##VIDEO ID:nz_WDtawSxw## I'm happy to introduce Reverend Sun who was the head of the Interfaith Council for the township uh she took over for for Alex kassi when Alex became a councilman so she has asked to come before us and possibly between the the HRC and the and and the Interfaith we could work together with or something like that so I'm going to ask her to to make a presentation and then we'll have a short question and answer period so re well first of all thank you so much for having me I'm very glad to be here and I do have a handout not enough possibly if you go here um just s two seconds is that on already because the screen went black can sh because I don't have enough everyone okay I did not know how many people uh to expect to be here just before you start the program that you guys did with the all the community people on biases and stuff like that oh yes the bias and civil rights training that yes oh thank you [Music] so what I've passed out to you is an outline of our vision and the mission of the Interfaith Council and our our vision is we envision a community strengthened by its diversity uh where people of all faiths and cultures are welcome to appreciate it and together Build a Better Community for all and as you can see our mission statement speaks to who we are and what we do our mission is to advance understanding and cooperation across diverse Faith traditions stre for example where we've had different ethnic and um religious groups represented and dances and um and um so some of these things I think you know it's just a question of lighting the fire again okay to get them um organized um there are a lot of groups I think in town that already have Intercultural concert experiences so I would think it wouldn't be difficult to bring different groups together in one space for that kind of because there's a lot of uh places that already are hosting cultural concerts right all under um One Umbrella I love the idea of the literacy Workshop um the the conversation Town Hall do you have a projected date for that well initially we had talked about November but I think that might be a little too soon to do the kind of planning that we really want to do to make sure we have the psychologist the therapist and the proper group to be the moderator and mediator because the hope is that we'll have groups that will sit at tables together you facilitators for each make it more intimate you know and so that that's the hope we used to have like a a day of understanding over on Elizabeth Avenue remember when we had um Interfaith dialogues we had we had one here at the Muslim Center on Hamilton Street and then the following year we had one um on Elizabeth Avenue where we bought like the Buddhist community and different representatives from the Christian Community uh even some of our atheist brothers and sisters attended too um so like I said I I think there's plenty of precedents for this so we could just light a fire and certainly help you light the fire yeah we used we used to have seminars in different uh houses of worship like St Maas and then all the other uh religious groups would come and it was really interesting and then you will get to know the different religions one of the one of the programs that was very successful I thought was when there was one there were Interfaith dialogues that were focused on one theme like one of them that comes to mind as we did one on forgive forgiveness forgiveness and what each Faith tradition says about forgiveness and it was a great learning experience because basic there were so many common threats you know about what each Faith tradition so what each Faith tradition says about you know serving your fellow man and fellow woman you know um and uh and and you know every Faith tradition has something some tenant of deep related to um the service of others so things I felt that those were effective and bringing people together and also in in focusing the discussion right you know um yeah I think that that's very good very effective in terms of you choose a topic like for example compassion I invite uh the faith leaders and general public whoever is interested to come and express their views about that topic like compassion kindness uh Service uh you know Unity uh various uh virtues that would help build the community bring the community together effective those took the form of like round tables where you would have you know a designated uh representatives from the different Faith traditions in the town and then you know then it was opened up to discussion and of course there was always Fellowship so you know there was always food afterwards you know so we got a chance to but um the town hall um I think you're right that that that needs um a lot of time just to it well and also to to uh attract everyone in the town to come together you know under this uh umbrella of unity that you know we need to to learn more about this issue and and to find ways that we can make a difference so we're having our first committee meeting for that uh um I believe it's the 9th I think the date is the 9th of October and I don't know if you want to send a representative from your group to be a part of that we'll probably do it via Zoom I would like to I would like to ask that sounds great I would like to have a point someone to if if they can to it attend that meeting and and because what do you have uh indicated sounds probably need this this [Music] town and we would like to be well I'll put my name out there if I I can you know when I had my hand up before but I wanted I'm relatively new to the community but one of the things I I see is uh just from an outside perspective is um it's overwhelming the different ethnic groups and and religious groups in Franklin I'm what I say it's it's it's almost impossible sometimes for the human relations to get to a lot of these events because there's so many events that and as was mentioned just before is that some groups have got on their own in and have their cultural events and they do reach out right but you know it's usually you only you can reach so many people right so I I don't know if somewhere way of you know district-wise or something you know so that you could you know bring those different districts together somehow instead of because like I said there's there's a tremendous amount we we have tried many times to uh go to some some of these events you I know course a lot of the events are on the weekend so it makes it kind of difficult so that's an observation that I have number two is I was going to say say is that um the schools have really embraced the equity Darren plumber um is actually uh in central office right now and he has a committee in the uh schools you know that uh they they run a divers night uh they just um they ran this is I think their second year they ran that proom uh but it it's a good start to also include those School schools involved with that you know what I mean because well effect the school district okay you know I mean so Darren Plummer is the U the ministry in charge of the equities that's the title there uh it's actually a position that's um many school districts have embraced uh to try to bring more diversity and Equity uh into the school district um and get you know uh void of religion though oh yeah well you know religion comes in I mean you know I know separation church and state but you're going to have it no matter what you know what I mean in regards that but uh I think somewhere along the line using as we have right here the social media to probably reach out sometimes you know like I said this committee here can only I think sometimes I can only reach so many events there you when we come in we have all these different dates here we're try to figure out who can attend as a representative you know and or if in some cases uh Gary uh uh promotes Us co-sponsoring in some cases too but I think the idea is that you have uh you know are real good ideas and as I think mentioned before something that was done in the past and may me like someone has a light of fire made me get him get him going again here like you know like the community day which is a huge event um I'm sure there's a lot of groups that probably should be a part of it that aren't you know for whatever reason you know because uh representative of the community like like why why wouldn't we for next year for example fold in the idea of you know Multicultural presentations in in yeah because you already have a large audience um and um and and a lot of enthusiasm around that event um and it continues to grow every year so it it would make sense to I think have a um a presence there yes you know and the other thing I want to mention is I I don't remember was it Connor Le that had the peacemakers yes school so there's that wonderful um Peacemaker um program I I afraid I'm not up to dat with it but um they were recognized for um their their work as peacemakers you know the students at connly so maybe there's some opportunity under the banner piece um um which all of this comes under that you know to because I'm thinking about finding things that unify you know they un um things that practice as a as a one and certainly that umbrella peace would you know so maybe they've done some programs that could be expanded to the adult community you know can I can I I know you're busy so if you could coordinate maybe a little bit with it so when this uh commit meets this Hall you can report back to us we can be we can be part of it your emails so you can you don't have to go to all means but you can you can keep us most I do attend the meetings at the at the school district yeah Darren he sends me uh a remote you know it sends me a link there and I usually go with we're starting to meet person now someone else like to be part of that would be great October 9th I'm not here that's why I looked at my calendar but I was there I would have yeah unfortun I know October 9th I will not be available oh okay just to let you know what I head add in October 9th I have to check my schedule but I try to add in okay so should I you can send it to me if I'm my think cancel DC here to have a representative Gary is your contact okay contact Gary okay I'll send him the information as to the date and time of the meeting okay and then he'll give me the name of the contact I'll make sure you get a link if you can get the town hall I know no is not you can't plan properly but I think it's November is probably early but if you can get it done on December the town hall because that might be needed right now in the environment that we live in yeah well our thought was to have that the uh senior citizens we have a very challenging year ahead of us regardless of what happens um and and I think 2025 is just as good a time to talk about all of this you know um right you know uh so I I and what happens usually is people get so busy November and December with the holidays that it's very difficult to get a crowd together perhaps um I mean I can I can tell you your officers have uh three local um extremely active in the community right my girlfriend who who I know because I walk to the temple Pastor George and the in they've all been extremely active yes yes I do and they're very good so one thing also that I noticed over the years uh the National Day of Prayer it's very very successful I mean we used to do that too yeah leaders from various Faith communities come together share prayers we can have we don't have to wait for National Day of Prayer more of this situation events that can bring the faiers together uh whoever is interested they can come and share prayer from their tradition uh you know there of Peace Unity you know compassion kindness I mean you know doesn't hurt you know it brings the community together I agree I agree wholeheartly very well I thank you so much for your time I thank you so much for sharing and hearing and I'm looking forward to your partnership yeah let me know okay thank you so much thank you okay our W has arrived and we're is his reports sorry about the tness guys we're running a citiz Academy outside in a parking lot and the police Municipal lot I'm officer Bevin and uh for a police report I can uh say that this Saturday we are hosting Franklin day uh will we be a part of it I don't know if we're hosting but we'll be a part of it and uh we will be there representing the police department with multiple vehicles of things to give the children and also the community as well not just the children so uh look out for that uh the first week of Wednesday in October there will be a food distribution but the food distribution will be held at First Baptist now it's no longer held at 9:35 Hamilton Street really yeah uh we were getting a big bigger crowd so it was uh drawing more attention so we needed a safer location so the safer location was First Baptist that's off of uh Somerset Street or 27 Hamilton it's the first Wednesday of every month so that date will be October um if I'm not mistaken October 3rd or 4th thir orth oer I'm sorry October 2 I'm sorry this it'll be the first Wednesday consecutively each month so but this locations have changed that's during the day right uh that will be at 11:00 a lot of people line up at 9:00 a.m. uh but we don't start serving boxes until like you know 10:00 you know it depends remember we changed the location now but as far as that uh that's that's it the police report you know make sure uh weather is going to be getting cooler so I highly recommend that you know we emphasize locking your doors I know we're going to start getting a habit of warming our cars up going into the Colder Weather and there are you know people looking to see what cars are idling so just be just be aware of your surroundings and make sure you lock in your vehicles I know these smart cars you know they kind of lock on its own but um just be careful you know it's getting cooler outside so uh make sure you just you know lock your doors and and just be aware any police matters that anyone wants to address no question police thank you for coming um a John Tims was supposed to be on his way I don't know what happened to him um I do want to report that we do have an opening now uh St Lazaro he was forced to resign because of something family so I do have one opening so if any of you know anyone let me know and then order and I who were who who on the subcommittee usually talk to the people and we interview them after they fill out their application so you anybody has the opening been uh listed on the website because we used last year have not having Alex so he did tell the counsel that I know that's a good idea because we were accused of not making known our openings last year so V canes the other commissioner John S I think speak to he's been ill with some heart problems and this is the four meeting that he has an attendant so you know I don't want to let him go because he was interested but with the attendance requirements I might have no choice on that one so but I I'll hold off on that one um regarding the Kmart Shopping Center that was postponed again I I believe that meeting with the zoning boy is October 18th I think if if that's a Thursday so hopefully that'll be resolved and I did speak to edner about the plags and she did speak to Alex karassi who who suggested that we speak to the township manager and and we are reaching out to him so once we hear it then Alex can talk to the council about it because as you know uh we need to get the councils okay on that and once we speak to the township manager hopefully that will be uh that just by way of recap that last meeting I I announced that we have um the support of several groups in the town including the business community and Alex was not here at that meeting so um I did catch up with him at the Democratic picnic and um that's where he said you know I said to him you know we're pretty much ready because we can't do anything until Council gives us permission um to move forward so um he suggested that we speak to the township manager first and then we'll we can present to the council there any other questions um as we as we indicated as side of the is a frankon day and as as the policeman could say they get a large a large crowd so I always try to get there early so I can park cu the park sometimes is is a real problem is uh Clon it'll be held in Colonial Park so it's going to be a little bit easier than uh Nation night out you know it's being held normally in the municipal lot but Franklin day being held in cloning Park the parking is going to be a lot better if you can't talk some will there be Transportation will it be Transportation uh I don't believe there will be Transportation sure have to walk uh you still have to walk now there's going to be a gator there a gator meaning like a little U quad with the back seat that if someone is handicapped there will there will be one available um if if need be all right because it's going to be a lot of uh pedestrians in the park Colonial Park is pretty big yeah so U but it's a good time the same U place was last year at the Colonial Park Colonial Park yeah they stopped they stopped Franklin day at Colonial Park maybe a Grace one or one year or two years and they try to have it in another location but this was the better location and colonal Park's a beautiful partk remember when Nora had the had the entertainment yeah that the first year yeah okay um I don't really have anything else our next meeting is October 23rd and does anyone have any anything else your idea yeah talk about putting a little subcomittee together of maybe putting a little U pamphlet together why you to why you yeah well I think a lot of I don't know as many groups in Franklin but most groups you know have like a little pamphlet they can hand out you know and I think it was mentioned that they had one at one time so uh I don't know if anybody has a copy of it from years but we could take a look at the format there and then list it because so I think we've been involved in a lot more events and it's always nice to give something like that out uh you would that to be haveit yeah yeah yeah okay yeah that might be a good didn't we have a yeah I I I might have some in I have it some place yeah word or something that I remember yeah it's just been a long long time look at that I have that so I can let me send that to you okay anything else for the community day no I don't think Saturday no I think the IDE get the copy I can print it we it yeah all depends what the information is provided because there's a mission statement events you know I mean things that okay if if not I'll accept the V to join we have a the new camera system we used to have the old one so I had to get the township to help me but as you can see we are being recorded that one was easier this is a new system that uh I got a lesson on but I I I have one of our high school guys with me so he'll help me but it looks pretty easy right report on what's going on in the schools anything going on in the schools the high scho tool um we are presenting a Franklin day for the robotics yeah we're doing like a skit on the for the robotics club like on the cultural stage that would be great okay I think I need toj thank you all thank you thank you