Franklin Kids Hiking Group

Franklin parents and grandparents who want to be out and about enjoying the wonders of a nature hike have a group to join and participate in. Leah Christina has organized such a group for Franklin. It started this summer and has gathered a following already.

You may have seen the article by Marjorie Turner Hallman in the August issue of the Franklin Town News.

Franklin, MA Kids Group

A PDF version of the article can be found here (look on page 12)
http://www.localtownpages.com/sites/default/files/newspaperpdf/2014_08_franklin.pdf

from their Facebook page:

This group is a work in progress and I will continue to update on the group as well as any planned events and activities coming forward. 

The rules are very simple:

• Please act like adults. Be kind, courteous, and respectful.

• Please be careful of info you are posting that you may not want to share with others.

• Feel free to share your adventures and experience while on a hike.

• You may share negative comments and let the group know of disappointment in a hike but please do so in a well respectful manner.

• Enjoy the site, the trails, and the new friends you will meet along the way.

Please feel free to invite those you feel would benefit from the group and please remember the group is open to any and all feedback to help us continue to grow!!

August hikes

The calendar for August shows hikes at Foxboro State Forest on the 12th and Franklin's SNETT Trail on the 13th. Some activities are age specific. Some also have size limits, others are open to all.

August calendar for hiking group

The August calendar can be found on Facebook here
https://www.facebook.com/groups/830232910335361/835869489771703/

Contact Info

For more information visit their Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/groups/830232910335361/

If not on Facebook, you can contact them via email at FranklinKidsHike@yahoo.com

Franklin Library: "Reading is Magic"

Ed the Wizard will bring his "Reading is Magic" performance to the Franklin Library on Tuesday at 3:00 PM

"Reading is Magic" is a 45 minute interactive magic performance using many volunteers
with reading as the emphasis behind the program. Suitable for all grades, PreK-12, as the message, routines, and understanding levels increase with each grade level. What are the goals of Reading is Magic? The message of each performance is to emphasize upon your students the importance and power of reading; how reading and comprehension are tools that they will use everyday, how I taught myself the art of prestidigitation, how each and every student can use their reading skills to learn anything that they choose to learn, and how reading encourages independent thought.

Magic books from your library's collection will be put on display as I briefly discuss some of them and perform a routine from one. I also highlight the new book that I donate to your collection and perform a routine from that book. Now your students have seen the magic and have been pointed to the resources; the rest is up to them! And of course how I mention the fact that I was inspired by Albus Dumbledore from "Harry Potter" into becoming a fully fledged wizard!

Ed the Wizard - "Reading is Magic"

For more about Ed the Wizard, you can check out his website here
http://www.edthewizard.com/

Ed the Wizard

Some of this was shared from the Franklin Library site (and some from Ed the Wizard's site)
http://franklinpl.blogspot.com/2014/08/reading-is-magic.html

Ladybugs on parade

The Town Common has an infestation of ladybugs but not the kind you'll call an exterminator for. These are works of art showcasing all things Franklin.

The ladybugs will be on the Town Common again Sunday from noon to 4:00 PM.

Ladybug spots

 A couple of the ladybugs are shown here.

Home Sweet Home

Home Sweet Home - detail 1

Home Sweet Home - detail 2

Franklin Art Bug

Franklin Art Bug - detail 1

Franklin Art Bug - detail 2

Franklin Art Bug - detail 3

Franklin Cultural Council

Thanks to the Franklin Cultural Council for pulling this together and to all the sponsors and artists for their contributions.

Megan Washington - overcoming her stutter

There are all kinds of disabilities, some are more visible than others. Megan Washington candidly talks bout her stuttering in this recent TED Talk

Megan Washington is one of Australia's premier singer/songwriters. And, since childhood, she has had a stutter. In this bold and personal talk, she reveals how she copes with this speech impediment—from avoiding the letter combination “st” to tricking her brain by changing her words at the last minute to, yes, singing the things she has to say rather than speaking them.

You can find more about her music on her website
http://www.meganwashington.com/

on wikipedia  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megan_Washington

or on YouTube  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kztAvgm4CNE

Megan Washington's webpage

FHS Boys Basketball Coach - CJ Neely

From HockomockSports.Com we find that FHS has a new boys basketball coach.

Franklin High has hired their new boys basketball coach – and they didn’t have to go very far to find him. 

CJ Neely, who has been the head coach of the Foxboro Warriors for the past seven years, has been selected to lead the Panthers and replace Dean O'Connor, who was relieved of his duties near the end of the school year.

"I’ve been in the league for a long time as a player and a coach and Franklin is one of those places that is really committed to winning," Neely said. "They have a strong foundation at the youth program and obviously the new school is exciting. New gym, new school, new feeling and all that good stuff. It’s a new challenge for me with a Division 1 school that has proven they can go far in the tournament and I look forward to hopefully leading them back to where they went and hopefully further." 

Neely has been apart of the Hockomock League for many years, including a standout playing career at Oliver Ames. He was named a Hockomock League All Star twice during his three years on varsity. OA is the same school he served as an assistant coach from 2005-2007. Neely took over head coaching duties at Foxboro in 2007.

You can continue reading the full article at HockomockSports.Com here
http://www.hockomocksports.com/blog/franklin-picks-neely-as-new-boys-basketball-coach

the gymnasium at the new FHS

Franklin Library: Space Adventures

"Space Adventures" with Ms Marsha will be held at the Franklin Library Tuesday, Aug 12 at 2:00 PM. Ideally for toddlers and youth ages 2 to 6. Registration can be done at the Circulation Desk.

Space Adventures with Ms Marsha

This was shared from the Library posting
http://franklinpl.blogspot.com/2014/08/space-adventures-with-ms-marsha.html

In the News: candidates night, St Rocco's

September will bring a primary election to select who the party candidates will be for the November election.

NORFOLK – Democratic town committees from Norfolk, Plainville and Wrentham are sponsoring a candidates’ night Tuesday for the Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex state senate seat. 

Democratic primary candidates Sara-Lynn Reynolds and Dylan Hayre will participate in the 6:30 p.m. forum. 

They are vying to challenge incumbent Richard Ross, R-Wrentham, in the general election. 

Rick Holmes of the MetroWest Daily News will moderate the forum. The event will be held at the Norfolk library, 139 Main St., Norfolk.

From the Milford Daily News
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20140809/NEWS/140807006/1994/NEWS

Asked how day three of the 36th annual Feast of St. Rocco was going, Peter Brunelli looked weary. 

"You really want to know?" Brunelli said Saturday. "I don’t know whether I’m coming or going." 

Brunelli has been organizing the feast with Frank Fiorillo, Mickey DeGrazia and Thomas Olsen since the beginning. It’s a hectic four days, but the longtime friends look forward to it each year. 

The Feast of St. Rocco is a celebration of family and food to benefit St. Mary’s Parish. Some 60,000 people were expected to flock to the four-day festival for the cannolis, meatballs, music and rides, among other draws.

You can continue to read the article in the Milford Daily News here
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20140809/NEWS/140806867/1994/NEWS

the Ferris wheel at St Rocco's