In the coming weeks, you’ll begin to hear more about an exciting new program in Franklin called STEP, which stands for Striving To Empower People. The brainchild of a diverse group of community leaders and activists, the program is to be geared toward giving Franklin’s youth an alternative to finding trouble on the streets by offering health, wellness and empowerment programs, as well as athletics.

One of the group’s most ambitious projects is to construct a new gymnasium facility adjacent to the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center.

This is a project whose time has come. Communities all across the country are seeking ways to engage their youth in worthwhile activities and keep them on a safe and productive path. The need for such in Franklin is significant.

We are avid supporters of this new initiative, and will provide additional details on our news pages in the weeks and months ahead.

Until then, we encourage our readers to visit the program’s new website, www.stepprojectfranklin.org, to learn more about the group’s mission and plans. We expect big things from this project, and look forward to the significant impact it will have on the young people of Franklin.