Framingham Mayor Writes To Sister City in Russia; Memorial Building Shines in Blue & Yellow To Support Ukraine

In full transparency, the following is a press release from the City of Framingham.

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FRAMINGHAM – For Framingham residents seeking to assist Ukrainians facing a lack of food, clothing, water, and other aid, the office of Mayor Charlie Sisitsky is referring them to a list of vetted nonprofit agencies, compiled by Philanthropy Massachusetts, that offer disaster and emergency relief resources.

For residents researching other agencies, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey has
recommended being wary of social media posts or emails soliciting donations to copycat organizations or fake websites, refusing to give personal or financial information to anyone soliciting money, never paying cash, and donating to known trusted charities.

Consumers with concerns about solicitations they have received should contact the Attorney General’s
Non-Profit Organizations/Public Charities Division at 617-963-2101 or access the complaint form online.
In tribute to the people of Ukraine, the city’s Memorial Building has shone blue and yellow lights since
early March.

Framingham has enjoyed a Sister City relationship with Lomonosov, Russia, since the mid-1990s, when
town resident Irving August founded an exchange program between local citizens and residents of the
Russian city on the outskirts of St. Petersburg.

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Although the Sister City relationship has been inactive since 2007, according to the founder’s widow, Ruth August, a number of residents have called for an intentional severing of Framingham’s ties to the country ruled by Vladimir Putin. In response, the Mayor has sent a letter to the leader of the Lomonsov
government, stating his appreciation for the continuing warm cross-cultural relationships created through the former Sister City program while voicing his condemnation of Russian’s hostile military actions in Ukraine.

The letter concludes, “While I am writing to voice my condemnation of your president’s hostile actions, I
am also giving thanks for the relationship that our cities shared in the past. Framingham residents often
reminiscence about their wonderful cultural experiences visiting your city, their warm and welcoming
Russian hosts, and their own enjoyment hosting your citizens when they visited the United States. Many
of these friendships endure and have extended to new generations.

“I wish good health for the people of Lomonosov and hope that you too share our condemnation of the
barbaric military actions launched against the Ukrainian people.”