Former Newtown resident John Lorenzo celebrated his 81st birthday, July 16, waterskiing on Lake Lillinonah. He suggests a subtitle for his photo of “How To Become A Wounded Warrior,” because the Korean veteran ended up not so upright shortly after this picture was snapped. “I wound up with a couple of bruises and a sore back,” says John, but nothing serious. His doctor has suggested a less vigorous celebration next year to the octogenarian, and he is going to take that advice. In order to sample his 2003 homemade Italian Amarone wine at its peak, after aging 30 years, he has to make it to 103. “With diet and exercise I’m going to get there and hope to have the senses to appreciate it!” John tells me.

Newtowner Pat Oliver was in Washington, D.C., on July 18, one of more than 150 citizen leaders from 35 states attending the No Labels National Citizen Leadership meeting. No Labels is a national citizens’ movement of all political parties urging a bipartisan cooperation to come to solutions to benefit the citizens of the United States. “If a lawmaker is willing to work across the aisle, we want them to know that a bipartisan approach will not be punished, but rewarded,” said Pat in a press release issued last week by No Labels.

Mike Anderson sent me an e-mail last week. Mike, the great-great-great-nephew of Newtown Bee founder John T. Pearce, applied to the Veterans Memorial Programs Service to have a headstone placed on Pearce’s unmarked grave in Center Cemetery, Bethel, after he identified the plot. He got a postcard July 16 that reads, “An upright headstone has been ordered for John T Pearce. You may expect it to be delivered within four to six weeks.” I give a special thanks to Mike, whose effort will make it easier for future generations to honor the resting place of The Bee’s first editor.

I have my own Good Egg to award this week. On Saturday, as the Shannon’s Bees Light The Night team was rapidly wilting in the hot parking lot during the tag sale to raise funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Light The Night program, an angel appeared. Bearing a box filled with cups of delicious ice cream, Ferris Acres Creamery owner Terry Ferris showed up to bring a moment of relief to Bee workers staffing the sale, on one of last week’s hottest afternoons. “I just remembered you guys were holding this tag sale and thought ice cream would be nice,” explained Terry, as if anyone would take time out from a super busy business to do a good deed. Terry, you are a Good Egg!

Meanwhile, tag-salers helped our Light The Night team raise roughly $275 to support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I twitch my whiskers in thanks to all those who came out to support the effort. Paper balloons sold at the tag sale for $1 donations, with full proceeds going to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, are now being strung up around The Bee. You can take part by stopping by our 5 Church Hill Street office and buying a paper balloon, until Friday, September 23. This year’s Light The Night event is scheduled for Saturday, September 24, at the Newtown Youth Academy.

Did you lose an ankle bracelet while visiting the tag sale at The Bee last weekend? A lovely one was found in the downstairs bathroom earlier this week. To claim it, call our front desk at 203-426-3141, and describe it. Otherwise, we may have to have a drawing to see who takes it home.

We were excited to recognize a name on the list of upcoming featured poets for Wednesday Night Poetry Series (WNPS). Now in its 17th year, the series currently runs each week at The Garage, the town’s teen center at 53 Church Hill Road, and will welcome former Newtown resident Polly Brody on August 17. Polly moved out of town a few years ago, but spent decades living and raising her family here, and it’s always nice when she returns for a visit. An open mic begins WNPS at 7:45 each week, the featured poet begins his or her reading at 8:45, and a poetry editing workshop usually follows that. There is no charge. Anyone interested in participating in the open mic can sign up as early as 7:30. For additional information call 203-426-6242 or 203-364-0631, or visit www.wedpoetry.wordpress.com, which has additional info about Polly as well as other WNPS plans.

While children at St Rose celebrated their Vacation Bible School (VBS) experience this week, organizers for the 2011 Ecumenical VBS are still working on their presentation. “Inside Out and Upside Down on Main Street,” this year’s EVBS, will be presented at Newtown United Methodist Church the week of August 8–12, and will welcome members of NUMC along with Newtown Congregational Church, St Rose, and Trinity Episcopal churches. To create the look of visiting a Main Street, organizers are still in need of items with which to decorate the church: lampposts, street lights, a fire hydrant, a park bench, a bistro table with chairs, canopy, fruit/vegetable stand, oversized food items, interesting cookware that could be hung, chef hat and apron, mailbox, firefighter’s helmet, oversized crayons that can hang, and anything else that may be found on Main Street. Anyone who is willing to loan any of these items to the church is invited to contact EVBS directors Kathryn Wolf (203-270-0307) or Doris Sampson (203-270-0159).

The town food pantry located in the Social Services office in Town Hall South is happy to be able to offer fresh produce to pantry shoppers this summer, thanks to the Victory Garden up at Fairfield Hills. Greens, summer squash, and beans are just some of the locally grown food that has been donated so far, and summer’s harvest is not even at its peak yet. Social Service Director Ann Piccini says that the produce generally is dropped off on Monday or Tuesday, so pantry recipients might want to schedule shopping for the early part of the week to get in on the fruits (and vegetables) of the season. Call Social Services at 203-270-4330 if you have any questions.

It’s not a whole garden, but it is a victory for one wild vine that has burst through a crack in the taped-shut window of the ladies’ room at The Newtown Bee. The meandering weed has squeezed through, one leaf at a time, until nearly a foot of leafy greens — including four inches just this week — are inside. The nice thing is, not only does it add some living greenery to the ladies’ room, but no one has to remember to water it. It’s up to Mother Nature to water the roots, outside the window.

Keep your eyes open. I could be squeezing in through a crack in your life at anytime next week, stirring up enough news to make you want to… Read me again.