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Boxborough “Open Mike” Tradition Continues on Monday, February 2

(29-JAN-26) On Monday, February 2, the long-running acoustic music and poetry/spoken word “Open Mike” series, known as “Ellen Schmidt’s Open Mike,” will be held in the Meeting Room of the Sargent Memorial Library in Boxborough at 7 p.m. and on Zoom.

The monthly event is organized by Boxborough resident and musician Dan Tappan and is “open to all as performers or listeners.”

“An Open Mike is a community of people sharing their art,” Tappan told Boxborough News.

“If you have never attended an Open Mike before, you will find it to be a non-competitive, welcoming community. Each performer is introduced by the host and is given a 5 or 10 minute (depending on how many people sign up) time slot at the microphone. Performers can range from professionals trying out new material, to people who want to work on their performing skills in a supportive environment, to people who have never performed in public before.”

The audience can expect a wide variety of performances. “Some people play songs they've written, others may play songs by their favorite contemporary performers, covers of 60's hits, selections from the Great American Songbook, Blues, or even Classical instrumental pieces,” explains Tappan. “Other performers may read poetry, essays or short stories. We've even had standup comedians. Basically anything that fits in the allotted time is acceptable.”

The event also includes a “Featured Performer” who is given a longer performance slot. The Featured Performer on February 2 will be Acton musician Eric Kilburn. The Featured Performer at the next Open Mike on March 2 will be folk duo Ergo Canto.

The monthly event is a continuation of Boston-area open mikes run by singer/songwriter Ellen Schmidt over several decades. Schmidt was “a force in the local music scene” and the open mike series lives on after her passing two years ago.

Boxborough resident and musician Tom Horsky has been performing at Ellen Schmidt’s Open Mike at the Sargent Memorial Library “since its inception.” Horsky is a blues and American folk guitarist and singer. He also composes guitar instrumentals; his 2018 release, “Origins,” consists of eleven original compositions for guitar. Horsky also has a YouTube channel, @tomhorsky9568.

“This event attracts a community of musicians and poets from not only our neighborhoods, but also from locations across the country, who participate through a video link,” Horsky told Boxborough News.

Horsky plans to perform a gospel song, “A Little More Faith,” at the Open Mike night on February 2.

The event is free for performers and free to attend. Although Tappan tries to accommodate walk-in performers, participants are encouraged to preregister at https://dantappanmusic.com/open-mike-signup. Audience members do not need to register to attend.

The Open Mike is open to performers on Zoom, and audience members can also watch on livestream at https://youtube.com/dantappan/live.

More information on the Open Mike can be found at https://dantappanmusic.com/open-mike.

Boxborough to Host Another Snowy Winterfest This Saturday, January 31

(29-Jan-26) Boxborough’s annual Winterfest, sponsored by the Boxborough Recreation Commission, will be held on Saturday, January 31 at Steele Farm, 484 Middle Road from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

For the second year in a row, Steele Farm will be covered in snow for Winterfest sledding. Last year was the first time in eleven years that Winterfest looked like winter. The recent snowfall on January 25 and 26, dumping more than a foot of snow on Boxborough, will allow for plenty of action on Steele Farm’s iconic sledding hill.

This year’s celebration will include a bonfire, live music, and face-painting. There will be complimentary popcorn and hot chocolate, and food and beer will be available for purchase from Craft Food Halls of Boxborough and Dirigible Brewing Company of Littleton. Two Friends Chocolate, Thinking Flower, and local Girl Scouts will be selling their goodies as well, and a number of local organizations will be sharing information about events and happenings around town.

“Enjoy some sledding and warm up by the bonfire after with some tasty treats from our local vendors,” said Recreation Commission Chair Hilary Greven.

Winterfest attendees are encouraged to park at Town Hall, 29 Middle Road, and use the Boxborough Connects MART shuttle for a ride to and from Steele Farm. The rain/snow date for the event is the next day, Sunday February 1, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Boxborough’s 2025 Holiday Gift Drive Assists 46 Families

(29-JAN-26) The generosity of Boxborough residents and local organizations allowed Boxborough Community Services Coordinator (CSC) Wendy Trinks to assist 145 individuals across 46 families during the 2025 holiday season. This represents a 46% increase in residents assisted compared to the prior year.

“I’m grateful for all the contributions and being able to make the holidays brighter for a lot of families in Boxborough,” said Trinks.

Trinks reported that she collected $8,370 in gift cards from the United Church of Christ Boxborough, St. Vincent de Paul Society of Acton/Boxborough, Keller Williams Boston Northwest, A Friend in Need, the Rotary Club of Acton-Boxborough, and the generosity of Boxborough residents. Trinks delivered holiday gift bags and visited with individuals who were isolated and housebound.

Trinks shared that she also worked to connect Boxborough residents to the Acton-Boxborough Community Compass (formerly the AB United Way) gift drive.

The Boxborough Children’s Center (BCC) donated gifts to families in need for the third year in a row. The gift drive held at BCC is in memory of Director Amy Paakki’s brother, Scott Paakki. Like last year, the BCC children came to Town Hall carrying bags of gifts.

The Boxborough Minuteman Company again donated $2,000 to the Community Services Gift Account to support the holiday assistance effort, as well as other emergency needs.

“The Boxborough community continually steps up; individuals, groups and businesses are willing to help quickly and generously,” said Mary Pavlik, Chair of the Boxborough Well-Being Committee. “Wendy had done a tremendous job with her outreach to those in need and those ready to help.”

As the Community Services Coordinator, Trinks supports people in Boxborough all year round. The CSC “monitors the social service needs of residents of all ages in the areas of housing, emergency assistance, and mental health. Work includes outreach and communication of locally available resources to Boxborough residents as well as assessing specific client needs and connecting those clients to resources for assistance with follow up as needed.”

The Community Services Gift Account, established in 2024, “enables residents and organizations to support Boxborough residents experiencing financial crises.” To donate, checks can be made payable to the Town of Boxborough and include “Community Services Gift Account” in the memo line.

Trinks has served as Boxborough’s CSC since August 2022. Trinks can be reached at wtrinks@boxborough-ma.gov.

Library Interior Redesign Project Nears Completion

(22-JAN-26) Patrons of the Sargent Memorial Library can now begin to enjoy a new layout of the library building, as the town finishes installing new study “pods” and rearranging spaces.

The redesign includes a new Young Adult lounge area in the middle of the main hall. This area will be open to the general public during school hours and reserved for young adults during the after-school period. The area will be framed by a three-sided cabana, to be installed in March.

In the former Young Adult Room, now a Study Room, two study “pods” have been installed. The pods are small, enclosed study areas that provide quiet zones for individual or small group work. The Study Room will also feature a copier corner and reading corner. The current printer and copier area will be transformed into a new reading nook with freshly reupholstered chairs and laptop tables.

The library expects the pods to be ready for public use by the end of January.

The project also included rearranging the reference shelves, multimedia shelves, and newspaper shelves, and adding new shelving in the Children’s Room. In addition, the library will now offer laptops for in-building use instead of desktop computers.

“I would like to especially thank Fran Flynn [Building and Grounds Maintenance Team Leader] for his assistance, recommendations, and support of this project,” said Library Director Peishan Bartley. “I would also like to ask visitors to be patient with us as we continue to finish the project.”

The redesign was funded by multiple sources. The Sargent Memorial Library Foundation pledged $200,000, the Friends of the Boxborough Library sponsored $7,500, and the Town approved $50,000 at the May 2025 Annual Town Meeting.

The Sargent Memorial Library Foundation, Inc. is a 501c(3) non-profit that was established in 2003 to provide support for the Sargent Memorial Library. The Friends of the Boxborough Library is also a 501c(3) organization that raises funds through semi-annual book sales and corporate donations and sponsorships.

In a statement provided to Boxborough News, the Friends of the Boxborough Library shared, “[w]ith so many moving pieces, Peishan and her team of wonderful librarians have put them all together to make a beautiful, functional interior. Very impressive job of reimagining the building for the next 25 years.”

The project began back in July 2023, when the town hired Stefura Associates to design a new layout for the library. The initial plan, which included moving interior walls at a cost of $650,000, was deemed too expensive. In 2024, a second design using pods to create new spaces came in at $250,000. The redesign project was initiated in response to repeated community feedback about the need for private meeting spaces within the library.

Boxborough to Host Annual Winterfest on January 31

(15-Jan-26) Boxborough’s annual Winterfest, sponsored by the Boxborough Recreation Commission, will be held on Saturday, January 31 at Steele Farm, 484 Middle Road from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Winterfest has been a Boxborough tradition for at least twenty years. What began as an afternoon of neighborhood sledding has progressed to an annual community party. Over the years, the Recreation Commission has added to the festivities with music, food and drink, local vendors, and activities for kids. While the event has grown bigger over time, it has always taken place at Steele Farm.

Last year, for the first time in eleven years, Winterfest actually looked like winter, with plenty of snow for sledding on Steele Farm’s iconic hill. This year, the Recreation Commission is “hoping for sledding conditions” again, says Recreation Commission Chair Hilary Greven.

This year’s celebration will include a bonfire, live music, face-painting, and a “human foosball” game courtesy of the Harvard Lions Club.

There will be complimentary popcorn and hot chocolate, and food and beer will be available for purchase from Craft Food Halls of Boxborough and Dirigible Brewing Company of Littleton. Two Friends Chocolate, Thinking Flower, and local Girl Scouts will be selling their goodies as well, and a number of local organizations will be sharing information about events and happenings around town.

“Come join your friends and neighbors around the bonfire,” said Greven.

Winterfest attendees are encouraged to park at Town Hall, 29 Middle Road, and use the Boxborough Connects MART shuttle for a ride to and from Steele Farm.

The rain/snow date for the event is the next day, Sunday February 1, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Holocaust Remembrance Day Speaker Coming to Sargent Memorial Library

(15-Jan-26) On January 27, Holocaust survivor and celebrated speaker Werner Salinger will be speaking at Boxborough’s Sargent Memorial Library at 7 p.m. in recognition of International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Salinger’s visit is a rare opportunity for community members to speak with someone who experienced the horror of the Holocaust. Salinger personally experienced Kristallnacht as a child, emigrated to the United States with his family where he was a neighbor of Albert Einstein, and then returned to Germany as a U.S. soldier post-World War II. Now retired, he tours the country sharing his life story.

Boxborough Police Chief John Szewczyk helped arrange the event as a community-building exercise, in collaboration with the Lappin Foundation, which seeks to educate youth about Jewish identity. The Lappin Foundation did a presentation for students at Acton-Boxborough Regional High School in the Fall, and the foundation has also helped police officers visit Holocaust museums to provide them with cultural training on the Jewish experience.

When announcing the event in November 2025, Chief Szewczyk explained that he felt the community and police officers could benefit from a discussion with a Holocaust survivor. "We are excited to continue to strengthen the bond between the police department and the community as we grow and learn together with those we serve," he said. The event is free and all are welcome to attend.

New Year Resolutions: Help Us Make Boxborough News Better

(8-JAN-26) Happy New Year, Boxborough! How are your “new year” resolutions going? New year resolutions aren’t just about starting diet and exercise programs; they can be about trying or learning something new or spending more time doing something you enjoy.

Are you pursuing a new hobby or interest? Do you have a passion or expertise that you’re ready to share with others?

Boxborough News will mark its third anniversary this April. With a small team of dedicated volunteers, we have provided neutral, independent reporting on town news and events, and stories on Boxborough residents.

Our “new year” resolution is to expand both the breadth and depth of Boxborough News. We want our publication to reflect the lighter side of life in Boxborough, alongside deep dives on the more complex issues. We want to capture stories and entertainment from all corners of our town. We want to offer something for everyone.

Do you have a resolution that might align with ours?

We’re seeking ideas and volunteers for hobby columns and other fun content this year. Perhaps 2026 is the year we introduce an advice column, a cooking column, a weather column, guest essays, or school sports coverage.

No journalism background is required. Whether you can contribute occasionally or on a regular schedule – or if you’re just curious and want to learn more about the Boxborough News project – we want to hear from you! Email us at info@boxboroughnews.org.

A Conversation with Barbara Shapokas, Fine Artist

(8-JAN-26) If you live or work in Boxborough, it’s likely that you’ve driven through the intersection of Massachusetts Ave and Stow Road. There, on the second floor of the 1832 brick building on the corner, is The Art Studio – the gallery and workspace of fine artist Barbara Shapokas.

Many of Shapokas’ paintings on display against the building’s historic beams will look familiar to Boxborough residents: “Ice House, Steele Farm: February Light,” “Boxborough Town Line,” “Barn on Stow Road,” and “Steele Farm: Late August.”

Originally a self-described “city girl” from New York, Shapokas has lived in and painted Boxborough for the past two decades.

Flagg Hill Conservation Area is Shapokas’ favorite place to go for inspiration. “I’ll go…with my colors and sketch book,” she explains. “I’ll photograph and sketch… I’ll sit in my car if it rains or snows and watch the beauty of the landscape happen.” She paints, usually with pastels, in her studio.

Shapokas has been an artist her entire life. Both of her parents had artistic natures – her father renovated churches and her mother was a musician – and Shapokas first began drawing at the early age of three. “I always liked nature and was always drawing,” she says.

After earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Cooper Union in New York City, Shapokas continued to live there while pursuing a career as a designer in both the publishing and entertainment industries. “I’m a fine artist… but artists have to work,” she laughs.

Shapokas designed book jackets for Simon & Schuster and later held the position of Senior Art Director at NBC, as well as Creative Director for Cardinal Communications and Stark Ltd.

She recalls this time of her life fondly, sharing stories of her work designing the “NBC Sports” logo; receiving a CLIO award for a calendar showcasing NBC archival footage; and creating a jacket commemorating 15 years of “Saturday Night Live” that was given out to famous guests appearing at the anniversary celebration.

At the same time, Shapokas continued to paint. “I had monthly art shows in my apartment; a hundred people would come through in a weekend,” she recalls. “Eventually management said I couldn’t do that anymore.”

In 2004, Shapokas moved to Massachusetts with her husband, settling in Boxborough three years later. At this time she did freelance work for several years, frequently traveling back to New York City, before focusing on painting again.

About ten years ago, Shapokas began renting the second floor at 25A Stow Road. She opened The Art Studio and taught painting classes before the Covid pandemic, then closed for several years until its end.

Now, she teaches private classes to high school students as well as “mature artists.” She is considering teaching remote painting classes and potentially hosting an “art talk” group session for artists to talk through artistic challenges.

Through it all, she continues to paint the landscapes of Boxborough.

She recalls once when leaving the Boxborough transfer station she was drawn to the way the sun lit a swampy area nearby. She parked her car and waded into the mud to get a good photograph to paint from. “And the police stopped and checked on me!” she laughs.

“I paint what I see,” she continues. “When you do landscapes you have tops twenty minutes because the light changes so quickly.”

Barbara Shapokas’ The Art Studio is located at 25A Stow Road. Learn more at https://shapokas.com/.

Meditations with Ann: The New Year

(7-Jan-26) The New Year marks the beginnings of our desire to start over, to make resolutions and to better ourselves in some way. We start off strong with determination and drive. As the weeks go by, we find ourselves falling into old habits and old ways of seeing the world and our place in it. I am here today to show you the value of the OLD information and ways to make it NEW for the New Year.

Our bodies are made up of muscle, bones, connective tissue and organs. The exact blueprint is different for everyone, all bodies are unique and astounding. That said, over time, we experience natural breakdown of these systems. Joints become achy, range of motion is compromised and years of physical habits begin to hurt. This is where true learning begins.

All of us have been in physical therapy at some point in our lives. We have all had overuse injuries or sudden movement that did damage. Chronic discomforts and acute ones. If we pursue these discomforts, a physical therapist has been assigned to access our personal body.

They look at muscle imbalances, genetic or behavioral misalignments of joints and other areas of the body that have responded to years of usage. They make a personal list of exercises that will help bring about better strength, flexibility and balance around the problem area that YOU have and send you on your way.

Most people do those exercises diligently until the pain is gone, then we suddenly feel they are no longer necessary. This is where we are wrong. Those exercises should be included in our weekly exercise routine for the REST OF OUR LIVES. They are curative AND preventative. If you have shoulder pain, chances are the alignment of the joint is off, and your regular PT exercises will help prevent the issue from creeping back into your life as you continue to age.

For me, the most important New Years Resolution is to revisit what I have already been taught, weave the knowledge into my life, correct my habitual posture and do any and all PT exercises that have been assigned to me over my lifetime. It is a doable challenge and your body will thank you in the years to come.

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