Chad Larivee Fundraiser/Shawn Allen Boston Marathon

Greetings, 

As many of you know, my good friend and tennis buddy's husband, Chad Larivee, had a terrible accident this summer that left him paralyzed from the shoulders down. Chad was a firefighter and is the father of three beautiful children (ages 14, 12, 9). 

After spending nearly a month in the intensive care unit, Chad was transferred to Spaulding Rehab for two months and finally came home in November. The family is adjusting to their new life and they have gotten tremendous support from the firefighter community who retro-fitted their house with ramps, elevator, and an ADA bathroom. However, life is not easy. 

The physical therapy program that Chad and the family has chosen is called Journey Forward and costs $100/hr. It is not covered by insurance. So, my friend and running partner, Shawn Allen, is running this year's Boston Marathon in order to raise funds for Chad's physical therapy. 

Shawn is an ex-marine, who is known for doing a set of pushups in the middle and at the end of his runs. He is no slouch. Last year he ran Boston, his first marathon, in 3:17, just two minutes shy of his Boston qualifying standard. This year he hopes to break 3:15 and, more importantly, raise $50,000 for Chad's treatment. 

Here is a link to Shawn and Chad's gofundme site if you are compelled to support them. Any donation goes directly to the Larivee family. 

http://www.gofundme.com/k3fp0w

Thanks for any and all you can do to help out Chad and his family. 

Love,
Kathleen

screen grab of Larivee Fund Raising page

MassBudget: FY 2016 Budget Preview

MassBudget    Information.    Participation.  Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center    Democracy. A Preview of the FY 2016 Budget  As the FY 2016 budget season begins, the Commonwealth continues to suffer from the effects of the three billion dollars of income tax cuts enacted over a decade ago. As a result of those tax cuts, the state has been forced to make deep cuts in funding for public higher education, local aid, public health protection, and other core state services. Even with those budget cuts, the state continues to face preliminary budget gaps at the start of each year's budget process. This year that gap is likely to be just over $1 billion - less than the gaps faced during the recent recession, but a serious challenge for budget writers. MassBudget's FY 2016 Budget Preview describes the state's fiscal condition as the budget season begins. To present everyone with a clearer picture of the state's fiscal condition and the choices that get made through the state budget, the state could release more detailed information about the projected FY 2016 costs for maintaining current services--see Opening the Process: Releasing Maintenance Budgets to the Public. While budget writers generally prepare such a document ("a maintenance budget") as the first step of crafting a budget, it is generally not released publicly. Other states do publicly release a maintenance budget. Making this public would improve transparency and allow everyone to understand more accurately the choices we face. That would allow more meaningful participation, by more people across the state, in the important debates about the priorities pursued in our state budget.   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

Food Elves Bring in Record Donations

The Franklin Food Elves are pleased to announce that the final donation numbers are in and the “12 Days of Donating” Campaign has collected more than three tons (or 6,400 pounds) of goods and $8,500 for the Franklin Food Pantry.

(L-R) Food Elf Ellie Teixeira, Co-founder Cameron Piana, Food Pantry Executive Director Erin Lynch at the Franklin Food Pantry in December 2014.

More than 90 Food Elves collected from over 30 Franklin neighborhoods, the most volunteers in the history of the Franklin Food Elves. They worked in conjunction with local businesses that set up collection bins at their locations around town.

“We’d like to thank all of residents of Franklin who donated to our campaign this year. We also would like to thank the elves who worked hard to bring the donations in, and the businesses that helped fill the donation bins at their locations,” says Cameron Piana, Food Elves co-founder.

The Franklin Food Elves was co-founded by Melissa and Cameron Piana 9 years ago and has grown each year.  Since the beginning the organization has brought in a total of 10 tons (20,380 pounds) of food donations and over $25,700 for the Franklin Food Pantry.

Local businesses were deeply involved in this year’s campaign. DCU gave a check for $5,000, and 15 other businesses pledged a $200 cash donation and donated time and bin space to the cause.

Those businesses included Auerr, Zajac & Associates, LLC, Berry Insurance, British Beer Company, Dean Bank, Dean College, Drama Kids of Metro West, Emma’s Quilt Cupboard, the Franklin Downtown Partnership, Jane’s Frames, Keefe Insurance Agency, Murphy Business, Printsmart Office Products, Pour Richard’s Wine & Spirits, RE/MAX Executive Realty, and Yellin & Hyman, P.C. 

For more information about the Food Elves and the “12 Days of Donating” campaign, please contact the Food Elves at franklinfoodelves@yahoo.com or visit their Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Franklin-Food-Elves/714439188643292

This was shared from the Franklin Downtown Partnership page

http://www.franklindowntownpartnership.org/2015/01/decembers-12-days-of-donating-totals.html

Franklin Public Schools: Channel 5 - Wake up call schedule

From the Superintendent:

Back in Oct/Nov many of our schools were featured on Channel 5 - the rest of the schools were filmed in Dec and here is the schedule.

Channel 5 Morning Wake Up Calls:

Parmenter Elementary – Monday 1/26 

Helen Keller Elementary – Tuesday 1/27 

Annie Sullivan Middle –

Patriots version (Thursday 1/29) 

Normal version (Monday 2/9)

Franklin High School – Tuesday 2/10

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Note: as this is TV, they desire is to draw viewers so you won't get a specific time. The wake-up call is usually early in the morning. When the video clips are made available for replay, I'll share them here.

screen grab for wake up call for Oak St/Horace Mann

The wake up call for Oak St/Horace Mann can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/10/franklins-wake-up-call.html

Teen Volunteers wanted for Community Service Organization in Franklin

Thanks to Renata Gilarova and Allison Bernhardt for providing this info:

Lion’s Heart–Teens Giving Back, a national community service organization for teens in 6th through 12th grade, has opened a chapter in Franklin. Enrollment begins February 1 and runs through August 1, 2015. Started in 2004 in Southern California, Lion’s Heart has experience tremendous grown since it founding. It’s Members have served over 100,000 hours of community service! 

Lion’s Heart is open to teenagers in 6th through 12th grades. Members perform at least 30 hours of community service each year, and are grouped by grade level and gender. One parent acts as the Class Coordinator, and each group of up to 20 elects their own officers, lead their own meetings, and decide on group community service projects. 

There is no fundraising in Lion’s Heart; only serving the community in fun and meaningful ways. Parents are encouraged but not required to serve the community. Dues are $130 to join (but discounted or waived for hardship situations). 

Lion’s Heart is a qualifying organization for the national President’s Volunteer Service Award program; qualified Members receive these awards each June. Lion’s Heart Members can also earn the annual Torchbearer’s Award, presented to the Member in each group who went “above and beyond” for the community for that year. Members who are active for all six years will receive the Golden Lion award when they are seniors in high school. 

The idea of a teen community service organization came out of a long car ride in 2004 by Terry Corwin and her then 12-year-old son, Spencer. Since its modest beginning with twenty 6th grade boys in the Corwin’s living room in 2004, Lion’s Heart has grown to nearly 2,000 teenage girls and boys.

Lion's Heart - a teen service organization

For additional info visit their webpage   http://www.lionsheartservice.org/


At last night's organizational meeting, a list of places that volunteers could work with was put together. If you know of an organization not on this listing, please add it in the comment section.

Franklin Food PantryLibrarySenior CenterSchools when they have events and need helping hands (reach out to individual PCC's)Franklin and Bellingham Rail Trail Committee (spring and fall clean ups, road race helpers - May 2, 2015)Downtown Partnership (beautification days)Assisted living facilities in Franklin (Benchmark Senior Living at Forge Hill, The Estate in Franklin)Recreation Department (Earth day in April for Franklin clean up)Community Gardens?Franklin Garden Club (Common Garden Clean Up)4th of July CoalitionFranklin Education FoundationNeighbor BrigadeHistorical MuseumSanta FoundationProject Smile (Hopedale)Random Smile Project Franklin

Senator Spilka: News from the Senate

As Karen is one of the two Senators who serve Franklin, this is good news!

Dear Steve, Today, Senate President Stan Rosenberg announced his leadership team and Committee chairmanship assignments for the new legislative session. I am honored to share the news that I have been named the new Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, which oversees the budget and finances of the Commonwealth. I would first like to thank Senate President Stan Rosenberg for this honor. I am grateful and humbled that he would place his confidence, faith and trust in me. This is a responsibility that I do not take lightly. I will work hard every day to help President Rosenberg achieve his ambitious, bold agenda to empower the members, increase transparency and reduce public skepticism about government. I will work hard every day with my colleagues to assist our communities and help raise up all of the residents of Massachusetts. Now, we have a lot of work to do. As always, if you would like additional information or have any concerns or comments, please call my office at (617) 722-1640 or email me at Karen.Spilka@masenate.gov. Warm Regards, Senator Karen E. Spilka 2nd Middlesex and Norfolk http://www.karenspilka.com Office of State Senator Karen E. Spilka Room 320, State House Boston, Massachusetts  02133 Phone: (617) 722-1640 - Fax: (617) 722-1077 http://www.karenspilka.com/

Senator Karen Spilka | Karen.Spilka@masenate.gov | Office of Karen Spilka | Office of State Senator Karen E. Spilka, Room 511-C, State House | Boston, MA 02133

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Live reporting: Closing

K. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT

Joe Barbarei - promoted to Capt
Jason Reily prompted to Sargent

anonymous letter don't work; don't hesitate to include email or phone, if yuo want to keep it confidential, come to my office

The MBTA owes us a response this week
if they don't get back to us, I'll send another email

L. OLD BUSINESS

are we going to discuss zone 6?
we're going to schedule a workshop

M. NEW BUSINESS
none

N. COUNCIL COMMENTS

Pfeffer - wants to acknowledge the passing of Tony Depasquale
Tony worked for 6 years as the greeter at the transfer station

Kelly - can we take the decorations down?

Padula - give us input Wedensday for the EDC meeting

P. ADJOURN
motion to adjourn