Let’s Laugh Today - May 3

Let’s Laugh Today in Franklin is on Wednesday, May 3rd (and every first Wednesday of the month) from 7:30pm to 8:30pm at the Meetinghouse of the First Universalist Society in Franklin, 262 Chestnut Street, Franklin. 

Enjoy this delightful practice, appropriate for all ages and levels of fitness.When we laugh, we energize our bodies and revive our spirits. All that is involved is deep breathing and a few stretches, playful laughter exercises (no jokes or comedy), clapping and deep relaxation. 

Let’s Laugh Today - May 3

It has many benefits besides the joy of laughter. It can strengthen the immune system, combat the negative effects of stress, and is a powerful antidote to depression and anxiety. 

$5 donation to the church, $10 maximum per family. Please bring your water bottle because laughing can be dehydrating. 

Led by Certified Laughter Yoga Teachers, Linda and Bill Hamaker

Led by Certified Laughter Yoga Teachers, Linda and Bill Hamaker. See www.letslaughtoday.com for opportunities to laugh in other towns. 

If you have any questions, e-mail billandlinda@letslaughtoday.com.

HMEA's incredABLE 5K - May 21, 2017

Sunday, May 21, 2017 Dell Corporation in Franklin, MA EXCITING NEWS! The Red Sox Showcase is coming to incredABLE 5K! The Red Sox Showcase, powered by T-Mobile, will bring Red Sox baseball and Fenway Park to towns across New England all summer long. The truck will carry a batting cage, pitching stations, a steal 2nd challenge, and a virtual reality experience.  Register to Walk, Run and Fundraise HMEA celebrates the values, dreams, and potential of individuals with disabilities and their families. The proceeds from HMEA's incredABLE 5K directly benefit children and adults with autism and other developmental disabilities. Join us for incredABLE 5K walk, run and all-day family fun! FOOD. MUSIC. ACTIVITIES FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY. Other Ways to Support HMEA's incredABLE 5k Pre-5K Fundraising Events The following are fundraising events whose proceeds will go toward our programs fundraising efforts for the incredABLE 5K. Please support their efforts by participating. Don't forget the coupon for each event so HMEA will receive a donation. May DATE LOCATION PROGRAM CONTACT 11 Papa Gino's 15 Taunton St., Plainville Plainville Day/Emp click here for flyer 15 Paint Party Fundraiser Elks Lodge, Franklin Residential click here for tickets 50/50 and Dream Raffles 50/50 tickets are now only $25 and we will have 400 tickets available so you can still win $5K at the 5K! CLICK HERE to view the raffle board and pick your number, then contact us to purchase, at 508-298-1107 or 508-298-1129. Hurry up and call, be sure to get your lucky number! Get your Dream Raffle tickets at one of our programs or call 508-298-1107 or 508-298-1129. Only $1 or 6 for $5 and this raffle includes some amazing prizes like a Samsung Galaxy Tab, Bose Wave Radio IV, X-flyer Drone with HD Camera, lots of gift certificates and other fabulous prizes. Tickets will be available at the event. Be an incredABLE Volunteer  Do something incredABLE for our community, be one of our 250 awesome volunteers. There are many shifts available to volunteer for a couple of hours or all day in our kids corner, food tent, 5K route and more. You'll get the official 2017 incredABLE volunteer t-shirt, sponsored by Dell, and a special volunteer gift.  CLICK HERE to register to volunteer. Thank you to our 2017 LEAD Sponsor!

HMEA, 8 Forge Park East, Franklin, MA 02038 Sent by hmea@hmea.org in collaboration with Try it free today

Idea-Filled Brunch Workshop - May 9

You won't want to miss this!

Just for you REGISTER TODAY Or call us at [508-613-1480]

FPS- Lifelong Learning | 355 East Central Street, Franklin, MA 02038 Sent by adulted@franklin.k12.ma.us in collaboration with Try it free today

Town Clerk's office will be closed for training on Monday morning, May 1

Town Clerk's office will be closed from 8am-12pm for training on Monday May 1, 2017. We are sorry for any inconvenience.

Town Clerk's office will be closed from 8am-12pm for training on Monday May 1

This was shared from the Town of Franklin webpage
http://www.franklinma.gov/home/news/town-clerks-office-will-be-closed-8am-12pm-training-monday-may-1-2017-we-are-sorry-any

Tri-County senior Zachary Keeler selected as 31st annual Outstanding Vocational Student Award

Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School senior Zachary Keeler, of Bellingham, has been selected as the recipient of the 31st annual Outstanding Vocational Student Award.

The Engineering Technology student received the award during a ceremony and dinner on Thursday, April 13, at the Mechanics Hall in Worcester.

The Outstanding Vocational Student Award is presented each year by the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators (MAVA) and the Massachusetts Vocational Association (MVA) to one student from each vocational technical high school in Massachusetts. 

The award recognizes students who have made significant contributions to their local school district and to the statewide vocational education system. Recipients must have excellent attendance, a minimum of a 3.5 GPA and vocational-related work experience. The students must demonstrate leadership qualities, technical competence, involvement in the community and extracurricular activities.

Tri-County senior Zachary Keeler selected
as 31st annual Outstanding Vocational Student Award

Zachary, son of Kristen and Scott Keeler, is a natural leader. He was accepted into the National Honor Society in his junior year and was awarded the Cougar Culture award for his exemplary achievement in areas of scholarship, leadership, character, and service.

At Tri-County, Zach is a respected athlete leading the way in football, basketball and baseball every year. He was named captain of the varsity baseball team in his sophomore year and the varsity football captain in senior year.

In addition to a lengthy list of athletic activities, Zach began competing in SkillsUSA in the 10th grade, a full grade ahead of most of his peers. Zach competed in Urban Search and Rescue at SkillsUSA and won a Silver Medal at the state competition and competed in the Stratasys Extreme Redesign competition and finished in the top 10 nationally. He is participating in a NASA sponsored project called HUNCH where he has developed a microgravity casting/molding system for astronauts to use in space. Zach was invited to New Jersey to present this project to NASA officials.

Zach’s coursework includes Advanced Placement Physics and Calculus. Engineering is Zach’s chosen career program where he has to work on teams to develop resolutions and design more effective and efficient products. Zach has worked a cooperative education job at Hamilton Storage Technologies. He has contributed to designing new tools, manufacturing bio-refrigeration systems, and resolving design flaws with the automated liquid handling systems.

The Bellingham native plans to continue his Engineering education where he will major in Electromechanical Engineering.

Tri-County RVTHS, located at 147 Pond Street in Franklin, is a recipient of the High Schools That Work Gold Achievement Award and serves the communities of Franklin, Medfield, Medway, Millis, Norfolk, North Attleborough, Plainville, Seekonk, Sherborn, Walpole, and Wrentham.

Agricultural Commission discussion rescheduled for Thursday, April 27

Economic Development Subcommittee Meeting

April 27, 2017

6:00 PM

Room 205

Agenda

1. Agricultural Commission Presentation and Discussion

Franklin Agriculture Commission looking for your help (Facebook photo)

Related post on the proposed Agricultural Commission
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2017/03/franklin-agriculture-commission-is.html

MDN article on Agricultural Commission
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2017/04/in-news-agricultural-commission.html

Note: notified of meeting date change on 4/25/17 just before noon.

Race for Recovery - May 7 - 8:00 AM

Sunday, May 7th, 2017 This is the inaugural year of the SAFE 5K Run by the SAFE High School Peer-to-Peer Program! Join us on Sunday, May 7, 2017 for a beautiful Springtime 5K! Register now for the race or get more information.

This was shared from the SAFE Coalition page

http://safecoalitionma.com/2017/03/26/1st-annual-race-for-recovery/

Both FHS lacrosse teams top Mansfield on Wednesday

From Hockomock Sports, we share the results of the FHS spring sports action on Wednesday, April 26.

Boys Lacrosse = Franklin, 15 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final

– Franklin sophomore Jacob Alexander dominated at the face off X, Connor O’Rourke and the Panthers defense pitched a shutout in the second half and four different players scored at least twice in the Panthers’ big win. Alexander won 16 of 17 face off attempts while O’Rourke made seven saves. The Panthers defense had a lock down effort in keeping Mansfield to its lowest output of the year. Eric Civetti had five goals and one assist, Packie Watson had two goals and two assists, Chase Tanner scored twice and had one helper and Nitin Chaudhury found the back of the net twice.

Girls Lacrosse = Mansfield, 4 @ Franklin, 15 – Final

– Eight different players found the back of the net as Franklin bounced back from its first loss of the season with a key division win. Jordan Jette had two goals and two assists, Kelsey MacCallum netted a hat trick and Nicole Houlihan scored twice for the Panthers. Head coach Kristin Igoe Guarino praised the defensive work of Grace MacCallum, who forced three turnovers and had five draw controls.

For the other scores around the Hockomock League on Wednesday
https://hockomocksports.com/wednesdays-schedule-scoreboard-042617/

FHS Panthers

You're invited to ACTION & IMPACT: Community Arts Advocacy Day (May 20, 2017)

You are invited to the following event: ACTION and IMPACT: Community Arts Advocacy Day Event to be held at the following time, date, and location: Saturday, May 20, 2017 from 8:15 AM to 12:00 PM (EDT) Franklin Senior Center 10 Daniel McCahill Street Franklin, MA 02038 View Map Attend Event Share this event: Action and IMPACT: Community Arts Advocacy Day is a multi-town event bringing together artists, art advocates, cultural organizations, and local businesses to participate in a morning of grassroots activism and education supporting the importance of arts and arts education in our culture. Action and IMPACT is a FREE program of the Franklin Cultural Council, with additional support from the Norfolk Cultural Council, Cultural Alliance of Medfield, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and MASSCreative. Agenda: 8:15 - 9:00:            Registration, Breakfast & Networking 9:00-9:15:              Welcome Address 9:15-9:30:               Why Advocate?...the economic and cultural impact of the arts and what advocacy can achieve 9:30-9:50:              Your Arts Story "Elevator Pitch"…using your personal story to advocate for change 9:50-10:10:            Creative Break to Advocate…grassroots advocacy activities 10:15-11:00:          Educational Workshop Session 1 11:00-11:45:          Educational Workshop Session 2 11:45-12:00:          Wrap up & Social Media Call to Action…one last advocacy action! Workshops: Tips for Successful Grant Writing — Barb Gardner, Franklin Cultural Council & Lillian Gould, MFA Barb, a grant writer for Tufts University, and Lillian, a grant writer for the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, will offer specific tips and information on ways to improve your future Cultural Council grant applications, as well as resources for finding other grants and suggestions on ways to write a successful grant app. Leveraging PR & Email Marketing— Tamara Starr, Franklin Cultural Council Tamara is a former Content Producer for the Boston Globe and former editor of Patch.com and knows what it takes to grab the attention of the press. This workshop will focus on how to write a great press release, managing relationships with editors, examples of impactful "letters to the editor" that support your arts and advocacy message, and more! Community Engagement through Social Media—Charity Stolarz & Taylor McVay, Norfolk Cultural Council Learn to leverage the power of social platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to connect to your community and amplify your message. Charity and Taylor will give you a crash course in the basic usage of the most popular social media platforms, along with tips and advice on which platforms are best suited for use in various circumstances. You'll get tools and techniques to boost your reach and maximize engagement with your target audience, and a chance to practice posting, liking, sharing and retweeting in real time with a workshop full of new social media followers. No social media experience necessary!  Lobbying Your Town for Arts Funding — Jean Mineo, Cultural Alliance of Medfield Jean successfully lobbied the town of Medfield 3 years ago to match Mass Cultural Council funding. She, in conjunction with the MCC, developed a Toolkit and Webinar on the topic outlining the successful strategies to use as well as pitfalls to avoid when approaching your town for funding. The Ins and Outs of How to Advocate— MA Representative Jeff Roy & Andre Green, MASSCreative Representative Roy will talk to us about the issues he faces regarding State arts funding budgeting, the objections his colleagues might have to supporting the arts, and how to successfully address those objections when advocating. Andre, Political Director at MASSCreative, will then expand on our earlier elevator pitch activity to guide people in coming up with talking points and "scripts" for advocacy meetings with legislators, giving time to role play these meetings with Rep Roy and others. Art Builds Business Builds Art: Creating Symbiotic Corporate/Arts Relationships Local businesses and arts organizations can create mutually beneficial, symbiotic relationships. Corporations offer sponsorship and funding for the arts, while the arts foster a desirable work environment, increased efficiency and morale, and build competitive advantages for businesses. This workshop will explore those relationships and how to create them within your community. Share this event on Facebook and Twitter We hope you can make it! Cheers, Franklin Cultural Council

Eventbrite, Inc. | 155 5th St, 7th Floor | San Francisco, CA 94103

FSPA All Access Pass For Prospective Students To Feature Complimentary Spring Concert Tickets And May Open Houses

Franklin School for the Performing Arts (FSPA) is pleased to provide prospective students with complimentary tickets to FSPA Spring Concert performances as part of the school’s All Access Pass program. Families are invited to learn more about FSPA programs in music, dance and drama. 

The Spring Concert shows provide a dynamic way to experience what the school has to offer across many dance disciplines, voice, acting, instrumental music, and musical theater programming. Spring Concert performances will be presented on Saturday, May 20 at 4:00 and 7:00 p.m. and on Sunday, May 21 at 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. at the Franklin High School Auditorium, located at 218 Oak Street. Featuring FSPA students of many ages and levels, Spring Concert is presented in an audience-friendly, 90-minute format.

FSPA will also host spring Open Houses on Tuesday, May 9 and Wednesday, May 24 from 4-8 p.m. at 38 Main Street in downtown Franklin. The community is invited to tour the facilities, observe classes and rehearsals, speak with faculty and staff, and learn more about FSPA programs.

Franklin School for the Performing Arts (FSPA) - annual Spring Concert - May 20 and May 21

Founded in 1985 by Director Raye Lynn Mercer, FSPA has been dedicated to the enjoyment of the arts for all ages and to the artistic growth and development of young people. The school offers classes in all dance disciplines, acting, musical theater, voice, and instrumental instruction, whether for recreational enjoyment or serious study. 

FSPA is also home to the Little Music School, an innovative program that teaches children as young as 18 months to play the piano. An unparalleled calendar of performing opportunities features musicals, plays, ballets, voice and instrumental recitals, opera scenes, acoustic coffee houses, musical theater and dance company showcases, and more. Many FSPA students are also cast, by audition, in the affiliated Franklin Performing Arts Company’s annual season of shows. FSPA TALENT offers management services for young performers who elect to pursue professional opportunities.

FSPA is also pleased to offer FSPA Academy, an academic alternative for students seeking a challenging curriculum in a supportive, flexible environment that encourages their creative goals. Provided Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in collaboration with the Massachusetts Virtual Academy (MAVA), the program builds upon MAVA’s state-approved online curriculum and features an enhanced emphasis on arts, language, and culture, including Music Theory, foreign language conversation classes, field trips and more. 

In addition, a new FSPA AfterSchool enrichment program offers supervised recreational experiences, including games, crafts and other creative arts activities, for students in grades K-5. The program begins at the close of the regular school day, with transportation available from Franklin and Medway schools.

Prospective students and families should call FSPA at 508-528-8668 to reserve their complimentary tickets and schedule a trial class or tour of the facilities. Classes continue at FSPA through June 19 and the summer session begins on June 26. Registration for summer and fall is ongoing. Visit www.FSPAonline.com for more information, including the FSPA catalogue, summer brochure and fall class schedule.