Friday, March 6, 2026

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Friday, March 6, 2026 ???

Friday, March 6


10:00am Knitting Group (Franklin Public Library)

1:00pm Thrifty Threads (Franklin Federated Church)

6:00pm Ken Barney (live music) (Lafayette House)

7:00pm High School Musical (Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter)
7:30pm Garnet Rogers - Special FRIDAY Show (ticketed concert) (Circle of Friends Coffeehouse)

Library & Senior Center events
Library & Senior Center events

For additional details on Library events -> 
For additional details on Senior Center events ->   


Note: Senior Center checking on why their events are suddenly being shown as "All Day". You can use the monthly newsletter for specific program/event times


***  Town Meetings today   ***

Franklin School Committee - Policy Subcommittee Meeting
Friday, March 6 Time: 8:15 AM

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Find the full Community event calendar  https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication:  https://bit.ly/Submit2Calendar

Franklin High Spanish National Honor Society Students Bring Spanish to Second Graders at Lincoln Street School

Franklin High School’s World Language Department recently partnered with Lincoln Street School to give second graders an interactive introduction to Spanish.

Members of the high school's Spanish National Honor Society (Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica) planned and led an interactive lesson focused on greetings, simple conversational language and colors.

The high school students designed materials, rehearsed their lesson and incorporated visuals, movement and structured interactions to make the experience engaging and accessible for the second graders.

Franklin High School Spanish National Honor Society members recently visited a second-grade classroom at Spring Street School to provide a Spanish lesson. (Photo Courtesy Franklin Public Schools)
Franklin High School Spanish National Honor Society members recently visited a second-grade classroom at Spring Street School to provide a Spanish lesson. (Photo Courtesy Franklin Public Schools)


The Massachusetts World Languages Curriculum Framework’s Lifelong Learning Standards encourage students to use language beyond the classroom, engage with their community, and build intercultural understanding. That was exactly the mission of the Spanish National Honor Society's visit to Lincoln School
 
“By teaching younger students, our high school students move beyond using Spanish simply to meet academic requirements; they use the language as a vehicle for service, leadership and authentic communication,” said Laura Evans, Director of World Languages at Franklin Public Schools.

The project benefited students at all levels. Second graders gained early, positive exposure to a world language and increased cultural curiosity while interacting with high school role models who demonstrate the value of multilingualism. Meanwhile, the high school students practiced authentic language use and strengthened leadership and public speaking skills.

The Franklin High chapter of the Spanish National Honor Society has 65 members who complete meaningful service hours each year to promote Spanish language, culture and multilingualism in the community.

"I want to thank Laura Evans, Laura Keenan, and our entire World Language Department for creating opportunities that extend beyond the high school classroom," said Dr. Tina Rogers, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching & Learning. "This opportunity allowed our high school students to step into a leadership role and give back to younger students in a meaningful way. Cross-school collaboration is powerful for our district, and this visit is a strong example of that."

Franklin Downtown Partnership Executive Director Celebrates 22 Years & Early Retirement

After 22 years of leading the Franklin Downtown Partnership (FDP), Executive Director Lisa Piana will be taking early retirement to spend more time with her family.
  
“I feel that this is the right time as the FDP celebrates its 25th Anniversary this year,” Piana said.
 
Lisa Piana
Lisa Piana
The FDP’s mission is to stimulate economic development in downtown in order to create a positive impact throughout the area, as well as to be a proactive organization that brings residents, business owners and community leaders together, encourages cooperation, and builds leadership to revitalize downtown Franklin. 

Under Piana’s leadership the FDP member base has grown from 25 members to nearly 300 today.

Longtime FDP President, Scott Martin said, “Lisa has had a strong impact and is a passionate leader. She’s a strong advocate and has built relationships with town council, administrators at both the town and state level, and with retailers. She always is thinking not only what’s best for downtown, but what’s best for Franklin as a whole.”

“She is one of the most creative people I have worked with,” Martin added. “Where there’s a challenge or opportunity, she doesn’t see just one solution. She can think of three or four different angles. She sees opportunities everywhere.”

Years of Collaboration

Piana’s first major project as Executive Director was working with Marini Construction who developed Franklin Commons and the building where Birchwood Bakery is located.

“It was really important to work with the developers early in their proposal so we could include green spaces in their planning,” Piana said. The FDP and the town convinced Marini to include the patio on Summer Street and on East Central Street where the bakery now has outdoor seating.

Another early project was the design of the Historical Museum’s green space including the straw hat boy bronze sculpture. The sculpture reflects Franklin’s important history of manufacturing straw hats.
 
In 2021 Piana led the downtown art mural projects in three separate alleyways by reaching out to the local artists from the Franklin Art Association for their talents. 

She is credited with creating The Ladybug Cultural & Historical Trail in the Cultural District in 2022. The trail consists of 2-foot-wide fiberglass ladybugs, painted by local artists, from a 2019 Cultural Council project. The ladybugs are tucked among buildings, art murals, and historic points of interest in downtown. 

The Ladybug Trail is a good example of collaboration with FDP members and so many organizations. The committee consisted of Town Council members, Franklin Garden Club, Cultural District Committee, Franklin Art Association, and the Franklin Historical Museum.

She has been involved in overseeing more than 40 community events in her time with the FDP.  Back in 2005 the signature events – Strawberry Stroll and Harvest Festival – were small events with just a few hundred attendees. Today each event brings in close to 10,000 visitors from Franklin and surrounding towns.

Volunteers are vital to the FDP and how these community events and projects get completed. “There are so many talented and generous people in Franklin,” Piana explained. “Volunteers are the key to the FDP’s success throughout the years.”
 
“Lisa is very team-oriented,” said Michael Carroll, Senior Vice President, Marketing & Communications Officer at Dean Bank. “She’s always inclusive and collaborative giving credit to the group rather than the individual. She’s always been good that way. I think any good leader does that.”  
 
Under Piana’s leadership the FDP helped downtown businesses get through some challenging times including the major Streetscape project in 2016 and then COVID a few years later. “People often forget how the sidewalks and roads were torn up and in some cases you couldn’t even get in the front doors of some of the downtown businesses. Business owners were just trying to stay afloat and then it happened again when COVID hit,” Piana explained.

She points to her dedicated Board of Directors over the years for the many downtown successes.  “Without the leadership of people like Scott Martin, FDP President, and Roberta Trahan, FDP Vice President, we would not have been able to accomplish all that we have done. There are so many community leaders that have given hundreds of hours of their time. It’s what makes Franklin so special,” she said.

Reflecting Back

What is she most proud of? “One of the things I’m most proud of is the collaboration that the FDP has with so many community leaders and organizations.” She explained, “I think when you have everyone working together for a common goal that’s really how things get done. It’s rewarding to see projects completed year after year, and the goals become reality.”

The Franklin Downtown Partnership has worked to enable new businesses to open while supporting the established businesses. Shops are thriving due to shared promotions and events, networking, and strong social media.  Downtown now has a dynamic mix of eateries, gift shops, pubs and entertainment. 

What is most clear when talking with Piana is her passion for the downtown. “I love my job. I get to work with amazing leaders, volunteers, and small businesses. It has truly been a dream job.” 

Reflecting on her tenure, Piana said the downtown has changed dramatically, but the Partnership’s goals have pretty much stayed the same. “We’re still focused on our mission to continue with the revitalization and economic development of the downtown. Every time we finish one project another is presented to us. Our work is never done.” 

She feels that this is a good time to pass the baton. “I’m excited to spend more time with my family, travel and restart my art career. I will stay involved. It is in my DNA,” she laughed.

Piana’s last day as Executive Director will be April 30th. She will remain on staff for the rest of the year to guide the new executive director and work on special projects. And she will continue to promote the downtown every chance she gets.  

The Franklin Downtown Partnership, Inc. is a 501(c)3 organization. For more information go to www.franklindowntownpartnership.org

Have you got your tickets? We're talking about the Party for The Pantry - March 28 (audio)

FM #1682 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1682 in the series. 


This session of the radio show shares my conversation with Marsha Tait, Development Director of the Franklin Food Pantry, Jen Johnson, Development Associate, and Bill Donavan, (Director of A/V with Stage Edge). We had our conversation in person in the community room at The Franklin Food Pantry on Monday, March 2, 2026. 


Discussion items: 


  • Tickets on sale for Party for the Pantry; March 28 at THE BLACK BOX

  • Online bidding for silent auction items opens March 19

  • Bidding for travel opportunities opens the night of

  • 3 bands to provide entertainment - Fab 3, Karate Show, and South Street Six

  • Light food items catered by Chef Kristen Precourt, KCooks 


The conversation runs about 20 minutes. Let’s listen in 

audio link -  
https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1682-party-for-the-pantry-03-02-26/


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Party for The Pantry page (tickets and travel auction descriptions) https://www.franklinfoodpantry.org/happenings/events/party/


Sponsorships still open at link above


Raydio (Your 24/7 Local Soundtrack via the Internet) - https://localraydio.com/ 


K-Cooks LLC - https://www.k-cooks.com/


2025 Annual report of The Pantry - https://www.franklinfoodpantry.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/FY25-Annual-Report-2-page.pdf 


Franklin Food Pantry web page -> https://www.franklinfoodpantry.org/ 


Follow The Pantry on

Facebook ->  https://www.facebook.com/FranklinFoodPantry 

Instagram ->  https://www.instagram.com/franklinfoodpan/ 



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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.  


This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.


How can you help?

  • If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

  • If you don't like something here, please let me know

  • And if you have interest in reporting on meetings or events, please reach out. We’ll share and show you what and how we do what we do


Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.


For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or www.franklin.news/


If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com


The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.


I hope you enjoy!

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You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"


School Committee March Newsletter with FY 2027 budget info & 2026-27 School Calendar

School Committee March Newsletter
School Committee March Newsletter 
The March School Committee Newsletter is available now. 

Get caught up on the FY27 Budget discussions and see the 2026 - 2027 School Calendar.

Read the entire Newsletter here:  https://aptg.co/FlGsHJ







Rail Trail Committee Decides to meet over some Ales - March 10

Rail Trail Committee Decides to meet over some Ales - March 10
Rail Trail Committee Decides to meet over some Ales - March 10


***NEW LOCATION***

Our next meeting is on Tuesday, March 10th at Lops Brewing, located at 122 North Main Street, Woonsocket at 7pm. We'd love to see you there!








More info about the Rail Trail Committee - 

Where's the Toast?! Memory Cafe March 18, 2026

Where's the Toast?! Memory Cafe March 18, 2026
Where's the Toast?! Memory
Cafe March 18, 2026
Good morning,

On behalf of the Franklin Senior Center, we would like to extend an invitation to our March 18th Where's the Toast?! Memory Cafe.

Memory cafés offer a safe, judgment-free space to connect, socialize, and enjoy meaningful activities together, emphasizing companionship, creativity, and shared experiences. For individuals living with dementia, memory cafés help reduce isolation and foster a sense of belonging. For caregivers, they provide encouragement, understanding, and the chance to connect with others who truly support them.

Whether you come for conversation, laughter, music, or simply to be among supportive community members, you are welcome just as you are.

We hope you'll join us and be part of a community built on connection, dignity, and joy.  Please RSVP to Amanda Rabbitt at arabbitt@franklinma.gov so we are ready to welcome you to the program!


--Sincerely,

Amanda Rabbitt


Supportive Day Program and 

Special Project Coordinator

Tax Work Off Liaison


10 Daniel McCahill St

Franklin, Massachusetts 02038-1352

O. 508-520-4945, ext 4418
E. arabbitt@franklinma.gov


Check out the auditions for Theater at the Hockomock Y for Ages 14+

Check out the auditions for Theater at the Hockomock Y for Ages 14+
Check out the auditions for Theater at the Hockomock Y for Ages 14+ 
We're less than a month out from Grease auditions!! Haven't been onstage in a while? Come make a return!

Never been part of a musical before? We love newcomers!!

Contact Emily at Emilyh@hockymca.org for more information!!





Winter Farmers Market on Saturday, March 7 BBQ, Spider-Man and the usual vendor line up



We have our lineup for this Saturday! 10 AM - 2 PM take a walk through our two market greenhouses and enjoy some BBQ food from Paradise BBQ and Catering. Spider-Man will be here for free pictures!





30+ wonderful vendors with wonderful products. Make sure to make a fish order with Barbara by tonight to pickup fish at the farm Friday afternoon or at the market on Saturday. (barbarasherman@verizon.net)







"Sip and Swipe" Workshop - Scheduled for March 24 (age 21+ only)


Sip and Swipe class. Go to bit.ly/3Mzy6cp to register.

Whether you're newly single, returning to dating, or simply tired of the swipe-and-sigh cycle, this class will help you gain clarity, confidence, and a dating plan that actually works.

For information and to register, visit:

Workshops & Special Events

Instagram  Facebook  Web

Lifelong Learning Institute - Franklin Public Schools | 218 Oak Street Room 137 | Franklin, MA 02038 US


Constant Contact

(1) No one knows what the future is. So hedge your bets. (2) Abilities AI can't do (yet)


"This is the first time in history nobody has any idea what the world will look like in 10 years — what the job market will look like, what social relations will look like, et cetera. So hedge your bets. Don’t focus on a narrow subject like coding. 

Give equal importance to your head (intellectual skills), your heart (social skills) and your hands (motor skills). It is in the combination of these three that humans still have a large advantage over A.I."




(2)

"For the past several months, I’ve been wrestling with a question that is becoming unavoidable for all of us: Where does human capability end, and where does artificial intelligence capability begin?​

Some people look at AI with concern, others with excitement, and many with curiosity. ​

Instead of focusing only on what AI is becoming capable of doing, I decided to reflect on something different: which abilities remain deeply, fundamentally human.​

Over the past months, I identified 30 capabilities that, in my judgment, AI still cannot truly perform — and these are precisely the skills where I am intentionally investing more of my own development. ​

Abilities AI can't do (yet)
 Abilities AI can't do (yet)
As a chemical engineer, I organized them as a kind of “Periodic Table of Human Abilities”  grouping them into six dimensions:​
• Judgment and Decision-Making ⚖️​
• Influence and Communication 🗣️​
• Emotional Connection ❤️​
• Contextual and Social Awareness 🌍​
• Human Essence and Growth 🌱​
• Adaptability and Creativity 🎨​

The more powerful technology becomes, the clearer one idea feels to me: our future advantage will not come from competing with machines, but from strengthening what makes us human. ​

Do you agree with these capabilities?​

Is there any skill you believe is missing — or any that you think AI may start replicating sooner than we expect? "