SAUGUS — Saugus Action Volunteers for the Environment (SAVE) held its 51st annual meeting at Polcari’s Restaurant, where dozens of people gathered to enjoy the buffet and hear updates about the group’s activities.
SAVE Co-President Ann Devlin has been with the group since 1989. Devlin later moved to Dracut, but has remained involved with the nonprofit.
“What you do here always affects the larger community, and so, your impact can be global,” Devlin said. “I still believe that what we do here affects all of us.”
According to SAVE’s website, its mission is to “promote a better quality of life in Saugus through environmental concern and action.”
Co-President Stephanie Shalkoski, who joined the group in 2019, said that her interest was piqued when she saw a flier at the Breakheart Reservation Fall Festival.
“(I) started getting involved and hearing about what was going on in my own backyard, that is what spurred me to action,” Shalkoski said.
Devlin said that she and Shalkoski make a great team, and Shalkoski agreed.
“I think what’s nice is that we share ideas with each other,” Shalkoski said.
She said that for two years, SAVE has partnered with the town to do cleanups at Saugus Middle/High School.
“You can see the difference before and after. All the litter is gone, and it’s incredible to see that,” Shalkoski said. “It’s very small, but it’s all these small things that help to carry bigger changes.”
Devlin said that the group hosts a swap program at Breakheart’s Fall Festival, to which residents can bring items that they no longer have a need for. Other residents can take them, free of charge.
“(Even) if you don’t bring anything, and just go there, and just bring it home, now it has a second home. And more importantly, we’ve kept it out of the waste stream,” Devlin said.
Items that are left over at the end of the day are still donated, going to Savers.
Shalkoski said that the group also hosts a candidates’ night at Town Hall before elections, which she said serves as a forum for residents to ask candidates for the Board of Selectmen questions related to environmental issues.
The group also has a $1,000 scholarship for graduating students from Saugus who attend any high school and are interested in pursuing a career related to the environment.
“We want to encourage that,” Devlin said.
The guest speaker at the event, Solid Waste and Recycling Coordinator Scott Brazis, spoke about changes at the town’s Center for Hard to Recycle Materials.
Brazis said that the center’s compost stickers are now registered to residents’ license plates so they do not exceed their household limits.
“You’d be amazed at how many people pass the sticker around,” Brazis said.
The group’s next event will be during the second annual Boardman House Community Day, hosted by Historic New England on July 14 from 12 to 3 p.m. at 17 Howard St. The group will have a table at the event, where members will discuss the nonprofit’s activities.
