If the weather cooperates, Monday, May 30, will be a day of cookouts and swimming, picnics and parties. I hope you don’t forget to pause for at least a little while and remember why you are not slaving over a hot computer/lawn mower/counter that day. It is a day to memorialize veterans of wars fought on and off American soil, and to thank those who currently serve in the armed forces. Local VFW and American Legion Posts host services all around the state on Memorial Day. Why not kick off your holiday by attending one? Check this week’s calendar and local papers for listings.

World War II veterans are receiving a draft notice: to share their stories, that is. Newtown High School and The Military Museum of Southern New England are looking for a few World War II veterans to speak to students about their war experiences in an upcoming assembly program on Wednesday, June 8, at Newtown High School. The program will last from approximately from 8:30 am to 1:50 pm. Veterans are asked to bring old photos, uniforms, or artifacts (excluding weapons) to personalize their stories, and will receive a free lunch in the cafeteria. Please call Lois Barber at 203-270-8017.

The Newtown Lions Club hopes residents will join them at the park behind demitasse café this Saturday for the 11th annual Great Pootatuck Duck Race. That event will run from 10 am until 3 pm, with the Duck Race at 2, which means that while plenty of activities will be going on at 3-5 Glen Road in Sandy Hook, there will also be enough time for a walk around the corner and up the hill just a bit, to 92 Church Hill Road, where Newtown United Methodist Church will be hosting a Super Tag Sale. The NUMC Angels, the church’s Relay For Life team, will host the special event from 9 am until 3 pm. Proceeds will of course help the Relay team’s fundraising efforts, but it will ultimately be added to the money raised by everyone in Newtown for the American Cancer Society.

Grace Christian Fellowship, 174 Mt Pleasant Road, is offering a funny fundraiser: two nights of comedy. Performances are scheduled for Friday and Saturday, May 27 and 28, at 7 pm. Admission is $15, $10 for students, and tickets can be reserved in advance or purchased at the door. Admission covers the original two-act comedy, Noodles!, as well as popcorn, candy, and soda. Funds raised will help cover the cost of the group’s work trip to Tecate, Mexico, this summer. Intermission features a brief mission trip presentation. For additional information call 203-270-1005. Reservations are suggested, but not required for the family-friendly event.

Aside from the many hats she wears about town, Margareta Kotch should be recognized for the nature walk that she spearheaded this past weekend at Orchard Hill (originally scheduled for the previous weekend), says a fan. “She got the Girl Scouts heavily involved; she gave advice to an Eagle Scout aspirant in his effort to build a new kiosk at Orchard Hill and rid it of some of the invasive plants; and with others in the Town & Country Garden Club, identified a number of wild flowers and ferns that grow in the nature center. On the day of the nature walk, lively questions on trees challenged the strollers. Altogether, it was a tremendous job,” says her admirer, “and one she shouldered gracefully, as she does all volunteer things.” Margareta Kotch, you are a Good Egg!

Who’s the most beautiful baby in Newtown? You get to decide. Beautiful Baby Contest coordinator Lois Barber and sponsor The Northern Fairfield County Blue Star Mothers invite the public to vote for their favorite baby picture from a collection of photos submitted to this year’s Beautiful Baby Contest. An easel mounted with the baby pictures will be posted at the Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company’s LobsterFest beginning June 10, and from there, go to Stop & Shop Supermarket in Sand Hill Plaza, where voting will take place through Monday, June 27. Votes cost $1 each, and all funds raised support Homes For Our Troops. The baby who raises the most moola wins, and can cruise down Main Street during the September 5 Labor Day Parade in a Mercedes convertible, gets a prize basket, and a photo in The Bee. Vote early, and often!

Legislative Councilman Kevin Fitzgerald recently invited all his council colleagues to get their hands dirty — but it would not involve digging into the latest budget. Mr Fitzgerald invited the council representatives to help sponsor a “Legislative Council Row” in the new community Victory Garden at Fairfield Hills. And even though Mr Fitzgerald represents the minority Independent Party of Newtown on the council, not a single member of the Republican majority conditioned their participation on that garden row being located to the right side of the garden, which was recently opened at Fairfield Hills.

Nick Kopcik may be shutting down the pumps and hanging out the CLOSED sign from now on when he sees Antiques and The Arts editor David and Bee pup Tique pull in. After dining on one of Nick’s breakfast sandwiches last week, Tique seemed to think that the owner of the Sunoco station on South Main Street was offering up another treat Tuesday morning when Tique and David went for a visit. Nick was showing off a new wireless scanner. He plugged the scanner’s main unit into his car charger, and went into the station’s office to try to access the wireless unit. When he couldn’t get the wireless unit to access the main unit, he went out to his car to double-check the connections. Trouble was, one of wires was already missing. Left on his own, Tique apparently thought it was a snack and had made short work of the wires left dangling in front of him. (Bee workers know to “Tique-proof” their lunches and precious possessions.)

We have had a number of happy endings for lost kitties in town lately, and that makes me purr. Now, there is a happy ending for one of the pound puppies. Leo, a beautiful pit bull, has lived at the local animal pound for more than a year. But last Friday, Leo found his forever home with Bee administrative assistant Bridget Seaman. So far, Leo and Bridget are getting along great. “He’s so cute, I can’t stand it, and he’s really nice, and pretty obedient,” says his owner. “We still have a few things to work through, but he’s very well socialized with humans,” she says. (I take that as code for “CATS: STAY OUT OF THE WAY.”) I do love to get good news like this. Maybe he can change his name to Lucky Leo.

I’m putting out a meow that I hope will help. The three-quarter-mile-wide tornado that ripped a path through Joplin, Mo., Sunday evening, and killed 125 people, has left a swath of damage. Tornadoes elsewhere have also altered people’s lives. The American Red Cross has much experience and many volunteers to help with recovery, but they are in need of monetary donations. If you can help the Red Cross provide shelter, food, emotional support, and other assistance, donate at www.redcross.org or call 800-RED-CROSS; people can also text the word “REDCROSS” to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Contributions may also be sent to local American Red Cross chapters or to the American Red Cross, PO Box 37243, Washington DC 20013. Every little bit helps.

My ears will be perked up at all of the long weekend goings-on. I’ll share the juicy stuff next week, so… Read me again.