5 Things for Nov. 16: Jeff Parker Foundation Gala, Winter Skate at Patriot Place, FHS Drama Club Performance and More

Editor's note: Five Things You Need To Know Today is a Patch column that provides readers with essential, daily information at a glance. If you know of something happening in town that did not make our list, please add it in the comment section!

1. Expect a Mostly Sunny Friday with a High Near 49 in Foxborough

Today’s weather in Foxborough, according to the National Weather Service based in Taunton, calls for mostly sunny, with a high near 49. North wind around 6 mph. Friday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 30. North wind 3 to 5 mph.

2. Jeff Parker Foundation to Hold 2nd Annual Cherish the Champions Benefit Gala

The Jeff Parker Foundation will be holding its second annual Cherish the Champions Benefit Gala to raise funds for and awareness to the Jeff Parker Charitable Fund. The gala will be held in Gillette Stadium’s Putnam Club and runs from 7 p.m. to midnight.

The foundation is named after Foxborough High School graduate Jeff Parker, who lost his battle with melanoma in May 2010 at the age of 25.

“This is our biggest event to raise funds and last year we raised about $45,000,” said Jeff Parker’s mother, Roberta Parker. “This year we are hoping a little more than that.”

The event will include a dinner buffet, live and silent auctions featuring tickets to Patriots, Celtics and Red Sox games, an autographed Rob Gronkowski Patriots jersey and autographed footballs among other items. There will also be raffle baskets and dancing to music from DJ Steve Bishop. Tickets are $60 per person and can be purchased here: http://jeffparkerfoundation.org/gala-2.html

The money earned from Friday’s Gala will go to scholarships awarded to Franklin and Foxborough High School students in Jeff’s name, Sherry’s House in Worcester and families in need of financial help that are affected by cancer.

3. Foxborough High School Drama Club Presents ‘Arsenic and Old Lace’

Foxborough High School’s Drama Club is set to take the stage this weekend for its fall production of “Arsenic and Old Lace.”

The play will feature 13 FHS students on stage and an additional 15 students behind the scenes contributing to production, according to FHS Drama Club director Joan Marino.

The play is set for Friday, Nov. 16 and Saturday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 18 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $8 for students and senior citizens and $10 for adults.

4. 17th Annual BIT (Burrell, Igo, Taylor) Auction, 7 p.m. at 1601 Main St, Walpole: A charity event to benefit the Burrell, Igo, and Taylor Elementary Schools will be held at Raffael's in Walpole.  Doors open at 7pm.  Featuring: 

• Silent & Live Auction
• Classroom Basket Raffles
• Wall of Wine
• 50/50 Raffle
• Commerative Photo
• Live music by MAGNUS
• Cash Bar featuring the "BITtini" (Raffael's donates $1 for every on purchased)
• Appetizers, desserts, and coffee

Start your holiday shopping early while giving to a great cause. Cash, Checks, Visa, and Mastercard accepted.

Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door.  Inquire at 2012bitauction@gmail.com for tickets or questions and visit our website www.foxborobitauciton.org for the most up-to-date event information as well as details of auction items.

5. Patriot Place Events:

• Winter Skate Opens at Patriot Place: One of New England’s time-honored winter traditions is bundling up the family to go skating on a frozen pond. Patriot Place is both honoring and updating that tradition with Winter Skate, a professionally-maintained and easily-accessible ice skating surface located conveniently next to all of the amenities at Patriot Place in Foxborough.
  Winter Skate at Patriot Place, offering day and evening public skating, is the perfect antidote to cabin fever this winter. A fun and affordable activity for parents with children, Winter Skate is also a romantic addition to a dinner date at Patriot Place. The 60-by-140-foot, refrigerated ice surface is designed specifically for recreational skating, non-contact hockey and figure skating. The rink features an observation deck for non-skaters. Large enough to accommodate beginners and experts alike, the professional surface provides ideal skating conditions at all times. On-site skate rentals, concessions and bathrooms are available and parking is free. For more information, click here.
• Santa's Wonderland at Bass Pro Shops: Enjoy a free photo with Santa, games crafts and more at Santa’s Wonderland.
• 7 p.m. - The Southern Comfort Band at Showcase Live: The Southern Comfort Band was formed with one goal in mind: To bring true American Southern Rock music back to the people who love it.
• 9:30 p.m. - Eric Grant Band at Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill: The Gilford, N.H. based Eric Grant Band has taken the country music scene by storm playing in front of thousands of fans in northern New England since their inception in 2009.
• 10:30 p.m. - Pusha-T with Moufy & Sweens at Showcase Live: A member of the hip-hop duo Clipse, rapper Pusha T was born in the Bronx but was raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia along with his brother Gene Thornton.