5 Things You Need to Know This Weekend: August 27-29

1. is looking for volunteers to work at its shelter. They need people to answer phones, clean kennels, walk dogs, and do data entry. The agency is also looking for foster families. To volunteer or for more information call 941-742-5933.

2. The Bradenton Marauders, Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, swept a double header Friday night against the St. Lucie Mets. 

3. The Sheriff's Department is that took place sometime Friday. Deputies discovered the body of a 60-year-old man after his neighbors noticed that his front door was left open.

4. Suncoast Striders Walking & Running Club and On A Shoestring Inc. have started a training program for the PAL Half Marathon in Sarasota and the Space Coast Half Marathon scheduled for November 27. Running and walking training program starts this week. The program offers three group training sessions per week with certified coaches: Mondays 6 p.m. at On A Shoestring; Thursdays 5:30 p.m. at park or track; and Sundays at 7 a.m. at Robinson Preserve. Please check the group training calendar for times and locations. Anyone 18 or older who can walk or run up to 60 minutes or complete three miles in 60 minutes or less is welcome to participate. The program is free to all Suncoast Striders members.

5. The popular family musical The Sound of Music by Rodgers and Hammerstein opens at the Manatee Players on September 22 and plays through October 9. Performances are Tuesday through Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $25 including facility fee for adults and $11 including facility fee for students.  Tickets may be reserved by calling 748-5875 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and one hour before curtain on the Manatee Players’ website: manateeplayers.com. All performances are at 102 Old Main Street in downtown Bradenton.