About Town: Voting Today; Happy Lear Yearlings

Hello and welcome to Super Tuesday. It is my hope all registered voters will make their way to the polls today. We have two ballots going on. One is for town elections and the other for state and national. Our , and her staff, do an outstanding job of running the polls. We just need you to do your part. 

Some of us, about 20 percent, may be voting in a new location, even though we have not changed Concord addresses. Concord Greene residents will vote at the Harvey Wheeler Community Center, and 100 Keyes Road residents will vote down the street at 141 Keyes Road, the Planning and Land Management facility.

If you are not sure where to vote today, you may insert your address into Where do I vote? and it will send you to the right location.

Happy Leap Yearlings

Election years are always held in Leap Years. And while this allows an extra day for candidates to round up votes and for us to ponder who we like best, it also provides a long-awaited genuine birthday for Leap Yearlings.

Except for Leap Year, these poor souls born on Feb. 29, have to trudge through three consecutive years searching for a birthday. Is it OK to celebrate Feb. 28? Or March 1? No cake. No candles. No Maxine card. Having to wait until you’re 72 years old to vote is so frustrating. All the other kids get to vote while they’re still in high school. And what's this? You can't get a lerner's permit or celebrate your Sweet 16 until your 64?? So unfair! Indeed, being a Leap Yearling can really test one’s patience.

Fortunately Concordian and Leap Yearling Tom Ruggles began taking action four Leap Years back. Tom and his wife Jeanne host birthday parties for Leap Yearlings. Last Wednesday, Feb. 29, the Ruggles opened their Main Street home and treated 11 Leap Yearlings and their families to tea, punch, appetizers and of course, the long-awaited cake.

“It was a lot of fun and it only happens once every four years,” said Tom, who officially turned 21 this year.

Long before the cake is ordered, Tom and Jeanne request the names of Leap Yearlings from town clerks in surrounding communities. Tom added that the clerks will only give the names of individuals 16 and over. The Ruggles sent off a lovely note and invitation to roughly 40 Leap Yearlings and 11 attended the afternoon fete.

“At first, it’s very quiet,” Tom said, adding most guests have never met each other before.  “Then it’s onward and upward.” Check out this accompanying photo and you can see everyone had a wonderful time. Many thanks to the Ruggles for organizing such a fun event every four years.


Minute Man Arc Announces Interim Director

Paul Cote has been named Interim Executive Director for Minute Man Arc, said Mary Woodward, president of the Board of Directors. Paul will provide overall management and financial oversight of the agency. He brings a depth of experience in the field of human services and developmental disabilities and has worked at both the state and local levels in significant management positions.

Over the last several weeks the board has met regularly and has determined that an Interim Executive Director will provide the leadership and executive management necessary to ensure that all aspects of the Minute Man Arc organization continue to operate smoothly. The board's decision to hire an interim director is based on the belief that interim leadership will give the search committee time for an effective recruitment of a new Executive Director.
In his initial discussion with the Board, Paul commented that he sees himself "as a bridge" between the leadership of Marty Martini, the who died unexpectedly earlier this year, and a new executive director, and believes that he will bring stability and focus to ensure Minute Man Arc's longstanding tradition of service to the community.

Game On

On the subject of political elections, one of our favorite Patch contributors, Janet Beyer, will host yet another course through the Village University. The course is called Game On! The 2012 Elections and here is a brief description:

The 2012 elections will choose a U. S. president and a Massachusetts senator. Will your vote count? Janet Beyer will bring in speakers to address the value of your vote, why you should care and how future voting methods could change. Janet has been a supporter and student of the political process through her 40-year membership in the League of Women Voters. Active in numerous political campaigns, she has written for local newspapers, served on town committees, and is an elected member of the Democratic State Committee from the Third Middlesex Senatorial District.

This program runs six Thursdays, from March 29 through May 10, and meets from 10 -11:30 a.m., at the  . A $60 donation is suggested. You may enroll by through Concord-Carlisle Adult & Community Education by calling 978-318-1432 or visiting www.ace.colonial.net.

Fellow Foodies Unite

My favorite pastime on earth is sharing a scrumptious meal with others. We will all have that opportunity Thursday, March 8 at the cafeteria.  ‘Lunch for Dinner” will be hosted by Alden Cadwell, director of Concord School Food Services, at 6:30 p.m. Guests, who pay a $6 admission fee each, will enjoy one of the public school’s favorite lunches, A BGood burger served with farm-fresh Verrill Farm potato oven fries, and apple crisp. Yum. After this fine, meal, you will be treated to a preliminary preview of the Concord Community Food Report. This group of residents and business owners are working to ensure healthy, wholesome foods are readily available in town.

Please help fill seats by spreading the word and encouraging your friends and colleagues, neighbors and favorite farmers, foodies, and food purveyors to attend. Your opinions and comments matter, and will be weighed in on the report.

Please RSVP on the event webpage (space is limited):
http://concordfood.ning.com/events/concord-food-assessment-food-party


Concordian ahead of the curve

My dear friend and neighbor Nancy Powell-Daley read a recent column the CCHS Environmental Field Studies Group that is collecting household and office items to eliminate global waste. The students are working with Terracycle, and they are collecting  the following items: all brands and sizes of candy wrappers, Kashi products and wrappers, cereal bag liners, writing Instruments such as pens, markers, sharpies, dry-erase markers, pencils, mechanical pencils that are dry and do not work.

Nancy wrote me to day, “I have been using cereal box liners for garbage for a year or so . . . works very well.”

You may gather your items and bring them to the campus, where bins are set up to hold the collections.