Community Building

Singers and dancers ruled the night October 18 at the inaugural Franklin’s Got Talent: Youth Edition variety show held at Franklin Middle School’s Sampson G. Smith campus. The stars of the show were Franklin students from all schools in the township: the traditional township schools, plus Central Jersey College Prep Charter School, Thomas Edison EnergySmart Charter School and Cedar Hill …

Balmy weather on October 13 served as a backdrop for a number of events in the township. Franklin High School Project Graduation held the first of what will be three clothing drives. The organization get paid by the pound for the clothes, which are sent to needy people overseas. We stopped in at the event, held at Franklin Middle School …

The 100th anniversary celebration for the Kingston Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 continued on October 5 with a short program and a barbecue. The celebrations began with a dinner on February 29, the actual day in 1924 on which the fire company was started. There was also a parade in July, said George Luck Jr., chairman of the 100th Anniversary …

More than 1,000 high school students ventured out to the First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens on Somerset Street October 5 to meet with representatives of colleges and trades in the church’s second annual College Fair. The goal of the event, said the Rev. Danté Quick, the church’s pastor, is to “expose young people to future opportunities around higher education …

Approximately 300 people gathered at the Ukrainian Cultural Center on Davidson Avenue October 5 to help Second Chance for Animals in its biggest fundraiser of the year. Second Chance is the organization that provides the bulk of operating expenses for the Franklin Township Animal Shelter. The event sold out weeks ago, and is one of the hottest tickets among the …

The work of about 24 township artists was on display October 5 in the second annual “Not Quite Wine & Cheese Art Opening,” held at the Franklin Township Senior/Community Center. The inaugural event was held last year in the municipal building lobby, but response to it had organizer Saffie Kallon thinking maybe a bigger space was needed this year. Kallon, …

The 19th annual edition of the Sister 2 Sister 5K Run/Walk for Life was held under sunny skies in Colonial Park on October 5. Hundreds of walkers and runners – spanning the age gap from child to senior citizen – showed up to show their support for the 24-year-old organization headquartered on Hamilton Street. Sister 2 Sister’s mission is to …

The first Franklin Day since before the Covid-19 pandemic was scheduled for September 28, and township officials weren’t going to let rain stop that. An estimated 1,000 people donned rain gear and umbrellas to fend off the rain to visit a number of vendors, organizations and Township tables during the 5-hour event. Musical acts and cultural exhibits were also featured …

GIVING THANKS – David Carcieri, CEO of the Greater Somerset County YMCA, expresses his thanks for the $750,000 allocated by the state and distributed by state Assemblyman Joe Danielsen for the construction of a Y in Franklin. The fundraising campaign for a township-based YMCA branch got a large boost from the state on September 24. State Assemblyman Joe Danielsen (D-17) …

HAPPY REUNION – Abie Bangura (second from left) holds Cyrus, her 8-month-old puppy, who wandered away from home on September 22. Puppies were made for happy endings. That was the case recently for township resident Abie Bangura and her family who were happily reunited with Cyrus, their 8-month-old Mini Australian Shepherd. Bangura was frantic when Cyrus wandered away from their …