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Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center | 15 Court Square | Suite 700 | Boston | MA | 02108
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Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Update to MassBudget's Budget Browser
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Library Book Sale this weekend!
It is time for the Friends of Franklin Library (FoFL) to hold another Book Sale. This fun and fund raising event occurs twice each year, in May and October.
The FoFL will collect for the Franklin Food Pantry. Food and monetary donations will be accepted at a special table. A coupon for up to $1.00 off a book will be given to those making donations.
Where is the Book Sale?
At the DPW garage off Hayward St.
What happens with the money raised by this event?
Money raised supports many library programs; summer reading, children's and adult programs, One Book, One Community and associated programs, museum passes, e-books and new books,CD's and DVD's for the library to name a few.
Friday - members of the FoFL get to participate in the pre-sale from 4:00 to 7:00 PM
Saturday - open to all from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The DPW will also be open for their "Touch a Truck" event that kids love from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. The DPW will sell some refreshments.
Sunday - the "Bag Sale" is held on Sunday from 9:00 AM to Noon. Put books into a bag and you can buy the books at a "bag" price.If you are not yet a member of the Friends of the Franklin Library, a membership table is set up and you can join right there.
The FoFL will collect for the Franklin Food Pantry. Food and monetary donations will be accepted at a special table. A coupon for up to $1.00 off a book will be given to those making donations.
Where is the Book Sale?
At the DPW garage off Hayward St.
What happens with the money raised by this event?
Money raised supports many library programs; summer reading, children's and adult programs, One Book, One Community and associated programs, museum passes, e-books and new books,CD's and DVD's for the library to name a few.
In the News: education articles
Perhaps you recall that the MA received a waiver from the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) program. What the waiver does and does not do is highlighted in the following two articles.
Education standards slated to become more flexible
Education standards slated to become more flexible
Dean College - Children's Center - Open House
Open House tours will be held on Weds May 16, 2012 and Tue June 19, 2012
The open houses would run from 10:00 AM to 2:0 PM on both days.
call today to schedule a visit 508-541-1598
For additional information you can visit www.dean.edu/children
The open houses would run from 10:00 AM to 2:0 PM on both days.
call today to schedule a visit 508-541-1598
For additional information you can visit www.dean.edu/children
Monday, May 14, 2012
Stamp Out Hunger - 2012
The Franklin Food Pantry was on the receiving end of a parade of mail carrier trucks on Saturday. The annual Stamp Out Hunger drive was held. Letter carriers picked up donations from Franklin residents on their mail delivery rounds on Saturday and then dropped off the donations at the Food Pantry
The trucks arrived
The trucks got emptied
The bags/boxes were weighed and then date checked
The items were sorted and then put onto shelving
Thanks to Linda Sottile, the Food Pantry Operations Manager, for organizing the many volunteers.
Thanks to all the volunteers for their help!
Thanks to the letter carriers for their help!
Thanks to the Franklin residents who contributed!
Your Franklin neighbors will appreciate the results!
For more information on the Franklin Food Pantry, visit their website http://www.helpstampouthunger.com/
Note: I am honored to lead the Board of Directors of the Food Pantry.
Thanks to Barbara Evans for taking the pictures
The trucks arrived
The trucks got emptied
The bags/boxes were weighed and then date checked
The items were sorted and then put onto shelving
Thanks to Linda Sottile, the Food Pantry Operations Manager, for organizing the many volunteers.
Thanks to all the volunteers for their help!
Thanks to the letter carriers for their help!
Thanks to the Franklin residents who contributed!
Your Franklin neighbors will appreciate the results!
For more information on the Franklin Food Pantry, visit their website http://www.helpstampouthunger.com/
Note: I am honored to lead the Board of Directors of the Food Pantry.
Thanks to Barbara Evans for taking the pictures
“I think it’s fantastic”
“We all have a passion for Ultimate Frisbee, and we didn’t see a reason not to start a team,” Durkin said.
“(Xaverian Brothers High School) always talked about how they were the state champions, and we thought we could beat them,” Brian Doherty said. “So, why not give it a go?”
Ultimate Frisbee isn’t quite a sport at Franklin High School, but to get it classified as one of the official extracurricular activities associated with the high school and to become a part of the national organization, USA Ultimate, the boys had to jump through a few hoops.
They talked to their principal and the school’s athletic director, drafted and distributed concussion forms, found a coach, held no-cut tryouts, collected fees from teammates, raised $2,500 for jerseys and travel expenses, coordinated buses, scheduled games and met with area coaches.
Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x775168382/Frisbee-fanatics-find-a-home#ixzz1upsw3CTh
“It was an amazing experience’’ to work at 3C
“The best place I ever worked,’’ said Jack Rathmell of Franklin. There was “an esprit de corps that won’t quit, epitomized by the fact that we still have over 70 people show up for a reunion 46 years after the Honeywell acquisition."
Rathmell is among those planning this year’s reunion, to be held Thursday evening at the Elks Lodge on Union Avenue. In past years, even EMC’s Egan would attend, fellow 3C alumni said.
“It is unfortunate that many of the group has passed on,’’ said Harvey J. Bloom, a former Bellingham resident who now lives in New Hampshire. “The group has the most creative and fun people."
Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1310216338/Remembering-Framinghams-Computer-Control-Company#ixzz1uptitTj9
Additional information can be fond at at www.3CReunion.com
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Support of the People’s Rights Amendment
The appeal to the Citizens United decision is on the agenda for the Town Council meeting on Weds May 16, 2012. This video clip provides a quick summary:
This PDF provides a summary of a survey on this issue
You can get additional information on the website http://freespeechforpeople.org/
or their Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Free-Speech-For-People/140474869352859
Page 17 starts the documents included in the Town Council agenda for Weds May 16
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_CouncilAgendas/2012%20docs/05162012.pdf
This PDF provides a summary of a survey on this issue
You can get additional information on the website http://freespeechforpeople.org/
or their Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Free-Speech-For-People/140474869352859
Page 17 starts the documents included in the Town Council agenda for Weds May 16
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_CouncilAgendas/2012%20docs/05162012.pdf
Franklin, MA: Town Council - Agenda - May 16
A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
February 1, 2012, February 15, 2012
B. ANNOUNCEMENTS
This meeting is being recorded by Verizon, Comcast, and Franklin Matters
C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS
Proclamation, Andrew E. Bissanti
D. CITIZEN COMMENTS
E. APPOINTMENTS
F. HEARINGS
Alcoholic Beverage License - Failure to Pass Compliance Check – Bamboo House – 7:10 PM
G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS
H. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS
I. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS
J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
1. Resolution 12-32: Order Dedicating Town-Owned Land at 459 Pleasant Street for Use As A Public Playground or Recreation Centre
2. Resolution 12-33: Expressing the Sense of the Franklin Town Council in Support of the People’s Rights Amendment
3. Resolution 12-34: Acceptance of Gift – Town of Franklin Council on Aging
4. Bylaw Amendment 12-683: Amendment to Chapter 170, Vehicles and Traffic, §19.B – 1st Reading
5. Bylaw Amendment 12-684:Amendment to Chapter 82, Appendix A, List of Service Fee Rates – 1st Reading
K. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT
L. OLD BUSINESS
M. NEW BUSINESS
N. COUNCIL COMMENTS
O. EXECUTIVE SESSION – Negotiations, Litigation, Real Property, as May Be Required
P. ADJOURN
The full set of documents for this agenda can be found on the Franklin website
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_CouncilAgendas/2012%20docs/5-16-2012.pdf
“It’s a very positive program"
“I think it’s very important,” Dahlstrom, the town’s planner, said of ensuring residents can walk around town. “We’re obviously not an urban center but we do pretty well. I find it’s very easy to get from Point A to Point B.”
Dahlstrom hopes an initiative by a Boston-based walking advocacy organization to expand outside of Boston and its surrounding communities into the suburbs will help more people realize they can walk around their town.
The organization, walkBoston, through a grant from the MetroWest Health Foundation is working with officials in Franklin, Northborough and Milford to identify walkable areas and map out routes that show the distance and time to walk between shops, historical landmarks, schools and other destinations.
Read more: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/x2069501057/Communities-want-you-to-break-out-your-walking-shoes#ixzz1ukUvpacS
"Dean has prepared me for what’s next"
“Dean College showed me acceptance when other schools didn’t,” said O’Reilly, who majored in theater. “I’m proud of this school. I’m proud I came to this school, and I’m proud of what I’ve done at this school.”
More than 300 Bulldogs dressed in burgundy gowns received associate and bachelor degrees yesterday morning at Dean College’s 146th commencement ceremony.
The college added its first bachelor of arts program in 2007, and by 2010 it offered several four-year programs in business, theater and liberal arts.
Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x255391767/Dean-College-graduates-Class-of-2012#ixzz1ukTleJU6
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Things to do today in Franklin
An Introduction to Gardening and Garden Planning
9:30 am to 11:30 am
By the Franklin Community Garden at the YMCA 45 Forge Hill Road Franklin, MA
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/05/franklin-community-garden-update.html
Stamp Out Hunger food drive
Timed with you mail delivery
Leave out a bag for your mail carrier with food or non-food items. They will pick it up on the mail delivery rounds today and bring it to the Franklin Food Pantry.
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/05/stamp-out-hunger-sat-may-12.html
Cub Scout Recycle Shoe drive
2:00 to 4:00 PM
- Fletcher Field on Peck Street
- Dacey Community Fields on Lincoln Street (from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.)
- King Street Memorial Park on King Street
- Beaver Pond on Beaver Street
- Town Common across from St. Mary’s Church
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/05/franklin-cub-scouts-looking-for-shoes.html
"everybody knows where we are"
“That shouldn’t have happened last year,” Town Council Chairman Robert Vallee said, of the Town Council cut.
To prevent a similar scene, the School Committee and Town Council have been meeting regularly as the Joint Budget Subcommittee to provide each other updates on budget needs and financial limits.
“There’s more communication, more open communication, between the School Committee and the Town Council,” Vallee said. “There’s nothing (in the fiscal 2013 budget) that will come up that will make the councilors attack the School Department for any reason whatsoever, nothing controversial.”
Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x775168158/Franklin-officials-hope-to-avoid-budget-showdowns-this-year#ixzz1ued22sgs
The Town Council will hold their budget hearings on Weds May 23 and Thu May 24.
The budget documents can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/04/franklin-ma-fy-2013-budget-documents.html
The Finance Committee budget hearings
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/04/fincom-fy-2013-budget-hearings.html
Friday, May 11, 2012
“You get to share stuff"
Seven sets of twins at the same school? in the same kindergarten grade?
Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x2069500543/Seven-sets-of-twins-in-same-grade-no-big-deal-at-Franklin-school#ixzz1uYIJXYE4
Parmenter Principal Tom Morris said that, while twins aren’t necessarily uncommon in schools, he hasn’t seen such a large number of them in the same grade in his more than 20 years in education.
“Having so many here this year has been interesting for us,” Morris said. Chuckling, he added, “It can be hard for a principal to learn names when you have kids who look exactly alike.”
Fortunately for Morris, most of the twins have been split up, not sharing a teacher.
Despite living in close proximity to one another, none of the parents of the 14 students were aware of this anomaly until they signed their children up for school over the summer, they said.
Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x2069500543/Seven-sets-of-twins-in-same-grade-no-big-deal-at-Franklin-school#ixzz1uYIJXYE4
Alert: low flying helicopters Friday, May 18
From the Announcement page on the Franklin website:
Please be advised that on Friday, May 18th, National Grid will be conducting low-level distribution and sub-transmission helicopter patrols in the area. In case of inclement weather the patrols will be postponed until a later date.
As Foxborough folds, optimism grows in Milford for casino
Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:
A decision this week by the Kraft Group and Wynn Resorts to drop their plans for a resort casino in Foxborough has kindled increased optimism for development of a casino in Milford (and no doubt other places as well), the MetroWest Daily News reports. Colorado-based developer David Nunes is looking to build a $700 million, 300,000-square-foot casino at the junction of Rte. 16 and Interstate 495 in Milford. Nunes told the Daily News that with Foxborough out of the picture, there is now going to be...
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Franklin Library: Nook eReaders
Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:
Things you can do from here:
- Subscribe to Franklin Public Library using Google Reader
- Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites
Thursday, May 10, 2012
“What is Franklin?"
The last master plan was drafted in 1997, and is the document Franklin officials refer to now when making any developmental changes to town, but even that draft was never fully adopted, officials said last night.
“We need your input,” Town Councilor and Master Plan Committee Chairman Jeffrey Roy told residents, and a local cable TV camera.
“We can’t do this alone. We can’t make this work unless you participate.”
The master plan has seven sections, explained town Planning Department Director Bryan Taberner: economic development; land use; community service and facilities; housing; natural, cultural, and historic resources; circulation; and open space and recreation. Public opinion is sought when making any changes.
Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x2069500175/Franklin-residents-offer-guidance-for-town-master-plan#ixzz1uSS7gvV3
Related posts on the Master Plan
From Dec 2011
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/12/what-is-franklins-master-plan.html
The recent announcement of these public hearings (next one Sat May 19th 10:00 AM at the library)
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/05/franklins-master-plan-public-hearings.html
The Committee has a website on the Franklin Town page athttp://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_BComm/Masterplan.
It also has a presence on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/FranklinMasterPlan.
HMEA 11th Annual Independence 5K - May 20th
Run or walk for a good cause on Sunday May 20th. The HMEA is holding their 11th Annual Independence 5K Race/Walk event at the EMC facility on 50 Constitution Blvd, here in Franklin, MA.
If you want to register as a runner, you can do that directly here
http://www.active.com/register/index.cfm?CHECKSSO=0&EVENT_ID=2009516
or if you want to register and raise some funds for HMEA, you can do that here
http://www.firstgiving.com/hmea
You can also view the document here
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B0wjbnXDBhczMXJVVzMxLVFRazQ
If you want to register as a runner, you can do that directly here
http://www.active.com/register/index.cfm?CHECKSSO=0&EVENT_ID=2009516
or if you want to register and raise some funds for HMEA, you can do that here
http://www.firstgiving.com/hmea
You can also view the document here
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B0wjbnXDBhczMXJVVzMxLVFRazQ
Introducing "Food Chain" (video)
There is more interest in food now than at any point in our nation’s history. We have more standards with which to make conscious food choices than ever before. Yet while people want to know where their food is grown, how it’s grown, and when it was harvested, no one is really asking any questions beginning with “who”. Despite this tremendous interest in food, there is almost no interest in the people that pick it.
Found on the Civil Eats website
http://civileats.com/2012/05/02/meet-your-food-chain/
Google, MBTA Debut Innovative Station Indoor Maps
Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:
via Commonwealth Conversations: Transportation by Klark Jessen on 5/9/12
Beginning today, MBTA riders will have a new and innovative way to get around the system. The MBTA is excited to announce that the T is the first U.S transit agency to have indoor maps of its stations in Google Maps for Android. Google Maps for Android users will now see indoor maps when they zoom into select MBTA stations. With indoor maps, users will be able to see station features such as stairs, escalators, elevators, entrances and exits to help guide them through the system. The "blue dot," familiar to Google Maps users can now help riders find their own location in many indoor stations.
Indoor maps and walking directions are available in Google Maps for Android in two dozen key stations including Park Street, South Station, and Downtown Crossing.
This new feature is the latest way that the MBTA is collaborating with Google to help riders get around the system. Last year, the MBTA was one of the first U.S. transit agencies to bring real-time transit data to Google Maps. In 2009, Google and the MBTA launched our collaboration to provide digital transit maps and schedule information.
This initiative is just one of many ways that the MBTA is working to give customers improved information. More than 50 apps answering the question, "Where's the T?" are available at MBTA.com/apps.
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Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Franklin Community Garden Update
Hello Gardeners,
Every indication shows that we've passed the last of the cold weather, and have entered into prime gardening time. The average last frost date for Franklin Massachusetts is May 1st, and the extended forecast shows pleasant weather in our future. If you haven't had a chance to get down to the garden an prepare your bed now is a good time. We have early weeds that are starting to go to seed, so get them pulled now before they spread the next generation into your bed and your neighbors! Remember that you are responsible for weeding your bed and the area around it!
When you visit the garden you may also notice a new structure in it, we now have a garden shed with tools in it thanks to a generous grant from the Franklin Rotary! The shed has a keyed lock on the front, and you can obtain your key to the lock at the Recreation department. Please be sure to lock the shed after you leave, and return any tools you've borrowed. If you'd like to further suppress weeds in your area feel free to take woodchips from the large pile and add them on top of any weed hotspots. The wheelbarrow and tools in the shed makes moving them easy, and there are gardening gloves in the shed to aid handling.
The water seems to be running slowly, but hasn't been officially turned on. We're in contact with the town to have to water turned on fully as soon as possible.
We have a number of gardening events coming up in May!
May 12th: 9:30 am to 11:30 am - An Introduction to Gardening and Garden Planning at the YMCA 45 Forge Hill Road Franklin, MA
May 19th: 9:00 am to 11:00 am - A Tomato Planting & Support Demonstration at the King St. Memorial Garden
May 28th: 11:00 am to 1:00 pm - King St. Memorial Garden 1st Anniversary Celebration at the King St. Memorial Garden
We hope to see you there!
The Franklin Community Garden Committee
Additional Event Info
An Introduction to Gardening and Garden Planning
Hosted By: Chris Clay, Friends of Franklin Community Gardens, and the YMCA
May 12th: 9:00 am to 11:00 am
YMCA 45 Forge Hill Road Franklin, MA
This class will give you a basic introduction to gardening and what you need to do to have a successful harvest. We'll also go over the basics of planning out what you'll be putting in your garden throughout the growing season, and have materials on hand to help you plan your garden for this year. All those who attend will also be able to pickup some free seeds, and meet fellow gardeners.
A Tomato Planting & Support Demonstration
Hosted By: Chris Clay and Friends of Franklin Community Gardens
May 19th: 9:00 am to 11:00 am
King St. Memorial Community Garden
Tomatoes are the most popular vegetable among home gardeners, and with good reason. The flavor of a tomato fresh off the vine is something you simply cannot find at the supermarket. They also happen to be my favorite vegetable, and in this presentation I'll go over the tips and tricks for successful tomato growing I've collected. I'll also cover additional information on tomato varieties, how to prune tomatoes, and setup proper support structures for optimal tomato health.
King St. Memorial Garden 1st Anniversary Celebration
Hosted By: The Friends of Franklin Community Gardens and the Franklin Community Garden Committee
May 28th: 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
King St. Memorial Community Garden
On May 28th, 2011 the King St. Memorial Community Garden official opened for gardening. Join us as we celebrate the our first successful first year of gardening, and the many years to come. There will be seedlings on hand for sale to support The Friends of Franklin Community Gardens efforts to continue to expand on the garden, and other events and activities. Drop by to share a story, a piece of cake, or just the view.
--
Every indication shows that we've passed the last of the cold weather, and have entered into prime gardening time. The average last frost date for Franklin Massachusetts is May 1st, and the extended forecast shows pleasant weather in our future. If you haven't had a chance to get down to the garden an prepare your bed now is a good time. We have early weeds that are starting to go to seed, so get them pulled now before they spread the next generation into your bed and your neighbors! Remember that you are responsible for weeding your bed and the area around it!
 |
| Raised bed in April, 2012 |
When you visit the garden you may also notice a new structure in it, we now have a garden shed with tools in it thanks to a generous grant from the Franklin Rotary! The shed has a keyed lock on the front, and you can obtain your key to the lock at the Recreation department. Please be sure to lock the shed after you leave, and return any tools you've borrowed. If you'd like to further suppress weeds in your area feel free to take woodchips from the large pile and add them on top of any weed hotspots. The wheelbarrow and tools in the shed makes moving them easy, and there are gardening gloves in the shed to aid handling.
The water seems to be running slowly, but hasn't been officially turned on. We're in contact with the town to have to water turned on fully as soon as possible.
We have a number of gardening events coming up in May!
May 12th: 9:30 am to 11:30 am - An Introduction to Gardening and Garden Planning at the YMCA 45 Forge Hill Road Franklin, MA
May 19th: 9:00 am to 11:00 am - A Tomato Planting & Support Demonstration at the King St. Memorial Garden
May 28th: 11:00 am to 1:00 pm - King St. Memorial Garden 1st Anniversary Celebration at the King St. Memorial Garden
We hope to see you there!
The Franklin Community Garden Committee
Additional Event Info
An Introduction to Gardening and Garden Planning
Hosted By: Chris Clay, Friends of Franklin Community Gardens, and the YMCA
May 12th: 9:00 am to 11:00 am
YMCA 45 Forge Hill Road Franklin, MA
This class will give you a basic introduction to gardening and what you need to do to have a successful harvest. We'll also go over the basics of planning out what you'll be putting in your garden throughout the growing season, and have materials on hand to help you plan your garden for this year. All those who attend will also be able to pickup some free seeds, and meet fellow gardeners.
A Tomato Planting & Support Demonstration
Hosted By: Chris Clay and Friends of Franklin Community Gardens
May 19th: 9:00 am to 11:00 am
King St. Memorial Community Garden
Tomatoes are the most popular vegetable among home gardeners, and with good reason. The flavor of a tomato fresh off the vine is something you simply cannot find at the supermarket. They also happen to be my favorite vegetable, and in this presentation I'll go over the tips and tricks for successful tomato growing I've collected. I'll also cover additional information on tomato varieties, how to prune tomatoes, and setup proper support structures for optimal tomato health.
King St. Memorial Garden 1st Anniversary Celebration
Hosted By: The Friends of Franklin Community Gardens and the Franklin Community Garden Committee
May 28th: 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
King St. Memorial Community Garden
On May 28th, 2011 the King St. Memorial Community Garden official opened for gardening. Join us as we celebrate the our first successful first year of gardening, and the many years to come. There will be seedlings on hand for sale to support The Friends of Franklin Community Gardens efforts to continue to expand on the garden, and other events and activities. Drop by to share a story, a piece of cake, or just the view.
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Franklin Cub Scouts looking for shoes and a few good boys to have fun
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| Boy Scouts Maxwell McGuire and Liam McGuire from Troop 2 in Franklin |
“To tell the truth, we don’t even know how many pairs of shoes we’ve collected so far,” said Ed Milham, cubmaster of Pack 29. “Thanks to the Franklin area community, as well as the efforts of many dedicated volunteers from our Cub Scouting families, the collection effort has been so successful that there’s been little we could do to keep count!” The packs will be getting an accurate count after this Saturday’s final day of the shoe drive, though, because the pack that’s collected the most shoes will win an ice cream social, courtesy of the other four packs.
Another reason they’ll need that count is that the five packs are collaborating on a membership registration event on the Franklin Town Common on Sunday, May 20th, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., and the newly-registered boy who guesses the closest to the actual number of shoes collected will win a free membership in Cub Scouts for his first year. The packs plan an afternoon of fun activities that show off some of the things boys can learn and do in Cub Scouts. Kids can participate in a “Rain Gutter Regatta,” a compass course, a knot tying demonstration, an interactive animal tracks display and a model rocketry activity. Boys currently in kindergarten through fourth grade will be able to sign up right at the event, and start participating in the packs’ summer activities right away. Of course, if they can’t wait one more week, the boys can sign up online today at BeAScout.org.
“We’ve been really excited about the community getting to see our boys participating in a public service activity like the shoe drive,” added Milham. “It's activities like this that help the boys learn to be responsible members of their community, a concept that is central to Scouting. Last month, Pack 29 participated in the Franklin Earth Day activities, as we do each year. And of course, there’s the nationwide ‘Scouting for Food’ drive every November. One of the core values of Scouting that the boys learn is to ‘do a good turn daily,’ to help other people without thought of recompense or reward.”
Pack 29 is chartered by the Franklin United Methodist Church, and is made up mostly of boys from the Oak Street School neighborhood. The pack meets on the second Tuesday of each month at the Franklin VFW post on Pond Street.
“The best thing about Scouting is that the boys learn about a huge variety of subjects, without really feeling like they’re learning,” Milham continued, “They’re self-motivated to learn. And it’s not just the hiking and camping and other such things that people associate with Scouting; it’s history, civics, science, the arts, sports, the whole gamut of what makes up a well-rounded individual.”
And there is no shortage of fun activities for the boys, as well. In recent months, Pack 29 has gone hiking in the Blue Hills Reservation, gone to see the Pawtucket Red Sox, the Providence Bruins, and the Harlem Globetrotters, and sent boys to the Seven Rivers District Pinewood Derby at Bass Pro Shops at Patriot Place. In the near future, you’ll see them marching in parades and replacing flags on veterans’ graves. They also plan a summer of hiking, camping and fishing, as well as a trip to the Boston Harbor Islands, a visit to Battleship Cove in Fall River, and a sleepover at McCoy Stadium after a PawSox game.
Meanwhile, the shoe drive continues for one more week. This Saturday, May 12th, Franklin area residents can bring their used but still usable shoes to any of the following locations between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. (with one exception, as noted):
- Fletcher Field on Peck Street
- Dacey Community Fields on Lincoln Street (from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.)
- King Street Memorial Park on King Street
- Beaver Pond on Beaver Street
- Town Common across from St. Mary’s Church
Parmenter 5K - Jun 10
This year's 4th Annual Parmenter Fun Run for All Ages will be held on Sunday, June 10th at 10am.
You can register online here
For specific questions, one can email parmenter5k@gmail.com
StarPLUS this summer for middle schoolers!
Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:
via Lifelong Learning by Pandora Carlucci on 5/8/12
Visual Arts, Forensic Science, Cooking, Games Theater, Inventor's Lab and Builders of the Future. Franklin Public Schools is offering the second summer of StarPLUS, which is just for middle school students.
StarPLUS has two, one-week sessions planned for Summer 2012: July 9 to July 13 and July 23 to July 27. Classes meet from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM. The morning is separated into 3 sessions and students choose what they want to do. They select classes that focus on their interests and strengths.
The program is directed by Ms. Orfalea and Ms. Leazott, and will be held at the Horace Mann Middle School. It is open to all middle school students from Franklin and the surrounding communities.
For additional information and registration, please visit our website: www.franklin.k12.ma.us, select Lifelong, select Summer Program, select view all classes, select StarPLUS. Please telephone or email us with any questions: 508-553-4814 or lifelong@franklin.k12.ma.us.
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Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Franklin Art Center Calendar Project Call for Artists
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"I think we’re pretty much staying on top of everything"
“What I was looking for, personally, was to find out how many work orders come across Facilities’ desk in the course of a day, or a week, or a month, or a year, because I really don’t have any idea,” Councilor Thomas Mercer said. “I’d like to know, and I’d like to know how long it takes for each of those to get dealt with.”
The topic came up at last week’s Town Council meeting, when councilors took some time grilling Facilities Department Director Michael D’Angelo, and Facilities Manager Richard Gaskin about various problems — mostly roof leaks — in town buildings.
The discussion touched on leaky roofs and damaged ceiling tiles in the Remington-Jefferson school building and the Senior Center. Some residents have complained that the existing high school is in poor condition due to insufficient maintenance.
Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1456178378/Franklin-Town-Council-wants-repair-reports#ixzz1uGonl8Xu
This topic was a frequent one during the recent high school building project vote. The issue can be addressed very simply with a regular report on tickets open by category with some status on aging. It can be posted to the website and available for everyone to read.
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