Above, the Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting for the Historical Museum’s Exhibit, “On Track, 1932 Franklin in Miniature,” was held Saturday morning and attracted dozens of museum goers. Mary Olsson, chair of the Franklin Historical Commission cut the ribbon, flanked by State Rep. Jeff Roy and several attendees in locomotive engineer regalia. The exhibit is open through mid-January on Saturday from 10 to 1 and Sunday 1-4. (photo by Anne Parker)
Last week, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03) was joined by Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Edward J. Markey (D-MA) as well as Representatives Richard E. Neal (MA-01), James P. McGovern (MA-02), Jake Auchincloss (MA-04), Katherine Clark (MA-05), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Stephen F. Lynch (MA-08), and Bill Keating (MA-09) in writing to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) raising concerns about a lack of federal funding for non-border states like Massachusetts experiencing a significant influx of migrants and requesting additional federal support for the Commonwealth’s shelter and service programs.
The Franklin VFW and Legion organizations joined together for a festive holiday dinner Sunday evening at the VFW hall on Pond Street.
The century-old Boston Post Cane belonging to the Town of Franklin was bestowed ceremonially, as per long-standing tradition, on the town’s current oldest resident, Harriet DiMartino on Thursday, December 7. 2023 by Town Clerk Nancy Danello. State Rep Jeff Roy deliver a citation if recognition from the state House of Representatives.
The Proclamation from the Town of Franklin summarizes here remarkable life so far:
Harriet was born on April 18, 1922, in Lancaster NH to Cora Congdon (Nurse) and Frederick Congdon (Clerk of Probate Coos County). She attended Lancaster schools and graduated from Lancaster High School where she was an excellent student and a basketball star.
Harriet attended the University of New Hampshire where she met the love of her life, Dominic DiMartino. They both loved ballroom dancing. After their first dance together, there was only one name that filled Harriet’s dance cards.
Dom, a civil engineering graduate of UNH, was drafted into the Army and was assigned to the China Burma India Theater assisting with the building of airport runways with the Army Corps of Engineers. She received a degree in accounting from UNH. During the war, Harriet taught school in Berlin NH and The Catskills NY.
Dom & Harriet were married on June 1, 1946, shortly after Dom returned home from India. They moved to Franklin in 1950 where they built their home on Lincoln Street. Along with being a mother to five children, Harriet was co-owner, Vice President and bookkeeper for the D DiMartino Construction Company which was established in 1962.
Harriet was a devout Episcopalian and converted to Catholicism to attend church with her husband and family. She was an active member of the Franklin Catholic Women Club for many years.
Every summer, the day after school ended, she loaded up the children and family dog in the beach wagon and headed to West Falmouth where the family spent most summers at the cottage built by Dom in 1954.
She was a fabulous baker of pies and cookies, until aging affected her ability to mix the dough. Her cookie jars were always filled with homemade treats for those who visit and there was usually an apple or rhubarb pie on the kitchen counter. Upon retiring she and Dom spent 6 months of the year in their condo in Hollywood, Florida, where Harriet served as the association treasurer of the condo association. Summers were spent at their “new” home in West Falmouth, built in 1986 adjacent to the cottage. Annually, there were two brief returns to 2 Meetinghouse Lane in Franklin for the transition from Florida Snowbird to Cape Codder and back. They were married for 64 years until Dom’s passing in 2011. Harriet continued the annual north to south migration until 2018.
Harriet continues to be a die-hard Patriots and Red Sox fan. She and Dom were 25-year Patriots season tickets holders (before the Pat’s became a historic team.) Admittedly, Harriet was the bigger sports fan than Dom.
Since 2018, Harriet has resided in her home in Franklin full time. She enjoys crossword puzzles on the TV via an app, watching the Red Sox, MASH DVDs, and weekly Sunday Mass broadcast from Notre Dame University. She is a devoted and loving mother to five children, grandmother of nine and great-grandmother of eight great- grandchildren.
MassHealth announced a new benefit allowing coverage of doula services for pregnant, birthing, and postpartum members. As part of the Healey-Driscoll administration’s efforts to address health disparities and advance health equity in Massachusetts, this coverage aims to expand access to doula care, which has been shown to improve several maternal and infant health outcomes. MassHealth covers about 40 percent of all births in Massachusetts.Doulas provide non-medical emotional, informational, and physical support to individuals and families during pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period.
The Senior Center is hosting Winter Wonderland on Thursday, December 14th from 4:30 - 7:00pm. It's an evening of beautifully decorated holiday trees, decor, live entertainment, hot cocoa and cookies, and visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus. It's perfect for all ages and the whole family.
Check out the wide-ranging offerings through this branch of the Franklin Public Schools by clicking here.
Carolyn M. Granlund, age 94, of East Orleans, passed away on October 19th, 2023. Born in Providence, RI to Mark B. and Hilda Spink on August 22nd, 1929. Carolyn was a graduate of Pawtucket RI schools and Emerson College in Boston. Cal served as a Speech Therapist in Franklin, MA schools and in private practice, later opening "Threads and Fibers", a knitting and yarn shop in the old Peacock Alley store in Orleans.
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