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Happy Thanksgiving
I wish you and your family a most Happy Thanksgiving. I am grateful for your friendship, support and guidance over the years, and most importantly, for the opportunity you have given me to represent the residents of Franklin and Medway.
Each year on the fourth Thursday in November, Americans gather for a day of feasting, football and family. We gather together around a table, thankful to have one another in our lives and grateful for the blessings bestowed upon us. As I think about tomorrow, I thank you for continuously being there and coming together as a community, in both good times and bad. I thank you for participating in a spirited election which will result in a smooth transition of power in a civilized fashion. And I thank my family, friends, and colleagues who work day in and day out to make the world a better place. That hard work and commitment is such a great way to give thanks and pay it forward.
As I look forward to carving yet another turkey tomorrow, I hope that you too will enjoy your day and the beginning of a wonderful holiday season!  |
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Annual Turkey Trot
The Third Annual Turkey Trot 5K Family Fun Run will take place on Thanksgiving morning, Thursday, November 27th. The lollipop course will begin and end at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS Church) at 91 Jordan Road in Franklin.
Sponsored by the Feed the Need organization located in Hull, MA, the race is open to runners and walkers of all ages, and the proceeds will benefit the Franklin Food Pantry.
Rep. Roy is joining the run after training for the last 12 weeks with Erin Lynch, the food pantry's executive director. The pair decided to run the race in 2014 to bring more attention to the aspect of building sustainable solutions to end hunger, and hope that you will join them.
For more details on the run, click here. To register online, click here. |
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Medway Scouts
Rep. Roy had a wonderful time talking with Pack 748 Webelos and Troop 367 Scouts in Medway.
They talked about citizenship, public service, and the work that goes on in the State House. The conversation about lawmaking involved ordering pizza, and the boys offered a host of compromises to get us to the right flavor for a crowd. |
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Kids go All-In for reading
Rep. Roy spent an inspiring afternoon with students at Horace Mann Middle School in Franklin celebrating reading and honoring veterans at their ALL-IN event. The event was organized by teachers Mary Cotillo and Erin O'Leary (pictured above), known affectionately as the Crazy Reading Ladies.
Rep. Roy urged the students to consider that books can change their lives. He noted that what "others have written and said is more the heart of who we are and the way we are, than many of us could imagine."
He also reminded them that books are always accessible. He informed them that there are more public libraries than McDonald's in the United States (in fact, 17,000 libraries, compared to 14,000 McDonald's). He added, "I have nothing against McDonald's – I like a Big Mac every now and then myself -- but the food for thought available in libraries is much more satisfying."
As part of the project, the students will read the book Unbroken, so it was fitting that they chose to launch the program with veterans in attendance whom they honored.
For more on the event and reading program, click here. |
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Study tour to Israel
In December, Rep. Roy will join a delegation of government officials on a trip to Israel with the Jewish Community Relations Council's Community Leaders' Study Tour.
While there, he will participate in a series of educational forums and presentations related to economic development, health care, security, political, social and judicial issues. The trip will further strengthen the economic and political ties between the Commonwealth and the State of Israel.
No public funds or tax dollars are being used to pay for the trip. The trip is subsidized by the JCRC with Rep. Roy paying the balance on his own. |
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Massachusetts is a good place for business
Much has been said over the years about the business climate in Massachusetts. In the legislature, we have worked hard on economic development here, and it's good to see that it has paid off.
Forbes magazine has ranked Massachusetts 13th in its list of the Best States for Businessin 2014. You can read the details by clicking here. The ranking measures six vital categories for businesses: costs, labor supply, regulatory environment, current economic climate, growth prospects and quality of life.
The Milford Daily News ran an editorial on the topic and noted that for decades, critics have "been telling the world that Massachusetts is a terrible place to do business, doing incalculable damage to the state's reputation and its economy." But, as the editorial noted, a "more realistic appraisal of our state comes from those outside it, especially those who aren't looking for political advantage within the state or special favors from its government." And that's where Forbes magazine comes in; giving Massachusetts a respectable showing at number 13, with the top score in New England.
In the legislature, we are committed to doing what is necessary to continue to make Massachusetts a great place to live, work, and raise a family. We still have a lot of work to do, but it's good to see that we are headed in the right direction. Let's keep it up.
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Estate in Franklin opens
Rep. Roy enjoyed welcoming the folks at the Estate in Franklin, a brand new senior residential community. This community is being specifically designed and built for seniors who need some assistance with daily living, such as medication management, dressing, or bathing.
It was a grand opening and we were happy to be there with a host of Franklin officials and some new area residents. |
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Mass tops in energy efficiency
Massachusetts secured the top spot in energy efficiency in the nation for the fourth year in a row.
For the past eight years, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) State Energy Efficiency Scorecard has measured the progress of state policies and programs that save energy while also benefiting the environment and promoting economic growth. Using data vetted by state energy officials, it ranks states in six categories—utility programs, transportation, building energy codes, combined heat and power, state initiatives, and appliance standards.
To view the full report, click here. |
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Rep. Roy had the pleasure of hearing Sam Bernstein talk about his experience at Iwo Jima in 1945 at the Veteran's Day Breakfast at the Franklin Senior Center.
Sam served in the US Marine Corps and spent 36 days at Iwo Jima. He reminded everyone in the audience that they were living in heaven, and he knows that because he spent 36 days in hell. With that, he urged us to be grateful to live in a free country.
Sam's presentation was an incredible display of humanity, and served as a reminder of how veterans have done so much for us over the years. You can learn more about Sam's talk by clicking here. |
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Copyright © 2014 State Rep Jeff Roy, All rights reserved.
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