5 Things June 2: Cut-a-Thon, Rock-N-Dock and More

Things You Need to Know Today is a Patch column that provides readers with essential, daily information at a glance. Check back later for more, and let us know what you think of the feature in the comments section.

1. Cut-a-Thon

Perceptions Hair Studio will be holding a Cut-a-thon fundraiser 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Christine, Julie, Debbie, Angela R, Laura, Angela B, Katie, and Cherie' will be snipping away to help raise funds for children who are unable to participate in recreational sports. They are hoping to raise $2,000 from this event.  All the proceeds will go directly to the Norton Youth Sports programs to help cover the costs and/or to purchase equipment due to financial burden. For a $15 donation, participants will receive a chic haircut from a Perceptions Hair Studio stylist. There will also be a bake sale, candy station, a massage therapist offering 10 minute chair massages and raffle items. If you cannot make it and would still like to participate, donations will be accepted. Make checks payable to Perceptions Hair Studio.

2. Leah Fernandes Fundraiser

Registration for the third annual Leah Bear Fair is open. There is an early registration discount for the first couple of weeks. To keep up with the latest Leah Fernandes Fundraiser information visit their Facebook page.

3. Rock-N-Dock Festival

For the second year in a row, the Rock-N-Dock family festival returns to Patriot Place, Bass Pro Shops through June 2. Dogs from all over the country will gather at Patriot Place to compete in three categories: Big Air, Extreme Vertical and Speed Retrieve. The Dockdogs competition is open and free to the public. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

4. Dairy Month

June is dairy month, which makes it a great time to take a look at the dairy products your family is consuming. Here are HealthCastle.com's top items for consumers to watch for, based on their review of milk and yogurt products:

• Check the calcium content: New smaller yogurt sizes may not offer the 20% DV required to qualify as a good source of calcium. Although most non-dairy beverages are called "milk," they are naturally low in calcium. Some, but not all, have been fortified to offer a similar amount of calcium to cow's milk, but check the label to be sure.

• Sugar is called by many names: Fructose, evaporated cane juice, honey, and maple syrup all mean sugar – and some yogurt brands contain as much sugar per serving as a can of soda (7 teaspoons!). Sweetened versions of milks (like vanilla or chocolate flavors) usually add about 4 teaspoons of sugar per serving.

• Light/Fat-free products use artificial ingredients: Most light yogurt brands use sucralose, but some use two or even three different artificial sweeteners. Since non-dairy milks are low in fat to begin with, light or fat-free versions save only 30 to 40 calories and use water and thickeners such as carrageenan to dilute the calorie level.

• Unexpected ingredients in baby and kids’ yogurt: Yogurt for babies should be plain unflavored whole milk yogurt. Some brands offer this option, but they (and others) also offer flavored versions with two teaspoons of sugar per serving. Many kids’ fruit-flavored yogurts contain no real fruit!

Surprise saturated fat: Most plant-sourced milk is low in saturated fat, as is low-fat cow's milk. Despite being low in calories, coconut milk contains 5 g of saturated fat.

For more information visit HealthCastle.com.

5. High near 89, low around 63

Today will be mostly sunny, with a high near 89. South wind will be 9 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 32 mph. Tonight there is a 30 percent chance of showers, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 10 p.m. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds and heavy rain. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. Otherwise, it will be mostly cloudy, with a low around 63.