In the News: FPAC holiday performances, food elves are back!

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin

The Franklin Performing Arts Company will stage three productions this holiday season, featuring Tchaikovsky’s ballet “The Nutcracker” and the original FPAC musicals, “Snow White and the Seven Elves” and “’Tis the Season!” 

Franklin Performing Arts Company’s production of “The Nutcracker” is presented with professional orchestra, special guest artists and over 100 area dancers. FPAC will present “The Nutcracker” at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5 and 2 p.m. Dec. 6 at the Franklin High School auditorium, 218 Oak St. 

Franklin Performing Arts Company’s family-friendly musical “Snow White and the Seven Elves” debuts this season at The Black Box, 15 West Central St. Performances are at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Dec. 12 and 2 p.m. Dec. 13.

Read the full article online here (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20151120/NEWS/151129199/1994/NEWS

Franklin Food Pantry

The Franklin Food Elves and the Downtown Partnership will launch the “12 Days of Donating” campaign to benefit the Franklin Food Pantry on Dec. 1. This year’s collection drive marks 10 years that the Food Elves have helped neighbors in need during the holiday season. 

The Food Elves were created in 2006 when Melissa and Cameron Piana began collecting donations in a wagon in their neighborhood. Last year more than 90 school-aged "elves" and 14 local businesses collected 7,020 pounds of goods and raised $8,500 for the food pantry. This year the pantry acquired additional warehouse space to accommodate the expected donations. 

“We are looking forward to building on the success the Food Elves have had, and this year we hope to raise more money. The food pantry can buy a lot with those funds, and we hope to surpass last year’s dollar totals,” says Ellie Teixeira, lead Food Elf.

Read the full article online here (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20151120/NEWS/151128978

Food Elves Bring in Record Donations

The Franklin Food Elves are pleased to announce that the final donation numbers are in and the “12 Days of Donating” Campaign has collected more than three tons (or 6,400 pounds) of goods and $8,500 for the Franklin Food Pantry.

(L-R) Food Elf Ellie Teixeira, Co-founder Cameron Piana, Food Pantry Executive Director Erin Lynch at the Franklin Food Pantry in December 2014.

More than 90 Food Elves collected from over 30 Franklin neighborhoods, the most volunteers in the history of the Franklin Food Elves. They worked in conjunction with local businesses that set up collection bins at their locations around town.

“We’d like to thank all of residents of Franklin who donated to our campaign this year. We also would like to thank the elves who worked hard to bring the donations in, and the businesses that helped fill the donation bins at their locations,” says Cameron Piana, Food Elves co-founder.

The Franklin Food Elves was co-founded by Melissa and Cameron Piana 9 years ago and has grown each year.  Since the beginning the organization has brought in a total of 10 tons (20,380 pounds) of food donations and over $25,700 for the Franklin Food Pantry.

Local businesses were deeply involved in this year’s campaign. DCU gave a check for $5,000, and 15 other businesses pledged a $200 cash donation and donated time and bin space to the cause.

Those businesses included Auerr, Zajac & Associates, LLC, Berry Insurance, British Beer Company, Dean Bank, Dean College, Drama Kids of Metro West, Emma’s Quilt Cupboard, the Franklin Downtown Partnership, Jane’s Frames, Keefe Insurance Agency, Murphy Business, Printsmart Office Products, Pour Richard’s Wine & Spirits, RE/MAX Executive Realty, and Yellin & Hyman, P.C. 

For more information about the Food Elves and the “12 Days of Donating” campaign, please contact the Food Elves at franklinfoodelves@yahoo.com or visit their Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Franklin-Food-Elves/714439188643292

This was shared from the Franklin Downtown Partnership page

http://www.franklindowntownpartnership.org/2015/01/decembers-12-days-of-donating-totals.html

'12 Days of Donating' - preliminary results

The Franklin Food Elves and the Franklin Downtown Partnership are pleased to announce that the preliminary numbers are in and the “12 Days of Donating” Campaign has collected more than three tons (or 6,000 pounds) of goods and $8,000 for the Franklin Food Pantry.

(L to R) Elf Ellie Teixeira, Co-Founder Cameron Piana, Food Pantry Executive Director Erin Lynch

More than 90 Food Elves collected from their Franklin neighbors, the most volunteers in the history of the Franklin Food Elves. They worked in conjunction with local businesses that set up collection bins at their locations around town.

Some of the donations dropped off at the Food Pantry

“We’d like to thank all of residents of Franklin who donated to our campaign this year. We also would like to thank the elves that worked hard to bring the donations in, and the businesses that helped fill the donation bins at their locations. We are excited to see the totals because we still have more donations coming in,” says Cameron Piana, Food Elves co-founder.

Student volunteers weigh donations

Local businesses were deeply involved in this year’s campaign. DCU gave a check for $5,000, and 15 other businesses pledged a $200 cash donation and donated time and bin space to the cause.

Those businesses included Auerr, Zajac & Associates, LLC, Berry Insurance, British Beer Company, Dean Bank, Dean College, Drama Kids of Metro West, Emma’s Quilt Cupboard, the Franklin Downtown Partnership, Jane’s Frames, Keefe Insurance Agency, Murphy Business, Printsmart Office Products, Pour Richard’s Wine & Spirits, RE/MAX Executive Realty, and Yellin & Hyman, P.C.


For more information about the Food Elves and the “12 Days of Donating” campaign, please contact the Food Elves at franklinfoodelves@yahoo.com or visit their Facebook page.


This was shared from the Franklin Downtown Partnership page here
http://www.franklindowntownpartnership.org/2014/12/12-days-of-donating-preliminary-totals.html

'Tis the Season for Giving!

“We make a living by what we get.

We make a life by what we give.”

― Winston S. Churchill

Giving is as easy as 1, 2, 3

1 - You can give to help provide cupcakes for our December holiday meal. Visit The Cake Bar today to help out with the cupcake order.  

http://www.franklinfoodpantry.org/2014/11/lets-add-cupcakes-to-holiday-ham-dinners.html

2 - Make a reservation with Nice Car Care for your vehicle to get serviced. 5% of the profits from the services they provide during the month of December will come to the Food Pantry. 

http://www.franklinfoodpantry.org/2014/11/nice-car-care-gives-back-to-families-in.html

3 - The Franklin Food Elves are making it easy for you to help your neighbors in need during the "12 Days of Donating" campaign. From December 1 through December 12, volunteer Food Elves will be coming to your neighborhood, or you can donate goods at a local participating business.

http://www.franklinfoodpantry.org/2014/12/franklin-downtown-partnership-and-food.html

And if you prefer, you can also give directly via this secure online donation link

Donate securely here

This post was shared from the Food Pantry page here
http://www.franklinfoodpantry.org/2014/12/tis-season-for-giving.html

"12 Days of Donating"

Help the Franklin Downtown Partnership member businesses and the Franklin Food Elves collect goods for the Franklin Food Pantry. The "12 Days of Donating" collection campaign started Monday!

some of the Franklin Food Elves at the Food Pantry

This year's goal is to meet or exceed last year's record-breaking collection totals -- $6,700 and 7,357 pounds of goods! 

Elves will be collecting in neighborhoods for the next two weeks. You can also donate at these participating locations:

• Auerr, Zajac & Associates, LLC, 29 Dean Ave.
• British Beer Company, 280 Franklin Village Dr.
• DCU, 500 West Central St.
• Dean Bank, 21 Main St.
• Dean College, Campus Center
• Drama Kids of Metro West, 19 Dean Ave. (call for drop off schedule)
• Emma’s Quilt Cupboard, 12 Main St.
• Franklin Downtown Partnership Office, 9 East Central St.
• Jane’s Frames, 11 East Central St.
• Keefe Insurance Agency, 51 West Central St.
• Murphy Business, 15 East Central St.
• Pour Richard’s Wine & Spirits, 14 Grove St.
• RE/MAX Executive Realty, 308 West Central St., Suite E
• Yellin & Hyman, P.C., 693 East Central St., Suite 201

Thank you for your support of the Franklin Food Pantry and the Franklin Downtown Partnership

This was shared from the Downtown Partnership page here
http://www.franklindowntownpartnership.org/2014/12/12-days-of-donating-kicks-off-today.html

Franklin Food Elves ‘12 Days of Donating’ Kicks off December 1

The Franklin Food Elves are making it easy for you to help your neighbors in need during the “12 Days of Donating” campaign benefiting the Franklin Food Pantry. From December 1 to December 12, volunteer Food Elves will be coming to your neighborhood, or you can donate goods at a local participating business.

The Franklin Food Elves is a charitable community service group made up of more than 75 hard-working middle school and high school students. For the past three years they have partnered with the Franklin Downtown Partnership and local businesses to create one of the Franklin Food Pantry’s most successful collection drives. Last year the “12 Days of Donating” campaign brought in more than $6,700 and 7,300 pounds of goods.

2014 Food Elves (L-R): Project 351 Ambassador Rebekah Redwine, YCIC's Dan Robert, Food Pantry Executive Director Erin Lynch, Head Elf Cameron Piana, Lead Elf Haley Frank

“People have been incredibly generous year after year donating to the Food Elves campaign. What we bring in helps 600 Franklin families that rely on the Food Pantry’s services. We are grateful that our community keeps exceeding our expectations,” says Cameron Piana, Food Elves co-founder.

In December the Food Elves will notify residents about the collection drive in their neighborhood, including information about what items are needed and the collection dates. Residents simply place bags of goods at their mailboxes on designated pickup dates and the Food Elves will do the rest.

In case there’s no elf in your neighborhood, it is still easy and convenient to donate. The group has placed bright red collection bins at participating Franklin Downtown Partnership member businesses. If the Food Elves meet their goal of collecting more than 1,200 pounds of goods, each business listed below has pledged to donate $200.

Bins can be found at these participating locations:

• Auerr, Zajac & Associates, LLC, 29 Dean Ave.
• British Beer Company, 280 Franklin Village Dr.
• DCU, 500 West Central St.
• Dean Bank, 21 Main St.
• Dean College, Campus Center
• Drama Kids of Metro West, 19 Dean Ave. (call for drop off schedule)
• Emma’s Quilt Cupboard, 12 Main St.
• Franklin Downtown Partnership Office, 9 East Central St.
• Jane’s Frames, 11 East Central St.
• Keefe Insurance Agency, 51 West Central St.
• Murphy Business, 15 East Central St.
• Pour Richard’s Wine & Spirits, 14 Grove St.
• RE/MAX Executive Realty, 308 West Central St., Suite E
• Yellin & Hyman, P.C., 693 East Central St., Suite 201

Also donating to the Food Elves campaign are Berry Insurance and Printsmart Office Solutions.

Look for a donation bin at the Holiday Stroll tree lighting ceremony at Dean College on Thursday, December 4, or drop off donations at the Franklin Food Pantry, 43 West Central St., and designate them for the “12 Days of Donating” drive.

This year the Food Elves also are collaborating with the Youth Community Involvement Club at Franklin High School and Project 351 at Horace Mann Middle School. Project 351 is a state-wide community service project and Food Elf volunteer Rebekah Redwine is this year’s Franklin ambassador.

“With a cold winter on the way, family budgets are stretched and more people need the Food Pantry’s services,” says Haley Frank, a lead Food Elf. “We are proud that this great group of students working with local businesses can make a huge, positive impact for Franklin.”

Erin Lynch, Franklin Food Pantry Executive Director, concurs; she cites a recent Lowell Sun story that states National Grid rates on November 1 increased 37 percent over last winter.

“Families who are already struggling will be hit once again when electric rates skyrocket,” says Lynch. “What these students accomplish is vital. The spirit of the Food Elves has captured the hearts of this community. We are so grateful for the amazing support that keeps multiplying through the hard work of these young leaders.”

This year the Food Pantry’s needs include health and hygiene products and non-perishable food items. For more information check the Food Pantry’s website, www.franklinfoodpantry.org/, or call 508-528-3115.

For more information about the Franklin Food Elves and the “12 Days of Donating” campaign, please contact the Food Elves at franklinfoodelves@yahoo.com or visit their Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Franklin-Food-Elves/714439188643292


This was re-shared from http://www.franklindowntownpartnership.org/2014/11/food-elves-press-release_21.html#sthash.iZdwx75g.dpuf