www.franklinkansas.com

Upcoming Events

November 5

 (2 pm) FCCI Board Meeting  

(3 pm) Water Board Meeting

Veterans Appreciation Ceremony

  Community Christmas Party

June 23-24, “2007”  Centennial

FUNERAL DINNERS:  Call 347-4220 to make arrangements for using the community center for funeral dinners at no charge. 

POLKA DANCE:  There will be no dance in December.

NEW YEARS EVE PARTY:  New Years Eve celebrations are returning to Franklin thanks to the Franklin Community Council, Inc.  They will be hosting a New Years Eve Party, December 31, 2006 from 9pm-1 am.  A variety of music will be provided by:  Music, Music, Music.   Party Favors and Breakfast will be included with the admission cost.  Beverages & snacks will be available for purchase.  Located at the Franklin Community Center,  7th & Broadway, Franklin, Ks.   Cost is $15 per person.    Reservations are required and must be paid in advance (seating is limited so make your reservations early).   Call Norine Laird at 620-347-4453 or mail your check made payable to FCCI with # of reservations to:    FCCI,  P. O. Box 43,  Franklin, Ks. 66735.  Tickets will be mailed to you upon receipt of payment.   Tickets can also be purchased from board members. 

LIFELONG FRIENDS:   Everyone enjoyed the October meeting which was a Halloween party and covered dish luncheon.  

COMMUNITY CENTER:  (Dianna Morrison 620-347-8807 or 620-249-2059)   Call for rental information.   .  

COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS PARTY:  Circle your calendar now for December 10th... the 7th Annual Franklin Community Christmas Party is now being planned.  Watch the newsletter for further details. 

CRAWFORD COUNTY  RWD #7:   Our last rate increase to our customers was May, 2004.  On August 1, 2005 we received a rate increase from our supplier which was NOT passed on to you but absorbed by RWD #7.   This past summer our District's Waterline Improvement Project was completed and the final figures have been processed and the first payment on the loan has been made.  Starting January, 2007, you will notice a Debt Service Fee of $3.00 which will be added to all water bills each month in order to pay off the loan for this project.  

VETERANS LUNCHEON & RECEPTION:  We will be hosting a Veterans’ Luncheon on November 10 at noon at the Community Center for Franklin veterans and their family.  If you are a veteran and have not been contacted please let us know.  Our list of veterans was compiled from memory and we don’t want to leave anyone out.  Please let us know if you are a Franklin veteran and have not received an invitation.  Please contact Marion at 347-8444.   A  Veterans Day program and reception will be held at 1 which is open to the public.  Please plan to attend and honor our local veterans.   We expect two former POWs, a Five Star General and families with several siblings who were in the military to be in attendance.  This is quite an accomplishment for our small community.  We can all be proud of all of our veterans’ service to our country.  Please attend to show your support.  The 3^rd and 4^th grade students of Northeast Elementary School under the direction of Lori Pommier, elementary vocal music teacher will perform patriotic musical selections. 

CENTENNIAL:  June 23-24, 2007   The centennial celebration will be a unique experience for all.   There will be the standard events with many added surprises.    A tent will be set up which will showcase Crawford County.  This will allow visitors to take a visual tour of what Crawford County has to offer. 

There are many opportunities for community organizations to have a fund raising event (churches, civic organizations, boy scouts, schools, women’s or men’s organizations, historical societies, etc.).   There will be a vendor area for a fee of $50 for the entire week-end ($40 if registered prior to December 31, 2006).  Electricity will be available on a limited basis at an additional $10 per booth.   This area is for food, arts & crafts, antiques, etc.   Businesses and local artisans are also welcome to sell in this area. 

A children’s tent will be available at no charge with games and prizes being given throughout the day.    If you have any questions regarding this booth or would like to offer to help contact Lisa Martin 620-347-4053. 

An information/sales tent at the site of the old post office will be available with information relating to the locations and times of events.  Collectible items will be for sale recognizing the spirit of the community and its centennial celebration.  A cookbook with recipes from Franklin residents and friends and a calendar with photos and the history of the community will be available for sale along with many other items.   Contact Candy Pitts 620-347-4181 or Judy Musso 620-347-8356.

Rollin Nostalgia Car Club will be hosting and judging a classic car contest.  Awards will be given for best of each decade (1910s, 1920s, etc.).  Entry forms are available on-line or by calling 620-249-9333.

A raffle is being held with the top prize of $1,000.  Other cash and merchandise prizes will also be given away.  Winner need not be present for cash prizes but must be present for drawing of merchandise prizes. If you would like to help sell tickets or to purchase tickets call Margaret Kennedy at 620-347-4358.

A bocce and horseshoe tournament will be held. Contact information for horseshoe tournament is Dave Bierbrodt, 620-347-4325.  Bocce tournament contact is Henry Ashbacher 620-347-4070.

Church services will be held in the park Sunday morning and are being conducted by Ted Wynn, Pastor of New Life Baptist Church, Franklin, Kansas.

A photographer (David Chandler) will be available on Saturday for family photos.

Everyone can put on their dancing shoes as there will be ample opportunity to display their talents.  A dance contest with judging by Jody Phillips Dance Studio will be held Saturday with a variety of different dance styles such as Charleston, Swing, Rock 'n Roll, Tango, Waltz, Twist, Disco, Polka, Salsa, Country/Western,  and the Current Dance which will be announced at a later date. Prizes will be awarded.   Jody’s students will also be performing prior to the contest.   Contact Don or Mary Lipasek 620-347-4055

A free polka party will be held Sunday afternoon.    For further information on the polka party contact Norine Laird 620-347-4453.

Bingo will be available on Saturday hosted by the Women’s Auxiliary of Arma American Legion.   

Another event that is sure to gain everyone’s attention is the Celebrity Auction.   Many items have already been gathered which include autographed items from the Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas Jayhawks, football star Terry Bradshaw, NASCAR superstar Jimmie Johnson, actor & author James Earl Jones, actors James Caan, John Travolta, Joey Bishop and others.   This will be a silent auction with a preview on Saturday and the actual bidding on Sunday.   Watch the website as the list of items continues to grow.

Linda Knoll, noted author and historian, will present a program on Saturday night.  It is a historic dramatic, comedic and musical performance relating to our coal mining history and the nationally known Amazon Army March which began in Franklin, Kansas.  You won’t want to miss this event.

Ethnic food, historic programs, performances, slides shows and many other activities will be taking place the entire week-end.   Families and school classes are encouraged to plan their family or class reunions around this event. 

Information about the centennial, silent auction, registration forms and stories about the community can be found on the website at www.franklinkansas.com or by calling 620-249-9333 or any of the above contact numbers.    Craig Hull, director of Crawford County Convention and Visitors Bureau is working with the community on this event and can be contacted at 620-231-1212 for travel and visitor information.

INFO NEEDED:  We are requesting that families send their family name along with the dates they settled in Franklin. Feel free to include any memories relating to your family that we may use for the centennial (whether it’s a story about settling in Franklin or any other memory you may have).  Be sure your family name and story is included in this display.  We don’t want to omit anyone but if we don’t hear from you we won’t have the correct information.  It can be very simply a hand written note attached to the following form.  If you don’t have a story or memory to share please send your name and date of arrival in Franklin.   Whether you are a new resident or have been here prior to the establishment of the community in 1907 we want to hear from you.  We realize that the area now known as Franklin has been in existence long before 1907.  The date 1907 was selected through the guidance of the State Historical Society as the “established” date.  This date reflects the time that the community began to grow and prosper, schools and businesses were established, etc.     Please return this with your water payment or send this information to FCCI, P. O. Box 43, Franklin, Ks. 66735. 

Family name:  _______________________________________________________________________

(for example this can be “Smith”, “John & Mary Smith”,  we’d like the name of the first generation of your family that settled in Franklin-whether that is 1929 or 2006)

Date of arrival in Franklin:  _____________________________________   (just the year is fine)

Memories: (reason for settling in Franklin, early years in the community, etc.)   ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________
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(please attach any additional memories)

I am sending the above information to be included in the centennial displays.

Signed: ________________________________________________________    Date: __________________