Rockland Trust donates $43K to Franklin Food Pantry

Yes, relationships matter! Thanks to Rockland Trust this provides the space the Franklin Food Pantry operates from to serve the Franklin community.

Franklin Food Pantry

Rockland Trust this week announced its continued support of the Franklin Food Pantry with a $43,200 donation to renew the pantry’s rent-free lease for the fifth consecutive year. The food pantry provides between 2,600 and 3,200 pounds of food to area residents each week. In addition to providing the Franklin Food Pantry with rent-free space, Rockland Trust recently concluded a month-long food drive throughout its entire service area in Massachusetts, including its new Metro North communities and Greater Providence. As part of the food drive, which ran throughout April, the bank also donated more than $13,750 to local food banks.

Read more: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/business/x1391862985/Business-Digest-for-June-8-2013#ixzz2VjwiQM00


For more about the Franklin Food Pantry, visit their webpage  http://www.franklinfoodpantry.org/

or "Like" them on Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/FranklinFoodPantry

Even AARP says you need to use social media to find your next job!

Using one or more of the social media tools to find work these days is becoming more and more of a requirement. The recent AARP Bulletin, (yes, I am that old (although young at heart!) has the cover article titled "Why you need social media to find your dream job"

AARP article on going social to look for work

If you are 40+ and looking for work today, you need to be using LinkedIn, Facebook, and other social media tools. Why? The recruiters are using those tools to check you out. If you don't have a good presence there, they will simply skip by you.

There are naysayers who claim you don't need to use these tools. I would agree it is not absolutely required for every industry or skilled position but it is becoming more so.

One item in the recent and local Franklin news makes this point. Brittany MacLeod just graduated from Marist College in NY. She was a Franklin High School grad and served as the student representative to the School Committee for two years. This spring her mother heard about Australia running a campaign for #bestjob. Brittany found out and started her campaign. This young lady from little Franklin, MA rose to the top 3 in the world out of 600,000 candidates!

On Wednesday Jun 5th, she was hosted at the MA State House and presented a proclamation wishing her the best of luck. In the evening, she received similar treatment from the Franklin Town Council. Do you think something like that might help your job application?

As this is posted, she is in Australia courtesy of the Australian Board of Tourism running the job search to prove herself as one of the three finalist for "Chief Funster". She'll find out June 20th if she'll be moving down under to start her career.

Will the YouTube videos, blog posts, tweets, Instagram pictures, that she used to help create the buzz around her campaign work for you?  Maybe all of them won't but one or more of them just might give you the edge you need to rise out of the pack.

The Job Search Jam Sessions being held this Friday, Jun 14 will feature one or more sessions on these social media tools. You'll be able to update your LinkedIn profile picture (photographer on site).

So what are you waiting for?

Get to the Job Search Jam Sessions webpage to find out what else is happening.
http://jobsearchjamsessions.blogspot.com/

While there check out the results of the three prior JSJS events (2 in 2012, and one in 2011). For $8 you can afford to find out how to use these social media tools to get your next position.

Register here  http://jobsearchjamsessions4.eventbrite.com/



Note: The nature of the AARP Bulletin website prevents a direct link to the article (you need to be registered to view the content).

related posts

Franklin Town Council proclamation  http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/06/franklin-town-council-sends-bmac-down.html

Brittany's 30 second video  http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/05/send-bmac-down-under.html

Read more on BMAC's webpage  http://sendbmacdownunder.wordpress.com/

Follow her on Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/Send.BMAC.Down.Under

Check out her videos on YouTube  http://www.youtube.com/user/SendBMacDownUnder



This was also posted to

Rail Trail Committee meeting - Jun 11

The agenda for the Franklin Bellingham Rail Trail Committee meeting is available for review.




Additional information on the Rail Trail can be found on their webpage
http://www.franklinbellinghamrailtrail.org/

MassBudget: Declining value of the minimum wage for tipped workers

MassBudget    Information.    Participation.  Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center    Democracy. Minimum Wage for Tipped Workers A strong minimum wage helps workers support their families, and it can bolster our economy by increasing the amount of money workers have to spend at local businesses. In the case of workers who regularly earn tips, like waiters and hairdressers, employers are only required to pay what's called the "tipped minimum wage," which in Massachusetts is well below the regular minimum wage (it is currently $2.63). The law then requires that for any such worker, the combination of hourly pay and tips must be at least as high as the full minimum wage. Our new factsheet, "The Declining Value of the Tipped Minimum Wage in Massachusetts," tracks the history of the tipped minimum wage and finds that: Since 1968, the value of the tipped minimum wage has fallen by 58% Massachussets has the lowest tipped minimum wage in New England Nationwide, about 73% of all tipped workers are women In those states where the tipped minimum wage is above the federal minimum, the number of tipped workers living in poverty is lower. And the difference is especially dramatic in states where the tipped minimum wage is the same as the regular minimum wage. "The Declining Value of the Tipped Minimum Wage in Massachusetts" is part of MassBudget's ongoing analysis of the Massachusetts minimum wage. Other recent reports include: What's It Worth?: The Value of the Minimum Wage in Massachusetts Who is Affected by the Minimum Wage? The Minimum Wage and Job Creation Futures of the Minimum Wage - an interactive tool showing the effect of various proposals Read THE DECLINING VALUE OF THE TIPPED MINIMUM WAGE IN MASSACHUSETTS See OUR RECENT WORK ON THE MINIMUM WAGE The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) produces policy research, analysis, and data-driven recommendations focused on improving the lives of low- and middle-income children and adults, strengthening our state's economy, and enhancing the quality of life in Massachusetts. MASSACHUSETTS BUDGET AND POLICY CENTER 15 COURT SQUARE, SUITE 700 BOSTON, MA 02108

Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center | 15 Court Square | Suite 700 | Boston | MA | 02108

Franklin Youth Soccer Association registration for Fall 2013

Franklin Youth Soccer Association registration for Fall 2013 Soccer will be closing on Sunday, June 16^th.

Programs are available for children ages 4 through High School.  Cost to play is $65.  Uniform cost is additional where needed.

Registration is online at:  http://www.franklinyouthsoccer.org/registration

Fall season will run Sept 7^th – Nov 16^th.  In addition, summer camp options are available:  http://www.franklinyouthsoccer.org/resources/summercamps

"These were exploratory-type conversations"

In the Town Council meeting last Wednesday, the final approval was received for the medical marijuana zoning changes. Franklin is now prepared for a business looking to locate here.

Its "Medical Marijuana Use Overlay Districts" are spread out on or near Forge Parkway, National Drive, Kenwood Circle and Constitution Boulevard. Located south and west of Interstate 495, they fall within the town’s industrial zone. 

Incidentally, the industrial zone also contains an "Adult Use Overlay District" designated for adult entertainment businesses, such as strip clubs and risqué bookstores. 

According to the town’s regulations, a registered dispensary, the nonprofit company where the drug can be cultivated and sold to patients who’ve received approval from a doctor to use it, could not set up shop within 200 feet of a residential zoned district, school, library, church, child-care facility, park or playground.

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x625969468/Zoning-regulations-for-medical-pot-shops-approved-in-Franklin#ixzz2VtnrC2XO


While the anaerobic digestion plant took the headlines last week, one of the series of zoning bylaw changes covered the medical marijuana overlay district
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/06/live-reporting-legislation-continued_5.html

The full set of reporting for the Town Council meeting can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/06/anaerobic-digestion-tabled-in-franklin.html

Mount St Mary's - solar farm

The sisters of Mount St Mary's Abbey installed a wind turbine a couple of years ago. It helps to power their candy store operations.  http://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/09/mount-st-marys-new-candy-house.html

You can purchase their candy on site or via their web store  http://www.trappistinecandy.com/

Mt St Mary's Abbey - wind turbine

The wind turbine in action as captured in a 2010 video
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2010/02/abbey-wind-turbine.html


Recently they signed an agreement with the Town of Franklin to install a solar farm. The Town Council voted in November 2012 to approve the deal.  http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/11/real-time-reporting-legislation.html

Mt St Mary's Abbey - solar farm

I stopped by on Sunday to grab these photos of the construction underway for this solar farm.

Mt St Mary's Abbey - solar farm 2

The frames are sturdy and follow the contour of the ground.  Completely installed the farm is reported to generate 6 megawatts of electricity.

Mt St Mary's Abbey - solar farm 3

The galvanized steel (?) is shining in the sunlight. When the panels are installed the sunlight will be generating electricity.

Mt St Mary's Abbey - solar farm 4

Additional links
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/07/its-win-win-for-town.html

Mount St Mary's Abbey = http://abbey.msmabbey.org/