Wednesday, May 14, 2014

More than 2 tons collected to help 'Stamp Out Hunger'

The Franklin postal carriers drove their trucks by the Franklin Food Pantry before completing their rounds on Saturday.

Each truck as it arrived was greeted by volunteers who unloaded the truck, weighed the bags, sorted the items for date and damage, and then either filled the appropriate shelves or stacked the items for future use.

When the last truck had pulled away and the last item sorted the tally came out to net more than 4500 pounds or 2 1/4 tons of food and non-food items.


Thank you 
  • Franklin neighbors for taking the time to leave a donation
  • postal carriers for making the rounds to gather the donations
  • volunteers for handling the goods and for helping to stock the shelves!

Photos from the 'Stamp Out Hunger' food drive processing on Saturday

truck before unloading
truck before unloading

volunteers unloading the truck
volunteers unloading the truck
staging prior to weighing in
staging prior to weighing in
weighing in the bags and containers
weighing in the bags and containers

date checking the goods after weighing in
date checking the goods after weighing in


why do we check for dates? to sort out items like this
why do we check for dates? to sort out items like this
stocking the shelves
stocking the shelves

thank you notes and candy for the postal carriers
thank you notes and candy for the postal carriers
  

You may also drop your donations off at the Franklin Food Pantry (located at 43 West Central Street) on May 10 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., or during regular Pantry hours, Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Non-perishables may also be dropped off anytime in the bin that is located outside of the Food Pantry's main entrance.

If you would prefer to make a financial contribution you can do so securely online:

make a donation to the Food Pantry
Make a donation to the Food Pantry

Ten Ways to be Mindful of Mental Health Month


For more than 65 years, May has been recognized as Mental Health Month by local and national organizations alike. This is a time when, as a nation, we discuss mental health issues and work to improve the overall wellness of our communities. 
Regardless of your background, you or someone you know may be dealing with the effects of poor mental health. Thankfully, there is a wide range of resources available to help you maintain a healthy, happy mind this month and throughout the year:
  1. Download a Mind Your Health calendar for daily tips to boost your mood and physical wellness. Organizations can encourage healthy changes by using the resources in this Mental Health Month Toolkit.
  1. Discover ways to improve your mental health such as staying connected with otherskeeping a healthy diet, and establishing effective stress-coping techniques.
mental health
mental health

Continue reading this article to find out more about mental health on the MA.gov page here


Beautification Day; This Saturday and Adopt-a-Block


Saturday, May 17th is Beautification Day

Please join our group of volunteers to help beautify the Downtown Center. 
We will be meeting at the center island at 9:00 am 
If you are available earlier please consider meeting at 7:30AM at Fairmount Farms to pick up and deliver the plants to downtown.or at 8:00AM at the Town Common to assist with planning on the Common. 
Bring gloves, trowels and dress appropriately for the weather. If you have questions please contact Eileen at 508-330-4234emason11@verizon.net
Franklin Downtown Partnership
Franklin Downtown Partnership

Adopt-a-Block
Special Invitation to all DOWNTOWN BUSINESS OWNERS

Hello,
My name is Devin Gray and I've volunteered to help develop an Adopt-a-Block program for the Franklin Downtown area. 
The goal of Adopt-a-Block is to encourage business owners to pitch in and help keep the downtown clean & presentable for all. 
I'm currently brainstorming the best way to accomplish this task. I'll be walking around the downtown and speaking with business owners. In the meantime, please feel free to e-mail me at devin@devingrayfitness.com with any opinions, requests, or just to say hello. 
Thank you,
Devin Gray"

 ----                 -----                -----

Franklin Beautification Day to be May 17
Brush off your garden gloves and dig in the dirt with the Franklin Downtown Partnership and the Franklin Garden Club on Saturday, May 17. The 11th annual Beautification Day will run from 9 a.m. to Noon, rain or shine. Volunteers and donations are needed to help make this project a success.
This year organizers were extra thoughtful when planning the plantings, choosing flowers and a blue & pink color scheme with recent community events and the streetscape construction project in mind.
"We were thinking about children, in the wake of losing several young adults and children in town this year," says Eileen Mason, Beautification Day chairperson. "Our hope is that everyone who sees these flowers will think of their children and embrace their individuality, creativity and zest for life."
Pink and white petunias and blue and white Lobelia, provided by Fairmount Fruit Farm in Franklin, are colorful and hardy plants that should last all season in full sunlight and a harsh construction environment.
The flowers will be displayed in boxes on the bridges and in front of some downtown businesses, but not in planter barrels on the center island this year due to road construction. Volunteers will also plant flowers and mulch the memorial gardens on the Town Common.
Residents, especially students in need of community service hours, who are interested in volunteering should contact Eileen Mason at emason11@verizon.net. Volunteers will meet at 9:00 a.m. on the center island in front of the Rome Restaurant. Anyone with a pickup truck is asked to help transport plants from Fairmount Farm at 8:00 a.m. Each year, Franklin Ford donates the use of their truck, which is a huge help to volunteers.
"We're fortunate to have the help of the Franklin High School hockey teams and a great group of volunteers from the YMCA helping again this year. This is a wonderful opportunity for the community to create a welcoming image," Mason adds.
Sponsors and donations are needed to help offset the costs of the Beautification Day committee's year-round planning, growing, planting and maintenance efforts. For as little as $150 businesses or residents can be a bronze sponsor. Watering help will also be needed in the greenspace garden across from the Mega Bites Deli.
Gold and platinum-level sponsors will have their names prominently displayed on signs for the 2014 season. Silver sponsors will have their name displayed on a group sign for the remainder of the year. Details about sponsorship can be found at franklindowntownpartnership.org/.

Friendly reminder: Book Drive - May 17-18


Book Drive - Milford 99 - May 17-18
Book Drive - Milford 99 - May 17-18
Stop by the 99 in Milford on May 17th and 18th from 11am-4pm and check out our Book Drive to benefit The Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Jimmy Fund.

Lots of amazing books available to get you ready for your Memorial Day Trip reading pleasure!

Stock up on our summer reading material!

Toddler books, Children's books, teenage reading, Novels, books on travel, ...self-help books...the list goes on!

Wonderful author's such as:
  • James Patterson
  • Steven King
  • John Grisham
  • Danielle Steel to just name a few.

Stock up for summer! Find summer reading material for your students. Come check us out! We have LOADS of books!

We will also be collecting returnable cans and bottles at this time.

All proceeds from the Book Drive & Bottle and Can collection will be donated to The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Jimmy Fund.

Last year we raised $7,000. Help us reach our goal of $10,000 this year.

Via  https://www.facebook.com/events/671104832957396/

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Franklin, MA: School Committee - Agenda - May 13, 2014


Vision Statement
The Franklin Public Schools will foster within its students the knowledge and skills to find and achieve satisfaction in life as productive global citizens.

Franklin Public Schools
Franklin Public Schools

AGENDA
"The listing of matters are those reasonably anticipated by the Chair which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law."

1. Routine Business
Citizen’s Comments
Review of Agenda
Minutes: I recommend approval of the minutes from the April 29, 2014 School Committee Meeting.
Payment of Bills Mr. Clement
Payroll Mrs. Douglas
FHS Student Representatives
Correspondence: Budget to Actual – Miriam Goodman

2. Guests/Presentations
a. Annie Sullivan Update – Beth Wittcoff, Rebecca Motte
b. New Policy – First Readings – Lisa Trainor, Sally Winslow
1. GBADA – Fingerprint-Based Criminal History Record Information (CHRI) Checks Made for Non-Criminal Justice Purposes.  
presentation document can be viewed here  
policy document can be viewed here 
2. CB – School Superintendent   
3. Discussion Only Items
a. Policy Elimination – First Readings
1. CBC – Superintendents Powers and Responsibilities
2. BDC – Appointed Committee Officials
b. BICO – Capital Improvement Policy; Annual Appointment

4. Action Items
a. I recommend that the facility currently known as Franklin High School be declared surplus effective June 25, 2014.
b. I recommend moving Policys:
1. (New) GBADA – Fingerprint-Based Criminal History Record Information (CHRI) Checks Made for Non-Criminal Justice Purposes; and
2. (New) CB – School Superintendent
3. (Elimination) CBC – Superintendents Powers and Responsibilities
4. (Elimination) BDC – Appointed Committee Officials to a second reading.
c. I recommend acceptance of checks totaling $1,525.00 from the JFK PCC for field trips as detailed.
d. I recommend acceptance of a check for $282.66 from Wells Fargo for in-house enrichment at FHS.
e. I recommend acceptance of a check for $2,600.00 from the Franklin Music Boosters for district wide in-house enrichment.
f. I recommend acceptance of checks totaling $1,435.00 in memory of Mr. Joseph DeNapoli for in-house enrichment at FHS as follows:
1. John A. Cataldo - $1,000.00
2. Ann Sullivan - $15.00
3. Laurel J. Anderson - $50.00
4. Sheila C. Wilson - $20.00
5. Janice Capen - $50.00
6. Richard Winning – $100.00
7. Cyd C. Ostrovsky - $50.00
8. Janet M. Horstman - $25.00
9. Ralph L. Ellis - $100.00
10. Mark and Barbara Zenobia - $25.00
g. I recommend acceptance of a check for $1,000.00 from Fidelity for a FHS scholarship in memory of Fernando P. Baglioni.
h. I recommend acceptance of checks totaling $3,030.73 from Keller PCC for field trips.
i. I recommend approval of declaring FHS Band Uniforms surplus as detailed.
j. I recommend acceptance of a check for $500.00 from Boks – Rebok for supplies at Davis Thayer.
k. I recommend acceptance of a check for $440.00 from the Oak Street PCC for field trips.
l. I recommend acceptance of a check for $1,875.00 from the ASMS PCC for field trips.
m. I recommend declaring the attached list of FHS fitness equipment as surplus.
n. I recommend adoption of the BICO Capital Improvement Policy as detailed.
o. I recommend Maureen Sabolinski be appointed as a BICO board member for the 2014-2015 school year.

5. Information Matters
Superintendent’s Report
School Committee Sub-Committee Reports
School Committee Liaison Reports

6. New Business
To discuss future business that may be brought before the School Committee.

7. Executive Session
Contractual Negotiations

8. Adjourn

New from MassBudget: Value of Minimum Wage is Eroded Quickly by Inflation



MassBudget   Information.
  Participation.
 Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center  Democracy.




Value of Minimum Wage is Eroded Quickly by Inflation
Restoring the value of the minimum wage can be an effective way to reward work and help low wage workers support themselves and their families. Adjusted for inflation, the minimum wage was $10.86 an hour in 1968. Today it is just over $8.00 an hour. That means that while a full time minimum wage worker made over $21,000 a year in 1968, such a worker makes only $16,000 today.

Several proposals have been made recently to restore the value of the minimum wage. This Facts At A Glance, Value of the Minimum Wage is Eroded Quickly by Inflation, examines those proposals, shown in the graph below.


Each proposal would increase the minimum in two or three steps to $10.50 or $11. To understand how close each proposal comes to restoring the value of the minimum wage, it is important to account for the effects of inflation. If costs are rising by 2 percent a year, then $10 next year will buy about the same amount of goods and services as can be bought for $9.80 this year. In other words, $10 next year will be worth about $9.80 in today's dollars -- because costs go up each year.

Using CBO inflation projections, we find that an $11 wage in 2016 would be worth $10.43 in today's dollars, and a $10.50 wage in that year would be worth $10.07 in today's dollars. If the minimum wage is not adjusted for inflation each year after the final step of an increase, then the value will decline each year the cost of living rises.

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

Two Great Networking Opportunities for You



The United Regional Chamber of Commerce logo
United Regional Chamber of Commerce
 

In the next couple of weeks, The United Regional Chamber of Commerce is offering two great networking opportunities. Please join us at one or both of them!

Business After Hours red white & blue
Thursday, May 15
Business After Hours 
5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Attleboro Enterprises, 284 John Dietsch Blvd., 
North Attleborough
Join us for this fun, annual Business After Hours 
$5 for members and $10 for non-members


Thursday, May 22
Networking Before 9
8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Personal Best Karate, 250 East Main St., Norton
Enjoy a continental breakfast while networking
$5 for members and $10 for non-members

The United Regional Chamber of Commerce | 42 Union Street | Attleboro | MA | 02703