Fallen Hero Recognition: John Emidio Pasquantonio, Vietnam - April 30, 2024, 9 AM

Memorial event today (4/30/24) at 9 AM on the Town Common Veterans Walkway to honor John Emidio Pasquantonio, Vietnam. 

This program will include the placing of a Memorial Wreath for the day, the playing of Taps, a salute from those present, and a reading of whatever history  may be available for that veteran.  This is a way of keeping the memory of that veteran alive.

Fallen Hero: John Emidio Pasquantonio

Lance Corporal John Emidio Pasquantonio was born in Franklin on March 14, 1949, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Carlo Pasquantonio. John lived with his parents and 3 sisters on Grove St. while attending the Franklin Schools. John enlisted in the Marines, at age 17. 

John was married to the former Jacqueline Mucciarone of Franklin and he left a son, John Carlo, who currently lives here in Franklin. 

Corporal Pasquantonio, assigned to the USS Iwo Jima, had been sent ashore as a forward observer for the Navy guns on the coast of Vietnam, in Quang Tri province, when he was struck by a mortar shell and killed instantly on April 30, 1968. Prior to his death, John had repeatedly volunteered for this hazardous duty landing on the coast by helicopter. Cpl. Pasquantonio was award the Cross of Gallantry Medal, which compares with America's bronze star award, by the South Vietnam government. 

Lance Corporal John E. Pasquantonio was 19 years old at the time of his death in Vietnam.

Originally post here -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/01/fallen-hero-john-emidio-pasquantonio.html 

For the full published series of Fallen Heroes you can visit this link
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/08/franklin-fallen-heroes-series.html

Photo album of the Fallen Hero pillars along the Veterans Walkway

https://photos.app.goo.gl/oRGdmq9krLNEBnjJ7

Fallen Hero Recognition: John Emidio Pasquantonio, Vietnam - April 30, 2024, 9 AM

Fallen Hero Recognitions scheduled for May & June 2024

Fallen Hero Recognition is conducted each day at 9 AM on the Town Common Veterans Walkway.

The brief program (approx. 5 minutes) includes the placing of a Memorial Wreath for the day, a reading of whatever history may be available for that veteran, a salute from those present, and the playing of Taps. 

This is a way of keeping the memory of that veteran alive. The public and any family members are welcome to attend.

May

11 - Charles Christakes - WWII

June

1 - William G. Hosford - WWII

5 - Frank Gryzboski - WWII

12 - LLoyd M. Ellis - WWII

14 - Timothy J. Hayes - WWII

15 - Elijah H. Coldwell - WWI

20 - Edward A. Kelly - WWII

24 - Baldo S. Lazzerini - WWII

The program is a collaboration of the Edward L. Grant American Legion Post 75, and the Veteran’s of Foreign Wars Post 3402, under the auspices of the Town’s Veterans Council. The program outline and schedule can be found https://www.franklinmatters.org/2024/03/honoring-our-franklin-veterans-who-died.html

The schedule has also been added to the Community Calendar for the next 5 years.

For the full published series of Fallen Heroes you can visit this link
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/08/franklin-fallen-heroes-series.html

Photos of each of the bronze plaques along the Veterans Walkway can be found in this album -> https://photos.app.goo.gl/6eTxVPqJ8PPrGw7R8

Photos from 2018 -> https://photos.app.goo.gl/oRGdmq9krLNEBnjJ7

 Honoring Our Franklin Veterans Who Died In Service to Our Country

Earth Month 2024 celebration coordinated by Franklin Recreation, DPW, and Conservation

Earth Day 2024

Recreation, Conservation and DPW

Earth Month 2024 celebration

Join the Town of Franklin Recreation, Conservation and DPW for a month long
celebration of Earth Month.  

The clean up event will be held on Saturday, April 20 at Beaver Pond at 9 AM - 12 PM with the clean up of nearly 40 areas across Town.  Meet at Beaver Pond at 9 AM and pick up your bags/gloves and maps.  

First 100 participants will receive an Earth Day t-shirt.  DPW will be giving away tree samplings, coffee, and bagels. 

• Earth Day Map
• Earth Day clean up rules

On Saturday, April 27, the Conservation Department is sponsoring an event at DelCarte Conservation Area on Pleasant Street from 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM.  

Shared from -> https://www.franklinma.gov/recreation-department/news/earth-day-2024

Updated Earth Day activities info found here ->  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2024/04/earth-day-events-in-franklin-are-not.html

Fallen Hero: Corporal David Laughlan III, U. S. Marine Corps - Feb 24, 2024

Memorial event today (2/24/24) at 9 AM on the Town Common Veterans Walkway to honor  Corporal David Laughlan III, U. S. Marine Corps

"Corporal David Laughlan III, U.S. Marine Corps, was born on March 20, 1923 son of David and Elsie Laughlan. David lived with his parents, a sister and a brother at 55 North Park Street. David attended the Franklin Public Schools and graduated from Franklin High School, Class of 1941. David joined the Marine Corps two months before Pearl Harbor. 

Corporal David Laughlan III saw a great deal of action as a member of a rifle company fighting against the enemy on Saipan, the Marianas Islands on June 30 and again on July 1, 1944. CPL Laughlan volunteered to lead patrols into enemy territory obtaining valuable information of great value to his company commander. The information was used by his commander in planning the company’s many subsequent successful attacks against the enemy. Corporal David Laughlan III was injured on Saipan and was awarded the Bronze Star for his performance of valor. 

Corporal David Laughlan III later returned to action for the torrid battle on Iowa Jima and lost his life there on February 24, 1945. 

Corporal David Laughlan III was 21 years old when he became a battle casualty while in combat during WWII."

Fallen Hero: Corporal Laughlan

For the full series of Fallen Heroes you can visit this link
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/08/franklin-fallen-heroes-series.html

Originally posted -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/08/fallen-hero-corporal-david-laughlan-iii.html

New Ceremony to Honor Franklin Veterans Who Died In Service to Our Country: first of series starts Jan 26 at 9 AM

The Town of Franklin has one of the most beautiful Veteran’s Memorial areas in the state.  If you haven’t been there recently, it is worth a visit.  There are monuments for all wars centered in front of the WWI “Doughboy” monument.  At the rear of the monument area is the Veterans’ Memorial Walkway which currently honors 1866 veterans who have served America.

Perhaps the most moving part of the Memorial area are the 45 granite posts which line the Veterans’ Walkway.  Each one of these posts is dedicated to a Franklin veteran who gave his life, defending our freedom.  These columns are beautifully done, marked with bronze plaques and a flag.  During the holidays, each is also decorated with a beautiful wreath.

Over the past few months, Franklin’s Veterans’ organizations, the Edward L. Grant American Legion Post 75, and the Veteran’s of Foreign Wars Post 3402, under the auspices of the Town’s Veterans Council, have developed a program to further honor those who died for our nation, to ensure they are remembered, and their stories are kept alive.

Beginning in January, specifically on January 26, at 9:00 AM, the first of 45 ceremonies will take place at the column of William O. Martello, Ensign, U.S. Navy who died on that date off Anzio beach in Italy, when his landing craft struck a mine.

In February, there will be four veterans honored, February 18 – Air Force SSgt Alan Willard, Vietnam; February 22 – Navy Oiler James P. Murray, WWI; February 24 - Marine Corporal David Laughlan III, WWII, and February 26 – Marine Lance Corporal Richard L. Desper, Vietnam.

For the month of March, we will honor the following veterans.  On March 10, a dual ceremony will be held for Army 2nd LT John A. Schur, WWII and Army PFC Marshall E. Rollins, both who lost their lives on the same day; March 18 - Army PFC Elton E. Ekstrom, WWII, and on March 30 – W. Franklin Lynch WWI.

This program will include the placing of a Memorial Wreath for the day, the playing of Taps, a salute from those present, and a reading of whatever history we may have on that veteran.  This is a way of keeping the memory of that veteran alive.

This event will happen 45 times during the coming year.  Some months, like January, only one ceremony will be held. Other months will have multiple ceremonies, such as February with 4 and June with 7.   On March 10, April 9, July 18, and September 21, there will be dual ceremonies as we lost two veterans on the same day.

Families of the veterans, if known, will be invited to attend the ceremony.

The public is invited to attend these ceremonies to honor those who gave their lives.

Franklin’s military organizations support numerous veterans’ activities  and encourage all veterans in town to join them.

Honoring Our Franklin Veterans Who Died In Service to Our Country

Santa arrives on the Franklin Town Common Nov 26 at 4 PM

For the young and young at heart, Santa arrives on the Town Common, Sunday, Nov 26, 2023 at 4 PM. He is reported to be arriving via a special Franklin fire truck. Will Mrs. Claus be with him too?

Sponsored by Concerts on the Common. Donations to help with this and the Town Common decorations are appreciated. Checks can be mailed to 

"Concerts on the Common"
PO Box 92
Franklin, MA 02038

Santa arrives on the Franklin Town Common Nov 26 at 4 PM

 

Santa arrives on the Franklin Town Common Nov 26 at 4 PM

Santa arrives on the Franklin Town Common Nov 26

For the young and young at heart, Santa arrives on the Town Common, Sunday, Nov 26, 2023 at 4 PM. He is reported to be arriving via a special Franklin fire truck. Will Mrs. Claus be with him too?

Santa arrives on the Franklin Town Common Nov 26

Sponsored by Concerts on the Common. Donations to help with this and the Town Common decorations are appreciated. Checks can be mailed to 

"Concerts on the Common"
PO Box 92
Franklin, MA 02038

Santa arrives on the Franklin Town Common Nov 26

Franklin's Event Outlook: October 27, 2023 to November 3, 2023

It is a sad day when the end of the Farmers Market season rolls in. It is such a festive gathering each Friday on the Town Common. We can look forward to the Winter Market at the Fairmount Fruit Farm.  In the meantime, we can also look to the full weekend of activities in this weekend before Halloween.

Wow!

How many can you make it too?

Friday, October 27

11:00am - Open Space Ribbon Cutting (Schmidt’s Farm)

2:00pm - Franklin Farmers Market (Town Common)

2:00pm - Ladder 3 Trio (live music) (Town Common)

2:00pm - Thrift Threads thrift shop (Franklin Federated Church)

4:00pm - Pumpkin Patch & Sale (St John’s Episcopal Church)

5:30pm - Interactive Halloween Story Walk (Universalist Society of Franklin)

6:00pm - Elastic Five (live music) (67 Degrees)

6:30pm - Second Chance Band (live music) (Raillery Pubic House)

7:00pm - The Play that goes Wrong (ticketed event) (Dean College)

Saturday, October 28

10:00am - Pumpkin Patch & Sale (St John’s Episcopal Church)

10:00am - Fire Dept Open House (downtown fire station)

10:00am - Franklin Historical Museum (always free)

10:00am - RISE Up - social gathering (Franklin TV Studio)

10:30am - Trunk or Treat (Franklin Public Library)

1:00pm - Halloween Costume Party (La Cantina Winery)

2:00pm - Police Dept Halloween Party (911 Panther Way)

4:00pm - Annual Trunk or Treat  (Franklin High School) 

5:00pm - Trunk or Treat (Franklin United Methodist Church)

5:00pm - Horror Movie (for teens 13+) (Franklin Public Library)

7:00pm - The Play that goes Wrong (ticketed event) (Dean College)

7:00pm - Jamie Barrett (live music) (Raillery Pubic House)

8:00pm - Antje Duvekot (ticketed event) (Circle of Friends Coffeehouse)

8:00pm - Street Survivors (ticketed event) (THE BLACK BOX)

Sunday, October 29

12:00pm - Pumpkin Patch & Sale (St John’s Episcopal Church)

1:00pm - Franklin Historical Museum (always free)

4:00pm - Franklin Lions Trunk or Treat (Franklin High School) 

7:00pm - The Play that goes Wrong (ticketed event) (Dean College)

Monday, October 30

4:00pm - Pumpkin Patch & Sale (St John’s Episcopal Church)

Tuesday, October 31 - Halloween

4:00pm - Pumpkin Patch & Sale (St John’s Episcopal Church)

Wednesday, November 1

10:00am - Veterans Coffee Social

1:00pm - Senior Scribblers (writing group) (CANCELED or this week)

6:30pm - Franklin Art Association

Thursday, November 2

8:30am - Franklin Downtown Partnership General Mtg

6:30pm - Franklin LGBTQ Alliance - monthly meeting

-----------------

The Franklin Art Association Art Gallery remains open during business hours at Escape into Fiction (Main St, Franklin)

Find the full Community event calendar  https://www.franklinmatters.org/p/blog-page.html

The Cultural calendar displays only the cultural events      https://www.franklinculture.org/things-do/pages/calendar

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication:  https://forms.gle/oPdi8X3ZbHHyrHzo6

The Town meeting calendar is found  https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar
The School district calendar is found  https://www.franklinps.net/calendar-by-event-type/26 

Franklin's Event Outlook: October 27, 2023 to November 3, 2023

Reminder: Friends of the Poor Walk - Saturday, Sep 30, 2023

Just a reminder … St. Mary Parish, St. Vincent de Paul Conference is sponsoring its annual fund raiser on Saturday, September 30, 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM, on Franklin’s Town Common. 

Registration opens at 8:30 AM. The Walk begins with a Blessing for the Walk at 9:00 AM. 

Participants can collect donations and walk with us. Additionally, donations are accepted online at https://www.fopwalk.org/eventlisting/eventdetail/?eventid=2895

All money raised will stay in Franklin to assist those in need. Thank you.

Save the Date -> Friends of the Poor Walk - Sat, Sep 30, 2023

Bricks Are Still Available for Order to install for this November on the Veterans Memorial Walkway!

Bricks Are Still Available on the Veterans Memorial Walkway!

Order by September 15, 2023 for November Installation

An engraved brick on the Veterans Memorial Walkway, on our beautiful Town Common, makes the perfect birthday, Mothers' Day, Fathers' Day or holiday gift for your special Veteran or current military service member.

Bricks are installed in May and November to coincide with Memorial Day and Veterans' Day.

Brick order forms are available in the Town Hall and Senior Center lobbies, on the Veterans' Services webpage and in the Veterans' Services Office.

After the brick is installed, a frameable certificate is sent to the brick purchaser. A brick locator link can be found on the Veterans' Services webpage so purchasers can easily find their brick on the Walkway.

To date, we have installed 1,849 engraved bricks in honor of U.S. service members. We will continue to sell bricks until all blank bricks have been personalized. 

Thank you to all who have supported the Veterans Memorial Walkway project!

Brick order form ->    https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/uploads/brick_order_form_with_shannons_name.pdf

Bricks Are Still Available for Order to install for this November on the Veterans Memorial Walkway!

Thursday is International Overdose Awareness Day, will you join us?

#IOAD We are just under a week away from International Overdose Awareness Day. Every year on August 31st, we join our local, state, federal, and international partners to recognize the impact substance use and overdose have had to those we love and those we have lost.   This year, we are honored to partner with HealthyKP to host a moving memorial in 5 communities. The purpose of this vigil is to bring local and real visibility to the sensitive and often overlooked disease of addiction. This 30 minute event will host a moment of silence, prayer, and a community member speaking about their lived experience. We will also host a memorial table to place pictures and memories of those we have lost to an overdose.  Together, we will say their names.   Will you join us?   We invite you to bring a picture of our loved one to place on our table of remembrance    Flag displays reflecting the 2,357 Massachusetts community members who lost their life to addiction in 2022 will be created on the Wrentham, Franklin, and Millis town commons.  The numbers continue to rise - In 2022, Massachusetts saw a 2.5% increase in overdose fatalities between 2021 and 2022 and a 9.1% increase from pre-pandemic 2016.  - Fentanyl was present in 93% of fatal overdoses where a toxicology report was present - Cocaine was present in 53% of fatal overdoses where a toxicology report was present - 47% of all opioid-related overdose deaths were between 25 and 44 years old; 43% were between 45 and 64 years old How You Can Help - Become an ally! Listen and learn from those with lived experience. We at SAFE would love to introduce you to those in recovery who are open to sharing their story and answering the questions you may have - Create a baseline understanding. The opioid epidemic continues to shift and evolve. It is important to create both a baseline understanding of addiction and the opportunities our community members have to access support - Support local initiatives. Headlines and statistics are important, but healthy communities are the lifeline to recovery and healing. Supporting programs that directly meet with families, youth, and individuals alike to mitigate substance use and provide education on the link between mental wellness and addiction is crucial for long-term change.  - Become a SAFE BUSINESS. Become a leader in your community and allow community members to know that they are welcomed and can ask for help in your space. - Book a training with us to learn how to administer Narcan!   Addiction is not invisible We hope you will join us on August 31st to honor those we have lost and to support all those who are still grieving.  Fact of the week  Did you know that SAFE holds the only fully subsidized Narcan training and distribution license in our area of the state?  Our Contact Information SAFE Coalition 31 Hayward St., Unit 2c Franklin, MA 02038-0434 774 847 9474 http://www.safecoalitionma.org