Newtown’s own blogger Elissa Altman, PoorMansFeast.com, sends her thanks to all who voted for her food blog in Fine Cooking Magazine’s year-end contest for the Best of the Blogs. While Three Many Cooks nibbled its way to the top, PoorMansFeast was no side dish, finishing with a respectable number of votes. Elissa has written PoorMansFeast.com for two years now, and boasts nearly 100,000 readers worldwide. “We’ve recently expanded our content to include book reviews and interviews with the likes of award-winning authors Deborah Madison and Dori Greenspan to Joan Nathan and Andrew Zimmern,” says Elissa, and promises, “2011 will include much, much more.”

It’s Newtown Night at the Danbury Whalers’ home game against the Rome Frenzy, this Saturday, January 8, at 7 pm, at the Danbury Ice Arena. The Newtown Ice Hockey Booster Club is selling tickets for the game, and will receive a portion of the proceeds from those sales. All tickets are $14 and everyone who buys tickets from the players or booster club will sit together in either section 100 or 101. There will be chances to win money/prizes via a 50/50 raffle and chuck-a-puck, and the Whalers will auction off that night’s game-worn jerseys, which will have a specially designed Newtown patch on them. A portion of those proceeds also benefits the Nighthawks. It will be a busy night for the Nighthawk players, who will also serve as food and beverage runners, delivering orders to the fans, in hopes of some excellent tips. The local hockey team counts on fundraising and community support to supplement the limited school funding, so if you even think you might love hockey, Saturday night is the night to prove it. See you there!

Sound the trumpets! We have a Good Egg in town! Anna Wiedemann’s fan has noted that Anna does a great deal of good works in town, all the while “bringing a smile to all those she interacts with.” Congratulations, Anna — you are a Good Egg. Don’t forget to send your pick for a Good Egg Award to me, at Nancy@thebee.com.

Gear up! FISH is always seeking and grateful for drivers who help take Newtowners to medical appointments, but the American Cancer Society’s Road to Recovery is also looking for drivers to transport cancer patients to doctor appointments. Last year volunteers of the American Cancer Society in Connecticut were responsible for providing more than 6,000 rides to and from cancer treatment. This year, the need will be as great. If you are able to volunteer as a driver for the American Cancer Society, please call 800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org for more information.

If your funny bone needs tickling, nationally praised Sandy Hook comic Andrew Kennedy is just a hop, skip, and a jump away the end of this month. Andrew is going to be at the Brew Ha Ha Comedy Club at City Steam in Hartford, January 27 through January 29. Visit wix.com/android123/andrewkennedy for information on tickets and details about the shows. With winter settling in around us, a good laugh might be just the right medicine.

Those who are a hale and hearty 110 pounds or more, and at least 18 years old, might consider making an appointment to donate blood at the Red Cross Blood Drive that takes place Monday, January 10, from 8:30 am until 6:30 pm, at the Newtown Congregational Church. Appointments are available by calling 800-448-3543, but walk-in visitors will also be welcomed.

The prices of the barely used books of The Little Book Store in the C.H. Booth Library are pretty sweet. But you might not know that the library is selling some chocolates that are pretty sweet, too. For just $6, choose one of the Wine Lover’s Chocolates, designed to match with your favorite red wine, or a Book Lover’s Chocolate that goes with any genre you prefer. The sweetest thing of all, the proceeds benefit the library.

My fur keeps me warm, but I shiver when I see all those early morning runners, who have grown in number since the first of the year. (Resolutions, perhaps?) I may have no need to add an extra layer of clothing in the winter, but I want to share a friendly winter warning to remember hats, gloves, and an extra layer of clothing when you venture outside for prolong periods of time. Middle Gate Elementary School also reminded its Walking Club the same, because, “The days are getting cooler and we will try to walk outside on the nice days.” Hats on to you, Middle Gate walkers.

I’ll be walking, running, snowshoeing, or whatever it takes to get around town this next week and gather information. Don’t forget next week to…. Read me again.