Enchanted Memories Travel: Open House - May 2

Enchanted Memories Travel has been based in Franklin for the past 3 years and recently moved into a new office in Depot Plaza.  The owners, Vincent and Maria Dowling are longtime Franklin residents.  

Enchanted Memories Travel (Twitter photo)

We are having a free, family-friendly event in Depot Plaza on May 2.  It's a way to announce our new location and thank the town that has helped us grow and thrive mostly via word of mouth advertising over the past 3 years.  

Enchanted Memories Travel - Open House - May 2

Visit Enchanted Memories on the web http://www.enchantedmem.com/

Irish Dancers take 1st place

The 2015 World Irish Dance Championships, held in Montreal last week where many local dancers from Harney Academy of Irish Dance in Walpole competed. 

Of note, the Harney Sub Minor Girls Ceili under 11 team came back to town with the 1st place World Championship trophy.

The Harrney Academy under 11 Girls Ceili World Champions

The Harney Academy under 11 Girls Ceili World Champions (back row left to right)

Emma Ferrara - Needham
Bridget Fessenden-Medfield
Liam Harney - Walpole (instructor/owner)
Kaitlin Skinner - Walpole
Erin Pomfret - Natick
And front row (left to right)
Madelyn Marshall - Walpole
Madison Gaughran - Franklin
Molly Geoghegan - Walpole
Fiona Hernan -Canton

For more about the Harney Academy, you can visit their webpage
http://www.harneyacademy.com/

"story prompts to help trigger memories"

Another app that can be used to capture your family history can be found at Legacy Stories. Thanks to Marjorie Turner Hollman for sharing this.

LegacyStories.org is a free living history library that provides life story learning, recording, archiving and sharing to families, professionals and groups.

Our intuitive technology offers a variety of options to compose and record legacy stories including multi-media story pages, oral history slideshows and the ability to record powerful Pict-Oral Memories with our Apple and Android mobile app.

Our members can also link stories to over five billion ancestor records in the official family tree of humankind. We'll show you how to discover your highest priority "legacy stories" and tell them in ways that will fascinate loved ones generations to come.

screen grab of Legacy Stories webpage

The recent post on StoryCorps
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/04/capture-that-family-history.html

"among the smallest public libraries in the area"

Preliminary planning and design work for the library’s expansion is underway now that the town has selected an architect and project manager. 

The 10-member Library Building Committee recently chose Boston-based Daedalus Projects Inc. to manage the project — the firm also oversaw the construction of Franklin’s new high school — and pegged LLB Architects to handle the architectural work. 

LLB Architects, based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, has designed several library expansions, including for the towns of Foxborough, Maynard, Scituate and Walpole. 

Approved last April, the Franklin Public Library project includes a 6,000-square-foot, two-story addition that will provide space for a new community room, coffee shop and young adult section. The cost has been estimated at $6.6 million, but may change as the project becomes more defined.

Continue reading the article in the Milford Daily News
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20150407/NEWS/150407468/1994/NEWS

Franklin Public Library - new sign back in place after an accident took it down in Oct 2014

The Library Building Committee as appointed in Dec 2014
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/12/live-reporting-library-building.html

7. Resolution 14-89: Creation of a Library Building Committee
motion to accept, seconded, passed 8-0

E. APPOINTMENTS Library Building Committee – Vote Resolution 14-89 First (voted above)

Matthew T. Kelley - 75 Crescent Street
Judith Pond Pfeffer - 37 Arlington Street
Thomas D. Mercer - 14 Mercer Lane
Christopher K. Feeley - 5 Taft Drive
Felicia Oti - Library Director
Monique Doyle - 3 Greenfield Road
Sandra Brandfonbrener - 8 Beech Street
James M. Roche - 152 Daniels Street
Nancy J. Rappa - 25 Queen Street

Joseph Mullen (added during clerk reading of motion) 

FHS Softball: appliance recycling - Apr 11

The FHS girls softball team will be holding a fund raiser on Sat April 11. They will accept appliances to be recycled at the Franklin Elks parking lot on Pond St. They open at 8:00 AM and will close at noon.

FHS softball appliance recycling

The pricing for appliances is outlined in this flyer

Franklin Voices Weigh in on Question in the Globe West edition

Should the state adopt a single-payer health care system?

Yes

John May of Franklin, a member of Progressive Massachusetts

Did you know that we have lower-cost easily accessible single-payer health care here in Massachusetts? It’s true! It’s called Medicare. Why not expand what we already have in place? 

I am 60 years old and wonder: “If Medicare is good for me in five years, why is it not good for me now?”

No

David G. Tuerck of Franklin, is executive director of the Beacon Hill Institute and Professor of Economics at Suffolk University.

The continued unpopularity of Obamacare has led to renewed interest in the idea of a single-payer health care system, under which government would both finance and dispense health care and do so without charge and without regard to ability to pay. Advocates claim that, by eliminating the health insurance companies, single payer would lower health care costs. 

However, no one believes that we could reduce the cost of car repair by eliminating the automobile insurance companies. That’s because those companies keep down costs by requiring deductibles and by adjusting rates according to the risks of providing insurance.

Continue reading their full arguments here (subscription may be required)
http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/regionals/west/2015/04/04/should-state-adopt-single-payer-health-care-system/vKzuNNcqla3yRjLENITE1I/story.html 


If you would like ot have your say on a Franklin topic you can do so. There is a series called "Voices of Franklin" that runs when needed. Details can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/03/introducing-voices-of-franklin.html

Reminder: Antique Appraisal Day - Apr 12

Antique Appraisal Day

Sunday, April 12, 2015

1:00PM-4:00PM

The Franklin Historical Commission invites you to have your collectables and antiques appraised by certified appraiser Nancy Wyman of Coyle’s Auction Gallery of Bellingham. 1 to 3 items per person will be appraised at a rate of $5.00 per item.

Items to be appraised include Decorative Stoneware and Pottery; Vintage Clothing and Costume Jewelry; Fine China, glass and art glass; Oriental Rugs; Paintings and Prints; Lamps, Clocks, Decorative Accessories; Hummels and Music Boxes; Sterling Silver, Pewter and Brass; American, Victorian and Country Furniture and Accessories.

NO fine jewelry, no coins, no stamps and no weapons.

All proceeds to benefit the Friends of the Franklin Historical Museum

Franklin Historical Museum - maybe most of the snow will be gone by Appraisal Day?

"10 miles of pipeline through towns like Franklin"

Fox25 does a piece on the recent efforts to mobilize against the Spectra Energy project to expand the gas pipeline through Franklin.

"The pipeline is still in a preliminary phase and if everything goes as planned, construction wouldn't be complete until 2017. Spectra Energy is looking for federal permission to add 10 miles of pipeline through towns like Franklin and Millis. Residents say they want to know what's in store for them before construction begins."

Boston News, Weather, Sports | FOX 25 | MyFoxBoston

a sign truck parked outside the Keller School at the information session here on March

Related posts

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/03/concerns-with-spectra-atlantic-bridge.html

Franklin, MA: School Committee - Agenda - Apr 7, 2015

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.

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."

Franklin Public Schools: the key to learning

1. Routine Business

Citizen’s Comments
Review of Agenda
Minutes: I recommend approval of the minutes from the March 24, 2015 School Committee Meeting.
Payment of Bills Mr. Clement
Payroll Mrs. Douglas
FHS Student Representatives
Correspondence: Budget to Actual – Miriam Goodman

2. Guests/Presentations

a. ASMS Update – Beth Wittcoff, Rebecca Motte

Note: The documents for the ASMS update and the BICO report can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/04/franklin-school-committee-documents-for.html

3. Discussion Only Item

BiCounty Collaborative Quarterly Report
Twitter / FPS News
Safety Communications
Kindergarten Registration

4. Action Items

a. I recommend approval of the request of Mr. Fortin for HMMS students to travel to Providence, RI for Save the Bay Programs as detailed on May 26, 27 & 28, 2015.
b. I recommend acceptance of a check for $6.86 from Schoola for in-house enrichment at JF Kennedy Elementary School.
c. I recommend acceptance of three checks totaling $4,115.00 from the Franklin Music Boosters for district wide in-house enrichment.
d. I recommend acceptance of two checks totaling $1,695.00 from the Parmenter PCC for Field trips and busing.
e. I recommend acceptance of a check for $50.00 from Steven Mollo for in-house enrichment at Remington Middle School.
f. I recommend acceptance of a check for $700.00 from Scholarship America for Supplemental Curriculum Materials at FHS.
g. I recommend acceptance of a check for $3,815.25 from the Jefferson PCC for field trips.
h. I recommend acceptance of the donation of 25 copies of the book “Finding the Worm” for 6th grade reading at Horace Mann Middle School.

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

Personnel Update

8. Adjourn

Franklin School Committee: documents for agenda

Annie Sullivan Middle School presentation document:

BICO Quarterly Information for Superintendents

The School Committee agenda can be found here
http://franklinschool.vt-s.net/pages/FranklinCom_Agendas/V20142015/SCAgenda%204-7-15.pdf

“It’s definitely a big statement win"

Josh Perry, Managing Editor, Hockomock Sports writes about the FHS boys lacrosse win over Wellesley on Saturday.

Franklin coach Lou Verrochi created the boys’ lacrosse program, so he would be the expert on just how important Saturday afternoon’s 13-3 victory over perennial state power Wellesley was for the Panthers. 

In a quick postgame speech, after all there is not much to say after a win that dominating, Verrochi told his team that this was one of the best performances that the program had put together and called it a “signature win.” 

Speaking to the media afterwards, Verrochi admitted, “Totally unexpected…I think they had an off-day and we just clicked on everything we did. I’m just so impressed with how the kids played today.”

Austin Kent (4), Mike Sullivan (30), and Eric Civetti (1) celebrate a Franklin goal at Sprague Field as the Panthers dominated Wellesley for a marquee win for the program. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

Continue reading the article by Hockomock Sports here
http://www.hockomocksports.com/blog/franklin-lax-rolls-to-signature-win-at-wellesley

"you can start with culture and get people kind of reinvested in their place"

Spend a few minutes with this TED Talk by Theaster Gates. Listen as he talks about rebuilding his neighborhood by starting with what he knows about his art, making clay pots.

There were several points during this 17 minute video that caught my attention. I could use these to help enhance the Franklin community whether through my efforts here, at the Food Pantry, the grass roots efforts for #shopFranklin, the Shop Small Co-op or with the Franklin Cultural Festival (coming this summer!) 

I will let you view the video and see what you come up with. Let me know via email or comment what you find and together we'll see if if we have come up with the same points or something different. As they say, two heads are better than one!

Enjoy!

Theaster Gates, a potter by training and a social activist by calling, wanted to do something about the sorry state of his neighborhood on the south side of Chicago. So he did, transforming abandoned buildings to create community hubs that connect and inspire those who still live there (and draw in those who don't). In this passionate talk, Gates describes his efforts to build a "miniature Versailles" in Chicago, and he shares his fervent belief that culture can be a catalyst for social transformation in any city, anywhere.

For more about Theaster Gates, you can visit his profile page






Additional links to explore

Feel free to explore for more informative TED Talks here   http://www.ted.com/


For more info on the Cultural Festival check here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/02/franklin-cultural-festival-application.html


For more about #shopFranklin you can join the conversation in their Facebook group #shopFranklin - Facebook group


You can consider joining the Franklin Downtown Partnership - individual community membership is only $25  http://www.franklindowntownpartnership.org/

Franklin Needs You!

The Town of Franklin is looking for Members for the following committees: 

Conservation    Conservation Commission 

Design Review Commission 

Disabilities Commission 

Municipal Affordable Housing Trust - Contact Maxine Kinhart 508-520-4949 

Zoning Board of Appeals - Associate Member      ZBA

If you are interested in becoming a member, please complete this form and return it the Town Administrator's Office.

Circle of Friends Coffeehouse: Cheryl Wheeler April 11th

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Circle of Friends Coffeehouse 262 Chestnut St, Franklin, MA 02038 Phone: 508 528 2541 Map       Official Site       ReverbNation Profile Cheryl Wheeler Saturday, April 11th $30 We expect these tickets to be gone soon. Cheryl Wheeler Cheryl Wheeler returns to the Circle of Friends Coffeehouse on Saturday, April 11th at 8PM. Cheryl is known for her brilliant, often hysterical, performances and beautifully crafted songs. She'll have you rolling in the aisles one minute, then she'll take off her glasses, close her eyes, and sing a heart-breakingly lovely song that may bring you to tears. Her entire concert is an emotional roller coaster. "Rare artist...strong poetry, complex melodies, clever wit." -SingOut! Cheryl's songs are often emotional portraits of people, leaving you with the impression that you know the characters. You find yourself being dragged into the song rather than standing outside and observing. Other songs by Cheryl are hilarious situation comedies. This is always a sold-out show, so order your tickets soon. http://www.cherylwheeler.com/ The Circle of Friends Coffeehouse is a non-profit organization affiliated with Franklin's First Universalist Society. Concerts are presented in a smoke free and alcohol free environment at the Society's handicapped accessible Meetinghouse, 262 Chestnut St. in Franklin, and begin at 8:00 PM; doors open at 7:30 PM. Beverages and gourmet desserts will be available. Admission for this concert is $30. Please call (508)528-2541 or visit http://www.circlefolk.org/ to purchase tickets or for more information. UPCOMING SHOWS Sat Apr 11 2015, 08:00 PM Cheryl Wheeler Tickets: $30   Sat Apr 25 2015, 08:00 PM Deborah Henson-Conant Tickets: $25 Sat May 09 2015, 08:00 PM Rebecca Loebe, Jesse Terry Tickets: $20 Split bill > See More / Details

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Physical inquiries can be sent to: 262 Chestnut St, Franklin, MA, 02038, US
If our email is in your Spam/Junk Folder, please add circlefolk@gmail.com to your address book.

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Capture that family history

I was fortunate to capture some of my father's story and record it for the extended family to listen to. I did not get to hear all the stories before he passed away but we do have a good archive of the stories in his voice to listen to when we want.

Whether you celebrate Easter or Passover, the holiday weekend should bring families together. To help foster a good conversation between the generations and to capture the history that the elder generations still remember is made easier with the new StoryCorps app and smart phones.

Settle in, enjoy the 21 min video and download the app for your Apple or Android device and set up to record.





You can find out more about StoryCorps on their website  http://storycorps.org/


You can find more excellent videos on the TED site here  http://www.ted.com/


A sample of  my father's story can be found here. In this segment, he talks of his service in the Marines as part of the "Joint Assault Signal Company" made famous in the movie "The Whisperers"
http://jerrysherlockstory.blogspot.com/2007/09/jerry-story-joint-assault-signal.html

screen grab of StoryCorps.me webpage