St. Mary's St. Vincent de Paul August Food Drive

The St. Mary's St. Vincent de Paul Society will also be holding the August food drive during the weekend of August 5 and 6. We are so grateful for every item that is donated to our SVdP food pantry week after week. Because of these donations we are able to pack up many bags of food and offer them to our neighbors in need. 

For our August food drive, we are requesting peanut butter, jelly, spaghetti sauce, rice mixes, fruit juice and canned vegetables. Donations may be dropped off in the boxes at the doors of the church on the weekend of August 5/6.

All your food donations go right back into the community to help our neighbors who in their hour of need, turn to St. Mary's.

Thank you for helping us to work together to make a difference in our community!

St Mary's Parish, Franklin

Franklin PD and Lifelong Community Learning Announce Partnership

The Franklin Police Department and Franklin Public Schools Lifelong Community Learning (formerly the Center for Adult Education & Community Learning) today announced a partnership to present a Citizen Police Academy beginning September 13.

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. In addition to answering questions like …….. how would you react in an emergency situation; how is evidence collected; and what should you do if stopped for speeding ……  

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

Citizen Police Academy begins Sep 13

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.


This was shared from the Town of Franklin webpage
http://www.franklinma.gov/police-department/news/citizens-police-academy

Cradles to Crayons Prepares Students for the New School Year with Its Ready for School Program

Cradles to Crayons®, a nonprofit organization that equips children from birth through age 12 living in homeless or low-income situations with the essential items they need to thrive, commences its Ready for School initiative, a program aiming to ensure that children enter the school year confident and excited to learn.

Although students are in the midst of summer vacation, Cradles to Crayons (C2C®) is one step ahead and preparing children for the new school year. Since 2006, C2C's Ready for School program has worked to help level the playing field for all children by providing essential items needed to start school on the right foot. This year's program, presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA, The TJX Companies, Inc., and OMAM, runs through September 30th and aims to serve 70,000 children. The program will distribute backpacks filled with new, age-appropriate school supplies as well as customized KidPacks complete with clothing, shoes, and more.

There are currently more than 400,000 children in need in Massachusetts. Entering the school year without the supplies needed to succeed can be a significant developmental setback. Basic essentials like backpacks, school supplies, shoes, and clothing are critical tools that help developing children turn curiosity and creativity into knowledge and success. These resources also alleviate stress from struggling parents and allow them to direct money to food, rent, and other necessities.

"School supplies are a vital aspect when it comes to student success. However, providing students with school supplies can be a financial hardship for many families," said Joyce Asack, Ward 6 School Committee Member for the City of Brockton. "The Ready for School Backpack-A-Thon will ensure that many of our Brockton students have the opportunity to start the school year off successfully with the tools they need. It has been rewarding to see the happiness these backpacks have brought to many Brockton families and I am happy to continue letting this rewarding tradition live on!"

Lynn Margherio, Founder and CEO of Cradles to Crayons adds, "School supplies and basic essentials are required for children to be mentally, emotionally, and physically prepared for school. We understand that school readiness goes beyond backpacks. When a child's clothing doesn't fit properly or is poor quality, they become focused on discomfort and embarrassment rather than applying themselves to learning. Our Ready for School goal is to boost confidence and set kids up for success. We greatly appreciate the generous support of our community for this initiative."

About Cradles to Crayons

Cradles to Crayons launched in 2002 and has operations in Boston, Philadelphia, and Chicago. The nonprofit provides children from birth through age 12 living in homeless or low-income situations with the essential items they need to thrive—at home, at school, and at play. They supply these items free of charge by engaging and connecting communities that have with communities that need. Cradles to Crayons mobilizes communities to collect and donate new and gently used high-quality children's items. The organization also engages thousands of youth and adults each year in tangible service activities that benefit local children in need. For more information, please visit www.cradlestocrayons.org/boston/.

Cradles to Crayons (C2C®)

In the News: beavers at DelCarte, PMC rides through Franklin

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

"Local officials are weighing what to do with a colony of beavers whose natural handiwork threatens an earthen berm at DelCarte Reservation off Pleasant Street. 

An expert from ESS Group, an environmental engineering firm, walked around the ponds and other parts of the reservation on April 7 looking for signs of beaver busywork. After discovering that the critters were indeed making themselves at home, ESS installed a motion-activated camera for 13 days. 

Four beaver lodges were found along the shoreline, two of which appear to be in use. One dam in the area is blocking water flow from the upper basin to the southern basin. The dam is flooding trees near a berm on the upper basin, or pond, according to an ESS study. That could be a problem if the berm continues to flood."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20170803/franklin-beavers-raising-water-worries

"Thousands of bike tires will meet with hundreds of miles of pavement across Massachusetts during the 38th annual Pan Mass Challenge this weekend. 

The ride starts tomorrow and continues until Sunday – Over 6,000 cyclists from eight different countries gathered in Massachusetts for the bike race this year. The ride will begin on 5:30 a.m on Saturday and on Sunday and go until 7 p.m. 

The Pan Mass Challenge, or PMC, is a fundraiser for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. To date, PMC has raised almost $550 million for early-cancer research. The PMC raises more money than any other athletic fundraiser in the country. 

There will be water stops for cyclists in Franklin, Wrentham, Foxbourough, Whitinsville, and Wellesley. The stops are known to cause car traffic, as hundreds on cyclists will be making their way down dozens of the area roads.

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20170803/local-cyclists-ready-for-pan-mass-challenge

The water stop in Franklin is at the Remington-Jefferson School complex. It is worth an early trip there to see the riders come through. Some of the early riders will get there about 7:30 AM and the bulk of the pack arrives between 8 and 10 AM according to my recall of prior visits.

A slideshow of photos from the water stop in 2013 can be found here

A slideshow of photos from the water stop in 2013

“In Massachusetts, we do not have a statewide ‘blizzard bag’ policy"

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

"THE ISSUE: Some schools are using at-home assignments to avoid making up snow days at the end of June. THE DETAILS: While Massachusetts has no formal policy, the state allows school districts to adopt their own remote learning programs. 

Instead of having snow makeup days shorten their summer vacations, some schools are exploring new ways for students to learn at home. 

One approach that’s been tried in a handful of school districts involves making up snow days by assigning projects for students to complete at home, instead of making up the snow day at the end of the school year.

“I think there’s certainly interest in it,” said Tom Scott, the executive director of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents. “I think as some of the technology advances and opportunities to use technology exist, I think it’s more likely that more districts will pay attention to it.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20170803/some-schools-will-make-up-snow-days-with-at-home-assignments

Parmenter sign buried in snow in 2015

La Cantina Winery expands - Grand Opening Aug 5

Join us on Saturday, August 5th from 1:00-7:00 for the grand opening of our new extension to the La Cantina Winery located at 357 Union St.

Sample wines produced and bottled locally for FREE!!

extension to the La Cantina Winery located at 357 Union St

It is good to see this expansion to take advantage of the recent passage of the tasting room bylaw for brewery, distillery and winery that was recently passed by the Town Council.

La Cantina Wine School (photo from the archives Sep 2014)

For more about the La Cantina Winery, check out their webpage or stop by the Farmers Market on the Town Common each Friday through October  http://www.lacantinawinery.com/

Tinkergarten Classes Scheduled for Franklin in September

Tinkergarten is bringing their early childhood education approach to Franklin. Trial classes are scheduled for Sep 7, 12 and 14.

"At Tinkergarten, families meet outdoors to connect and learn through play. In this free trial class, Tinkergarten Leader, Nancy Hayden, will facilitate an expert-designed play scenario, allowing children of various ages and needs to explore, problem solve, communicate, collaborate, and create together. Parents and caregivers learn, too, as we’ll share insight into your child’s development.
This trial class is:

• Designed for children ages 18 months-5 years. Child/children are accompanied by an adult. Siblings of any other age are most welcome.

• Limited to the first 15 families who register.

• Kids may get a bit messy (Hurrah!), so please send them in clothing that can get dirty.

• We start the class at the specified location, but may end within a reasonable walk from that location."

Tinkergarten Classes Scheduled for Franklin in September

This 3 minute video explains the Tinkergarten approach



For more information and to sign up for one of the trial classes visit
https://tinkergarten.com/classes/all/massachusetts/franklin