“This is something that will be there long after we’re gone”

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"The proposed veteran’s pathway is progressing as the bricks are being engraved with names of veterans from around the country, no matter which war they fought in. 

More than 700 bricks have been purchased by people from all around the country over the past eight months to commemorate or recognize a current or past veteran, marking their name, rank, and years of service. 

The spaces are for anyone in the country, no matter if there is a Franklin connection or not. 

Currently, those bricks are being carved with the names and military branches of the soldiers being dedicated, but there’s plenty of room for more."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20180813/franklin-veterans-walkway-moving-along

Bricks are still available for the new Veterans Walkway on the Town Common

The Brick order form  https://post3402.org/documents

Make checks payable to Franklin VFW Post 3402

In the News: governors race candidates; Franklin TV switches to HD

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"Standing in the living room of a Wellesley home, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jay Gonzalez tells a small group of potential voters and donors why they should support him over his primary opponent, Bob Massie. 

“I honestly couldn’t tell you where we differ on policy. We both are offering a very ambitious, progressive agenda,” says the Needham Democrat. “The big difference I would ask you to consider is -- unlike Bob -- I have leadership experience in state government getting big things done.” 

Gonzalez, who served as secretary of administration and finance under former Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick before running a private health insurance company, is campaigning against Massie, a Somerville author and entrepreneur with a career in various fields. 

The men are vying to become the single Democratic candidate for governor, which voters will determine at the primary election scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 4. The winner will go on to face Gov. Charlie Baker or his primary challenger the Rev. Scott Lively in the general election scheduled for Nov. 6. Independents, who don’t run primary races, must file nomination papers with the state by 5 p.m. on Aug. 28."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20180814/in-governors-race-democrats-lean-left-while-charlie-baker-contends-with-far-right

http://www.franklinma.gov/town-clerk/news/elections-2018

"The table in the main meeting room at the Municipal Building was obscured by wires and boxes on Monday while the new Franklin TV control center was given an HD upgrade. 

The old gear was pulled out of the space on Friday and the replacement started on Monday. The crew has set up alternative methods for recording Tuesday’s School Committee meeting, and plan on completing the renovation by the end of the week. 

Five new cameras are being installed as well as a state-of-the-art control room, which takes up less space and allows for HD video recording, opposed to standard definition. 

Franklin TV Executive Director Peter Fasciano said the switch is the final lap of their Municipal Building update."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20180813/franklin-tv-switches-over-to-hd

Franklin TV switches to HD

FSPA presents 42nd Street at THE BLACK BOX - Aug 16-17

FSPA Summer Theater will present an all-student production of the classic musical 42nd Street on August 16 and 17 at 7:30 pm at THE BLACK BOX in Franklin.

The ultimate show-biz musical, 42nd Street celebrates Broadway, Times Square, and the people who make the magic of musical theatre. Aspiring chorus girl Peggy Sawyer comes to the big city from Allentown PA, and soon lands her first big job in the ensemble of a glitzy new Broadway show. But just before opening night, the leading lady breaks her ankle. Will Peggy be able to step in and become a star? The score is chock-full of Broadway standards, including “You’re Getting To Be A Habit With Me,”“Dames,” “We’re In the Money,” “Lullaby of Broadway,” “Shuffle Off to Buffalo” and “Forty-Second Street.”

42nd Street will feature musical theatre students in grades 8‐12. The Summer Theater students grades 3‐8 will present a musical revue entitled 21st Street. Their show will include songs from 42nd Street along with dance numbers in the style of Gower Champion’s iconic chorus numbers. 21st Street will be presented August 17 at 5 pm at THE BLACK BOX.

The Summer Theater program at the Franklin School for the Performing Arts is an immersive experience in the production of a fully staged musical at THE BLACK BOX. Students will work with FSPA’s music, drama, and dance faculty for two weeks on staging, character development, choreography, and singing culminating in public performances of their shows at THE BLACK BOX.

Tickets for 42nd Street are $20 for students and $24 for adults. Tickets for 21st Street are $12 for students and $15 for adults. To purchase tickets, call 508.528.8668 or visit www.fspaonline.com.

FSPA presents 42nd Street at THE BLACK BOX  - Aug 16-17

Citizen Police Academy Planned: Franklin Police Dept. and Lifelong Community Learning Continue Partnership

The Franklin Police Department and Franklin Public Schools Lifelong Community Learning plan to present the second annual Citizen Police Academy beginning September 12 as part of their continuing community partnership.

Classes will be held once a week for ten weeks on Wednesday nights from 6:30 PM – 9:30 PM at the Franklin Police Station, 911 Panther Way. 

Participant will learn the answer to questions such as: 

• How would you react in an emergency situation? 
• How is evidence collected? 
• What should you do if stopped for speeding? 

Each attendee will also be given the opportunity to ride with a Franklin Police Officer during his or her tour of duty to experience the responsibilities of the officers firsthand. Ride-alongs will last approximately 3-4 hours.

The intended result of the academy is to give residents a better understanding of what police officers do and how they do it. The classes, designed to give overviews of the areas taught, will cover basic operations and will be instructed mostly by members of the Franklin Police Department.

Given the degree of access participants will have during the program, some requirements will apply, including the successful completion and approval of a Criminal Offense Record Information (CORI) filing.

The Academy registration fee is $90. Participants can register online at www.FranklinLifelongLearning.com on the Lifelong Community Learning page. For more information you can call Lt. James West 508-440-2726 or Brenda Reed 508-613-1483. You can also visit www.franklinpolice.com or www.FranklinLifelongLearning.com

The mission of the Franklin Police Department is to work collaboratively in partnership with our community to enhance the quality of life in our town, while maintaining order and protecting the people we serve. We will accomplish this mission by providing high quality law enforcement service, doing so with professionalism, honor and integrity.

The Lifelong Community Learning Center is a program of the Franklin Public Schools Lifelong Learning Institute, dedicated to providing quality learning experiences for residents in the Town of Franklin and surrounding communities.

Citizen Police Academy Planned: Franklin Police Dept.
and Lifelong Community Learning Continue Partnership

The Census Bureau Is Keeping Your Data Safe AUG. 13, 2018 The Census Bureau Is Keeping Your Data Safe Written by: Kevin Smith, Associate Director for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer, IT Directorate Protecting the data the U.S. Census Bureau collects is a critical part of our mission and our highest priority. We know the accuracy of our statistics depends on the accuracy of the data we collect. This means that the public must be able to trust us with their data so the Census Bureau can provide quality data about the people and economy of the United States. Some recent conversations in the public raised concerns about what we are doing to secure your data specifically for the 2020 Census. Our response was to address these concerns directly at the Census Bureau's next scheduled public forum, the 2020 Program Management Review, which was on August 3rd. My view of the underlying fear is "How do we know the Census Bureau is doing enough to protect our data if they are not saying enough about what they are doing?" I want to stress that our team has been doing everything we can to protect the data, but we are intentionally not saying everything we are doing. Our team is comprised of the Census Bureau, the Census Advisory Committees, federal oversight, the Federal Intelligence Community, and our industry partners. Our team knows the playbook, our collective skills, and our roles on the team to get the 2020 Census ahead of the game in cybersecurity. We have not shared our plans for cybersecurity with the public intentionally to not give the opposing team, adversaries wanting to discredit the federal government, an advantage. This is an ongoing communications challenge in cybersecurity that we will continue to pursue to ensure public confidence and trust in the Census Bureau.  It is important to state that Data Stewardship is engrained throughout the fabric of our culture. Every Census Bureau employee knows the importance of protecting respondent information from the beginning, when a respondent answers, to the end, when the statistical data products are released. Data Stewardship is a team effort including the people, processes, cybersecurity, and technology working together to protect data as dictated by law in Title 13. This is not new to the Census Bureau and encompasses decades of practice, training and behavior.  We have collaborated and coordinated across the federal government and industry to design the systems collecting data for the 2020 Census to secure your data while offering a fluid and balanced user experience. We have designed systems that employ best practice security techniques within our cloud technology to layer the entry into our systems, isolate responses from each other, and lock down data in a vault as quickly as possible after it is submitted. The operation of this design will help maintain the public's trust in us by allowing the Census Bureau to contain cybersecurity issues as soon as they are detected to protect data, while sustaining data collection services so respondents may continue to confidentially respond to the 2020 Census. We have put in place solutions that safeguard your data by encrypting the information, limiting access, and actively monitoring our systems to make sure the information stays secure. We have worked with the federal intelligence community and industry to put in place processes and technology to strengthen our cybersecurity posture and improve our incident response capabilities to proactively identify, detect, protect, respond and recover from potential cybersecurity issues as a collective unit. We continually work with cybersecurity experts to keep the technology protected and will continue to assure the public that responding to the Census Bureau, especially for the 2020 Census, is easy, safe, and important. Protection of your data is at the forefront of every decision we make at the Census Bureau. We take steps every day to protect your data. I recently described more in depth the areas in this blog and welcome you to review the recent 2020 Census Program Management Reviews (PMRs) if you want to learn more about how the Census Bureau is protecting your data. August 3, 2018 – 2020 Census Program Management Review https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/2020-census/planning-management/program-briefings/2018-08-03-pmr.html?eml=gd&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery 2020 Census Cybersecurity Update, Kevin Smith, Associate Director for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial/2020/program-management/pmr-materials/08-03-2018/pmr-cybersecurity-08-03-2018.pdf?eml=gd&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery  April 20, 2018 – 2020 Census Program Management Review https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/2020-census/planning-management/program-briefings/2018-04-20-pmr.html?eml=gd&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery Updates on Cybersecurity and Systems Readiness, Update on Cybersecurity; Validating and Ensuring Data Integrity; and Update on Systems Readiness, Kevin Smith, Associate Director for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer; and Atri Kalluri, Chief, Decennial Information Technology Division https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial/2020/program-management/pmr-materials/04-20-2018/pmr-2020-systems-readiness-04-20-2018.pdf?eml=gd&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

There are many more ways you can stay connected with us! Join the conversation on social media by following us on:

CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA. 

In the News: few contested elections for State primary; Charles River Meadowlands survey

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"With less than a month to go before primary elections, contested races are heating up across Massachusetts. 

The primary, scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 4, will decide which Democratic and Republican candidates will go on to run against one another in the general election scheduled for Nov. 6. 

This year, the primary is scheduled for the day after Labor Day, which could complicate voting for some people, such as families with school-age children and college students, who might be leaving the state. 

“Voting on the day after Labor Day will prove challenging for voters in the commonwealth, especially for families preparing children for the start of school, and for candidates who are eager to get their message out to voters,” the League of Women Voters Massachusetts wrote in a statement earlier this year."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20180813/few-contested-races-could-impact-voter-turnout-for-sept-4-primary

http://www.franklinma.gov/town-clerk/news/elections-2018

"The Charles River Meadowlands Initiative will survey approximately 500 acres of protected land in Franklin, Bellingham and Medway after finding a consulting firm. 

The purpose of the study will be to help “assess conservation and passive recreation opportunities available on those lands and adjacent town lands,” according to a press release from the organization. 

“We want to make sure to look at all potential stakeholders, look at the conservation value of the land and find ways to ensure it’s properly protected,” said Alan Earls, founder of the Charles River Meadowlands Initiative."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20180813/survey-of-local-protected-lands-planned

Timeless Women's Fit Boxing - new sessions start Aug 14

TIMELESS WOMEN'S FIT BOXING!
The next 5 Week Session of our Timeless Women's FIT Boxing Program begins this week! Sign-Ups are NOW OPEN! 5 Weeks

BEGINS: Tuesday, August 14 - Saturday, September 15, 2018

Classes to choose from:
Tuesdays 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Fridays 5:30am - 6:30am
Saturdays 7am - 8am

Cost for 5 Week Session:
Members: $60.00
Non-Member: $75.00
"Can't Is Not An Option" so sign up TODAY and achieve a healthier and Fit Body and be stronger for life!

Contact me directly to Sign-up: mc@timelesscrossfit.com
MC Alexander
Timeless CrossFit and Fitness
Phone: #508-528-8900 — with Patricia Fullam Ross and 15 others.

Timeless Women's Fit Boxing - new sessions start Aug 14

FPAC to host Newsies Dance Master Classes with Broadway’s Clay Thomson

The Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) will host two Newsies-themed dance master classes with Broadway cast member Clay Thomson on Sunday, August 19 where he will teach choreography from the show. Clay will be returning to Franklin in October to choreograph FPAC’s production of Newsies. A Beginner/Intermediate level class (min. age 10) will be held from 12:00-1:30. An Intermediate/Advanced level class will be held from 2:00-4:00.

FPAC to host Newsies Dance Master
Classes with Broadway’s Clay Thomson

Clay Thomson started out as a competitive gymnast at the age of four, which eventually led him into the performing arts. At age twelve, Clay joined the Cameron Mackintosh/NETworks tour of Oliver!. Clay toured the U.S, Canada, and Japan with the Broadway First National Tour of West Side Story as A-rab. He made his Broadway debut in Newsies, playing Spot Conlon. After that, he was cast in the Original Broadway Cast of Matilda The Musical.

Clay performed in New York City Center Encores' productions of Little Me and The Most Happy Fella. He has also made numerous television appearances, performing on shows such as Dancing with the Stars, The 2013 TONY Awards, The 2012 and 2013 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, The Late Show with David Letterman, The View, Good Morning America, and more.

He is featured in the viral YouTube video #CupsTapDance as well as his most recent appearance in The Happy Tap Dance #TAPPY.

The 12:00 class is $25, the 2:00 class is $30, and both classes are $40. Show a college ID to get half price. Classes held at the Franklin School for the Performing Arts at 38 Main St., Franklin, MA 02038 Call 508.528.8668 to register.

Twitter round up

New logo for Lifelong Learning

Many thanks to David Mann for his assistance in creating a new logo for the Lifelong Learning Institute! We're in the process of rolling out the new look across web sites, documents, and more. pic.twitter.com/cUQcgL1Rhk

— Lifelong Learning (@FPSLearning) August 9, 2018

Good message from High School Experience (HSE) closing session

One of the closing messages from the final day of #HSE2018 But applies to all!! Looking forward to a phenomenal school year starting in a few weeks!!! pic.twitter.com/JwOUxLBWce

— FranklinHighSchool (@FranklinHS) August 10, 2018

Coming together at High School Experience (HSE)

They’ve come from different middle schools, but by working together they form PANTHERS! @HseFranklin #HSE2018 #Classof2022 pic.twitter.com/QZkwuoN2YS

— Alyssa Taranto (@MsTaranto) August 9, 2018

The incoming 9th grade class for Franklin High

They’ve come from different middle schools, but by working together they form PANTHERS! @HseFranklin #HSE2018 #Classof2022 pic.twitter.com/QZkwuoN2YS

— Alyssa Taranto (@MsTaranto) August 9, 2018

“We like to say ‘play messy so they’ll think messy’"

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

From across a small field at Oak Grove Farm Friday morning, two-year-old Charlie Phippard saw children experimenting with water and dirt near the edge of the woods. 

“Mud,” he exclaimed, dashing across the space. 

Elsewhere, toddlers poured buckets of water down makeshift slides, sprayed it at tubes of duct-taped plastic bottles, played with colored, frozen blocks of it, created pools for small stone pigs with it, and submerged a variety of things into containers of it. 

The children watched the results of their play with a combination of serious focus and sheer delight. 

This is Tinkergarten, a play-based learning program popping up across the Milford area.

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20180810/millis-learning-through-play-at-tinkergarten

Tinkergarten had some classes in Franklin in August of last year
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2017/08/two-quick-updates-on-tinkergarten.html

https://twitter.com/tinkergarten

Register O'Donnell Highlights July '18 Norfolk County Real Estate Numbers

	Norfolk County Registry of Deeds
	Register O'Donnell Highlights July '18 Norfolk County Real Estate Numbers While residential and commercial real estate transactions crept slowly higher for the month of July 2018, the average sales price of Norfolk County property remains as hot as the summer's weather. Register O'Donnell noted, "During the month of July, a total of 1,796 residential and commercial properties were sold in Norfolk County, representing a modest 2% increase year over year. This small growth in sales activity, contrasting with the significant increases seen in total dollar sales volume and average sales price for both residential and commercial properties, clearly demonstrates the extremes of the market." For the month of July, total real estate sales volume was $1.06 billion, a 33% increase compared to July 2017. Also, the average sales price, again for both residential and commercial properties, was $835,316, a 29% increase compared to the previous year. "Industry observers," stated O'Donnell, "are seeing sellers getting their asking price and in some cases, even more. This data strongly points to the continuing competition amongst prospective buyers for a very limited pool of real estate inventory." Lending activity for July decreased by 4% countywide. A total of 2,309 mortgages were recorded during the month compared to 2,407 recorded in July 2017. O'Donnell noted, "It would appear rising interest rates are causing consumers to pause when borrowing money for big ticket expenditure items." An aberration in the July data was the steep decrease in total residential and commercial borrowing which fell by 79% to $992 million. However, this major drop-off can be largely attributed to a $1.6 billion mortgage taken out against a commercial property on the Weymouth and Quincy line in July 2017. On the comsumer front, July also saw a slight 3% increase in the number of Homesteads recorded from the same time last year. "A Homestead," noted Register O'Donnell, "is an important consumer protection tool that provides limited protection against the forced sale of a homeowner's primary residence to satisfy unsecured debt up to $500,000." During July 2018, there were small increases seen in foreclosure activity. A total of 20 foreclosure deeds were recorded during the month compared to 18 in July 2017. In addition, 38 Notice to Foreclose Mortgage recordings, the first step in the foreclosure process, were filed versus 34 year over year. O'Donnell noted, "We continue to watch closely the foreclosure numbers here in Norfolk County." The Norfolk County Registry of Deeds continues to partner with Quincy Community Action Programs at (617) 479-8181 x-376 and Neighbor Works Southern Mass at (508) 598-0950 to help anyone who has received a Notice to Foreclose Mortgage from a lending institution. Another option is to contact the Massachusetts Attorney General's Consumer Advocacy and Response Division (CARD) at (617) 727-8400. Register O'Donnell concluded, "Norfolk County continues to mirror eastern Massachusetts when it comes to limited real estate inventory, resulting in higher housing costs. The reduced lending numbers also tell us that consumers are looking at the impact of higher interest rates before making major purchases, especially in the area of real estate." To learn more about these and other Registry of Deeds events and initiatives, like us at facebook.com/NorfolkDeeds or follow us on twitter.com/NorfolkDeeds and instagram.com/NorfolkDeeds. The Norfolk County Registry of Deeds is located at 649 High Street, Dedham. The Registry is a resource for homeowners, title examiners, mortgage lenders, municipalities and others with a need for secure, accurate, accessible land record information. All land record research information can be found on the Registry's website at www.norfolkdeeds.org. Residents in need of assistance can contact the Registry of Deeds Customer Service Center at (781) 461-6101, or email us at registerodonnell@norfolkdeeds.org. Register William P. O'Donnell Norfolk County Registry of Deeds email: registerodonnell@norfolkdeeds.org phone: 781-234-3336 web: http://www.norfolkdeeds.org

Norfolk County Registry of Deeds, 649 High Street, Dedham,, MA 02026-1831 Sent by registerodonnell@norfolkdeeds.org in collaboration with Try it free today

40th Feast of St. Rocco - August 12, 2018 - Final Day, Final Feast

Food Booths, Rides and Music - Sunday, August 12 from 12:00 Noon - 8:00 PM

Unlimited Ride Specials:
Sunday from 12 noon to 4 PM - $25 per person with coupon, $30 without coupon  http://fiestashows.com/m/events/byid/277

Additional info can be found on the St Rocco page
http://www.stmarysfranklin.org/feast-st-rocco

40th Feast of St. Rocco - August 12, 2018

Franklin School for the Performing Arts to host a series of Open Houses

The Franklin School for the Performing Arts will host a series of Open Houses at 38 Main Street on Tuesday, August 14 from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., on Thursday, August 23 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., on Wednesday, August 29 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on Saturday, September 8 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The community is invited to tour the facilities, speak with faculty and staff, and learn more about FSPA programs in music, dance, and drama for all ages and levels. Prospective students are also encouraged to schedule a complimentary trial class. The FSPA summer session runs through August 24, and fall classes begin on September 10. Registration is ongoing for all programs.

Proudly serving more than 500 students annually from 45 communities in Massachusetts’ Metro West region, FSPA is a unique place where students of all ages and levels of ability participate in an array of music, dance and drama programs with professional instruction and extraordinary performing opportunities.

For additional info visit FSPA online at https://www.fspaonline.com/

Franklin School for the Performing Arts to host a series of Open Houses

Franklin and Medway Police receive Jail Diversion Program Grant

The Franklin Police Department has been awarded a joint grant with the Medway Police Department, and Advocates, Inc. of Framingham, Massachusetts to hire a clinical social worker to assist with cases of people in a mental health crisis. This grant was made possible by the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health.

The Jail Diversion Program aims to help people in mental health crisis get the assistance they need, and not direct them unnecessarily into the Criminal Justice System. The Clinician will ride with police officers in cruisers and respond directly to calls. They will help evaluate and make recommendations for further care and follow up. This shortens the time on scene for officers, and ultimately leads to a better outcome for those involved.

The initial grant is valued at approximately $300,000, and is good for three years, with renewals possible after that.

Franklin Chief of Police Thomas J Lynch said “This program has been successfully used in several surrounding communities. Mental health crisis calls can be very difficult for officers, and having a highly trained clinician with them will lead to better results for all involved.”

Medway Chief of Police Allen M. Tingley added that “Mental health calls can be stressful, and sometimes volatile. Any tools that we can give our officers to resolve these calls without the use of force, and also reduce the number of repeat calls for service is a win for the Department, and the individual in crisis.

The program is in its initial phase of hiring a clinician, and working on new policies and procedures. It is expected that the program will be fully functioning within two months. Program coordinators for the Jail Diversion Program are Sgt. Brian Johnson of the Franklin Police Department, and Detective Sergeant Matthew Reardon of the Medway Police Department.

This was shared from the Town of Franklin page
http://www.franklinma.gov/police-department/news/franklin-and-medway-police-receive-jail-diversion-program-grant

Franklin and Medway Police receive Jail Diversion Program Grant

"Drunk? Stoned? Driving? Don’t.”

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"As the list of legal and commercially available substances that can impair a person’s ability to drive a vehicle grows to include pot, state public safety officials on Wednesday launched a public awareness campaign to urge drivers to find alternate transportation if they have been drinking or using marijuana. 

An average of 125 drunk or high drivers die on Massachusetts roads each year, Undersecretary for Public Safety and Security Jennifer Queally said, and a recent Department of Public Health survey found that one-third of people who said they have used marijuana in the last 30 days have also driven under the influence in the last 30 days. 

“The number of high drivers and the number of deaths on our roadways is already too high, no pun intended,” Queally said Wednesday at a press conference to launch the campaign. “Driving high, driving stoned or driving drunk is dangerous and illegal, but most importantly it is deadly.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://franklin.wickedlocal.com/news/20180809/no-difference-between-driving-drunk-or-stoned-new-psa-warns

https://youtu.be/l5Xc3FRLEek

In the News: St Rocco's ends; Pfeffer recognized

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"Nobody knows better than Peter Brunelli why the Feast of St. Rocco ends tonight after a 40-year run. 

“People get older,” Brunelli said while seated Saturday under a tent to shield him from a steady drizzle. Brunelli, 78, is co-chairman of this year’s weekend festival, and he’s been to all 40 of them. He grew up in Franklin, still lives there, and said there just aren’t enough volunteers anymore to keep the event going. 

It all started in 1978, when the Rev. Brian Manning wanted a community celebration at St. Mary’s Parish modeled after a traditional Italian festival. Manning noticed a statue of St. Rocco on the parish grounds, and decided it would be the theme of the party. 

St. Rocco is the patron saint of healing, and the statue still stands on grounds across the street from the parish. Ribbons in the color of the Italian Flag hung on it Saturday, and dollar bills were pinned to the ribbons, a festival tradition."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20180812/40-year-tradition-ends-in-franklin

"Judith Pond Pfeffer comes from a long line of Franklinites who took on various roles in town, from the Town Hall to the fire station. It was these people who gave her an up-close look at the rewards of public service as she was growing up. 

Cut from the same cloth, Pfeffer has always followed their example. 

So it comes as no surprise that Pfeffer was recently recognized by the state Legislature and the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women (MCSW) as an “Unsung Heroine.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20180811/franklins-judith-pond-pfeffer-honored-as-unsung-heroine

Reminder: St. Mary’s St. Vincent de Paul 24th Annual Backpack Collection - Aug 18-19

The St. Mary's Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is excited to announce its 24th annual collection of back-to-school supplies to help children prepare for a wonderful school year. 

If you would like to participate, please buy a school backpack, and fill it with back to school supplies. Please label the backpack either Grades K-3, Grades 4-5, Grades 6-8, or Grades 9-12. The backpacks should not be specific for either a boy or a girl. 

The backpacks may be dropped off inside the front of the church in the designated boxes on the weekend of August 18/19 and on Monday, (August 20th) until noon. 

St. Mary’s St. Vincent de Paul
24th Annual Backpack Collection

Members of the St. Vincent de Paul Society will be distributing backpacks to families in town with school-aged children starting on Tuesday, August 21st. We are also hoping to have enough backpacks to offer them to families living in area shelters. 

Last year, 133 children and teens benefited from your generosity. It is so important for children and youth to see the goodness in the world.

Thank you in advance for your participation in this year’s drive!



Suggestions for supplies may be found on our website:
http://www.stmarysfranklin.org/uploads/docs/backpacksupplylist2018.pdf

or here:

40th Feast of St. Rocco - August 11, 2018

Anointing Mass Saturday, August 11 10:00 AM under the tent

Food Booths, Rides and Music Saturday, August 11 from 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM

Ride bracelets or wrist bands are available Saturday 12 - 4 PM Normally $30 or $25 if you show the coupon which you can download from here:
http://fiestashows.com/m/events/byid/277

Additional info can be found on the St Rocco page
http://www.stmarysfranklin.org/feast-st-rocco

40th Feast of St. Rocco - August 11, 2018