Carolyn Mandarano, a member of the Missions Committee at Christ the King Lutheran Church, volunteers as part of Dorothy Day’s “Shelter From the Cold” program in Danbury, where guests can come in from the cold to be served a hot meal. For a few weeks Carolyn has been conducting a coat drive, and anyone who has gently used coats, hats, and gloves has been asked to consider dropping them at NYA Sports & Fitness Center. The collection for the temporary shelter will conclude this weekend, and Carolyn is hoping for a strong ending. She will be at Christ the King Lutheran Church, 85 Mt Pleasant Road, Saturday, January 24, from 10 am until noon, to receive any final donations, including men’s coats, hats with flaps over the ears or that are long enough to cover the ears, and thick gloves. Makes me shiver to think of anyone without a winter coat like mine.

Children ages 2 to 10 have been invited to draw a logo that will be featured on the front of race shirts given to all youth runners on March 28, when the Sandy Hook 5K takes place. Logos should be inspired by the race or what Newtown means to the artist. There is no charge to enter the contest, and participants do not need to live in Newtown. Printed copies of the contest form are available at Newtown Center Pediatrics, 10 Queen Street in Newtown, and the office of The Newtown Bee, at 5 Church Hill Road. The contest form is available on the race’s Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/5krunforshf), as well as the race website, www.5krunforshf.org. Completed entry forms must be mailed to or dropped off at Newtown Center Pediatrics by Friday, January 30. The five winning artists will each receive a $15 gift certificate to The Toy Tree.

Incidentally, registration for the 1,500 available runners and walkers opened at 4 pm last Sunday, and was full in less than 24 hours, according to race Co-Director Julie Brunelle. Even the openings for 250 children for the kids race was all but full by 8 am, Wednesday. The good news is, for those who still wish to participate as “virtual runners” — and plenty of people from across the region, and even the country, did this last year — that opportunity is still available. Remember, this is a fundraiser for The Collaborative Recovery Fund, which pays out-of-pocket mental health expenses for those eligible who have been most impacted by 12/14. The Collaborative Recover Fund is made up of the Newtown-Sandy Hook Community Foundation, Inc, Newtown Lions Club Foundation, Newtown Memorial Fund, Newtown Rotary Club, and United Way of Western CT. A percentage of the proceeds from the race will also go to the chosen nonprofit organizations of the 26 families who lost loved ones.

Lisa Rose, owner of A Bead of Roses store in Plaza South, was honored recently by The Connecticut Hospice, Inc. “The aftermath of the Newtown incident saw Lisa call on the pediatric art’s caregivers of The Connecticut Hospice to help some of the children,” said Eileen Mino of the Branford-based organization. Lisa Rose is honored “for all that she has done and for thinking of The Connecticut Hospice and our pediatric caregivers in the way that she did,” Eileen explained. Lisa was a guest of honor during the organization’s annual Christmas party late last month. She met some of the children and faculty members of the facility, rubbed elbows with Santa, and was presented with as framed certificate, called The Sandy Hook Anniversary Award. Congratulations, Lisa!

Rehearsals are underway for the Newtown Choral Society, but it’s not too late to join. The group meets each Wednesday evening, 7 to 9 pm, in the chorus room of Newtown Middle School. All you need is a desire to sing and learn about singing. The spring concert is scheduled for Sunday, April 26, at 3:30 pm. For information, contact lel@se-ltd.com.

There are some beautiful black and white photos on display in the meeting room of the C.H. Booth Library. “Images of Newtown,” by Newtown resident Phil Keane, can be viewed through the end of this month. Being black and white myself, I may be partial, but I think you will have no regrets if you stop by to see the show.

And, if llike me, you llove llamas, bring your llittle ones to the llibrary this Saturday, January 24. Llama owner Diane Elias will be there with a real, llive llama, and will read some stories, as well. Sign up is at www.chboothlibrary.org.

The “Color in Winter” show, presented by members of the Society of Creative Arts of Newtown (SCAN), is on display in Newtown Municipal Center at Fairfield Hills through February 27. Stop in during regular town office hours to see the original works by these talented men and women, done in oils, acrylics, watercolors, mixed media, and more.

Maybe the cold weather kept you in, or maybe you were already double-booked, but if you missed this past Tuesday evening’s public forum with the Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial Commission, be sure to mark Thursday, January 29, on your calendar. Once again, the public will have the opportunity to ask questions of this commission, charged with determining if there is a desire for a permanent memorial to 12/14, and if so, what that might look like. It is also a chance to provide input on this subject. The meeting is at 7 pm, in the Lecture Hall of the Newtown High School. Your two cents worth is much more valuable than that, to commission members.

 I’ll put my two cents worth, and then some, into next week’s column. Promise me that you will… Read me again.