, visitors were treated to an appearance by Boston Medflight. Fire Captain Jason Malinowski noted that any outside agencies participating will confirm availability closer to the event date - and all are subject to emergency calls.
“Come and have fun,” said Captain Malinowski. Parking will be available across the street at Blanchard Memorial School.
Diwalifest Organizers Postpone Festival to October 19
Diwalifest Organizers Postpone Festival to October 19
(10-OCT-25) Due to rain in the forecast, Diwalifest is now happening on Sunday, Oct 19th at the Sargent Memorial Library, Boxborough (12–4:30 PM).
According to Diwalifest organizer Deepika Prakash, "Everything else stays the same — amazing food, performances, and fun activities for all ages!
Diwalifest Returns to Boxborough--Q&A with Festival Organizer Deepika Prakash
Diwalifest Returns to Boxborough--Q&A with Festival Organizer Deepika Prakash
(2-OCT-25) Diwalifest 2025 will be held at the Sargent Memorial Library in Boxborough on Sunday, October 12 from 12 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (with a rain date of Sunday, October 19). The event is open to all and free to attend.
Boxborough News reached out to festival organizer Deepika Prakash to answer questions about the upcoming celebration.
Q: What is the significance of Diwali? What does it celebrate?
A: Diwali signifies victory of light over darkness. In many parts of India Diwali also signifies the beginning of a new year.
Q: When and how is Diwali typically celebrated?
A: It is celebrated every autumn on the darkest day of the lunar month, coinciding with the new moon. Like many Indian festivals, the way it is observed differs from family to family. However, a common thread in all these celebrations is the lighting of the simple clay lamp known as a Diya.
Q: When and how did Diwalifest start?
A: Diwalifest marks the culmination of a four-year journey, initiated by Ms. Deepika Prakash, who first petitioned the school committee in 2017 to close schools in observance of Diwali. Once the schools were closed, we realized we needed something more—a celebration where we could embrace our heritage and invite everyone to join us.
Every festival shares two essentials: people and food, and Diwalifest is for everyone! As organizers, we believe in the power of inclusivity, creativity, and, most importantly, fun. While planning Diwalifest, our goal was to incorporate various elements of Diwali, such as lively music, delicious food, traditional dances, rangoli (intricate floor art), and more. Our vision is to create an inclusive environment where people from all cultures can come together to celebrate this vibrant festival.
No celebration is complete without the community that attends, and Diwalifest is no exception. That's why it will always be FREE to attend. We hope to see you there!
Q: Who organizes the festival?
A: The lead organizer of Diwalifest is Deepika Prakash. There are four core youth founders as well who helped brainstorm this event when it first started in 2022: Aarya, Arjun, Anika and Suravi. We wish our senior youth team members continued success and hope they return back to the festival year after year. You can read about us at https://www.diwalifest.net/about-us. Ms. Arpita Pathak, owner of Gurukool in Littleton, organizes the cultural program at Diwalifest .
Diwalifest is a true community event. There are many community members who come together to bring about this festival. We are grateful to the tremendous support from Ms. Peishan Bartley, director of Sargent Memorial Library, as well as the towns of Acton and Boxborough for promoting Diwalifest.
Q: What is planned for this year's festival? Anything new?
A: Diwalifest focuses on food and culture, and every year we invite local businesses, dance schools, and community members to perform. Guests can expect dances representing many regions of India, performed by both youth and adults. In addition, there will be family yoga, children’s activities, Diya lighting, and story time. We like to keep some of the performances a surprise — you’ll just have to come to the festival to see what’s in store!
New this year, we’re especially excited to welcome the first 100 children with a special gift: each will receive a traditional clay diya, symbolizing light. They’ll then be able to decorate it at our kids’ activity tent and take part in the community diya lighting ceremony. We’re also introducing a lively Indian karaoke band, Bindis and Bangles, making their debut at Diwalifest. And of course, crowd favorites like NEMM’s Dhol (Drums) will be back with their high-energy beats that always get the crowd moving.
And for those who are unfamiliar with Indian food, we’ve created a special page on our website — www.diwalifest.net — with a detailed description of each dish so everyone can explore and enjoy the flavors with confidence.
Q: Anything else visitors should know about accessing the festival, including parking?
A: Diwalifest has quickly become a community favorite festival, and that often presents parking challenges. But we’ve made it easy for everyone to attend. If you arrive between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m., you’ll likely find parking at the Blanchard School, just a short walk to the library grounds.
If those spots are full, we have two overflow lots: 75 Spruce Street in Acton (Boardwalk Campus parking lot) and Boxborough Town Hall. A MART Van will run between the overflow lots and the festival to shuttle attendees right to the celebration.
There’s truly something for everyone — delicious food, vibrant culture, and an unforgettable sense of community.
Meditations with Ann: Why Movement Matters
Meditations with Ann: Why Movement Matters
(2-OCT-25) If I could rename what I do for a living, I might change my Yoga Teacher status to Applied Movement Skills Teacher, or Dynamic Stretching Advocate, or Effectual Aging Specialist. Then I would change the language away from Student and move it towards Life Long Learner, Applied Studies Specialist, or simply A Dynamically Curious Human Being.
In this era of physical knowledge, with a variety of avenues to teach the same information, I want to remind everyone of what they already know. A person may enroll in a Yoga class and be reminded of all the Physical Therapy (PT) they have received for various ailments in the past. The exercises and attention to detail will be very familiar and people are reminded that what they learned in PT shapes what they learn in other movement classes (i.e.Yoga, Pilates, Stretching). Mat Pilates exercises are exercises that I learned as a classically trained Yoga instructor to use as a warm-up to the specific Asana to be taught later in a class. Pilates focuses on lots of repetitions and Yoga on a few but both activate the muscles, fascia and neurons. Stretching classes focus on a Yin Yoga approach, spending many minutes in one stretching position.
These are different approaches to the same information. They all serve to remind us that our bodies harbor a lifetime of knowledge. We retain all that we have experienced during our lives as physical bodies moving through space and can use this knowledge to move more comfortably.
Why is this important? Because I believe it helps to motivate people if they are reminded that their body is a master of resilience and it has accumulated an enormous wealth of knowledge about movement. From past PT sessions, from YouTube videos, from Instagram stories, from past organized movement classes and even from walking to get the mail. The end result is that Movement Matters. Any movement counts, with lots of variety and challenges. You already know how to move it WELL, it is just a matter of doing it MORE.
BXB-TV Launches “BXB Community Buzz” Podcast
BXB-TV Launches “BXB Community Buzz” Podcast
(1-Oct-25) The Town of Boxborough has partnered with Littleton Community Television (LCTV) to launch its own podcast, “BXB Community Buzz.” The podcast is hosted by Assistant Town Administrator Rajon Hudson. Three episodes have been released so far. The first is a conversation between Hudson and LCTV Executive Director Mark Crory about the Boxborough Civic Academy. The second episode is hosted by Hudson with guest Alec Wade, Boxborough’s Town Planner. In the third, Hudson speaks with Boxborough Fire Chief John Kivlan.
The town’s goal is to release new episodes roughly twice per month, with Hudson hosting a new guest each time. The podcast came about when Hudson spoke with LCTV Program Director Judy Reid and Executive Director Mark Crory about creating some “buzz” about Boxborough Civic Academy by generating content and coverage for the program. Hudson and Crory recorded the first episode and two weeks later, Hudson went back to the LCTV studio with Alec to record the second episode about Fall Town meeting.
The BXB Community Buzz airs on the BXB-TV “Government Channel” several times a week. It can been seen on local channel 9 (Comcast users) or channel 39 (Verizon users). The podcast is also available on BXB-TV video on demand (https://cloud.castus.tv/vod/boxborough), BXB-TV’s YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@BXB-TV) and on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/5quczeoVX91rK1rjuFIlXO).
The LCTV studio is also available for community members to create programming. LCTV is hosting a two-night video production workshop on October 1 and October 8 for anyone who wants to learn about the services offered at their studio. Contact LCTV/BXBTV at 978-540-2488 or lctvstaff@littletonma.org.
Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan Offers Guidance on Fraud Prevention
Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan Offers Guidance on Fraud Prevention
(1-Oct-25) On September 29, almost 30 Boxborough residents turned out to hear Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan speak about fraud prevention at an event sponsored by the Boxborough Council on Aging. Over the years, Ryan’s office has handled a wide variety of scams perpetrated in Middlesex County – everything from government impersonators, “grandparent” scams and home repair scams.
In one case, an economics professor was told she won the lottery and would have to pay taxes upfront. She turned over $1 million to the scammers and never saw a penny from the lottery. In another case, an accomplished physician received a call that she was being investigated by the Department of Treasury for possible drug money laundering.
They told her they could help “clean the money”, if she sent funds to the Secret Service. After sending $600,000 she started to get suspicious and put an end to the scam. In almost every case, the scammers are never found and the money is never recovered.
Ryan said “scammers are very good at what they do. There is always a piece of truth in what they say.” They may know something about their victim that makes the scam more believable. So how does one know if they’re being scammed?
First, the scammers will put constant pressure on the victim saying they need to hurry up and make a decision or send them something, like a gift card, cash or even gold bars. The victim may receive multiple calls from a variety of sources claiming to be with the IRS, the Secret Service, the FBI or some other federal agency, making the scam more credible while putting pressure on the victim to do something.
Second, scammers often tell the victim not to tell anyone or it may impact their lives in some way. For example, the “grandparent” scam involves someone pretending to be a grandchild saying they’ve been arrested and need bail money or were in an accident and need money for medical expenses.
Artificial intelligence is being used to imitate a person’s voice. The victim is asked to not tell anyone, especially the parents. Ryan said, “the more isolated someone is, the more likely they will fall victim to a scam.” Ryan’s advice is to “slow it down.” Tell someone else the story before doing anything.
She also advised not to pick up calls from unknown callers. “Phishing” is a technique used to see if a phone number is still active. If the call is picked up, the “phisher” knows it’s an active number and can sell the number to scammers. Sometimes scammers show up at a house. They often say they just did some work for a neighbor and ask if they can do the same work at that house, like replace gutters or pave a driveway.
They pressure the homeowner to act quickly and might ask to be paid in cash. They take the money and never complete the work. Ryan says, “if you didn’t initiate a request for the service, you don’t need it.” She also advised homeowners to think twice about letting people inside their house, even though scammers may intimidate or threaten the homeowner.
Boxborough Police Chief John Szewczyk said “fraud happens more often than you think.” His advice is to report the fraud to the Boxborough Police Department at (978) 264-1750. Materials provided by Ryan’s office included these additional tips:
Beware of any calls, emails or other communications with an “urgent” demand for money or payment, those seeking to verify personal information or offers that seem too good to be true.
Never send money to a person you do not recognize where you cannot verify their identity and do not download attachments or click on links in unsolicited emails or texts.
Carefully review emails or correspondence from organizations seeking charitable donations. The best practice is to make donations directly on the organization’s website.
Beware of fraudulent emails that appear to be from reputable sources asking for personal information; check URL links, email addresses, and look for spelling errors and poor-quality logos. If you are a victim of a scam, you can report it to the Boxborough Police Department at (978) 264-1750. You can also report the incident to the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or go online to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Boxborough Opens a ‘Swap Shed’: Q&A with Sustainability Committee Chair Kate Davies
Boxborough Opens a ‘Swap Shed’: Q&A with Sustainability Committee Chair Kate Davies
(25-Sep-25) The Boxborough Swap Shed, made possible by a collaboration between the Boxborough Sustainability Committee, Planning Department, and Department of Public Works, will open its doors for the first time on Saturday, September 27.
The Swap Shed, located at the Boxborough Transfer Station at 550 Codman Hill Road, will be staffed by volunteers and is expected to be open when the Transfer Station is open, on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
However, the Swap Shed hours are volunteer- and weather-dependent. The Sustainability Committee’s “Energize Boxborough” website includes expected hours of operation, as well as volunteer information and donation guidelines: https://www.energizeboxborough.org/actions/3872. Boxborough News reached out to Sustainability Committee Chair Kate Davies to learn what the Swap Shed is all about, and what residents can expect when they visit the Swap Shed.
Q: What is a swap shed?
A: A 'swap shed' is a community resource that encourages folks to share gently used, functional items in order to reduce waste, promote reuse, and save money on waste disposal. Based on the adage that “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure,” swap sheds are typically located at a community’s transfer station or recycling drop-off center. Our swap shed is located at the Boxborough Transfer Station at 550 Codman Hill Road.
Q: Why is the town opening a swap shed? Who were the drivers of this project?
A: The Town is opening a swap shed because it is a smart investment for our community - it gives residents access to a range of items in good working condition, while also reducing how much waste we pay to dispose of. For a community like Boxborough, where we place a lot of value on 'thriftiness' and 'care', there's a lot to like about a swap shed.
This project was a long time in the making, and it has been a community-wide effort. Francie Nolde, the previous Chair of the Boxborough Sustainability Committee (or the BSC as we call ourselves), was one of the original drivers behind the project, along with Richard Garrison, another member of the BSC, who continues to be a dedicated champion.
Fran Spayne, a resident who supports both the BSC and the Wellbeing Committee, has also been a key driver. The Planning Department and Department of Public Works have been essential partners - without their help and guidance we would not have a shed today. We've received helpful feedback and support from the Town Administrator, the Select Board, the Wellbeing Committee, and the Financial Committee.
And of course, all the members of the BSC and additional volunteers have helped to paint and prepare the shed, and several folks are prepared to show up and help run the shed when it opens this Saturday. But going forward, we will need more support to make sure the Boxborough Swap Shed becomes the fantastic resource we know it can be - there are plenty of ways to still get involved!
Q: What types of common household items can be brought to the Boxborough swap shed?
A: The BSC and partners have developed a fairly comprehensive set of donation guidelines after reviewing examples from other towns and considering our own community interests and needs.
To be accepted, items must be clean, dry, safe, and in good working order. If these conditions are met, then examples of items that will likely be accepted include household items such as dishware, glasses, silverware, pots and pans, small furniture items (no large or upholstered furniture), small appliances such as irons, toasters, coffee makers, fans, vacuum cleaners, and lamps, picture frames, or small decorative items (no pillows or upholstery).
Some books, toys (no stuffed animals), and small equipment will also likely be accepted. The complete list is posted at http://bit.ly/3IF4paS, as well as on the Energize Boxborough website, and on the bulletin board attached to the front of the shed.
Q: Who decides what items are accepted or not accepted at the swap shed? What happens if a resident accidentally brings something to the swap shed that is not an accepted item?
A: Donations must be approved by a Swap Shed volunteer before being left - volunteers may refuse any item based on condition, space, or safety concerns. Please do not leave items outside the Swap Shed when it is closed - any items left without approval are likely to be discarded.
When possible, volunteers will provide resources regarding other donation or recycling options for items that cannot be accepted at the swap shed, but some items may not be reused or recycled, and the owner of the item is always responsible for proper disposal.
Q: Does one need to drop something off in the shed in order to pick something up from the shed?
A: No! Boxborough residents can use the shed for donations and/or adoptions as needed.
Q: Can the swap shed be used (for drop off and/or pick up) by residents who have not purchased a transfer station sticker from the town?
A: To access the Swap Shed, all users must show proof of Boxborough residency status. A transfer station sticker is strongly encouraged; this is the easiest way to demonstrate proof of residency and a right to access the Transfer Station. For fall 2025, we will also experiment with access to the shed for residents who show another proof of residency (for example, a utility bill and photo ID).
However, if monitoring access becomes a burden for Swap Shed volunteers or Transfer Station staff, or if any other significant challenges arise regarding access to the shed or the Transfer Station in general, this policy may have to change.
Q: Who will staff the swap shed? Can residents still volunteer to help?
A: The swap shed will rely on volunteers to stay open. The more dedicated volunteers we have, the more hours we can keep the shed running. Any resident interested in volunteering can complete the following form https://forms.gle/sux2b5YomQRVXbnj7 or email me at kdavies@boxborough-ma.gov.
Q: What will happen to items that are dropped at the shed but not claimed by others? Will they be sent somewhere else after some amount of time?
A: The BSC and friends are working closely with other local donation organizations, such as Household Goods, to make sure that donated items find their way to a good home whenever possible. We will continue to refine this system once the shed is operating.
Q: Anything else you'd like residents to know about the swap shed?
A: The Boxborough Swap Shed will be open this Saturday 9/27 for donations and adoptions. Please come by to say hi, and check out your new community resource!
l to r: Dick Wagman, Jimmy Cooley, Priya Sundaram, Renee Smutney-Fritz, Abby Reip
l to r: Dick Wagman, Jimmy Cooley, Priya Sundaram, Renee Smutney-Fritz, Abby Reip
Boxborough Democrats Attend State Convention
Boxborough Democrats Attend State Convention
(25-Sep-25) On Saturday, September 13, five delegates who were elected at the Boxborough Democratic Caucus on March 30, 2025 attended the Massachusetts Democratic State Convention in Springfield. The purpose of the convention was to vote on the Massachusetts Democratic Party (MassDems) platform for the next four years.
At the convention, progressive members of the party expressed that they were unhappy with the proposed platform because it deleted certain policy demands, including those related to immigration, racial justice, and reproductive health, that were part of the previous platform voted in 2021.
On the convention floor, a lively debate ensued, with several speakers calling on delegates to vote in favor of an amendment to restore the 2021 platform. In an overwhelming show of support, the amendment was adopted, and the 2021 MassDems party platform was restored.
When asked for her thoughts about what transpired at the convention, delegate Priya Sundaram wrote, “Democracy in action and kudos to MA Dems for taking some bold action and keeping the platform true to who we are, especially to say that we are not afraid to strive for universal healthcare, universal education, livable wage, reproductive rights, etc.”
The Boxborough Democratic Town Committee works to elect Democrats at all levels of government and supports causes that align with Democratic values. For more information, email boxborough.dtc@gmail.com, visit boxboroughdems.org or facebook.com/BoxboroughDTC.
FreeBee Market October 18 Finale Will Include Halloween Costume Exchange and a Blessing of the Animals
FreeBee Market October 18 Finale Will Include Halloween Costume Exchange and a Blessing of the Animals
(25-SEP-25) FreeBee Market Saturdays have been buzzing with energy all season long, and the final community market on Saturday, October 18 promises to be a true celebration of the 2025 season. As always, FreeBee Market takes place on the side lawn of the United Church of Christ Boxborough (UCCB) at 30 Middle Road from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Like last year’s October market, the Boxborough Community Center will transform into a free Halloween costume shop, where families can pick out festive outfits and decorations.
Interested in contributing gently-used costumes to the FreeBee Halloween shop? Donation bins are set up at Sargent Library, Blanchard School, and the UCCB side porch.
At UCCB, Pastor Fran Graveson will lead a Blessing of the Animals—all furry, feathered, and scaly friends are welcome. There will also be free cookies to sweeten the day.
Of course, no FreeBee finale would be complete without the crowd favorites: the bouncy house, fun crafts, and local community groups.
Boxborough’s Free Bee Market, a volunteer-driven free food network and market formed in the wake of the pandemic and Swanson Road apartment fire in 2021, fights food insecurity by promoting home gardening and reducing other food waste, all while making and amplifying local connections between people and organizations.
As the October 18 market wraps up around noon, Boxborough’s “Village for a Day” event will be starting. Village for a Day is an event organized by the Boxborough Economic Development Committee to promote Boxborough businesses and help the community imagine what a walkable town center in Boxborough could look like. The event is expected to take place primarily along Massachusetts Avenue from its intersection with Middle and Stow roads (near the UCCB lawn) to the Middlesex Bank Plaza.
A Bakery Comes to Boxborough: Q&A with Owner of “Thinking Flower”
A Bakery Comes to Boxborough: Q&A with Owner of “Thinking Flower”
(18-SEP-25) Artisan bakery “Thinking Flower,” owned by Boxborough resident Divya Suryaprasad, will soon open its doors at 629 Massachusetts Avenue in the Middlesex Bank plaza.
Boxborough News reached out to Suryaprasad with questions about her business, her background, and what “Thinking Flower” means.
“Thinking Flower” is expected to open for a “soft launch” on Thursday, October 16, with hours of operation Tuesday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Regular operations are expected to begin November 1, with hours of operation Wednesday through Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
1. What type of business is "Thinking Flower"? What food/drink/other will you offer?
Thinking Flower is a forward thinking small-batch artisan bakery specializing in handcrafted viennoiserie (croissants) and cakes baked fresh daily, paired with specialty coffees sourced from a local roastery. I believe in using simple, real ingredients to create bold and memorable flavors.
2. What kind of experience can customers expect when they visit Thinking Flower?
A warm, lively atmosphere filled with the aromas of freshly brewed coffee, buttery croissants, and gentle music — your new favorite neighborhood spot!
3. Will it be a dine-in establishment?
Yes. We have a total seating capacity of 25. Most of them indoor and a few outdoors.
4. Why did you decide to open this business?
Although we officially began this project just over a year ago, it has truly been a dream in the making for much longer. From a very young age, I had a natural flair for cooking and baking. With limited resources and no fancy ingredients, I still found joy in creating, and it became clear early on that one day I wanted to own a little shop of my own. After a career change and nearly a decade in the hospitality industry, while also working through my fears of entrepreneurship, I realized one day that I was finally ready to take the leap.
5. Why did you choose to open your business in Boxborough?
We have been living in Boxborough for just over four years now. One of our favorite things to do as a family on Saturday mornings is drive out in search of a new French bakery or coffee shop to try. Because there haven’t been many options nearby, these outings usually took us out of town. That experience stayed with me, and when I decided to open a bakery of my own, it confirmed the need right here in our community. With the support of town officials in securing permits, along with the Economic Development Committee’s grant program, I was able to bring that vision to life without having to look any further.
6. Why is it called "Thinking Flower"?
One of the questions I’m asked most often is about the unique name of the bakery. I’ve always been fond of flowers, and since childhood I’ve had a habit of sketching abstract ones-especially when I’m deep in thought. That creative process naturally led to the name. Our logo even features a variation of one of those sketches, which we’re in the process of finalizing, making both the name and design deeply personal to me.
7. What is your professional background?
I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and a degree in Baking & Pastry Arts from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI.
8. Anything else you'd like the community to know about you and/or your business?
Dear Residents of Boxborough,
Starting a food establishment in a small town like ours—where water/sewer management, and real estate infrastructure are limited—has certainly been a challenge. But once the groundwork has been done, I realized how fortunate I am to live in a community with such a strong spirit of support and connection.
I truly look forward to welcoming each of you to Thinking Flower and hope you enjoy this space as much as I’ve enjoyed creating it. Thank you!
Boxborough Police Department Rejoins Communities for Restorative Justice
Boxborough Police Department Rejoins Communities for Restorative Justice
(18-SEP-25) On September 3, 2025, Boxborough Police supervisors took part in Communities for Restorative Justice (C4RJ) training to revive the department’s participation in the program. The Boxborough Police Department has participated in the program in the past, but cut participation around 2021.
According to Boxborough Police Chief John Szewczyk, “restorative justice” is a diversionary method of dealing with a criminal act. Instead of arresting the responsible party, a trained supervising officer will bring the responsible party together with the impacted party for a “circle discussion” to work out a restorative method of redeeming the criminal act. The process typically takes several months.
The C4RJ organization in Boston has been in operation for roughly 25 years, and today 68% of the cases they handle this way are for adults. Several neighboring communities participate, including Acton, Stow, Concord, and Ayer.
Only certain cases are appropriate for the C4RJ process. Some of the considerations for whether a case is eligible for the C4RJ process are: who has been hurt by the act, who has been affected, why did the responsible party commit the act, and what are the needs of the responsible party that drove them to resort to crime. If the case seems appropriate, both the responsible party and the affected party must agree to participate. Depending on the nature of the crime, the case could still go to court. However, in over 90% of the cases, no court proceedings are needed.
Some types of criminal acts are not appropriate for the C4RJ process, such as violent crimes or habitual offenses, but the process seems to be especially effective for first-time offenders committing acts such as vandalism or a hate crime. To proceed with restorative justice, the supervisor must identify a specific affected party, but it need not be an individual. The affected party could be a church, an organization, or even a town.
To learn more about the program visit https://www.c4rj.org/, and to learn more about volunteering with C4RJ, visit https://www.c4rj.org/join-us/volunteers.
Pam’s Gardening Tips: Letting Go and Movin’ On
Pam’s Gardening Tips: Letting Go and Movin’ On
(18-SEP-25) As I sit and watch the hummingbirds hover over my salvias, I know that they are preparing for their long flight to their winter home by fueling up. I watch them as they enjoy the nectar from each flower, as they get ready to let go of this place and move on.
I, too, am getting ready to let go of this place and move on. We have had twenty-three wonderful years during which my husband and his trusty tractor created garden beds and made compost so I could keep planting more gardens! It has been a long, fun adventure for which we are grateful, and, yes, we are melancholy about leaving. However, we are moving on and hoping to find a smaller property that will have gardening possibilities. One priority will be to find a place with a sunny area where I can plant more salvias so that the hummingbirds will be able to find us again!
I am also letting go of this garden column which has been a joy to write. Being asked to write a column was a great gift and an opportunity to share my love of gardening with others. I hope that you have enjoyed reading my gardening tips.
I have also loved being a part of the Boxborough News. I hope that another gardener will step up to keep this column going. Perhaps a vegetable gardener or a passionate native plant person could take this column on and make it their own. You won’t regret it.
There is never a dull moment in the life of a gardener. Keep on gardening!
Editor’s Note: We would like to thank Pam Collins for being a regular contributor to Boxborough News and serving as our first garden columnist. Interested in taking the reins as our next garden columnist? Contact us at BoxboroughNews@gmail.com.
Boxborough Public Safety Officials Remember 9/11
Boxborough Public Safety Officials Remember 9/11
(11-Sep-25) On Thursday September 11, Boxborough public safety officials held a brief 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony in front of the Boxborough Fire Station. There were approximately 30 people in attendance.
The ceremony began with the ringing of a bell, four sets of five rings. There is a tradition among firefighters to ring the bell in this way to signify when a firefighter has responded to his last call. The flag was then lowered to half mast, followed by a minute of silence. A firefighter then recited a 9/11 Prayer, and another said the Firefighter Prayer. The bell tolled again.
Boxborough Fire Chief John Kivlan spoke on the theme of “Never Forget” and the different meanings that phrase can have. Never forget the 343 New York City firefighters who died that day, he reminded the crowd; never forget where you were when you heard about the attacks; and never forget how you felt the day afterwards – when everyone rallied and unified as a country.
Following the ceremony, people enjoyed snacks and a tour of the fire station.
Staying Safe on the Road
Staying Safe on the Road
(11-Sep-25) By now, you’ve probably noticed that school buses are rolling and daylight hours are rapidly diminishing. These autumnal changes serve as a reminder to residents to be cautious on our roads.
Boxborough News reached out to Police Chief John Szewczyk for some back-to-school safety reminders. "Police and crossing guards will be at the (Mass Ave) crosswalk in the mornings and afternoons…Pedestrians should utilize the sidewalks and crosswalks and always wait for the direction of the officer or crossing guard before crossing the street."
Most of Boxborough’s roads do not have sidewalks. Pedestrians should always walk facing traffic so that they can see oncoming cars and avoid being injured. As daylight wanes, wearing light or reflective clothing and carrying a flashlight is also advised to increase visibility to motorists.
Chief Szewczyk also addressed safety with regard to school buses. “It is imperative that motorists abide by all speed limits and refrain from distracted driving, such as using their cell phones. Most importantly, motorists should ensure they stop for all school buses with flashing lights and when the stop arm is extended.”
FreeBee Harvest Fair Brings Community Fun on Saturday, September 13
FreeBee Harvest Fair Brings Community Fun on Saturday, September 13
(11-Sep-25) The FreeBee Market will celebrate the season with a special Harvest Fair Community Market on Saturday, September 13, from 10:30 a.m. to noon at the UCC Boxborough side lawn across from Town Hall. In true harvest-fair spirit, the event will feature a petting zoo of farm animals sponsored by Middlesex Bank, along with a tractor for photo opportunities, and displays from the Boxborough Historical Society and Agricultural Commission.
Local organizations will join in the festivities, including the Discovery Museum with hands-on magnet activities, Household Goods, the Boxborough Emergency Reserve Corps, Acton Boxborough STEM, and the Acton Boxborough Cultural Council.
Inside the Community Center, visitors can enjoy live salsa dancing and learn about an upcoming Cuban fundraiser at UCC Boxborough this October. And, of course, it wouldn’t be a harvest fair without plenty of free fresh local produce - much of it gleaned from area farms and gardens - ready to share with neighbors. Come join the celebration, connect with the community, and enjoy the bounty of the season at this joyful local event.
Boxborough Resident Publishes Memoir: Unraveling My Father’s Suicide, 10th Anniversary Edition
Boxborough Resident Publishes Memoir: Unraveling My Father’s Suicide, 10th Anniversary Edition
(11-SEP-25) Content Warning: The following article discusses the topic of suicide. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988 immediately. You can also chat with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988lifeline.org. Visit nami.org (National Alliance on Mental Illness) for Crisis Resources.
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September is Suicide Prevention Month. According to NAMI, Suicide Prevention Month “reminds us that talking about suicide isn’t harmful – silence is. One honest conversation can be a turning point in someone’s life.”
Kathleen Laplante, a Boxborough resident, has written a memoir about her father’s suicide and its effect on her. First published ten years ago, Kathleen has published an updated version of the book that includes her journey in recovery and healing.
1) What made you decide to write this book?
Back in 2013, I was in a soul-searching period of my life. My sons had grown and gone to college. I had done a lot of writing in the past. One time I wrote a synopsis about my father's suicide and its effect on me, and I shared it with friends. One encouraged me to write a book about it. I took her words of encouragement to heart and started on that venture. As it progressed, it became more and more evident that I had a message of resilience and hope for the mental health field and suicide prevention in particular.
2) Your book was first published 10 years ago. Why did you decide to publish a 10th anniversary edition? Is there new content? Has anything changed for you since the book was first published?
I published a 10th anniversary edition because I wanted to revitalize my story to bring hope to more people. Also, there is new content.
My book is a reflection of my life with respect to my father, his suicide, and my off and on battle against depression and suicide for 25 years. Not wanting to be alive was my default solution to pain. Perseverance with psychotherapy and medication helped me restrain from acting on suicidal thoughts. A reversion to Catholicism was another great advancement in that area. My committed participation in a 12-Step recovery program, however, along with a deepening practice of my Faith, led to an eradication of the thoughts altogether. That occurred after the first edition of my book was published. I wanted to capture it as another avenue of hope for people struggling with suicidal ideation, as well as for their relatives and friends.
3) What do you hope readers will gain from reading your story? What have you gained from writing the book?
I hope readers will gain more awareness about the scope of the mental struggles with depression and suicide, the bureaucratic barriers to recovery, and the mental, physical and spiritual possibilities for recovery.
In writing my book, I have gained an unexpected amount of healing around my father's suicide. I gained closure on my emotional confusion about it occurring at all, but especially about it occurring on my birthday. I also gained an appreciation for the resilience and perseverance that is needed to deal with long term mental health issues. Lastly, I gained a new level of love and respect for life, my life in particular, and for being of service to others, both in the community and with family and friends. It is an inherent hope that did not exist before.
4) Please feel free to give additional information that we can provide to readers on the topic of suicide prevention.
Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States, both for adults and teenagers. It is a symptom of a deeper emotional problem of not feeling good about oneself; of not feeling connected to the surrounding community. It is preventable short term in the acute sense, as well as long term. Long term prevention involves enhancing everyday family and school/work life, like at Danny's Place in Acton, MA, and in mental health programs in the workplace. At the acute level, 988 is the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. It is available 24/7 for not only those who are thinking about taking their lives, but also for friends and relatives who are distraught and need support. There are local organizations such as Acton-Boxborough Community Resources, which helps with acute suicide prevention through its Mental Wellbeing effort. They offer online suicide prevention training and a list of resources. There is also See A New Sun Foundation, Inc. out of Littleton, MA, which focuses on education and awareness along with substance abuse and mental health. One bit of advice I would offer is to trust your gut when it comes to making decisions about mental health care providers and programs. Each person has his or her own needs. Consider a holistic approach for longer term relief.
5) What else would you like to share about yourself and your story?
I am a Boxborough, MA resident. I am a baker, a writer, and a Rosary maker. I do a lot of walking such that next year, I plan to walk the El Camino trail in Spain. It is a dream come true thanks to my recovery. My book, "Unraveling My Father's Suicide, 10th Anniversary Edition", is available on Amazon and at Felixology in Maynard.
Boxborough Goes Back to School with New Playground at Blanchard
Boxborough Goes Back to School with New Playground at Blanchard
(4-SEP-25) School buses are back in action through the streets of Boxborough! On Wednesday, August 27, students returned to the Acton-Boxborough Regional School District (ABRSD) for another academic year.
Blanchard Memorial School, the district’s only elementary school located in Boxborough, welcomed its kindergarten through sixth grade students with a brand-new playground.
The playground was built using Boxborough Community Preservation Act funds approved at last year’s Town Meeting. On Thursday, August 28, Blanchard principal Michael Votto hosted a ribbon-cutting for the new playground, complete with free ice cream treats.
For more information about Blanchard and its events throughout the school year, visit the Blanchard Parent Teacher Friend (PTF) website at https://www.blanchardptf.org/.
Meditations with Ann: September Breathing
Meditations with Ann: September Breathing
(4-SEP-25) Nothing makes me think more deeply about breath than the ocean.
On a beach, I can feel the sunshine on my face. I can hear sea gulls calling to each other and the laughter of children playing. I can feel the splash of water and smell the salty brine. I watch waves moving towards me and away from me in a rhythmic pattern that feels like a visceral, constant, and never-ending movement.
If you close your eyes and visualize this exact scene, but put it all in slow motion, you have the beginnings of a very powerful breathing exercise that works to reset your parasympathetic nervous system to calm the body and mind.
In my classes, I call it "continuous breathing,” but other disciplines call it by other names. I use it at the beginning of yoga class, at the end of yoga classes, during the afternoon when I need a centered boost of energy or just before I fall asleep at night. It is a versatile experience and an amazing tool to use to help regulate our bodies and minds at various moments of our day.
To try it out, sit or lay down in a comfortable position. Comfortable is the key word. Take a slow, deep inhalation and feel the expansion of the ribcage and abdomen. At the slowest height of the inhalation, don’t pause or wait or stop your movement, but send the breath immediately into an exhalation. The rate of the exhalation naturally changes, being faster at the beginning and slower just before the next inhalation begins.
This is where I envision the waves on the beach in super slow motion. One wave comes in and moves closer to where you are sitting (inhalation) followed by the water receding away from where you are sitting (exhalation). Another wave immediately follows the first one and this slow, dreamlike awareness of the movement continues.
Like anything, practice is the key to feeling the full benefits of the exercise. Since breath is with you always, you can do this frequently during the day for 2-3 minutes at a time. It is a luxury to be able to sit still and concentrate on breathing for 10-15 minutes, but it is also an incorrect expectation for most of us. Do what you can when you can, and reap the great sense of wellbeing and energy the body can provide you.
Pam’s Gardening Tips: A Great Time in Our Gardens
Pam’s Gardening Tips: A Great Time in Our Gardens
(4-SEP-25) I hope that you have been enjoying a lovely gardening season.
September still has plenty of sights to enjoy. In my garden, I am enjoying many annuals still in bloom - including the blue salvias which are attracting lots of hummingbirds - and the daylilies making another appearance. I am also awaiting perennial fall bloomers: chrysanthemums, sedums and toad lilies.
As the summer draws to a close, it is a great time to look at your gardens and take inventory. Walk around with a pad of paper and write down your thoughts on each garden bed. Has it done well? Do plants need to be moved/divided? Do you wish you had a certain plant? What changes do you want to make?
Dream about next year! Will it be the year you put in a pollinator garden, add more natives, or create a garden that birds love? Having a written record helps - you can look at your notes in April and remember what you want to do in your gardens as spring arrives.
I also enjoy having online photo albums of my gardens. I look at them over time and can recognize the growth. It really is hard to remember without some kind of record. It also reminds me of what I want to add next year.
Here is a short list of September’s to-do’s:
Divide perennials and replant
Plant new perennials, still available at garden centers
Order bulbs now to plant later in fall
Remove weeds from your garden beds so that they don’t overwinter
Keep fertilizing your annual gardens
Freshen up outdoor planters with mums, marigolds, pansies, and ornamental grasses
Make sure to water trees and shrubs to keep them well-hydrated right up until you have to turn outside watering off. I had some small rhododendrons that did not overwinter well last year so I attributed that to their lack of water. I will be giving them some extra water this fall. Currently, I am deep-watering some oakleaf hydrangeas. I keep the hose on low overnight and move the next day and keep on doing that going around the yard.
Also, this is the last month to fertilize your indoor plants…and it’s a great time to re-pot.
Please consider joining the Boxborough Garden Club. We welcome new members. For information, email Flo Hanover at fhanover10@gmail.com.
“Hope Grows Here”-- Getting to Know the UCC Boxborough’s New Pastor, Fran Graveson
“Hope Grows Here”-- Getting to Know the UCC Boxborough’s New Pastor, Fran Graveson
(4-SEP-25) On a warm August afternoon, Boxborough News sat down with Pastor Fran Graveson, the newly installed minister of the UCC Boxborough. This is Pastor Fran’s first time leading a ministry after interning at other churches for two years. She began leading UCC Boxborough in March 2025.
Pastor Fran’s path to the ministry was a long and winding road. A Blackstone Valley native, Fran graduated from Bryant University with a degree in finance and worked for 30 plus years in corporate accounting for TJX, Hanover Insurance, and several smaller companies.
Raised as a Catholic, Fran says that she’s always been “church connected,” but “ebbed out of church” in her twenties. Then, when pregnant with her son, she wanted to be “back in the game,” so that her son would have a religious education opportunity. But her politics didn’t agree with the Catholic church, so she started “church shopping.” Through a favorite English teacher, she connected with a UCC church in the Blackstone Valley.
Fran’s life took various turns (a divorce, leaving the church again, coming out LGBTQ), which led her to seek to understand herself and her relationship with God. She met her wife, joined a new church, and began bible studies that she says “opened (her) up to realizing that church wasn’t what (she) thought it was or the Bible wasn’t what (she) thought it was.” “I started (Bible study) because there were a lot of people who were using the Bible against me as an LGBTQ person…I started digging in and learning about progressive Christianity that was available to me. I learned that it was such an open heart experience. It was really about continuously growing and continuously feeling hope and love growing in your life. And it turned into something deeper and more meaningful than just defending myself from others. Those were the seeds that continued to grow for about ten years.”
A conflict she experienced in a church struck her deeply. Fran recalls thinking, “that’s not God….That might be the church experience I just had, but that’s not God.” She believed “that God was saying, ‘keep looking– I’m still here’.” So, in 2018, she enrolled in seminary at Boston University (BU) and earned a Master of Divinity degree in 2021.
After graduating from BU, Fran interned at churches in Framingham and Worcester. She has done extensive work with marginalized populations, including immigrants and LGBTQ+ persons. She has also served as a chaplain at an assisted living facility.
When asked about why she applied to UCC Boxborough and what her goals were for her pastorship, Fran conveyed her excitement. “UCC Boxborough has a strong history of supporting the community…it has always been a light in the town…This church has a reputation of being open and affirming…doing community work.” She is taking time to understand the priorities of the congregation, “learning the church and figuring out what we are called to do together…and to do it all in the light of hope.”
This fall, the church will focus on Hope. According to Pastor Fran, hope includes opening our hearts and “the ability to do actions that help (bring about) change” to people’s lives. It’s about making connections with the congregation and becoming more visible to the broader community. “The challenge is showing people that the church can be wider and more open than stagnant rituals and rigid beliefs…We need to be together, holding each other and protecting each other...focusing on what we can do…to bring love and hope in this world.” In that light, the church is organizing a fundraiser for people living in Cuba this fall. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-cuba-benefit-concert-with-sol-y-canto-tickets-1611092764829
Many people in the Boxborough community may remember the UCC’s youth programs and mission trips that existed prior to the pandemic. Bringing young families back to the church and focusing on rebuilding the youth programs through service projects and art projects is one of Fran’s goals. She wants to build something that provides an experience. “It’s not about believing, memorizing…it’s about experiencing,” she says.
We wrapped up our conversation by asking for some fun facts about Fran. She describes herself as an “academic bible geek” who loves toiling in her flower gardens and visiting the ocean. She and her wife own an antique house and have one cat.
Sunday, September 7, is “Rally Day Sunday” at UCC Boxborough. It is a “welcome back” celebration of joy and kindness that begins at 9:30 a.m. For more information, visit https://boxboroughucc.org/events-2/?event=19334
It’s All About the Chocolate: Q&A With the Owner of Two Friends Chocolates
It’s All About the Chocolate: Q&A With the Owner of Two Friends Chocolates
(22-AUG-25) At Two Friends Chocolates, chocolate is not just a treat. It’s an art form, carefully crafted by owner and chocolatier, Lavanya (“Lala”) Selvaraj.
Selvaraj opened Two Friends Chocolates at 629 Massachusetts Ave in Boxborough in 2020 after starting the business in her Boxborough home in 2016. The business has been the recipient of two Boxborough local business grants and has evolved from making chocolates and hot cocoa to serving up hot and cold “drinking chocolate” as well as “sparkler” cold fruit drinks.
Boxborough News reached out to Selvaraj to learn more about her chocolate-making process from idea to shelf.
Boxborough News: How do you come up with ideas for new chocolates?
Selvaraj: “As makers, we thrive on bringing unique products to market—never replicating what already exists. We always listen to our customers’ needs, using their ideas as sparks of inspiration that guide us back to the drawing board, where we creating something entirely our own. For instance, when many asked us for a caramel-based treat, we didn’t just release another caramel - we developed our Caramel Barrels, a fresh concept built from the ground up. Similarly, while the viral Dubai bar has been widely replicated, we made a conscious decision not to follow that trend. Instead, we challenged ourselves to go above and beyond, creating a truly original offering: the Pistachio Kunafa Mendiant, with a never-before-seen flavor and design profile. Ideas ignite the process—but our craft lies in transforming those ideas into distinctive, original creations.”
Boxborough News: When you have an idea for a new flavor, how do you test it out before deciding to sell it? And how long do you typically work on creating a new product before it's ready to sell?
Selvaraj: “Before an idea becomes a flavor, and a flavor becomes a product, it goes through multiple rounds of creation, tasting, and refinement. The timeframe for this process varies, depending entirely on the complexity of the flavor, the ingredients involved, and the product itself. Some creations come to life quickly. For example, our Pistachio & Cranberry became a product almost exactly as it was imagined. Others, like our Rose & Tahitian Vanilla, went through several stages of development, each round fine-tuned until our team finally declared it ‘charming and elegant.’ At the heart of it all, our bottom line remains the same: a product only reaches the market after it has passed rigorous market testing, quality checks, and taste trials. Nothing less makes the cut.”
Boxborough News: Are all your chocolates made at your retail store location in Boxborough?
Selvaraj: “Yes, all our chocolates are handcrafted at our main location in Boxborough. We also operate a dedicated studio in Markham, Ontario, to serve our Canadian market. At the moment, I personally handle all aspects of the chocolate crafting. I’m supported by a dedicated six member team who efficiently manage our retail shop, drinks hangout, extensive packaging operations, and the many behind-the-scenes processes that make everything possible.”
Boxborough News: What's the process for making truffles? How long does the process take? How many truffles do you make in each batch?
Selvaraj: “The handcrafting truffles is a meticulous multistep process. From hand-painting the molds, to crafting fresh batches of chocolate ganache, molding, and detailing- truffle crafting is split between a few days. Our batch sizes range from a minimum of 250 units to over 1000 units/ day depending on the season.”
Boxborough News: How many different kinds of ingredients are in an average truffle? Where do you get your ingredients?
Selvaraj: “Our Truffles are crafted using premium Belgian chocolate and other high-quality ingredients - locally sourced whenever possible. Each creation is guided by its unique signature flavor profile, so the exact number and type of ingredients can vary widely. We source our ingredients from carefully selected suppliers. We source our very popular bar packaging from an exclusive papermaker in Florence, Italy.”
Boxborough News: How often do you make more product? Are you making new chocolates every day?
Selvaraj: “We restock our chocolates on an as-needed basis to ensure absolute freshness. With both our chocolate shop and a steady stream of wholesale orders to fulfill, chocolate crafting is part of our daily routine. That rich, decadent aroma that greets you when you step into the shop? It’s the result of our ongoing chocolate-making process happening right in the studio—freshly made, every single day.”
Boxborough News: What are your most popular chocolates?
Selvaraj: “Chocolates are always the most popular!! Throughout the year, we create a curated selection of seasonal specials—delicate Fall leaves, Halloween pops, special truffle boxes and Bar packages for Thanksgiving. The shop transforms into a winter wonderland for Christmas, a celebration for New Year's, and is filled with hearts for Valentine’s Day. We walk into Spring right after; we have a fan following for our Easter eggs and Mother’s Day Truffle Collection and more. So yes, our chocolates are popular, and so are our signature French-inspired chocolate drinks, whether it’s a cozy indulgence in winter or a refreshing treat in summer.”
Two Friends Chocolates is located in the Middlesex Bank Plaza at 629 Massachusetts Ave. The retail shop is open Wednesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Focus on Jim Rober, Boxborough Photographer
Focus on Jim Rober, Boxborough Photographer
(21-Aug-25) During the summer of 2024, Boxborough resident Jim Rober contacted Boxborough News about volunteering to help with photography. An award-winning photographer, Jim has an extensive portfolio that includes landscapes, portraits, events, and news. He recently earned his press credentials with the International Association of Press Photographers.
Jim first became interested in photography at age 12 when his parents bought him a Kodak Instamatic camera. Rober says that he started just taking “goofy” photos and having fun. In high school, a teacher offered him an opportunity to learn how to develop photos in the dark room, and that really piqued his interest in the art of photography. His parents then bought him a 35mm camera, and he started experimenting, taking detailed notes that included which settings he used for each photo so that he could learn how the camera worked.
As a teen he received an Ansel Adams book as a gift, which inspired him to explore the art further. He began taking classes at Bridgewater State University, focusing on film, television, and theater. He was hoping to become the next Oliver Stone (an award-winning movie director). On campus, he had his own TV show called “Wide Angle.”
While at Bridgewater State, Jim earned first place in the Boston Globe Photo awards for a black and white photograph of two Sycamore trees titled “Outnumbered.” A few years later, he entered another photo in the Globe contest that showed Birch trees hanging over a house, titled “Shadows,” and won third place.
In 1993, Jim took a photo at Mass Maritime Academy during a snow squall. The sun was setting and both bridges took on a gold tone reflection in the water. He showed the photo to his father, who named it “Bridge Over Tranquil Waters.” Jim entered the photo in the Rockland Trust Bank Art Show and won an award. Another family member displayed the photo in his office, where it was admired by many of his co-workers who asked about purchasing a copy. That was his entry into professional photography.
Jim furthered his photography studies in an eight-week course at Stonehill College. The focus of that class was portraiture. He learned about lighting and how to pose a subject. After he completed the course, he invested in lighting equipment and a 2 ¼ format digital camera. At that point, Jim began shooting in digital format exclusively.
When asked what his favorite subjects are to photograph, Jim listed many: people, horses and equestrian events, fireworks, and nature. Jim is particularly drawn to waterfalls, noting how “each is unique.” And he loves shooting fall foliage. About a year ago, he began exploring astrophotography. He finds that Boxborough and Harvard provide many opportunities to photograph the stars.
Jim’s photos have been published in the Brockton Enterprise, the Patriot Ledger, and in several corporate publications and regional magazines. He lived in Brockton for many years and served on the Board of Directors for Brockton Community Cable. Jim’s interest in photo journalism led him to pursue certification with the International Association of Press Photographers. Early in 2025, Jim applied to the Association by providing a portfolio, submitting to a background check, and indicating his area of interest (lifestyle and magazine). A few weeks later, Jim was approved and granted a press ID that allows him access to newsworthy events.
Boxborough News asked Jim if he had any advice to aspiring photographers. He responded, “Figure out what you like to shoot, read books…start with a medium-priced camera…matching the camera’s capabilities to what you want to shoot…” Consider “what you’re drawn to…look, study it, close your eyes, how do you see the image…You have control over how you want the shot to look.” To learn more about Jim and view a sample of his portfolio, visit his website: roberphotography.com
Flerra Summer Playground Concludes 2025 Season
Flerra Summer Playground Concludes 2025 Season
(21-Aug-25) The Flerra Summer Playground program concluded another season in early August, serving about 250 children during five weeks of activities at Flerra Meadows. Flerra Summer Playground is a half-day summer program at Flerra Meadows in Boxborough with crafts and games under the tent and sports in the field.
The program is open to children who are entering kindergarten through seventh grade and is run by three long-time directors, Brian Picca, Laura Spurling, and Anastasia McVey, along with paid staff and volunteers from the community.
While registration decreased slightly from last year, the number of seventh and eighth-grade volunteers stayed consistent, and the camp directors are already planning to increase participation next summer. This year's program was full of highlights, including popular weekly traditions like "Water Wednesdays," where campers enjoyed an inflatable water slide, and "Tie-Dye Tuesdays," when campers got to tie-dye a shirt brought from home or provided by the camp.
Campers also enjoyed visits from special guests such as Boxborough Police Officer Gath, police K9 Koda, Sargent Memorial Library children’s librarian Heather Waddell, Boxborough resident and children's author Jarrett Lerner, and educators Dr. Contini, Mr. Markiewicz, and Ms. Olfers. This summer also featured tournaments, competitions, birthday celebrations, and plenty of new board games donated by community members.
To close out the season, the camp held its annual talent show, highlighting the passion and dedication of its campers. As all good things must come to an end, two of the three beloved directors, Laura Spurling and Anastasia McVey, wrapped up their memorable tenure with the program, as this was their final year directing the summer camp.
Program Director Brian Picca mentioned that despite a small decline in numbers, the season was full of energy, community spirit, and fun. "We are very excited for next summer already!" he said.
Library Celebrates End of This Year’s Summer Reading Program
Library Celebrates End of This Year’s Summer Reading Program
(21-Aug-25) On Thursday, August 14, the Sargent Memorial Library hosted a party on the library lawn to celebrate the end of the Summer Reading program. This year’s Summer Reading program was themed “Level Up!” and included a wide variety of events and activities for kids and families, including a Mario Kart tournament, a visit from the “Whalemobile,” a movie night, and a Pokemon scavenger hunt.
The party featured a combination of live video games and a carnival atmosphere, with more than 200 attendees enjoying games, music, and ice cream. Children’s Librarian Heather Waddell designed six life-sized games spread across the library lawn, with “Bad Guy Bowling” becoming the most popular game.
A 40-foot inflatable obstacle course was a huge hit, and many children went through it multiple times. A craft project was also available to all. Lively music was provided by The Potato Shakers, a local band that played a mix of folk, rock, and country, and the library gave away more than 200 popsicles and ice cream sandwiches.
The Library would like to thank the following volunteers for making the event possible: Evelyn Bartley, Nathaniel Bartley, Cindy Macmillan, Chris Macmillan, Heather Fleming, Izzy Awtry, Katniss O'Neil, Kristin O'Neil, Leila Tay, Matthew Pickett, Caroline Fital, Lily Dellert, Evan Grotbeck, and Anne McNeece. The Library also thanks The Potato Shakers for volunteering their time.
FreeBee Overflows with Food, Fun, and Community This August
FreeBee Overflows with Food, Fun, and Community This August
(7-AUG-25) Boxborough’s FreeBee Market is buzzing with generosity and good vibes this August! Each Saturday, the free food-sharing market overflows with fresh produce, hearty bread, and other delicious finds — all rescued and donated from local gardens, the Boston Area Gleaners, nearby supermarkets, and farmstands.
Every Saturday at 10:30 a.m. on the side lawn of UCC Boxborough (30 Middle Road), there is plenty of produce available and, thanks to generous local partners like Slow Rise Bakery in Concord and Panera Bread, there’s always a table full of fresh bread.
But FreeBee is more than just food. On Saturday, August 16, the monthly Community Market returns — an expanded celebration of neighborly connection, live music, and seasonal joy! UCC Boxborough will be serving up free hot dogs, hosting live music by The Saturdays, and setting up kid-friendly fun like a bouncy house and LEGO play area.
This month’s theme is Back to School. FreeBee is collecting and giving away backpacks and school supplies to help local families start the year strong. Donations can be dropped off in the bin outside UCC Boxborough (across from Town Hall), and any extras will be shared with the AB Compass Resource Center.
Upcoming Community Markets include:
September 13: Harvest Fair, featuring a petting zoo and fall-themed fun
October 18: Halloween Market, with the beloved Free Costume Shop inside the Community Center — plus free candy and spooky surprises
FreeBee’s weekly food rescue markets run through mid-October. To learn more or get involved as a volunteer, email freebeecommunity@gmail.com.
Pam’s Gardening Tips: Annuals For My Husband
Pam’s Gardening Tips: Annuals For My Husband
(7-AUG-25) I keep a special garden of annuals just for my husband. I am content with foliage and textures, but he lusts for colorful flowers which cannot be guaranteed in the perennial beds. So, he gets his own garden.
This has been a tough year for some of the annuals I planted. Whether it was heat, rain, or rabbits, they did not thrive in spite of faithful care. However, all was not lost. I did have some happy campers.
Hits: The wonderful annual lemon sedum, dorotheanthus, geraniums, salvias, sunpatiens and angelonias. Dorotheanthus is a succulent which I usually plant in a pot, but this year I plunked some in the garden, and it created a lovely, dense ground cover. It is fun to experiment with how we use plants.
Misses: Marigolds. The old standby, just stood there looking unimpressed. Barely a flower! The portulacas were great until the rabbits ate them, and the lobelia bit the dust with the heat wave.
It has been wonderful to see lots of hummingbirds feasting on my blue salvias and mimosa tree flowers. Wishing to see more butterflies; is it just my yard they are boycotting?
And the latest challenge for the annual bed is the house painters. Wonder if they will be crushing flowers in their wake? Fingers crossed!
Sargent Memorial Library Launches Third Book Club
Sargent Memorial Library Launches Third Book Club
(7-AUG-25) In response to patron suggestions, the Sargent Memorial Library is starting a new book club on the third Tuesday of every month, beginning in September 2025.
Library Director Peishan Bartley explained that there are actually several book clubs held at the Sargent Memorial Library. Three of these are run by the library, and three others are run by community members but supported by the library.
The Third Tuesday Book Club, which was just announced, will be operated by senior library assistant Laura Skorczeski. The first meeting will be on September 16 at 6:30 pm, where they will discuss a murder mystery. This club is open to anyone to register for the next month’s meeting, and patrons can opt in for the next month or not as they desire. The point is simply to build community and share the love of reading.
The First Wednesday Book Club, operated by senior library assistant Jen Bauder, meets at 6:30 pm. This book club has been running since 2022, and it has an established member list. New members can join if there is an opening. This club expands the concept beyond reading and discussing a book, and has even included a field trip to a river as an outgrowth of one of the discussions. For questions, reach out to Bauder at jbauder@cwmars.org.
The library is also organizing a club called the “A Recipe for…” Cookbook Club. This club, also organized by Bauder, will meet every other month, starting on Thursday, September 18, at 6:15 pm. Participants will bring a dish for a potluck-style gathering.
This club revives a very popular cookbook club that ran from 2019 until the COVID shutdown forced it to end. That club was operated by former staff member Yoshio Shartin. This new incarnation will be a little different, with registration required. Registration link: https://boxlib.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/cookbook-club/
The library also supports three community book clubs by helping the members acquire books and providing them a meeting space.
Bartley noted that the library staff is always listening for suggestions from patrons, and these book clubs are just one result of the daily interactions they have with community members. A look at the library calendar (https://boxlib.org/news-events/events) shows the many programs that happen every day.
Another Season of Flerra Summer Playground Winds Down, Registration for Final Week Closes July 27
Another Season of Flerra Summer Playground Winds Down, Registration for Final Week Closes July 27
(24-July-25) On July 25, Flerra Summer Playground (FSP) closed its fourth week with much laughter and joy among both campers and counselors. The fifth and final week of the program begins on Monday, July 28. There is still room for new campers to register, but the last-minute signups will close this Sunday, July 27.
FSP is a half-day summer program at Flerra Meadows in Boxborough with crafts and games under the tent and sports in the field. FSP is open to children who are entering kindergarten through seventh grade. The program is run by three long-time directors, Brian Picca, Laura Spurling, and Anastasia Koulopoulos, along with paid staff and volunteers from the community.
This year’s theme has been “the ABCs of Flerra,” where each day is a new letter and an activity or craft associated with that letter. Each week also includes a “Tie-Dye Tuesday,” when campers can create their own tie-dye shirt, and “Water Wednesday,” with a water slide for campers. With more than 150 campers registering and attending the past few weeks, staff and volunteers have been busy making sure everything from drop-off to pick-up runs smoothly.
So far, campers' favorites like Tie-Dye Tuesday and Water Wednesday have continued to be a hit, and bracelet-making has been popular, as well. Last week, the camp had its traditional ice-cream making. And tenniball, a tennis-baseball hybrid, has been gaining traction amongst the campers.
The many surprise guests throughout the weeks have included educators like Dr. Contini and Ms. Olfers, the beloved Boxborough Police Department K9 Koda, Heather the Librarian from Sargent Memorial Library, local author Jarrett Lerner, and Recreation Services Coordinator Ami Scheen. The camp weeks have been a mix of cool mornings, some high temperatures, and a few wet days, as well.
The campers keep cool in the heat by staying hydrated during the breaks between sessions and participating in activities in the shade of the tent. So far, there have been a couple of cancelled camp days and an early dismissal due to rain and thunderstorms.
When reached for comment, Director Spurling stated, “We're grateful for all the community members who've joined us so far. While we wish we could host camp every day, we're weather dependent, and safety is always our top priority."
AskMeFair.jpgCommunity Members Share Their Stories and Experiences at Annual "Ask Me Fair"
Community Members Share Their Stories and Experiences at Annual "Ask Me Fair"
(24-July-25) On Saturday July 19 the Ask Me Fair was held at the Sargent Memorial Library. This recurring event, presented by Open Door Theater and Think Outside the Vox, with support from the Mass Cultural Council and Acton-Boxborough Community Compass, was a chance for community members to meet people with different backgrounds and experiences to improve their understanding of fellow community members who have experienced marginalization. This year there were roughly 30 participants, including children, teenagers, young adults, and seniors, mainly from Boxborough and Acton. One family came all the way from Shanghai!
The fair was first created in 2019, when a student from Blanchard experienced hate speech by a fellow student directed to her because she is Jewish. The affected student and her mother, Sam Gould, who runs Open Door Theater, decided to use this as an opportunity to educate other people in the community about their differences and hopefully improve understanding and appreciation for the uniqueness we all carry within us.
According to the Open Door Theater website, “The Ask Me Fair provides safe spaces for intentional and respectful conversations that will promote empathy, acceptance and tolerance while dispelling stereotypes and fear of those who are different. We hope that the unfamiliar can become known and understood through thoughtful questions and answers; and that people of different backgrounds and experiences can educate, learn from, and appreciate each other.” This year, there were five presenters: Via, Jae, Kwaku, Mona, and Evvy. The presenters and attendees all gathered in the large meeting room of the library, where Gould introduced the presenters and then sent them to individual meeting spaces in other parts of the library. Attendees were divided into groups and given 15 minutes to meet with each presenter and ask questions.
Via is a Hard of Hearing producer, artist, and activist with a background in public relations, events, and accessibility. They use they/she pronouns. She is the marketing and communications manager for Think Outside the Vox (Vox) and presents music shows at the Museum of Science Planetarium. They identify as queer, Latinx, and communicate with English and ASL. Via said they grew up in New Jersey, but came to Boston for college and graduated Boston University in 2022. She joined Vox in early 2024, where she does marketing, access coordination and learned open captioning.
Jae is a veteran of the Ask Me Fair, having participated every year since the first event. Jae, who also goes by Nala, is a queer trans nonbinary neurodivergent Asian American. Adopted from Southern China and raised in Acton, they are an illustrator, costume designer, actor, diversity and cultural consultant, and advocator for diversity and positive representation of minority groups in the media.
Jae identifies as multi-marginalized. Kwaku, who was born in Ghana, is a Blind musician, teacher, and audio describer. He mentors blind/low-vision youth, writes poetry with the Boston Blackseed Writers, and recently performed his show Beyond the Blackbox, an all original Afro-fusion/spoken word show in a dark black box to educate the audience on blind-centered culture. When talking to Kwaku, it is quickly apparent that he has a deep love for music. He graduated this year from Berklee College of Music, where he studied many formats. He also embraces spoken word poetry and is starting to think about how to combine his poetry and music interests.
Dr. Mona Minkara is legally blind. She is a bioengineering professor and PhD researcher with her own laboratory. Mona has traveled the world unassisted, using only public transportation, gone on a space flight, advocates for disability inclusion in space, conducted experiments in zero-gravity, and so much more. Mona said her primary interest is “the why of things.” She grew up on the south shore of Boston as a Muslim woman who lost her sight quite suddenly at the age of 7. She was playing with her toys, and suddenly they weren’t there anymore because of macular degeneration. Because of her love of science, she completed a PhD in chemistry and is now conducting a project to model lung molecules, which have a unique ability to fight disease.
Pam’s Gardening Tips: Time to Give Up on Perfection
Pam’s Gardening Tips: Time to Give Up on Perfection
(24-July-25) This summer has had its challenges in my yard. It’s almost the end of July and theoretically summer is half over. If you are anything like me, you don’t want summer to end, but the gardens have been a challenge with the combination of heat, downpours, and drought. And weeds of course! Perhaps it is time to give up on perfection?
I have been working hard to keep an annual garden going. I have had to replace some lobelia that were a lovely touch of blue, but in July they could not take the heat and I could not keep them going, try as I might. So, I replaced them with scaevola. When annuals aren’t thriving, you can only do so much… so chalk it up to the conditions and you can refresh the bed with new annuals. So, I did. We are lucky to live in an area with garden centers that continue to offer plants all summer.
Other garden adventures this summer have included critters. One day the hosta was beautiful, the next day it basically collapsed. When I dug it up, it had no roots! I have never had this happen in 30 years. I got on the phone to Russell’s Garden Center, asked for help, and was told that the damage was from voles. Voles are rodents who are vegetarian and do their damage at night.
I was advised to use a product made to repel moles and voles by a company called “I Must Garden.” He told me how and when to apply the product. We are so lucky to have knowledgeable people we can talk to. I did have a few visits from other critters. I found that since I had fallen behind on using Milorganite as a deterrent. It turns out that the deer actually had been paying attention, and they munched on lily buds and hostas.
I also found that my “foolproof” method of deterring rabbits by sprinkling cayenne pepper on my plants was not a complete success. So, I moved on to trying “Liquid Fence Rabbit.” Always worth trying a different product – especially when the lady in line behind you at the garden center swears by it.
On the plus side, the amount of rain we had (remember all those Saturdays?) did give me some nice surprises in my shade bed. My ferns that usually dry up by now are going strong. And for the first time in 15 years, my Bottlebrush Buckeye looks splendid with its white spears of flowers. As a friend said to me, “gardening is like golf – you are always playing against yourself.” So, will you accept the challenge of garden bugs, critters, and weeds, and try again next year? I know I will!
photo courtesy Littleton Community Television
Boxborough Celebrates Fifer’s Day
Boxborough Celebrates Fifer’s Day
(11-July-25) On Saturday, June 21, friends and neighbors gathered to celebrate the spirit of Boxborough at the 57th annual Fifer’s Day festival, hosted by the Boxborough Minutemen Company and the Public Celebrations and Ceremonies Committee (PCCC). The day started with the 40th annual traditional four-mile “Fifer’s Four” road race, with 46 finishers. In the men's division, Vasili Kariolis won the race with a time of 20:55. In the women's division, Kate Warwick won the race with a time of 26:01.
The Fifer’s Day parade stepped off from Blanchard at 11 a.m. and proceeded down Massachusetts Avenue before turning left on Stow Road down to Flerra Meadows. Spectators along the route waved to fire trucks, local scouts, the Boxborough Minutemen, the Blanchard band, and others. At Flerra, PCCC Chair Jennette Kollmann announced the recipient of this year’s Golden Fife award, John Markiewicz, and this year’s Parade Marshal, Kirby Dolak of Littleton Community Television. Kollman also recognized two students from Blanchard Elementary chosen to represent two of Boxborough’s historical figures, Luther Blanchard and Lucy Hager.
The traditional volleyball tournaments began soon after and proceeded through most of the afternoon, with enthusiastic players and spectators. There were twelve volleyball teams across two divisions (Open and Players). “Wicked Squicken” won the Open playoff for the second year in a row; “Team Bodacious” won the Players playoff.
Festival-goers enjoyed plenty of food and drink throughout the afternoon; the Minutemen reported going through 150 sausage subs, 350 burgers, 150 hot dogs, 150 chicken sandwiches, and 200 pounds of potatoes for fries. Unused potatoes, onions, rolls, mustard, ketchup, and cooking oil were donated to the Acton Food Pantry. The Minutemen estimated “as many as a thousand or more” in attendance throughout the day.
Other highlights included the live music, UCC Boxborough’s famous strawberry shortcake, choosing a white “Fifer’s Day 250” t-shirt, and a corridor of almost 80 booths by local businesses, artisans, nonprofits, and volunteer groups.
"We had beautiful weather for Fifer's Day this year, and a great turnout,” said Minuteman Lieutenant Rich Grady. “‘It takes a village’ to bring all the facets together -- the Minutemen, the Town, volunteers, musicians, crafts people, and more -- and it brings out the village vibe that makes Boxborough special.”
Hongbing Tang and Students Exhibit Artwork at Sargent Memorial Library
Hongbing Tang and Students Exhibit Artwork at Sargent Memorial Library
(11-July-25) Boxborough resident Hongbing Tang is currently holding an exhibit of her art in the meeting room of the Sargent Memorial Library. The exhibit, called “Crossing Borders,” also features the artwork of her students. The exhibit is open during normal library hours (Monday through Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.) throughout the summer.
In addition to Tang’s work, 25 of her students have their work displayed, including 9 students from Boxborough. Some have been her students for as long as eight years, while some just joined this winter. Many of her students were also award-winners in the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife 2025 Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest.
Some of these pieces are included in the exhibit. Since 2015, Tang has mentored K-12 students in this annual federal and state conservation program. Under her guidance, Tang’s students have won the Massachusetts "Best of Show" state championship six times.
See a Boxborough News story about Annabelle Xu, one of Tang’s students who won the state “Best of Show” and “Top 25 National” this year, at https://www.boxboroughnews.org/archives/jan-jun-2025-community#h.aoqfz5i786pu.
Tang has been teaching free art programs at public libraries and academic institutions across Massachusetts since 2016. Locations include the public libraries in Boxborough, Acton, and Amherst, Massachusetts, and Narragansett, Rhode Island, as well as Boston Architectural College and UMass Amherst.
Besides teaching art and design at colleges as a professor of landscape architecture, Tang also teaches art classes, both private and group lessons, during weekends at her home studio in Boxborough, Apple-Leaf Studio. She is also a licensed landscape architect, and environmental planner with over 20 years of professional experience.
On display in the show is her new watercolor, “China Garden Bridge.” Supported by an Acton Boxborough Cultural Council grant, Tang recently led a free watercolor workshop to guide students in creating a painting of this red bridge, which she originally designed for the Acton Arboretum’s China Trail Garden.
Says Tang, “Influenced by both Eastern and Western cultures, I would like to share my talent in teaching by exploring the creative art world together with my students and being part of their success.” For more information, see her website at https://www.appleleafstudio.com.
Meditations with Ann: Tree Pose to Chair Pose
Meditations with Ann: Tree Pose to Chair Pose
(11-July-25) Last month we practiced Tree Pose to increase our ability to stand on one foot for a longer period of time. This helps balance our strength and flexibility, two opposite forces on any part of our body. If we are too strong, it can cause pain and injury. If we are too flexible, it can cause pain and injury. The trick is to have those two forces in sync with each other and we achieve that by spending time developing both.
One easy way to do that is to move from Tree Pose to Chair Pose (Utkatasana). You will find that the balance and mental focus of Tree Pose will inform your strength and length in Chair Pose. Let’s begin.
Find yourself in your Tree Pose, complete with modifications needed for your body. Maybe your foot is still on the ground for balance, maybe your hands are on your hips if you have shoulder discomfort. Once you find your Tree Pose, try to stay in the pose for 5 or 6 unhurried breaths.
On the last exhalation, plant both feet on the ground and bend your knees as if you are going to sit down on a very high chair seat. Hinge the torso forward five to ten degrees. Most people angle the chest too low and find their backs overworking and sore at the end. I like to think that the bend behind my leg at my knee is similar to the angle in the front of my body from thighs to abdomen.
Address the weight at the feet, making sure it is evenly and thoughtfully distributed. From your toes to your heels and from your big toe to your little toe. This is harder to maintain than it sounds. Be vigilant. It is always better to work smarter for a shorter period of time than not using all the muscle available to you to hold this position.
My Chair Pose sees my hands on my hips. Hold Chair Pose for 5 or 6 unhurried breaths and then move to Tree Pose on the other foot. Practice moving from Tree Pose (balance) to Chair Pose (for strength) as frequently as you can. It is better to do 5 minutes of this transition frequently, than 10 minutes of it once a week. As with most body work, consistent movements for shorter periods of time has more lasting benefits.
Pam’s Gardening Tips: “I Believe in Climate Change”
Pam’s Gardening Tips: “I Believe in Climate Change”
(11-July-25) This has been a very challenging gardening season for me thus far. I started out the season with a skip in my step, but in early July I am limping! I have bugs in some of my perennials and, due to having to take down diseased beech trees, I now have areas that were shady which have become sun gardens.
That means some scorched leaves on hostas and having to relocate some plants. We had to take down the beech trees because they had “beech leaf disease”, which is an emerging threat first found in Ohio in 2012. It has no known cure.
Dealing with tree disease is new for me. I reached out to other gardeners and garden centers for advice, I had a consultation with an arborist and arranged treatment, and I am working hard to keep my landscape disease-free. I keep all diseased leaves away from the compost pile and clean my gardening tools each time I use them.
Gardening is not a one-and-done kind of hobby; everything is always changing. This year has been a weird weather mix of a cold and very rainy spring, and the onset of serious heat.
When I called Russell’s Garden Center to ask about all the issues I am having, including my birch trees shedding leaves like it is snowing, the person pointedly told me, “I guess people still don’t believe climate change is real.” Fluctuating temperatures, erratic rainfall patterns, heat waves and drought are all part and parcel of the climate change we are experiencing.
In spite of all this year’s challenges, I still love gardening. It is worth the effort. Each year presents a different set of circumstances, and we gardeners just have to keep learning ways to work with them. And yes, I do believe in climate change.
Pam’s Gardening Tips: Are You a Deadheader?
Pam’s Gardening Tips: Are You a Deadheader?
(26-Jun-25) No, I am not talking about the Grateful Dead! I am talking about deadheading flowers in your garden. If you are like me, you probably have day lilies in your garden which provide a lot of color for a long period in the summer. You can get them to bloom longer by deadheading them correctly.
Make sure that you remove the ovary at the base of the spent flower. Don’t just pull the flower. If you do, it will turn into an ugly seed pod. If you miss a flower and end up with an ugly seed pod, cut the stem down as far as you can. Don’t just cut off the seed pod. More blooms will come later this summer.
Here is the link to a great video that shows daylily deadheading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YH7ELQpZBQ. This time of year, it is hard to keep everything deadheaded, weeded, and watered. But isn’t this what we waited for all winter?
For more helpful hints, join the Boxborough Garden Club. Email Flo Hanover at fhanover10@gmail.com for more information.
Boxborough To Celebrate Fifer’s Day Tomorrow, June 21
Boxborough To Celebrate Fifer’s Day Tomorrow, June 21
(20-JUN-25) Boxborough will gather to celebrate the 57th Annual Fifer’s Day at Flerra Meadows tomorrow, Saturday, June 21. The festivities include a road race, a parade, a volleyball tournament, and an old-fashioned fair with food, music, and booths. The event is jointly sponsored by the Boxborough District Minutemen Company and the Town of Boxborough's Public Celebrations and Ceremonies Committee.
The Fifer’s Day tradition goes back to 1967, when the newly-formed Boxborough District Minutemen Company celebrated the first “Fifer’s Festival” to commemorate local contributions to the American Revolution. While the town of Boxborough did not exist during the American Revolution, namesake fifer Luther Blanchard lived in the portion of Littleton that later became Boxborough.
Here’s what to expect:
Road Race: The Fifer’s Four Mile Road Race begins at 9:30 a.m. at the entrance to Flerra Meadows on Stow Road. The wheel-measured course will cover a four mile flat run through Boxborough. Trophies will be awarded to female and male runners in each of seven age divisions. A free Fifer’s Day T-shirt will be given to the first 100 entrants. Individual registration fee is $25 by June 18 and $30 after that date and on the day of the race (maximum payment per family is $60).
Parade: The parade begins at 11 a.m. at the Blanchard School and ends at Flerra Meadows, the location of the day’s fair and volleyball tournament. The parade will be led by the parade marshal, a person chosen because they have done something exceptional for the town. At the end of the parade, the Golden Fife Award will be presented to a Boxborough resident who has demonstrated long-term volunteer service to the town.
Volleyball Tournament: This year, the tournament will start at 12:30 p.m. There will be three co-ed brackets: Open, Players, and Backyard. The Open bracket is intended for teams of "serious" volleyball players who play or compete on a regular basis. The entry fee is $80 per team; a $200 cash prize and trophies will be given to the first place team. The Players bracket is for teams with some volleyball experience, who may be or have been competing in volleyball league play. The entry fee is $70, and trophies will be given to the first place team. Backyard bracket is intended for teams of neighbors and friends who do not regularly play or compete in volleyball. The entry fee is $60 per team.
Fair: Eat, drink, chat with neighbors, and visit the booths. Starting at noon, hamburgers, hot dogs, BBQ chicken, sausage, soft drinks, beer and hard cider will be available for purchase. Enjoy live music by The Rocky Woods Express and Final Mile. Peruse more than fifty booths and exhibits by both commercial and non-profit organizations, and enjoy plenty of kids’ activities, including a bouncy castle.
For more information or to register for the road race or volleyball tournament go to http://fifersday.org.
Kirby Dolak Retires from Littleton Community Television (LCTV)
Kirby Dolak Retires from Littleton Community Television (LCTV)
(19-JUN-25) After 12 ½ years with LCTV, Kirby Dolak, Video Production Supervisor, retires from a career of service to the residents of Littleton and Boxborough.
The journey started in 1976. Having graduated from Penn State with a Bachelor of Science degree in Parks and Recreation, Dolak set out to make a difference in the administration of park systems, environmental centers, and commercial recreation. Soon after graduating, Dolak secured a position as an Education Assistant at the New England Aquarium. His real goal was a position with the National Park Service, but at the time, they weren’t hiring; so, Dolak pivoted and started to explore the computer industry.
A life-long learner, Dolak completed a certification in programming in a variety of languages and pursued opportunities in technical support for back-office financial applications running on DEC (Digital Equipment Corporation) PDP-11 computers. After a number of mergers and acquisitions, Dolak found himself at a crossroads when the industry contracted, shedding 52,000 jobs. And so, at the age of 47, he realized he had to reinvent himself.
Having learned woodworking and construction from both his father and grandfather, he pursued a Massachusetts Construction Supervisors License and started his own business focused on the renovation of older and historical homes, which he still does on a part-time basis. He used that skill set in ways he never thought possible, like partnering with Boxborough architect Becca Edson in re-designing the Boxborough Grange.
Dolak realized that the physical demands of construction work were not sustainable, so once again, he re-calibrated and looked for other opportunities.
Purely by chance, he took a workshop in 2012 at LCTV and found himself in video production. He started out on a part-time basis, covering meetings for Littleton. That evolved into a full-time position as a video production supervisor when Boxborough approached LCTV in 2013/2014 to record Select Board meetings and Annual Town Meetings.
Never satisfied with the status-quo, Dolak pushed the Boxborough Planning Board, Finance Committee and, most recently, the Fire Station Building Committee, to record their meetings. To expand virtual meetings to more boards and committees, Dolak recommended a cloud-based system called “OWL,” used in conjunction with the Town’s Zoom accounts. The OWL technology further improved transparency by and between town committees and Boxborough residents.
Sometimes, it seems like Dolak is everywhere all at once; whether it’s Winterfest, the Memorial Day Parade or Fifer’s Day, Dolak is ever present with his video equipment and camera, capturing special moments in the lives of Boxborough residents.
He produced videos about the Annual Town Meeting process, the Boxborough edition of the 250th Anniversary of Patriots’ Day, a recruitment video for the Boxborough Minutemen, the annual League of Women Voters-Acton Area Candidate Forum, and a host of other projects too numerous to mention here. Check them out on the Town of Boxborough Video on Demand website. https://cloud.castus.tv/vod/boxborough/?page=HOME
While it may appear that Dolak works exclusively in Boxborough, he has had a big impact in his home town of Littleton, as well. In his “spare” time, Dolak designed, enabled and/or installed video equipment at several Littleton facilities, including the new Fire Station, Library, Senior Center, and Alumni Field.
He also worked on the Littleton Senior Follies, earning the nickname “God” for his use of a “God microphone,” which allowed him to “prompt” the senior performers, who froze on stage or forgot what they were supposed to do, without him being seen by the audience.
Dolak’s post-retirement plans include spending more time with Pat, his wife of 45 years, his two adult children and three grandchildren based in Pennsylvania and Oregon. After putting in many long hours at LCTV, he plans to decompress with his passion for photography and woodworking and maybe catch up on all those home repairs he didn’t have time to tackle while working full time.
At Annual Town Meeting in May 2025, Boxborough Town Administrator Michael Johns presented Dolak with a “Lifetime Achievement Award,” which reads in part, “We are so thankful for all that you have done, given of your heart and total dedication to the Town of Boxborough. The level of coverage and media engagement in Town would not be where it is without you.”
Kristin Hilberg, Chair of the Boxborough Select Board echoed that sentiment saying “Kirby has been an important part of the Boxborough Town Hall family, and we’re going to miss him dearly! He’s always ready to help us manage the technology side of hybrid meetings and has been an amazing partner along with BXB-TV to ensure that the public has access to all of the information available to them.”
Boxborough News asked Dolak for any parting words he might have for the residents of Boxborough. He said that over the years, he has observed a lot of interactions through the lens of a camera and respects the passion residents have for issues they care about. He reminds us to keep an open mind to different perspectives and take the long view for the good of the community. Be kind and respect each other.
And as they say in the film industry, “that’s a wrap!”
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