1. Hopkinton resident Kathryn Traut will run the Boston Marathon  on April 16, but not to set a new record or win the race. She’s running to raise money for Perkins School for the Blind. “I decided to run the marathon because I really love my job,” she said. “Perkins really has a profound impact on so many people. My students inspire me to run, as well as the dedicated staff that I am surrounded by.” You can Support Traut's run by visiting her fundraising page.

2. Farmers and their supporters converged on the State House to highlight the many benefits of Massachusetts agriculture at the annual Massachusetts Agriculture Day on April 3. As part of the festivities, they presented Representative Carolyn C. Dykema (D) Holliston, with the Agriculture Day Award honoring her service on behalf of agriculture in the state. The annual award is given to the legislator who has done the most to support agriculture, a $489 million dollar industry which is also responsible for maintaining almost 520,000 acres of open space.

3. The dates for the Hopkinton Middle School 's performance of "Oliver!" . Show times are at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 27 and Saturday, April 28 and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 29 in the Hopkinton Middle School auditorium. The full ticket price is $12 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. Admission will be discounted by $2 for anyone who donates school supplies for children in need served by Project Just Because .

4. With the marathon coming up in five days there is no better time to claim your free business listing on Hopkinton Patch . Our marathon coverage is a large draw to the site and a claimed business listing can allow you to edit some of the information Patch users see.

5. There isn't a place in town to buy any sporting goods, but we still want to know what nearby businesses you go to when the need arises. We put together a list of Milford and Holliston sports stores but if you leave a comment we can get your athletic retailer on the list.