Franklin Matters

Saturday, October 1, 2016

LET'S LAUGH TODAY in Franklin is on Wednesday, October 5th !

Experience the health benefits of joyful laughter on Wednesday, October 5th (and every first Wednesday of the month) from 7:30pm to 8:30pm at the Meetinghouse of the First Universalist Society in Franklin, 262 Chestnut Street, Franklin.

Laughter Yoga is a unique and playful practice that does not rely on humor, jokes or comedy. Laughter Yoga will have you smiling frequently and laughing heartily. Learn simple exercises to help you lighten up about life and bring more laughter into it! Laughing strengthens the immune system, and helps with stress, depression and anxiety.

There are no fancy postures and is appropriate for all ages and all physical levels. New laughers are always welcomed! $5 donation to the church, $10 maximum per family. Please bring your water bottle because laughing can be dehydrating.

Led by Certified Laughter Yoga Teachers, Linda and Bill Hamaker. If you have any questions, just call them at 508-660-2223 or e-mail billandlinda@letslaughtoday.com. See more information and other opportunities to laugh at www.letslaughtoday.com. Wear a fun hat or costume this month if you want!

LET'S LAUGH TODAY in Franklin is on Wednesday, October 5

Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) presents Fiddler on the Roof

Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) proudly presents the musical theater masterpiece Fiddler on the Roof. The beloved classic opens FPAC’s 26th season. Performances are October 15 at 7:30 p.m., October 16 at 2:00, October 21 and 22 at 7:30, and October 23 at 2:00. The production will be staged at THE BLACK BOX, FPAC’s home and performance venue, located at 15 West Central Street in downtown Franklin.

Winner of nine Tony Awards when it debuted in 1964, the iconic musical is the brainchild of Broadway legends Jerome Robbins and Harold Prince, songwriters Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick, and book writer Joseph Stein. Touching audiences worldwide with its humor, warmth and honesty, Fiddler on the Roof is a staple of the musical theatre canon. Set in the small village of Anatevka, the story centers on Tevye, a poor milkman, and his five daughters. With the help of a colorful and tight-knit Jewish community, Tevye tries to protect his daughters and hold onto traditional values in the face of changing social mores and the growing anti-Semitism of Tzarist Russia. Fiddler on the Roof’s universal theme of tradition has won the hearts of audiences with its celebration of life and family. The musical features the cherished songs “Sunrise, Sunset,” “Miracle of Miracles,” “If I Were a Rich Man,” “Tradition,” and “Matchmaker.”

Leading the cast are Nick Paone (Tevye) of Franklin and Kellie Stamp (Golde) of Westport. The production also features Jason Barney (Motel), Greg Dutton (Lazar Wolf), Aaron Frongillo (Perchik), Anna Grasso (Bielke), Shauna Martin (Yente), Debra Packard (Grandma Tzeitel), and Katharine Waples (Tzeitel) of Franklin; Colie Vancura (Hodel) of Medfield; Katie Gray (Fruma Sarah) of Milford; Griffin Wilkins (Fyedka) of Walpole; and Jenna McDermott (Chava) and Susauna Wickstrom (Shprintze) of Wrentham. Nick Paone directs FPAC’s production, assisted by Raye Lynn Mercer, with musical direction by Hallie Wetzell and choreography by Mercer and Kellie Stamp.

Tickets are $34. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (508) 528-3370 or visit www.FPAConline.com or www.THEBLACKBOXonline.com. Fiddler on the Roof is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).

THE BLACK BOX, 15 W Central St, Franklin, MA

Friday, September 30, 2016

Dacey Dog Park: Clean up has been cancelled for Saturday, Oct 1

Due to the rain the clean up scheduled for Saturday, October, 1 at Franklin Dog Park has been cancelled.

New date will be Saturday, October 15 at 8am.

We need at least 4 wheelbarrows, shovels and rakes. Water, coffee, apple cider and donuts will be there for the people who help out.

Woof!Woof!
Furry Friends of Franklin dog park committee

Dacey Field dog park

The original notice can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/09/franklin-dog-park-clean-up-scheduled.html

Upcoming Events in Franklin, MA Area: FRI 9/30/16 - THU 10/6/16

FRIDAY 9/30/16
12-6pm Franklin Farmers Market @ The Town Common
6:30pm Art Night Uncorked @ Franklin Art Center
9pm Comedy Night with Ira Proctor at “3” Restaurant

SATURDAY 10/1/16
9am-12pm Annual Elks Soccer Shoot for kids 13 and under @ King Street Memorial Park (birth certificate required for registration)
10am-1pm Tri-County RVTHS Open House and Showcase Spectacular
8pm The Chick Magnets and Ben Gardner’s Boat @ The Black Box

SUNDAY 10/2/16
1pm Open House at Norfolk County Agricultural HS @ 400 Main St., Walpole
1pm Special Exhibit Opening - Miniature Metal Sculptures @ Franklin Historical Museum

MONDAY 10/3/16
10am Papier-Mache Pumpkins (ages 4 and up) @ Franklin Art Center
1pm Animal Affair Traveling Petting ZOO @ 118 Main Street, Franklin
4pm Krafty Mondays (ages 6-12) @ Franklin Public Library

TUESDAY 10/4/16
7pm Franklin Garden Club Monthly Meeting (prospective members welcome) @ Franklin Senior Center

WEDNESDAY 10/5/16
6:30pm Franklin Art Association Monthly Meeting (open to interested public) @ Franklin Senior Center
7:30pm Laughter Yoga - Let’s Laugh Today @ FUSF

THURSDAY 10/6/16
4pm Downtown Franklin Official Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony @ Downtown Franklin
4-7pm FDP Harvest Stroll @ Downtown Franklin

For all the Town of Franklin Public Meetings click HERE.

For event details click HERE.

*If you have any suggestions or events for the calendar, please email Renata@BetterLivingRE.com

“What Does It Mean to be Native?” - Oct 4

The Tuesday, October 4 meeting of the Franklin Garden Club will feature a presentation on “What Does It Mean to be Native?” by Doug Williams, the Director of Mass Audubon’s Stony Brook Wildlife Sanctuary in Norfolk, MA. The meeting will take place at 7:00 p.m. at the Franklin Senior Center at 26 Daniel McCahill Street. It is open to the public and those interested in joining the Garden Club.

Williams will focus on the benefits of using native plants in landscapes, including their adaptability and variations in size, texture, and seasonal colors. He will highlight the strengths of native plants, as well as some common misbeliefs regarding these plants. One of the strengths of using native plants is that they support native pollinators, which are decreasing in number. The use of native plants in gardens and landscapes helps to conserve species important to the ecosystem.

Williams has more than 35 years’ experience as a botanist and ecologist working with rare plants and habitats in Massachusetts and Texas. He holds a master's degree in conservation biology from Antioch University – New Hampshire where he wrote his master’s thesis on the old-growth forest of Wachusett Mountain State Reservation. He has led natural history field trips to such diverse places as Big Bend National Park, the upper Texas Coast and Alaska.

The Franklin Garden Club was founded in 1987 and became a member of The Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, Inc. in 2015.

Stoney Brook boardwalk in seasonal glory (note: boardwalk is closed for repairs)

State Representative Jeffrey N. Roy Scores High in ELM Action Fund Environmental Legislative Scorecard

The Environmental League of Massachusetts Action Fund (ELM Action Fund) is pleased to recognize Representative Roy, who achieved an excellent score in the organization's 2015-2016 Legislative Scorecard on the environment. It rates true legislative action, not merely votes. And it challenges AIM's recent scorecard criticizing legislators on energy policy as lost in the 19th century and failing to represent the long term interests of their own members.

"When it came to votes this session, Representative Roy supported our pro-environment agenda, but didn't stop there. Representative Roy demonstrated his commitment to conservation. The ELM Action Fund is pleased to recognize him as an environmental champion," said ELM Action Fund President George Bachrach. "We look forward to continued work together to protect our environment, improve public health, enhance quality of life, and grow our green economy."

"I was honored to be recognized by the Environmental League of Massachusetts Action Fund for my record in protecting the environment," said Rep. Roy (D–Franklin). "Laws and policies that protect our natural resources and foster clean energy sources have been a priority throughout my time in the House. These policies not only protect our planet, but they contribute to economic development, improve health, and offer recreational opportunities."

http://www.elmaction.org/legislative-scorecard/

Beyond votes, the ELM Action Fund awarded additional points to lawmakers who led by sponsoring important legislation or authored "Dear Colleague" letters, and deducted points from legislators who filed anti-environment legislation. The ELM Action Fund also challenges lawmakers for the practice of "voice votes" on controversial issues which are not recorded roll call votes. This practice prevents voters from truly gauging which representatives and senators are truly on their side.

"Legislative scorecards are common but this is unique, measuring leadership, not just votes," said Bachrach. "This is our best effort to give voters a sense of who is really on their side in the critically important work that takes place out of public view."

To view the scorecard, visit bit.ly/scores15 .