5 Things You Need To Know Today in Framingham: December 17

1. Framingham Baseball will hold its 12th Annual Toys For Tots event, in conjunction with the Framingham Fire Department and Timothy’s Toy Box, to help MetroWest area children in need, have a brighter Christmas tonight.

Please bring an unwrapped toy for a boy or girl to O’Connell’s Pub from 6 to 8 p.m. The annual event is hosted by Janet Leombruno and Framingham Baseball.

2. Advocates, a Framingham-based nonprofit provider of services to individuals facing life challenges, is hosting a book talk featuring award-winning medical writer and Mad in America author Robert Whitaker. He will discuss his latest book (co-written with Lisa Cosgrove), Psychiatry Under the Influence, which asserts that outside interests have corrupted the American psychiatric establishment over the past 35 years.

The discussion will cover the biology of mental disorders, the validity of psychiatric diagnoses, and the safety and efficacy of psychiatric drugs. A Q&A session follows the book talk.

The free, public event takes place at Plymouth Church on Edgell Road in Framingham Thursday, Dec. 17 from 2 to 4 p.m.

3. Last night skateboarders attended a design workshop at Nevins Hall to talk about what they would like to see in Framinham’s first skate park.

Tonight, the Skatepark Advisory Committee will meet at 7 in the Parks & Recreation office.

4 FLYERS in action:

• Boys hockey team won its home opener against Natick 3-0. Click here for more details. Click here for a slideshow. The boys hockey team is back in action tonight at the travel to Dedham. Puck drops at 5.
• Framingham High girls ice hockey team lost to Natick 6-1 last night.
• Girls basketball team won its first game of the season against Weston Wednesday night.
• Framingham High boys swim team opens the season on the road against Xaverian today at 4:30 p.m.
• Boys indoor track team travels to the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston for a meet against Needham at 4:30 p.m.
• Girls indoor track team travels to the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston for a meet against Needham at 4:30 p.m.

5. Tonight is opening night for Mass Ballet’s Nutcracker. The curtain rises at 7 at the Sorenson Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of Babson College in Wellesley.

There are a total of 6 shows this weekend, with almost 200 local dancers in the cast.

Tickets range from $15 to $25 and can be purchased online now.