My Friend, Dr. Ben Franklin

"Energy and persistence conquer all things". Benjamin Franklin

This is my good friend Dick Elliot, A.K.A - Dr. Ben Franklin. Dick is an actor here in Boston, MASS and has been in many movies, commericals and even the Suffolk University Marketing Material and what a treat that was when I was thinking of applying there for law school and I handed hime the copy. Dick studied for two years at Suffolk for Law School.

Ben/Dick's wife makes his clothes (nicely done I might add) and he walks around the streets of Boston and especially Boston'sFanuiel Hall/Quincy Market Place greeting many tourist who travel ALL around to visit our famous historical city Massachusetts. They also love to get their photo taken with Dr. Ben Franklin.

I REALLY admire Dick/Ben for living the life he wants to live as an actor and performer.

Dick also gets many speaking invites to local schools about the life and times of Dr. Ben Franklin and he knows all of the history some of it even parallels his own. Dick has even spoken outside of the country and the Japanese ladies love him - must be his sparkly blue eyes - they are very catchy!

I was recently invited to attend THE HOME for Little Wanderer;s Annual Cherrystones & Chowda Donor Appreciation Nite at the Union Oyster House where Dick/Ben also frequents.

I was very thrilled to see him there and I introduced him to teh CEO of THE HOME - Joan Wallace Benjamin (no relation) . We took photos with some of the kids, staff and donors too.

http://www.thehome.org/

And what a stroke of luck Dick/Ben was invited to be a guest at the Annual Voices and Vision's Annual Gala because this year's theme is about AMERICA. I am looking forward to seeing my

friend, Dr. Ben Franlin WOW the crowd as he does what he loves to do!!

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Benjamin Franklin

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin

Benjamin Franklin (January 17, 1706 [O.S. January 6, 1705] – April 17, 1790) was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author and printer, satirist, political theorist, politician, scientist, inventor, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat. As a scientist, he was a major figure in the Enlightenment and the history of physics for his discoveries and theories regarding electricity. He invented the lightning rod, bifocals, the Franklin stove, a carriage odometer, and the glass 'armonica'. He formed both the first public lending library in America and first fire department in Pennsylvania. He was an early proponent of colonial unity, and as a political writer and activist he supported the idea of an American nation.[1] As a diplomat during the American Revolution he secured the French alliance that helped to make independence of the United States possible.gf

Franklin is credited as being foundational to the roots of American values and character, a marriage of the practical and democratic Puritan values of thrift, hard work, education, community spirit, self-governing institutions, and opposition to authoritarianism both political and religious, with the scientific and tolerant values of the Enlightenment. In the words of Henry Steele Commager, "In Franklin could be merged the virtues of Puritanism without its defects, the illumination of the Enlightenment without its heat."[2] To Walter Isaacson, this makes Franklin, "the most accomplished American of his age and the most influential in inventing the type of society America would become."[3]

Franklin became a newspaper editor, printer, and merchant in Philadelphia, becoming very wealthy, writing and publishing Poor Richard's Almanack and the Pennsylvania Gazette. Franklin was interested in science and technology, and gained international renown for his famous experiments. He played a major role in establishing the University of Pennsylvania and Franklin & Marshall College and was elected the first president of the American Philosophical Society. Franklin became a national hero in America when he spearheaded the effort to have Parliament repeal the unpopular Stamp Act. An accomplished diplomat, he was widely admired among the French as American minister to Paris and was a major figure in the development of positive Franco-American relations. From 1775 to 1776, Franklin was Postmaster General under the Continental Congress and from 1785 to 1788 was President of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania. Toward the end of his life, he became one of the most prominent abolitionists.

His colorful life and legacy of scientific and political achievement, and status as one of America's most influential Founding Fathers, has seen Franklin honored on coinage and money; warships; the names of many towns, counties, educational institutions, namesakes, and companies; and more than two centuries after his death, countless cultural references.