Congratulations to Tracy Van Buskirk. Her employer, Webster Bank, honored Tracy with a Volunteer Recognition Award recently. Four winners got cash awards for their favorite not-for-profit. The Newtown Venture Crew 70 from Cullens is the recipient of Tracy’s $250 award, and the money will go in the general account there to be used for trips, equipment, pizza, and other exciting activities in which the group of young men and women take part — under the astute leadership of Tracy and her husband, Peter. I hope those young people have out their pens and paper to write her a great big thank you note.

It has been a couple of weeks since The Ferris Creamery on Route 302 opened for the season, joining the Ice Cream Shop on Church Hill Road for the season, but there has not seemed to be any fewer cars jammed into the parking lot and squeezed along the side of the road. No one seems to mind the wait in line. There is always someone to chat with (including a few lucky doggies there to fetch a Pup Cup of biscuits and soft serve) and the line moves quite quickly under the staff’s streamlined method of order taking and making. Plus, it’s always nice to watch the cows graze peacefully in the nearby meadows. I have to confess I have stopped by the Ice Cream Shop for a Zebra cone and visited The Creamery more than a couple of times already this season. The downside is that I think there may be even more delicious flavors than last year to select from, no matter where I go.

I have heard of at least one person pledging to “Run for Ron Bienkowski and Family” at Reed Intermediate School on Saturday, May 16. Ron Bienkowski, the school district’s business manager, was recently diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia, so students in Reed Intermediate School’s Interact Club decided to hold the upcoming walk-a-thon/run-a-thon. People can pledge to run or walk for three or five miles. Pick up a pledge sheet at the Board of Ed offices on Peck’s Lane, or at RIS. If you would like to contribute but will not be able to make it to the event or know of anyone participating, send a check payable to the Rotary Foundation and include “Re: Ron Bienkowski Medical Fund” on the memo line. Checks should be mailed to the Newtown Savings Bank, 39 Main Street, Newtown CT 06470. The Rotary Club and bank have offered to manage the donations through the Rotary Foundation.

This news just “quacks” me up. I hear that Knettie and Flip Archard are expecting — ducklings, that is. The little quackers are supposed to arrive soon in the local post office and will then be lovingly nurtured in the house for a few weeks until they are ready to face the great outdoors. Knettie and Flip have been surrogate ducky parents before, but this new generation has a tasty job ahead of them, they say. Pekin ducks are renowned for their ability to devour quantities of duckweed, that nasty algae that covers ponds, and that’s just what Flip and Knettie are hoping these feathered friends will do for their pond. They once had Pekin ducks and a pristine pond, but they didn’t realize when they adopted their second flock of Muscovy ducks that the Muscovy ducks are quite indifferent to feasting on algae. Won’t it be ducky if this new flock can clear up the pond again?

Newtown Schools recognized Teacher Appreciation Week this past week, coinciding with the nationally recognized week, May 3 to 9. “Kitties” may need no teacher, but “kiddies” do, and I think all the teachers in Newtown deserve appreciation for all they do. If I’d had a teacher when I was a kitten, I may have brought in a little catnip to show how much I cared. If any of the students in town forgot to share their appreciation for their teacher/s this week, I am sure a belated flower or box of tea would be happily accepted at any time of the year.

There is someone else you need to appreciate this coming weekend — Mom. That’s right; Mother’s Day is this Sunday, May 10. I’m torn between a scratching post or a new litter box for my mother, but I doubt that either of those ideas would be the best gift for the two-footed moms in Newtown. The simple words “I love you” can sometimes be the best present ever, and it’s the right price for any budget. Just remember, whatever you give, give it with a loving heart. Happy Mother’s Day, to all of the moms in town.

Hey, what happened? The mailbox has been strangely empty of nominations for the Good Egg Award. If you know a behind-the-scenes kind of Newtowner who should be recognized for making the world a better place (or even just a corner of the world), send their name to Nancy@thebee.com and I’ll see that they get my stamp of approval.

The college kids are starting to arrive back in town and I wonder how many had experiences like one young man up at college in Maine? “Dave” was clearing out the last of the food from the house he shares before heading back to Connecticut and decided to cook up some of the chicken breasts from the freezer that his mom had brought up earlier this month to tide him over. He wasn’t so happy with the finished product, though, describing the breast and rib meat postmeal to his mom as “kind of dark and crunchy.” Ummm, Dave? Your mom didn’t bring you any breast and rib meat… A quick check of the wrapper in the trash determined that the mystery meat was from a local market in Maine. It expired in November. Of 2007. The good news? The petrified chicken had no ill effects. Phew. Rest easy, Dave. Your mom is watching over your meals this summer.

Nosing around, I came across an article about an interesting 1984 Family Life Center fundraiser. The group sold Newtown commemorative button sets for blazers. The brass and gold-plated buttons were imprinted with the rooster, 1705, and name Newtown. I wonder if anyone is still closing his or her jacket with these special buttons?

I don’t have any buttons with which to close my column. Just the wish that next week you will…. Read me again.