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| Santa Foundation Bowling Fundraiser - March 29, 2026 |
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| How about some bowling fun to help the Santa Foundation? |
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| Track & Field fund raiser goes bowling |
If you missed getting to the Open House of the New England Chapel on Saturday, you can also watch the preview done by NECN here -> https://www.necn.com/on-air/as-seen-on/bowling-alley-in-franklin-transformed-into-church/2616029/
View the photos captured during my walk through which also includes photos of the outside as the changes began to take place transforming it from Ficco's to New England Chapel
Open house -> https://photos.app.goo.gl/vMHAE8vK1EALrNEaA
Outside transformation -> https://photos.app.goo.gl/LMEoUw44vky1vQ8P9
The handout provided a self guided walk through of the facility. You can view a copy of it here -> https://drive.google.com/file/d/18Wk8BHJoOxij4SixQwVuv5Oia4pOBM-I/view?usp=sharing
To find out more about the services of New England Chapel visit them -> https://www.nechapel.org/
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| Inside New England Chapel - Open House 11/13/21 |
Ferry passage free of charge for veterans and military and up to 3 family members. For free veteran tickets please call Boston Harbor Cruises at 617-227-4321. For all other members of the general public, please follow the ticket link to purchase a $10 ticket for this cruise http://bostonharborislands.org/event/veterans-day-cruise/
A special cruise highlighting the military history of the Boston Harbor islands. A visit to Georges Island, a tour of Fort Warren, kid's programs and a commemorative flag wreath laying.
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| Veterans' Services: Free cruise |
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| Veterans' Services: free bowling events |
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| Carly Alston at "Bowl for a Goal" |
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| Farley Asmath at "Bowl for a Goal" |
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| Calen Frongillo |
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| Carly Alston |
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| Farley Asmath |
"Salvation is in the cards for the former Ficco’s Bowladrome and, appropriately, it is coming at the hands of a church.
New England Chapel, a vibrant and growing Christian faith community based in Franklin, is in line to take over where Paul Ficco and his family left off almost four years ago.
“We are under agreement for purchasing the Ficco Bowladrome building,” said senior Pastor Mike Laird.
He can’t help but beam at the prospect. Neither can Family Ministries Pastor Heather Kempskie, who joined Laird in announcing the news."Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
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| New England Chapel will move to the former Ficco's |
"One of the beauties of working with people with different interests is that their ideas can be combined, said Ariel Dagan, library-media specialist at Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School.
“I look at my surroundings and say, ’How can I create behavioral changes when I see something that’s missing,” said Dagan, who has worked in education since 1992 and arrived at Tri-County five years ago.
The Norwood resident is originally from Jerusalem, and has since spent his life traveling back and forth, attending school in both Israel and the United States. After serving in the Israeli army, as is required of all citizens there, he attended the University of California-Berkeley and University of Rhode Island, earning a master’s degree in information studies.
The Massachusetts School Library Association recently presented Dagan with the President’s Award, which is given to school librarians who over the course of one to five years make a significant impact on student learning."
Efforts to return bowling to town have made progress, though an official location for the new lanes has yet to be announced.
Last month, a group of businessmen announced they purchased much of the equipment - pin setters, ball returns and an automatic scoring system - once used at Ficco's Bowladrome. Ficco's, a longtime downtown mainstay, closed last June after 79 years in business.
Andy Trockman, the operations manager for the new effort, said some strides had been made recently, though there is still much to do. He said the group is working on an offer for a piece of land in town.
"At that point, we can go full steam ahead," he said. "I'm still shooting for (an opening date of) September."
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| bowling may return to Franklin with reuse of the equipment from Ficco's |
The town and state Department of Transportation are closing in on selecting a contractor for the reconstruction of Rte. 109.
The project, which is expected to begin in July and last for at least two years, was originally estimated to cost about $12.5 million, with the state and federal governments kicking in most of that money.
Selectmen on Monday are expected to approve a 110 percent agreement with the state DOT, which stipulates that the town would be on the hook for any project costs that exceed the contract bid price by more than 10 percent.
"When Ficco's Bowladrome closed last June, it brought to an end a 79-year legacy of bowling in downtown.
The possibility of a return is alive now that a group of businessmen is attempting to bring bowling back to town, using equipment - pin setters, ball returns and automatic scoring system - once used at Ficco's.
Franklin resident Andy Trockman, the group's operations manager, said his connection to the bowling alley was personal."
"Town Council members praised the local Recreation Department recently for working to expand its offerings and the number of people it serves.
The council heard an update from department director Ryan Jette on a number of initiatives at its meeting last week.
Among the programs the department offers, Jette said, are flag football, field hockey and basketball, as well as classes on such topics as babysitting, social netiquette and art."
"A new subcommittee will consider whether Franklin schools should continue to have February and April vacations.
School Committee member Mary Jane Scofield will lead the group, it was announced at a committee meeting Tuesday night.
School Committee Chairman Kevin O'Malley thanked Scofield for taking on the task, saying she had relevant experience in the matter."
Hi Steve, Sydney Robinson's next big FUNraiser is being held at Ficco's Bowladrome this Sunday, April 19th and would love your assistance once again with sharing this information with Franklin Matters readers. Sydney is a freshman at FHS and is a member of St. John's Episcopal Church in Franklin while also taking part in the Youth Leadership Academy (YLA) program run through the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts. More information about YLA is available at www.diomassyouth.org/diocesanyouthprograms
If you're planning a staycation and/or happen to be looking for a fun way to kick off school vacation week, please join us at Sydney's next FUNraiser to help support her mission trip to El Salvador this Sunday, April 19 from 3:15 – 5:15 at Ficco's Bowladrome. Ticket prices are $ 15 Adults and $ 10 Kids which include shoes, an hour of bowling and pizza. There will also be a raffle! Please RSVP to R.Family5@hotmail.com to let us know how many adults/kids would like to attend so we can plan food and number of lanes accordingly. Thank you! | ||
From the outside, they looked like any other assortment of little old ladies.
Moments after I walked into the Sunshine Club at Franklin's Senior Center, Lena Vitti filled me in on the rules: "You have to smile to come in the door."
Little did I know I was stepping into the lion's den.
I'd gone to Franklin to take on Vitti and a handful of other seniors in a game of what's become the hottest must-have item at area senior centers - Wii bowling.
Sure, I was a Wii newbie - the closest I'd come to using the video game system was a display at Best Buy, but being in my early 30s, and part of the generation that grew up with video games, I went in feeling pretty confident.
Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here
