2015 Summer Reading Program gets started at the Library

Franklin’s 2015 Summer Reading Program is set to begin with two parties this week.

For middle and high school students, a special kickoff party is being held Tuesday, June 23, at 6:30 p.m. at the library. Teens will be able to register for summer reading, as well as enjoy Henna tattoos, Wii games, and karaoke. Moe’s Southwest Grill is putting on a taco buffet, and Making Whoopie will provide whoopie pies.

For younger readers, a special party is planned for Wednesday, June 24, at 3 p.m., on the library lawn. In addition to information about summer reading, there’ll be glitter tattoos, face painting, balloon animals and sidewalk chalk.

The kickoff events and Summer Reading Program are sponsored by The Friends of Franklin Library in conjunction with library staff.

Franklin Public Library

For a complete listing of the Summer Programs check this flyer
http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_Library/summer2015.pdf

Franklin Community Coalition on Opioid Abuse

The first meeting of the coalition is Monday, June 30 at 7 p.m. at FHS. View this email in your browser Share your info Please answer this brief survey to help us learn about the audience We are conducting a voluntary five (5) question survey to learn a little about our coalition members ahead of the first meeting which will be held on June 30th at 7 pm in the Franklin High School Auditorium. The information you provide will help us maximize the potential of this coalition and enable us to use your experience and expertise appropriately and create the best materials to help us reach our goals. Simply click here to complete the short survey. Thank you in advance for your interest and assistance with this project. In the meantime, you may want to review Governor Baker's Stop Addiction website which provides  information on how to prevent and identify opioid misuse and where to go for help. You can view that site by clicking here. And below, I have included some links to two timely videos on the subject. One is a short film called If Only which was produced by James Wahlberg and filmed in Tewksbury. It tells the story of two teenagers battling addiction to prescription opiates. One of the boys gets help to beat the addiction, while the other dies of an overdose. The other film is an 87-minute documentary titled The Other Side of Andover Massachusetts. It's the work of a recent Andover High School graduate who is trying to draw attention to opiate abuse in his community. I thought the films would be of interest in preparation for our first community conversation next Monday. I look forward to seeing you then. If Only, a film produced by James Wahlberg, tells the story of two teenagers battling addiction to prescription opiates. Click the image above to view the movie. The Other Side of Andover Massachusetts is the work of a recent Andover High School graduate trying to draw attention to opiate abuse in his community. Click on the image above to watch the movie. Copyright © 2015 Jeffrey.Roy@MAHouse.gov, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you expressed an interest in joining the fight against obioid abuse in our community. Our mailing address is: Jeffrey.Roy@MAHouse.gov State House - Room 527A Boston, MA 02133 Add us to your address book

Senior Center: A new edition of The Franklin Connection is available

A new edition of The Franklin Connection has been published on the Town of Franklin web site.

Click the link below to read the latest edition.

http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_Senior/JulyAug15connection.pdf

Franklin Senior Center

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Franklin's first Cultural Festival arrives this summer!

The Franklin Cultural District Committee is in the final weeks of preparation for its first Franklin Cultural Festival that will run from Wednesday, July 29 to Sunday, August 2, 2015. The Celebration will take place in various locations in downtown Franklin including: THE BLACK BOX (inside and outside on its stage) and Historical Museum, in locations along Main, Daniel McCahill and Oak Streets that include but are not limited to The Cake Bar, Jane’s Frames, Dean College, the Public Library, the Town Common, and the Horace Mann Middle School, and in other locations (businesses, restaurants, etc.) within the district footprint.

Franklin Cultural Festival - Arts Happen Here!

The opening ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday, July 29 at the Town Common. It will be followed with a performance by Electric Youth and, later in the evening, FPAC: One Acts at THE BLACK BOX. Earlier in the day the Pumpernickel Puppets will perform at the Library and Jane’s Frames will host a Zentangle Class. Numerous activities are scheduled for the evening of Thursday, July 30 and the afternoon and evening of Friday, July 31.

The majority of the Cultural Festival events and performances take place on Saturday and Sunday, August 1 and 2. Saturday the performances and events will be located around the Town Common and on Sunday afternoon, they will be downtown at the Historical Museum, the Methodist Church, and THE BLACK BOX. Sunday afternoon the Circle of Friends is hosting a stage for numerous performers and the first Taste of Franklin will be offered by Franklin restaurants.

Throughout the Festival ceramic bowls, made by the Franklin Art Association, will be available for purchase, as a fund raiser for the Franklin Food Pantry.

The Franklin Cultural District Steering Committee includes: Alan Mercer, Roberta Trahan, Sue Sheridan, Jim Schultz, and Pandora Carlucci.

If you are interested in learning more about the Franklin Cultural Festival please check out our Facebook site: https://www.facebook.com/FranklinCulturalFestival or our webpage http://www.franklinsculturalfestival.org/

To financially support the Festival please visit: gofundme.com/tx62gs. If you want to be added to our email group, contact us at: FranklinCulturalDistrict@gmail.com. Thank you!



This was shared from the Cultural Festival page here

http://www.franklinsculturalfestival.org/2015/06/franklin-cultural-festival-summer-2015.html

The Town of Franklin is looking for volunteers for committees/boards

Some committees are up for their annual re-appointment and some have openings for you to step up to help!

Town of Franklin header image

The Town of Franklin is looking for Members for the following committees: If you are interested in becoming a member, please complete the attached form and return the Town Administrator's Office.

• Conservation    Conservation Commission
• Design Review Commission
• Disabilities Commission
• Municipal Affordable Housing Trust- Contact Maxine Kinhart 508-520-4949
• Zoning Board of Appeal

The volunteer form to fill out when you are interested can be found here

http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_News/01E3B9EF-000F8513.0/TOWN%20OF%20FRANKLIN%20VOLUNTEER%20FORM.pdf

In addition to those listed above, there is also an opening on the Finance Committee:

The Town of Franklin is looking for a new Member for the Finance Committee.  If you are interested,  please complete the attached form and send along with a resume and letter of interest to the Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting at jnutting@franklin.ma.us

You can fill out the same volunteer form (above) and contact Town Administrator Jeff Nutting

Reporting by walking around - Saturday, June 20th (photo essay)

The good weather had me out for a walk around town on Saturday morning. The camera came along and by sharing these photos, you can too.

Parmenter has their field day today, with Kindergarten
finishing on Tuesday and all grades finishing on Friday

the new tot lot at Fletcher Field (off Peck St)
was busy on Saturday, a good sign!

softball game in progress at Pisini Field off Peck St

empty lot going to be expanded parking for the Oteri Funeral Home

Did you know Chinese Mirch has a lunch buffet now?

new sidewalks being put in along Emmons and Main St

top layer of asphalt removed along Main St from School St to Pleasant St

High St is being redone by the contractor at the same time but paid for by
Town funds and not the grant that covers the other work

Davis Thayer sign also announces K last day on 6/23 and all grades with half day on 6/26

What are those purple flags on the Cape for?

In case you missed the article in the Globe West Sunday edition: 

Dan Gilmartin placed purple flags in the Mashpee rotary. His son Cory, 32, died of a heroin overdose in January 2014. (DEBEE TLUMACKI FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE)

Gail Mahoney, 77, measures the toll of the heroin crisis here and across the country by counting the number of grandchildren she and her friends have lost to the deadly drug. 

One friend lost two grandchildren. Another friend buried one grandchild and has a grandson who is “fighting for his life.” Mahoney said her son’s stepdaughter died of a heroin overdose four years ago. 

“I’m just a little nobody, and I know seven people that have kids that have lost their lives,” Mahoney said Friday. “It’s everywhere. It’s not just on Cape Cod. It’s throughout our whole country. My question is: Why do we have so much heroin in this country?” 

Mahoney, a Mashpee resident, visited the Mashpee rotary Friday night to speak with volunteers who placed 330 purple flags to represent people who died from overdoses of heroin and other opioids on Cape Cod and the Islands between 2000 and 2014.

Continue reading the article here: (subscription may be required)
http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/06/20/those-died-oid-overdoses-remembered-cape-with-purple-flags/UQgtjhD88zP3ySHDsQZ5fI/story.html


What can be done about the opioid epidemic in Franklin? Come out to the Community Coalition - June 30th - 7:00 PM.  Franklin can come out from behind closed doors to the High School Auditorium on 7:00 PM Tuesday, June 30. The meeting will introduce the formation of a Community Coalition to help with our own problem.