Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: See how Natick’s girls’ hockey team stacks up in statewide rankings
Happening soon: Natick Morse Institute Library Hosts Gateway Camera Club Exhibit on the Natick Patch calendar

Good morning to you Natick! Catch up on our news and events right here. Keep reading to stay in the know. ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
- See how Natick’s girls’ hockey team stacks up in statewide rankings
- How Natick engineers are reinventing the military’s iconic MRE packaging
- Why Natick’s FCC lawn is suddenly filled with trans pride flags
Also on today's calendar: Natick Morse Institute Library Hosts Gateway Camera Club Exhibit and 7 more events.
Find out what's happening in Natickfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Find out what's happening in Natickfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
- Wednesday: Breezy and not as cold, with a high of 33 and low of 26 degrees.
- Thursday: Partly sunny and breezy, temps: high: 30, low: 10. ⛄️ Brr!
- Friday: Sun mixing with clouds; cold, with a high of 25 and low of 18 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
• Globe Top 20 girls' hockey poll: Skating into Cup final, there's a new No. 1 (bostonglobe.com) — Natick’s girls’ hockey team has climbed to No. 16 in the Boston Globe’s latest statewide Top 20 poll, reflecting a strong 5-1-0 start. The rankings highlight Milton’s rise to No. 1 and reshuffling among several other contenders, offering Natick fans a clear snapshot of where their team stands against top programs across Massachusetts.
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• It's All in the Packaging: The Engineering Behind MRE Freshness (soldiersystems.net) — Engineers at the Army’s Soldier Center in Natick are quietly reinventing how military meals are packaged so they stay safe, fresh, and lighter to ship. From recyclable, foil-free pouches to experimental energy-harvesting pallet patches, the Natick-based team is testing new materials and designs that could cut waste, boost sustainability, and make life easier for troops in harsh conditions worldwide.
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• Why hundreds of blue, pink, and white flags are displayed on the FCC lawn in Natick (natickreport.com) — Hundreds of blue, pink, and white flags now cover the lawn of First Congregational Church of Natick, installed to show solidarity after a permitted Transgender Day of Remembrance display on Boston Common was vandalized and removed. Church leaders say the flags honor trans and gender-expansive people lost to violence and affirm the congregation’s support for their trans neighbors.
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📸 Around Natick
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
🗓 Upcoming Events in Natick
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
- Natick Morse Institute Library Hosts Gateway Camera Club Exhibit
Morse Institute Library , 14 E Central St , Natick
1:00 pm - All Together: Preschool Storytime
Bacon Free Library , 58 Eliot Street , Natick
10:00 am - Council on Aging Board Executive Subcommittee Meeting
Natick, MA Calendar Natick, MA 01760
12:00 pm - Trails and Forest Stewardship Committee
Natick, MA Calendar Natick, MA 01760
7:00 pm - All Together: Preschool Storytime
Bacon Free Library , 58 Eliot Street , Natick
10:00 am - Brown School Council 1-6-26 In Person and Virtual
Natick, MA Calendar , BROWN SCHOOL 1 JEAN BURKE DRIVE , Natick
6:00 pm - Community Preservation Committee (CPC) Meeting
Natick, MA Calendar
7:00 pm - Lapsit Storytime
Bacon Free Library , 58 Eliot Street , Natick
10:00 am - VIRTUAL: Love and Loss After Wounded Knee: A Biography of an Extraordinary Interracial Marriage
Natick, MA Calendar
7:00 pm - 2026 New England Stamp Expo (Friday and Saturday Jan 9-10)
The Verve Hotel Boston Natick, Tapestry Collection by Hilton , 1360 Worcester St , Natick
9:00 am
Sunday January 4
Monday January 5
Tuesday January 6
Wednesday January 7
Friday January 9
📣 Natick Shout Outs!
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
🗓 Events Nearby
- COA Community Coffee — Sherborn 1858 Town House
Sherborn 1858 Town House , 3 Sanger St , Sherborn
9:30 am - Noon Year's Eve
Wayland Free Public Library , 5 Concord Rd. , Wayland
11:00 am - Kid's Noon Year's Eve Party
Storytime Room Maynard Public Library , 77 Nason St , Maynard
11:30 am - Library closes at 1:00
Cullen Room Maynard Public Library , 77 Nason St , Maynard
1:00 pm
Wednesday December 31
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Natick PatchAM possible:
- Mindsee.it — (646) 663-8317
Teach your kids they can achieve the impossible! - Kumon Math and Reading, Natick — (508) 433-6655
Stronger skills in Math and Reading, one step at a time!
Click here to show your appreciation! 💚
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- Sunday Sillies and Such —Algot Runeman Read on Patch
- Hi All, We are looking to expand our living room/build an addition to our house.
Looking for a contractor or design and build firm recommendations, preferably someone local (Natick, Framingham etc.) that you may had a great… (Nextdoor West Natick - Cole Center)
- SAS Retail Services posted a job opening for Traveling Retail Merchandiser in Natick. Apply here.
- Burlington Coat Factory Corporation posted a job opening for Customer Service Lead - Part-Time in Natick. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Natick here.
🗞 Nearby News
Framingham
- Framingham MA sets its 2026 Inauguration Day. Here's when it is (metrowestdailynews.com)
- Charges Pile Up For Driver With 7 Passengers Caught Doing 100 MPH On Highway In Tolland (patch.com)
- Vote for the first Winter High School Sports Boys Athlete of the Week (metrowestdailynews.com)
Wayland
- The Surprising Spot With Massachusetts' Best Chicken Parm (fun107.com)
Needham
Ok Natick! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I heard there’s only a 50 percent chance of snow.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!
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