HMEA 5K Race/Walk - May 23rd

The Horace Mann Education Associates - HMEA, Inc. is located here in Franklin, MA but their effective service delivery is to over 100 communities in MA.

HMEA has a long history of providing innovative services in school, at work, at home and in the community and now serve over 2400 children and adults with developmental disabilities. Services include: Residential, Day and Family supports, and services for children.

HMEA's Employment Programs provides people with disabilities the opportunity to pursue meaningful employment either on a full- or part-time basis. For people in the Employment Program who work part-time, HMEA encourages volunteering for community organizations, or leisure and recreation activities to supplement their day.

HMEA's Employment Programs serve people 22 years of age and older who live within the commuting distance of program locations in the following cities and towns: Bellingham, Clinton, Hopedale, Plainville and Worcester

The annual fund raiser for HMEA is the 5K Race/Walk and Family Fun Day scheduled for May 23, 2010.

SAVE THE DATE...Sunday, May 23, 2010 HMEA's 9th Annual Independence 5K Walk/Run in the Park - MARK YOUR CALENDARS and grab your sneakers to participate in this "Fun-filled Family Day fundraising event...

This event, which is hosted by our good friends at EMC2 Corporation in Franklin, MA gathers 2,000 or more people to help HMEA continue its mission to make a difference in people's lives. AND, all the money raised is returned to the many programs at HMEA, which supports 2,400 children and adults with intellectual challenges and developmental disabilities.

Once again we have Gene Lavanchy from Fox News25 and tentatively Gail Huff from WCVB-TV Channel performing hosting duties for us. And our great friends and inspiration to many, "TEAM HOYT", Dick and Rick will be on hand again this year -- plus we're pretty sure there will be a few other celebrities and mascots on hand as well!

So come on down and participate in the fun...there's raffle prizes, food, tee shirts for participants (while they last), prizes, a Kids Corner filled with games and activities, a Kids "FUN RUN" and so much more... 

In addition to working the road race registration table (and providing splits at the 2 mile mark), I have decided to help HMEA do some fund raising this year.

I love the quote from Horace Mann that they use on their History page:

"Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity"

You can help the HMEA make a difference with a donation. I have a widget in the center column of this and my other blogs, should you choose to donate an amount within your means.

I will appreciate it.
The HMEA clients you help will too!

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If you would like to register for the race you can do so here
http://www.hmea.org/events.html

If you'd like you can contribute in one of several options directly through the HMEA website here
http://www.hmea.org/donations.html

Robbery suspect sought (video)

The Franklin Police just made a brief video available as they continue their search for the suspect in the robbery of the Tedeschi's at the corner of Union/King Sts.




Franklin, MA: Attempt to identify armed robbery suspect depicted in video. Please call FPD Detectives if you know who this is. 1-508-528-1212

Franklin, MA: Master Plan

The Department of Planning and Community Development (DPCD) is in the preliminary planning process to update the Town's 1997 Master Plan.  The DPCD is currently creating a Master Plan outline that will act as a guideline for the next 12-18 months during the completion of the Master Plan.  After this guideline is reviewed and approved by the Planning Board, Town Council and Town Administration, the DPCD will begin work on the Master Plan, which will include the formation of a Master Plan committee.  The Committee is likely to be formed in the Spring of 2010 and will need volunteers from the Franklin Community.  Please check back regularly for updated information regarding the status of the Master Plan process as well as future ways to leave public comments regarding the Master Planning process.

WHAT IS A MASTER PLAN?

According to Chapter 41 Section 81D of the General Laws of Massachusetts a Master Plan is:

“A statement through text, maps, illustrations or other forms of communication, that is designed to provide a basis for decision making regarding the long-term physical development of the municipality…”

A Master Plan consists of the following elements as defined by the M.G.L. Chapter 41 Section 81D.

• Land Use
• Housing
• Economic Development
• Circulation
• Open Space and Recreation
• Natural, Cultural and Historic Resources
• Community Services and Facilities
• Goals and Policies
• Implementation

The information above was from the Franklin Planning and Community Development Master Plan page on the Town website

Franklin, MA

Franklin, MA: Absentee ballots available - Precincts 2, 3 and 4 only

ABSENTEE BALLOTS ARE NOW AVAILABLE AT THE TOWN CLERK’S OFFICE.

ONLY PRECINCTS 2, 3, AND 4 ARE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE

Absentee Ballot Information:  Absentee ballots are now available in the Town Clerk’s office.  A registered voter who will be unable to vote at the polls on election day due to the following reasons may vote absentee up to 12:00 noon the day before the election:

• absence from your city or town during normal polling hours; or
• physical disability preventing you from going to the polling place; or
• Religious belief.

All absentee requests must be made in writing with an original signature (no faxes or e-mails are accepted).  If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call Deborah L. Pellegri, Town Clerk, at 508-520-4900.   

TOWN OF FRANKLIN ELECTION NOTICE

SPECIAL STATE PRIMARY ELECTION

DATE:  TUESDAY, April 13, 2010

TIME:   6:00a.m. – 8:00p.m.

PLACE: FRANKLIN HIGH SCHOOL FIELDHOUSE ON OAK STREET

                                    ALL PRECINCTS

Franklin, MA

2nd Fund Raising Event for Abbey Candy House

FRIENDS of the ABBEY
In 

SPORTS AND SONG

Come join with us in Sports

MATT LIGHT

PATRIOTS Offensive Tackle

(Six Division Championships, Four Conference Titles,
Three Super Bowl Championships)

AUTOGRAPH SIGNING –  PATRIOTS MEMORABILIA

Come join with us in Song

AYLA BROWN

– former American Idol finalist from season 5:
(Boston College Eagles Basketball)

SILENT AUCTIONS, RAFFLES, DOOR PRIZE

ADMISSION: ADULTS $10.00

Children Free - Cash/Checks only

Where: Lake Pearl Luciano’s

When: April 11, 2010

2:00 to 4:00 P.M.

Creek St., Wrentham, Ma.

Mt. St. Mary’s Abbey – 300 Arnold St. – Wrentham, Ma. 02093

Phone: 508 528 1282 Web www.msmabbey.org

Boston Globe West: Schools put clamps on bullying

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

Schools put clamps on bullying

via Boston Globe -- Globe West by Rachel Lebeaux, Globe Correspondent on 3/24/10

In response to high-profile bullying incidents in other communities and in advance of pending state legislation, school officials in Franklin have set up an antibullying task force, making it the latest local district to tackle the sensitive issue.

Things you can do from here:

• Subscribe to Boston Globe -- Globe West using Google Reader
• Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

To be fair to the efforts of the Community Health Council that are and have been underway in this space for sometime, this is an 'extra' effort by the School Committee. 


The Community Health Council has been active in this space with great progress being made particularly in the cyberbullying arena with Teenangels. Teenangels is a group of Franklin middle school students who under the guidance of 

Lisa Keohane have been getting formal training, developed a questionnaire, an anti-bullying pledge, visited the State House and are about to take their efforts to students throughout the Franklin school system.

Additional information about the Community Health Council efforts can be found here.


The full and current Community Health Council "action plan" can be found here:
http://www.franklin.k12.ma.us/co/Debbie/Community%20Health%20Council/2009-2010%20CHC%20Action%20Plan%20March.pdf

That's not cool!

That's Not Cool is a website designed to teach young adults that online and mobile phone behavior is real behavior with real consequences. That's Not Cool has three primary features; videos, discussion forum, and call out cards. The video section features video clips called Two Sided Stories. Two Sided Stories use puppets and stop motion to portray examples of cyber stalking. The discussion forum is called Talk It Out. In Talk It Out students can comment on stories and exchange comments about issues around cyber behavior. Call Out Cards are small posters featuring slogans and statements about cyber stalking behavior. Call Out Cards can be downloaded from That's Not Cool. In addition to the three main features, That's Not Cool provides students with resources and contacts if they think they are in an abusive relationship or are being cyber stalked.

The videos are cool. They are also interactive in that the choices at the end of each lead to other videos!



Have you talked about cyberbullying with your teen?


Thanks to Mr Byrne at Free Technology for Teachers for the link to this site.

Franklin, MA