You can make a difference

A week ago, I stood on the Boston Common and took a picture of the 37,000 flags put out to commemorate Memorial Day.

Boston Common flag garden on May 22

This Friday (May 29th), the flags are gone but not forgotten.

Boston Common on May 29

The feet of the many who came by to take photos (as I did) trampled the grass and it is now brown and crushed. It will come back.

Boston Common on May 29

One person's actions may not seem like much. The small step may not seem significant. But one person needs to start and then big things can happen.

One person objected to the proposed Atlantic Bridge pipeline, others joined and the project got stopped.
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/05/im-delighted-to-hear-project-has-been.html

There are plenty of other opportunities around Franklin where one person can do something to make a difference. 

Consider helping at the Senior Center, the Food Pantry, in the schools or in your church. 

Consider helping the Random Smile Project, the Neighbor Brigade, or the Friends of the Franklin Library. 

Consider volunteering to help run the Town of Franklin. While there are salaried positions, there are many non-paid positions including most of the elected positions on the Town Council, School Committe, and the many other boards and committees that help to operate Franklin. 

Our government does its best when it is truly "of the people, by the people, for the people"

Pick your cause, pick your interest, and help. Together we can accomplish great things!  

FHS baseball and softball top Attleboro

From Hockomock Sports we find and share the results of the spring sports action on Friday, May 29.

FHS Panthers

Baseball
Attleboro, 4 @ Franklin, 5 - Final 

- On Senior Day, it was a group of seniors who shined for the Panthers. Zane Byrne got the win, tossing five innings with four strikeouts, giving up just on earned run. Marc Elliot (1 IP, 1 K) and Kyle Wardrop (1 IP, SV, 1K) closed out the came in relief. Offensively, Nick Burgos went 2-3 with a double and a triple, two runs scored and an RBI, Ant Chaiton knocked in a pair of runs in the fourth inning, Kyle Skidmore went 1-3 with a double and a run scored, TJ Paulsen had a base hit, walked and scored a run and KJ Powers came around to score a run.

Softball
Franklin, 7 @ Attleboro, 1 - Final 

- Maddie Connelly had two hits on the day, one being a two-run triple and Alicia Donovan and Olivia Haba each knocked in two runs. Caroline d'Aprile got the win in the circle, getting four strikeouts allowing four hits.

For the other results around the Hockomock League on Friday
http://www.hockomocksports.com/blog/hockomock-schedule-scoreboard-052915

Charity Yard Sale to Aid Franklin Family

Oak Street Cub Scout Pack 29, along with many area friends and neighbors, have put together an AMAZING yard sale today, Saturday, May 30th at 14 Flintlocke Road in Franklin. The outpouring of support for his family has been so heartwarming with donations coming in from over 30 families. 

We have such a wide range of items in great condition from children's indoor and outdoor toys and games, household decor and books, to many kitchen gadgets, small appliances, a poker table, dishes, CDs/DVDs and More. 

Definitely something for everyone! And 100% of the proceeds will go to helping the Parisi family with some of their expenses.

The yard sale will be from 8am - 3pm today (originally scheduled for 5/31) and we hope many of you will come out, shop and enjoy some lemonade!!!!

Caeden and Devin Parisi

The online fund raiser for the Parisi Family can be found here
http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/c-d-united/278046

Franklin Art Center - Summer Updates

Franklin Art Center

• For the month of June pre-k art classes are weekly

• We have ocean week next week, animal week, & art exploration. 

• Check out the summer page on our website

• K-12 classes are posted as well 

• Clay handbuilding will be Wednesday's 6:30-8 new this summer for ages 10- adult

• Fun Friday's will be added for one day workshops, kids paint and family paint -these will be posted on our facebook page weekly

You can find them on the web here  http://www.franklinartcenter.com/
or on Facebook here  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Franklin-Art-Center/193366394039561?fref=photo

Upcoming Events in Franklin, MA Area: FRI 5/29/15 - THU 6/4/15

FRI 5/29   8pm   The Black Box Cabaret - FPAC Alumni
FRI 5/29   8-9:50pm   Frozen Friday DJ Public Skate at Pirelli Arena

SAT 5/30   1pm   Movie “Strange Magic” at Franklin Public Library
SAT 5/30   4pm   FPAC students present “The Magic Flute” at The Black Box

SUN 5/31   9:30am-12pm   Join Cub Scouts Event at Franklin Town Common. Meet the leaders and sign up.
SUN 5/31   2-5pm   Drink Pink for Cure! at Pour Richard’s in Franklin
SUN 5/31   2pm   Movie “Into The Woods” at Franklin Public Library

THU 6/4   8:30am   Franklin Downtown Partnership Meeting at Dean College

For all the Town of Franklin Public Meetings click HERE.

For event details click HERE.

*If you have any suggestions or events for the calendar, please email Renata@BetterLivingRE.com

FHS Top 10 senior students recognized by United Regional Chamber

The United Regional Chamber of Commerce sent along this notification on the Franklin High School students that were recognized at the Chamber's Spotlight on Education breakfast at Lake Pearl Luciano’s on May 27. 

The Top 10 students from the senior class were honored as well as the Unsung Hero (a student who excels in other areas, has outstanding leadership qualities, or is outstanding in some other way.)

Heller Photography provided the photo of the Top 10 FHS Students

FRANKLIN

• Pooja Agarwal
• Gabriela Blood
• Thomas Cerier
• Kathleen Doherty
• Haley Frank
• Jessica Garrigan
• Marcus Giese
• Amy Reynolds
• Caleigh Smith
• Madison Wendell
• UNSUNG HERO: Philip Henault

Franklin Police share resources on preventing overdoses

During the Town Council meeting last week, Chief Stephan Semerjian mentioned that the Police Department was posting resources on their webpage to help share the information. 

Here is the info shared:





14 Rules Never to Break with Dealing with Addiction
http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_Police/Narconon14Rules.pdf

signs of heroin abuse - shared from the Franklin Police page

Opioid

The term opioid designates a class of drugs derived naturally from the opium poppy (opium, morphine, codeine), synthesized or derived from a natural opiate (heroin, oxycodone, hydrocodone), or manufactured synthetically with a chemical structure similar to opium (fentanyl, methadone). Among their many effects, opioids depress breathing by changing neurochemical activity in the brainstem where automatic bodily functions are controlled. 

Overdose

An overdose occurs when opioid concentrations are so high in the body that they begin to cause respiratory depression. Overdoses can be further characterized as being either non-fatal (loss of consciousness and depressed breathing) or fatal (respiration ceases and/or cardiac arrest ensues) (Warner-Smith, et al, 2001). 

Overdose is a common experience among opioid users. In a review of the literature on overdoses, Darke and Hall (2003) found that at least half of opioid users in cross-sectional studies report a history of non-fatal overdose, many of whom report overdosing multiple times. Additionally, Darke and Zador (1996) report that opioid users have mortality rates that are between six and twenty times those of their peers. These authors go on to report that deaths attributable to overdose are the most common cause of death among opioid users. 

In a report released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in December 2011, drug overdose was identified as the cause of death for over 41,000 people in 2008 (Warner, et al, 2011). With the rate nearly tripling in the past three decades, drug overdose is now the leading cause of accidental death nationally, exceeding motor vehicle accidents; in 2008, there were 38,000 motor vehicle deaths. 

While the CDC report identifies overdose as a national issue, the northeast region is disproportionately affected. In its 2011 New England High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (NE HIDTA) Drug Market Analysis, the National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC) noted, “opioid abuse remains the most significant drug threat to the NE HIDTA – (NDIC, 2011). The authors identify pharmaceutical opioid abuse as the driving factor behind this increase. Evidence suggests that pharmaceutical opioid abusers often switch from prescription medications to heroin due to its lower cost and greater purity.

Continue reading more from the Mass Dept of Health brochure (PDF) here
http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/docs/dph/substance-abuse/opioid/overdoseresponsestrategies.pdf