Sunday, June 22, 2014

Franklin Public Schools: Student Wellness Advisory Committee update

The Student Wellness Advisory Committee report scheduled for presentation and update for the School Committee meeting on Tuesday, June 24, 2014.




The full agenda for the School Committee meeting can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/06/franklin-ma-school-committee-agenda.html

Franklin Public Schools: Student Success

The Student Success Committee update is scheduled for the School Committee meeting on Tuesday, June 24:



The full agenda for the School Committee meeting on Tuesday, June 24 can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/06/franklin-ma-school-committee-agenda.html

Franklin Food Pantry Fundraiser - June 26




Pour Richard's Wine and Spirits
Pour Richard's Wine and Spirits
Connecting good friends with great wine!
                            
Never Drink Ordinary!



Pour Richard's Franklin Food Pantry Fundraiser!
  





Thursday, June 26

6-8:30 PM





Delicious Wines, Craft Beers, Food from Whole Foods Bellingham, and local musician Ken Barney to entertain us. And best of all? This fun evening is a benefit for the Franklin Food Pantry.







Tickets are just $10, with 100% of ticket sales to FFP. Pour Richard's will also donate 20% of profits from sales of beer, wine, and spirits.







This is a great chance to stock up for July 4th cookouts, summer vacation rentals, etc, while also assisting the Food Pantry. 

Tickets are available at the door, at the Food Pantry during normal business hours, or online HERE.





See you there!





Never Drink Ordinary! -Ann and John

Please share this email with friends who are enthusiastic about great wine, beer, and spirits. (Keeping all the good stuff for yourself is bad karma.)


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Pour Richard's Wine and Spirits | 14 Grove Street | Franklin | MA | 02038

Sign up for electronic payment of your Franklin bills


Are you tired of receiving bills in the mail, putting them down somewhere until you cannot find them when you are ready to pay them? Have you ever paid a late fee and/or interest charges because you misplaced a bill? Then you are ready to take the next step to bill presentment or paperless billing.

The Town of Franklin offers you the convenience of paperless billing through UniPay’s new electronic billing feature. Managing your bills online has now become faster and easier. With electronic bill presentment you will receive an email notice as soon as your bill is available for payment. With paperless billing you will no longer receive those paper bills to save.

It’s easy as 1, 2, 3~ …. Register, view, and pay….. And you are using the same trusted, dependable UniPay product. Your bills are stored electronically on UniPay and your payment history is also available. You can retrieve them by logging in. If you need a copy, just print it out. If you need to know what you paid for taxes for income tax purposes, just look them up.

No searching for paper copies.
No forgetting to pay.
No hassle.

And it is available 24 hours a day/365 days a year so you can manage your Real Estate and water/sewer/trash bills when you want to.

Use our on-line bill payment link to get you there to register. The link is on the Town of Franklin Home page. http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/index

welcome page for Franklin's e-bill service UniPay Gold
welcome page for Franklin's e-bill service UniPay Gold

Go directly to UniPay Gold via this link:
https://unipaygold.unibank.com/Default.aspx?customerid=721

It is easy to “be green”.


Note: there is a $0.25 service charge that is applied to each payment. When you consider the cost of a stamp is currently twice the service charge, this is a good deal.  I have used the online bill pay successfully.



If you have questions, you can contact the Treasurer's office
Town of Franklin
Treasurer-Collector
355 East Central Street
Franklin, MA 02038
(508) 520-4950


Seven Safety Tips for the 4th of July

The Mass.Gov blog has a good posting with safety tips for the 4th of July celebrations:

In 1776, the first shots at Lexington and Concord were fired, marking the beginnings of the American Revolution. Today, Americans take time each year on July 4th to celebrate the birth of our nation and commemorate those who fought for our freedom. On this day of backyard barbecues, fireworks, and outdoor fun, remember to keep a few safety tips in mind: 
  1. Leave Fireworks to the Professionals
Massachusetts law prohibits private citizens from using, selling, or possessing fireworks. Additionally, fireworks purchased legally elsewhere and then transported into the state are strictly prohibited. There are a variety of fireworks displays supervised by professionals to enjoy in Massachusetts instead. 
  1. Keep Children Safe
Whether on the playground or at a campground, make sure children are supervised while celebrating outside during the holiday. Keep fireworks and sparklers out of reach of children at all times. Removepieces of small toys, balloons, , and other items that may be potential choking hazards or dangerous to small children.
Continue reading the safety tips by following this link:

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Franklin Alert: Series of Break-ins Hitting Area

The following info is making the rounds on Facebook and via email:


Hi friends and neighbors,

In case you haven't heard, our house was broken into last Friday, 6/13 around 11:00 am.  Two of my neighbors saw the car turn around and park in front of our house.  The high school van actually passed the car and identified it as a 2010 White Chevy HHR car w/ solid panels on the back side windows and Rhode Island plates.  It looks like a cross between a PT Cruiser and a delivery van.   
suspect vehicle with RI license plates
suspect vehicle with RI license plates

They walked right up to my house probably through the wooded area leading to my driveway and onto my back deck.  They smashed a back door window and reached in to open the door.  They took a laundry basket and a suitcase and loaded it with jewelry, electronics, pocketbooks, etc.  The house wasn't ransacked and they seemed to want to get out quickly (or were spooked by the bus).  The un-nerving thing is most of my neighbors were home and they walked in and out of my house in broad daylight carrying a laundry basket, luggage and even a power washer!  It was just luck that we weren't home or didn't walk in on them since we were only out for 2 hours.  

The police said there's been 15 similar breaking and entering type robberies and this is the fist clue they've gotten on the thieves.  Please pass this message on to your friends and neighbors to warn them and PLEASE be on the lookout for strange cars in your neighborhood.  The police think they're drug addicts looking for items they can quickly pawn.  
They come in the middle of the day when most people are out and probably ring the bell to see if anyone is home.  It makes me to mad that they are able to get away with this so please help stop them!!  Attached is a picture of the car....police believe they will continue to use in the future!

Franklin Food Pantry Announces Summer Initiatives and Mobilizes for a Healthy Season


The Franklin Food Pantry (FFP) has announced new initiatives to expand its services to existing and new clients. Firstly, The Food Pantry is in a position to test drive the mobile food pantry program this year. Beginning this month the FFP truck will become a mobile pantry, providing assistance to neighbors in the community who are unable to visit The Food Pantry’s downtown location due to obstacles such as transportation, childcare and medical reasons. Eligible members of the community will have the opportunity to pick up staples such as canned vegetables, fruits, beans, and soups; peanut butter, tuna fish, pasta, cereal, and beverages. Some non-food items may be offered as well including toiletries, household cleaning supplies and occasional pet products. Meat, dairy, fresh fruits, vegetables, breads and bakery items will be on the truck whenever available.
Franklin Food Pantry
Franklin Food Pantry

The FFP Mobile Pantry will visit three locations as part of its pilot program on the following schedule:

  • Franklin Housing Authority, 1000 Central Park Terrace on the 2nd Monday of every month from 2:30-3:30 p.m. serving residents of the Franklin Housing Authority at Central Park Terrace, North Park, East Park, or West Park Streets. 
  • Franklin Housing Authority, 45 Winter Street on the 3rd Monday of every month from 2:30-3:30 p.m. serving residents 45 Winter Street; and 
  • Franklin Senior Center, 10 Daniel McCahill Street on the 4th Monday of every month from 2:30-3:30 p.m. serving those affiliated with the Franklin Senior Center. 


Linda Sottile, Director of Operations for Franklin Food Pantry stated, “We expect to serve
an additional 40+ households in the next six months and hope to have additional locations on the
schedule by the end of the year.”

The Pantry also welcomes back the Healthy Futures Fresh Produce Market this summer. Running June
Healthy Futures Franklin
Healthy Futures Franklin
through October, the market will be open every Tuesday from 4:00-5:00pm. Clients can visit the downtown Franklin Food Pantry location at 43 West Central Street to pick up quality fruits and vegetables from our local farms and community garden partners. And, every 2nd Tuesday of the month, the Healthy Futures Market will present cooking demonstrations and food samplings from culinary experts of Share Our Strength’s Cooking Matters® program.

Cooking Matters is a series of educational workshops offered in a fun, casual setting. The Cooking Matters staff will prepare simple, delicious dishes using seasonal produce and on-hand pantry staples. Guests will receive nutritional tips and recipe cards to help make these farm to table meals at home. The summer workshops are made possible by a grant from the MetroWest Health Foundation and fresh produce received from Akin Bak Farm, Hoffmann Farm, Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School community gardens and Franklin Community Gardens.

Michelle Camiel, Eastern Massachusetts Manager for Share Our Strength’s Cooking Matters commented, “Cooking Matters is thrilled to be partnering with local farms, New England Chapel and the Food Pantry. It’s wonderful to collaborate with partners who are just as committed to bringing food skills education to families who need it as we are. We are looking forward to the Tuesday workshops at the pantry this summer!” Erin Lynch, Director of Development for Franklin Food Pantry shared, “The Cooking Matters educational classes are presented in a casual, cooperative and fun setting and have been very successful here. We have seen waiting lists of twenty or more families for these classes so we are excited to offer a summer series under the tent to accommodate larger numbers.”

Increased availability of nutritious food comes at a critical time for those who are reliant on The Food Pantry. For many families, when school closes for the summer, food insecurity rises. While at school, children in need receive lunch daily through state funded programs, but when the bell rings for the summer months, a steady diet can become compromised. Added Lynch, “It is important to serve our clients consistently throughout the year. The Greater Boston Food Bank recognizes the need for creative solutions to these challenges, and recently awarded our pantry a $2,500 grant for capacity building initiatives. The Mobile Pantry and Healthy Futures programs engage a collaboration of resources to provide additional reach to our community. Thank you to our sponsors, partner organizations, and our incredible core of volunteers who make these programs happen. “

To this end, volunteers are still needed for a variety of duties for both programs. Adults and students are welcome for several assignments. Some of the jobs include adult licensed drivers, loading and unloading the truck, set-up, inventory, assisting clients with shopping, and more. To get involved, please contact our Volunteer Coordinators at volunteers@franklinfoodpantry.org.

About Healthy Futures Franklin 
Mass in Motion
Mass in Motion
Healthy Futures Franklin is part of Mass in Motion (MIM). MIM is a statewide movement that promotes opportunities for healthy eating and active living in the places people live, learn, work and play. Marissa Garofano, Director of Community Wellness and the Healthy Futures Initiative for The Y, commented: “The Healthy Futures Initiative is committed to reduce inactivity and poor nutrition in the fifteen communities the Hockomock Area YMCA serves through programs, projects, and policies. The Healthy Futures Fresh Produce Market at The Pantry is an extension of our efforts to provide nutritional advocacy and access to fresh fruits and produce.” About Cooking Matters® Cooking Matters® is key to Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign, which connects kids in need with nutritious food and teaches their families how to cook healthy, affordable meals. Learn more at NoKidHungry.org. For nutritious recipes and more information about Cooking Matters®, please check out the website at ma.cookingmatters.org.

About The Franklin Food Pantry
Established in 1987, the mission of the Franklin Food Pantry is to provide immediate hunger relief and healthy sustainable solutions, by empowering the community through resources, education and collaboration. It is part of the Greater Boston Food Bank network and depends entirely on support and donations from volunteers, corporate partners and the community at large. The Franklin Food Pantry is located at 43 West Central Street, Route 140 and can accept donations during business hours, Tuesday - Friday, 9am -1pm. Non-perishables may also be dropped off after hours in the bin by the front door, or monetary donations may be mailed to Franklin Food Pantry, PO Box 116, Franklin MA 02038. For more information, visit franklinfoodpantry.org, like the pantry’s page on Facebook, or call 508-528-3115. The Franklin Food Pantry is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization FEIN # 04-3272663.