Happy Holidays

Thank you for your support this year 

and best wishes for 

a productive and prosperous 2016!

Downtown Streetscape Project Update #20

Thanks to Steve Sherlock and Franklin Matters for this streetscape update post:

Screen shot of Wednesday's Franklin Matters post. 

Downtown Free Parking Update

The Franklin Police have clarified some guidelines about the covered parking meters downtown.

While parking is free, the 2-hour maximum is still in effect for each space. The police are monitoring the spaces and will ticket violations.

If you have questions, please contact Lt. Mark Mannochio, mmannochio@franklinpolice.com or 508-440-2727. 

Free Parking Downtown

The Town of Franklin has covered the parking meters and given everyone coming to the downtown center the gift of free parking. 

'12 Days of Donating' Runs Through Saturday

Have you dropped of your donation to the Franklin Food Elves "12 Days of Donating" campaign yet?  If your answer is yes, thank you very much! If not, there's still time to make a difference. The "12 Days of Donating" drive runs through Saturday, December 12. 

All non-perishable goods and monetary donations stay in Franklin to directly benefit 600 Franklin families who use Food Pantry services. 

Be sure to donate to your neighborhood Food Elves or drop off contributions at one of these 11 participating businesses:

• Chestnut Dental Associates, 38 Pond St.
• DCU, 500 West Central St.
• Dean Bank, 21 Main St.
• Dean College, Campus Center
• Emma’s Quilt Cupboard, 12 Main St.
• Franklin Downtown Partnership Office, 9 East Central St.
• Jane’s Frames, 11 East Central St.
•  Keefe Insurance Agency, 51 West Central St.
• Murphy Business, 15 East Central St.
• Pour Richard’s Wine & Spirits, 14 Grove St.
• The Adirondack Club, 800 Chestnut St.

You can also visit the Franklin Food Pantry, 43 West Central Street, and designate the Food Elves when donating.

Donation drop off at the Food Pantry warehouse on Dec. 6.

Tonight! Business After Hours Event

Join the Franklin Downtown Partnership for a 

Business After Hours event! 

*** Networking, connections, music and appetizers ***

Date:    Tuesday, December 8
Time:    5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Place:   Sally's Alley at Franklin Village Mall

Come in and take a look at our fabulous window treatments, enjoy some music, and share some hors d'oeuvres from The Alumni Restaurant and Wine from Pour Richard's Wine & Spirits. Networking from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. -- Sally Alexander, owner Sally's Alley.

Please RSVP so we know how many people to accommodate:  

Gary Donelan, gary.donelan@middlesexbank.com, 

or Matt Lechter, mlechter@dean.edu,

or Sally Alexander, salexander.sallysalley@gmail.com.

Downtown Streetscape Project Update #19

The latest from the Town Administrator's office:

December 4, 2015

Downtown Project Update #19

Jeff,

Given the great weather, the contractor now wishes to continue work for a few more weeks.  The plan is as follows, so initially there is minor disturbance with the sidewalk on Main St.

First, Walsh will set light pole foundations. This will involve removing a small section of sidewalk to excavate and set the foundation. There are (6) foundations on the Acapulco's side of roadway and (5) on the opposite side of the roadway. We will begin on the Acapulco's side of the roadway. Once those 11 are set, Walsh will do the electrical conduit crossings. There is a crossing on Main St at approx. sta 120+75, and a crossing at Dean Ave and Depot St.  They will be saw cutting panels on both sides of Main St initially.

If weather and time permit, Walsh will begin to excavate sidewalk to install electrical conduit for the street lighting beginning on the side of Acapulcos. This work will be last as it is the most intrusive. Again, time and weather pending, the conduit running underneath the sidewalk may not begin until the spring. We will know more as the next 1-2 weeks pass and I will keep everyone updated.

I feel this is the best way to move forward initially with minor disturbance to the roadway and sidewalk and still enable them to continue getting work done. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thank You,

Anthony Tavalone

CE III MA DOT

(617) 233-0795

A Frosty and Fun Time at the Holiday Stroll

Thursday's Holiday Stroll was seasonably chilly and bright as Franklin kicked off this festive time of year with a tree lighting ceremony on Dean College's campus common.

The tree was lit by Boomer and Dean College President Paula Rooney.

Strollers were treated to entertainment by Franklin musicians, crafts, shopping options from local businesses, sweets and warm beverages, and appearances by Santa, Mrs. Claus, Post Mark the North Pole Postman, Snow White and the Seven Elves, and Boomer.

Santa met lots of kids at Simon's Furniture. 

Thanks to the crowds who came out to enjoy the evening. Thank you DPW and Franklin Police Department for their hard work. Thank you, too, to Dean College for organizing hot chocolate, the carolers and the tree lighting!

Thank you to our sponsors for helping make this event a success. And, last but not least, thank you to event organizers Roberta Trahan and Gregg Chalk. 

Gold Sponsors DCU, Dean Bank and Dean College

Dean Bank handed out 4,000 gingerbread
man decorating kits.

DCU handed out cider and other goodies in Depot Plaza.

Silver Sponsors Franklin Ford, Keefe Insurance and Franklin Local Town Pages

Jared Simon poses with the sponsor Franklin Ford's display car

Bronze Sponsors Beaux Regards Photographic Arts by Marjorie Sardella, Franklin Health & Rehabilitation Center, Jane's Frames, NEWPRO and Next Step Living.

Marjorie Sardella displays her photographic art in Depot Plaza

Jamie Barrett entertained his fans at Jane's Frames.

NEWPRO raffled off home improvement options.

Next Step Living representatives shared home energy ideas with attendees.

Check out more photos in the slideshow at the top right side of the website and on our Facebook page!

UPDATE: 11 Businesses Involved in '12 Days of Donating'

 

Ten Eleven Businesses Participate in ’12 Days of Donating’ Campaign

The Franklin Food Elves kick off the “12 Days of Donating” campaign on Tuesday, December 1, to benefit the Food Pantry, and Franklin Downtown Partnership member businesses are doing their part to help collect goods and monetary donations.  

The Food Elves is a charitable community service group made up of more than 90 students from Franklin schools. This year 11 local businesses are participating in the 12 Days drive. Each business has a red collection bin on site and will donate $200 if the Food Elves meet their goal of collecting more than 1,200 pounds of goods.

Bins can be found at these participating locations:

• Chestnut Dental Associates, 38 Pond St.
• DCU, 500 West Central St.
• Dean Bank, 21 Main St.
• Dean College, Campus Center
• Emma's Quilt Cupboard, 12 Main St.
• Franklin Downtown Partnership Office, 9 East Central St.
• Jane’s Frames, 11 East Central St.
• Keefe Insurance Agency, 51 West Central St.
• Murphy Business, 15 East Central St.
• Pour Richard’s Wine & Spirits, 14 Grove St.
• The Adirondack Club, 800 Chestnut St.

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

Click here to download this press release.

Holiday Stroll Performers

Here is a list of local student musicians performing at Thursday's Holiday Stroll in downtown Franklin. 

These talented musical artists will appear at either Dean Bank or The Cake Bar. Click here to download this schedule.

Member Announcements: Updated Town Survey, New Members, LifeLong Learning

Open Space and Recreation Survey - Updated & Abbreviated

The Town of Franklin has shortened its Open Space and Recreation Survey, and now you can fill it out either by hand or online.

Click here to take the online version.

Click here to download the 1-page survey to mail in.

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Welcome New Members!

Elizabeth Randall Interior Designs provides design services for residential, institutional and commercial spaces, specializing in historic properties. Elizabeth works in Franklin, Wrentham, Medway and Norfolk. See her portfolio at www.elizabethrandall.com, or connect with her on Houzz, Pinterest or LinkedIn.

Sarah Montani Photography is a premier Massachusetts photographer specializing in a variety of different types of photos for all occasions: maternity, newborns, children, families, senior portraits, professional headshots, engagements,weddings, and bar/bat mitzvahs. The business is recognized as one of the "Top 5 Family Photographers Around Boston" by Boston Parents Paper in 2014. Sarah's studio is located at 19 Dean Ave., and sittings are by appointment only. For more information go to www.sarahmontaniphotography.com, or see her work on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

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Classes Begin January 11

Registration is now open for classes at the The Center for Adult Education & Community Learning. Learn from experts in a wide variety of specialties, including FDP member businesses! Paint a wine bottle lamp 
with Franklin Art Center owner Linda Kabat. Try pairing wine with chocolate for Valentine's Day with Franklin Liquors owner Mark Lenzi and Sugar Shoppe proprietor Courtney Nappa. Or try a Zumba class taught by Adirondack Club trainer Carol Bouchard. Here's the center's press release with more details: 

Winter REGISTRATION OPEN

The Center for Adult Education & Community Learning Announces Classes

Franklin , MA, December 1, 2015– Registration is open for the winter semester at The Center for Adult Education & Community Learning in Franklin. Classes begin on January 11.

Participation is open to individuals and businesses alike in Franklin and the surrounding region towns. This winter, participants can choose from a very interesting variety of options. Course offerings include everything from Painting a Wine Bottle Lamp to a Beginner Ceramics class as well as Watercolor, Pastel Art classes and Intermediate Digital Photography.

You will find more exercise and sports programs than ever – Yoga, Zumba, a new afternoon Exercise class for Active Older Adults, and Community Walking. In addition, once again we will be offering Beginner Jazz Dance and our new class, Country Line Dancing. Men’s Basketball is back this winter and so is Badminton in addition to Intermediate and Advanced Volleyball classes.

An Italian Refresher class and Conversational Italian for the Traveler round out the Language field. Indian Cooking Made Healthy AND Valentine Chocolate and Wine Tasting complete this winter package along with expanded Private Music Lesson opportunities for adolescents and adults.......... so many opportunities and all reasonably priced.

If you would like a copy of the winter brochure you can go online www.FranklinLifelongLearning.com  and click on Adult Education to view or download our entire catalogue with activated links. While you’re there, you can register. You can also call The Center at 508-613-1480 for more information.


The Center for Adult Education & Community Learning at Franklin is a program of the Franklin Public School’s Lifelong Learning Institute, dedicated to providing quality learning experiences for adults in the Town of Franklin and surrounding communities.

Dean Bank to have Coloring Contest, Gingerbread Men, Music at Holiday Stroll

A press release from Dean Bank, a gold sponsor of the Holiday Stroll:

FRANKLIN, MA  - Dean Bank is getting into the Holiday Spirit this season by adding some elements to this year’s Holiday Stroll.  In addition to their popular Gingerbread Man giveaway, those in attendance inside the Dean Bank branch on Thursday evening will be treated to the musical talents of members of the Franklin High School Music Department.  Additionally, Dean Bank will be hosting a kids’ Holiday coloring contest.  

Young artists decorate gingerbread
men cookies at Dean Bank
at last year's Holiday Stroll.

There are two age groups for participants; 3-5 years old and 6-9 years old, with a Grand Prize of a $25 gift card to Learning Express Toys awarded in each category.

Parents interested in having their child participate can pick up a coloring sheet at “Sponsors Row” during the Holiday Stroll or directly inside Dean Bank’s 21 Main Street branch. Refreshments will be served inside the branch as well.  There’s no cost or purchase required to enter and it is open to all regardless if they are Dean Bank customers or not.

Outside on Main Street during the Stroll, the bank will have 400 gingerbread men to give away, along with pre-made decorating packets.

The coloring contest will run until Saturday December 12th and parents must turn in their child’s entry to the branch by then to enter.  Winners will be chosen on Monday December 14th and will be contacted at that time.