Mountain

In the spirit of St Patrick’s Day, Edmond Town Hall staffers assumed pseudonyms to better celebrate the day this past Tuesday. Assistant town clerk Monica Duhancik was Brach O’Lee. Assistant town clerk Renee Weimann became Erin Go Broke. And assistant town clerk Ann Benore took the moniker Patty O’Furniture. Looks like everyone can be Irish for a day.

Someone pointed out to me that their favorite bookstore is the only bookstore in town — the Book Nook, located in the C.H. Booth Library. Hundreds of new and like-new hard and soft cover books, many quite current, are sold for only a pittance of the original cost — usually just a couple of dollars. Not only do you get a book at a great price, the money supports the C.H. Booth Friends of the Library and the many programs they offer throughout the year.

The Book Nook has suffered a little from slow donations of books, I’m told, but the Friends’ main concern right now is that the donations for the annual Book Sale, held in July, are down substantially. By now, the volunteers should be wallowing in donations every day, but that is just not happening. Look for information about a special, upcoming Donation Drive Day. In the meantime, if you clear your shelves of extra books during spring cleaning, feel free to drop them off on the cart located near the entrance to the children’s department, anytime the library is open.

Tickets are still available for Newtown Historical Society’s 2009 Raffle drawing to be held March 28, at 3 pm, at the annual antiques show at RIS. The main prize is a 90-by-90-inch quilt, handmade and donated by the Sew Together Gals of Newtown. The quilt is on view at Booth Library. Tickets are $5, and can be purchased at Drug Center Pharmacy, historical society events, and the library. Other great prizes are from Tucker Frey Antiques of Woodbury, and artists Ben Palagonia and David Merrill, as well as a collection of books about Newtown.

Leon Barkman thinks that the owl that appeared in last week’s Top of the Mountain may be the gray phase of the tiny screech owl, not a great horned owl. After reviewing some online photos, I’m inclined to agree with Leon. I suppose I could shinny up the tree and take a look in the hole, but if he’s wrong, I’m going to be in big trouble… Suffice it to say, there is definitely an owl in the tree. “Hoo” is it, is the question?

Middle Gate Elementary School’s RRD Team will be collecting used shoes again this year, and they are hoping that with all the spring cleaning going on this week that people will set aside their used sneakers to be donated. The drive is a part of Nike’s Reuse-A-Shoe program. Last year the school’s team collected more than 1,500 pairs of shoes. All of the old sneakers will be ground up, and the material will be used to create running tracks, basketball courts, and playgrounds. Middle Gate Elementary School even pops up as a drop-off location on www.nikereuseashoe.com by clicking on Get Involved and entering in Newtown’s zip code. Another drop off location may be added later

 Don’t forget, either, that the library is hosting a talk about the future of the media, March 26, at 7:30 pm. Dr Greg Dworkin, contributing editor of Daily Kos, and Hugh S. Bailey, assistant editorial page editor of The Connecticut Post, will lead what looks to be a lively discussion. Register for the free program at chboothlibrary.org or by calling the library at 426-4533. If the discussion itself is not enough to entice you, refreshments will be served…

Poetry is not dead, and we have proof of that right here in town. Newtown High School senior Allyson Makuch was awarded third place at the state level of the Poetry Out Loud competition when she attended the event in Hartford on March 10 as one of 17 students competing from the state level. Congratulations Allyson!

It’s nice to hear how well our NHS students are doing, but it’s also nice to know what’s going on with those who left the hallowed halls in previous years. According to a press release received in our office this week, NHS grad Alex Rachel Guiterman, 23, now of New York City, has been accepted into the Peace Corps. She will be departing for Kyrgyz Republic in Central Asia on March 28 to begin preservice training as a TEFL Peace Corps Volunteer. Following June graduation from volunteer training, Alex will be teaching English as a foreign language to students ages 13 to 17, as well as assisting with secondary health education work.

Alex holds a BA in sociology and anthropology from Denison University and has worked as a litigation legal assistant at Sidley Austin, LLP in New York and volunteered with Oxfam America. During the first three months of her service, she will live with a host family in Kyrgyz Republic to become fully immersed in the country’s language and culture, and then serve for two years in Kyrgyz Republic, living in a manner similar to people in her host country. I’m sure all of Newtown joins with The Bee is wishing her the very best of luck in her new adventure.

Ah, spring! And if your thoughts are not turning to love they may be turning to gardening. The Venture Crew 70, an outdoor high adventure group for young men and women affiliated with the Boy Scouts, has contractor-quality fertilizers for sale, including composted cow manure, general-purpose fertilizer, and fertilizer with crabgrass control, root builder, and with weed control. The costs are very competitive with what is being charged in area garden centers, and the Crew members will deliver the fertilizer to your doorstep next month. Call Venture Crew president Dan Snyder at 270-9680 to find out how to get in touch with a crew member in your neighborhood.

Don’t spend all of your time pussy-footing around your garden, though. Remember next week you need to…. Read me again.