Mid-summer is a time when many of us try to find a little time and a little space in our lives to relax, breathe easy, and get some perspective on the press of responsibility that crowds in on us the rest of the year. To that end, many a vacation is booked, many a fish is hooked, and many a burger is cooked. These and other summer traditions seem to bring a breath of fresh air into our busy lives. A handful of Newtown residents have discovered a summer tradition that never fails in this regard. They are the host families for Fresh Air Kids.

Last Friday, the families said goodbye for another year to their young guests from New York City, and spoke with The Bee briefly about the fun they had over the previous two weeks. The annual summer program is designed to give inner city kids between the ages of 6 and 12 a chance to escape the heat and intensity of their urban neighborhoods and give them a breath of fresh air in the country. But the families we talked to last week all agreed that the kids themselves were a breath of fresh air. They brought a new perspective on life to their host families. Their appreciation of little things we take for granted, like access to a computer or a back yard, their cautious acceptance of safety and security, even on an evening walk around the neighborhood after dark, and their enthusiastic acceptance of new experiences and new friends were inspiring.

Everyone needs to look at their lives with new eyes every now and then. And what better eyes are there to help us do that than the eyes of excited and interested children? The experience has proven to be so rewarding for many families that they invite the same kids back year after year until they are 18, developing in the process lasting friendships with the kids and their city families. If this sounds like the kind of summer tradition you would like to start in your family, this is a good time to sign up for next year. The non-profit Fresh Air Fund is always looking for host families. Families may request a boy or a girl and may specify the approximate age of the child they would like to host. There are no minimum financial requirements to host a child. Newtown families who are interested in getting involved in this program for the summer of 2001 should call Susan Dann at 790-1465 or the Fresh Air Fund at 800/367-0003.