Our daily column, 5 Things You Need to Know Today, will help you to get your day started and offer you some fodder for water cooler conversation.

1. There is a car wash today at CJ's Northside Grill, run by a Framingham High senior, to help those disadvantaged in Africa. The car wash is 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will cost $10.

Maggie Vatcher, a senior at Framingham High, spent three weeks in Zambia this summer working at a clinic helping out preparing medicines for AIDS infected parents and children.

"I also spent time working with women trying to make a better life for themselves by sewing cloths by hand or on manual sewing machines. I also spent time teaching 50 kids how to play volleyball and chess," Vatcher wrote.

"I am holding this car wash to raise money to provide the women electric sewing machines and other supplies and money to help them build a more professional business for themselves and their children," Vatcher wrote on Patch. "My plan is to go to college and become a nurse and then join the Peace Corp to help others in Africa and other disadvantaged areas across the globe."

2. Living history storyteller Libby Franck tells of the fight for women's right
to vote in "March to the Vote! A Living History Presentation," her depiction
of Framingham suffragette Josephine Collins, bringing to life the long
arduous road toward securing women's right to vote. In Collins' case, this
included doing jail time for picketing Woodrow Wilson during his presidency.
The original presentation at the Framingham History Center was so successful
as to prompt a second performance in Framingham, and a third presentation at
the State House in Boston, says Norma Shulman.

To celebrate this week's anniversary of women getting the right to vote,
Franck is bringing an abbreviated encore performance to the Democratic
Coordinated Campaign Office, 280 Worcester Rd. today at 1:30 p.m. Families are encouraged to attend but please RSVP to shulman22@rcn.com.

3. Fox is hosting a special screening of its Tuesday sitcoms at the AMC Framingham tonight at 7. You can get an early look at The Mindy Project and Ben and Kate, two new comedies that feature Boston comedians, Mindy Kaling and Nat Faxon. To attend the free screening, email Boston@AlliedIM.com. Doors open at 7 p.m. and tickets are first come, first seats. It likely will be a full house.

4. Today is National Dog Day. That's the day animal advocate Colleen Paige has designated for honoring all those dogs who bring in the paper, and all those dogs who are neglected. Upload a photo of your dog at this link.

5. Auditions for Zombie Prom, the musical, will be held at the Performing
Arts Center of MetroWest Wednesday, Aug. 29 and Thursday, Aug. 30 from 6-9 p.m. for students entering grades 7-12. Students should prepare either one 32-bar excerpt of a song or two 16-bar excerpts of two different songs. Be prepared to dance. Bring a resume and headshot.  Please call ahead if possible 508-875-5554. Walk-ins are also welcome. $25 non-refundable audition fee to be applied to tuition of $375. Rehearsals will be Tuesdays & Thursdays 6-9 p.m., with show dates Oct. 26-28.