As readers were reminded last week, The Newtown Fund has functioned as the emergency fund for Newtown Human Services (formerly the Department of Social Services) for over 60 years. Requests are usually for rent, mortgage payments, heating oil, medical costs, and car repairs. While Newtown continues to grow in affluence, according to a letter from Newtown Fund President Linda Bates, so does the population that needs a hand putting food on the table, paying rent, buying gas, and covering other necessities. Requests in recent years have grown from an average of $300-$500, now reaching about $1,000. For those reasons, The Newtown Fund — perhaps best known for its annual Holiday Basket Program — is conducting a summer fundraiser. Board members are asking local residents to consider donating now, well ahead of the holidays. Newtown Human Services Director Natalie Jackson and her staff will identify some specific needs and, with funds collected this month and next, will put money toward gift certificates for food or paying bills directly. All of the funds raised will be meted out by Human Services, which means it will all be staying right in town and go directly to qualifying families of need. There is no overhead for The Newtown Fund. Visit NewtownFund.org for information on donating online or send a check made out to the fund to The Newtown Fund, PO Box 641, Newtown CT 06470.

Faith at Newtown celebrated its final worship service last weekend. Pastor Tim Kuhn and his wife are moving out of the area, and the church has closed. Pastor Tim offers his thanks and gratitude to the community. “We are blessed to have served and be embraced by this community,” he shared with us. We send Tim and Cindi, as well as their children and grandchildren, our best wishes as they all move into the next chapter of their lives.

Sharon Cohen is looking for a beta reader for her book on Connecticut industry and WWII. The reader should be knowledgeable about manufacturing, home front government products, and raw materials decisions and weaponry. Interested? Contact Sharon at cohencomm1@earthlink.net.

Vicki Boccuzzi reached out this week, with a nomination for a Good Egg Award. The honor, she said, is for “the person who waited on me last week at CVS. It was a hot Friday night, there were six people ahead of me at the pharmacy. All of us, including me had a grim, tired look … we just wanted to get our prescription and go home. At last it was my turn and I said to the woman behind the desk, ‘You guys are sure busy tonight,’ and she looked up at me with a big smile and replied, ‘I don’t want to go there. We have people out and yes, it’s been busy tonight, but though I work at a CVS I have not gotten COVID and I am glad I have my job. I feel blessed.’ That was such a powerful thing to say to not only tired me, but to the other people in line. I left CVS with my husband’s meds and a lighter feeling in my heart thanks to that woman.” We agree with Vicki and gladly bestow this week’s honor on the hard-working local CVS employee.

Newtown Senior Center Assistant Judy Thomas told The Newtown Bee on July 27 that her last day will be Friday, July 29. Judy has been the face of the Senior Center for years as she interacted one-on-one with countless residents and always brought smiles to people’s faces. Her impact was also seen through the variety of well attended programming she created, including her famous “Tours With Judy” that were always filled up. We wish you the best, Judy!

Round Room, LLC, the nation’s largest Verizon Authorized Retailer, announced that its TCC and Wireless Zone stores are donating 140,000 backpacks full of school supplies in the upcoming tenth annual School Rocks Backpack Giveaway. This Sunday, July 31, between 1-4 pm, more than 1,200 TCC and Wireless Zone nationwide stores are inviting local families to their locations to pick up a backpack filled with pencils, paper, a pencil box, folders, a ruler and glue. One backpack per child present will be given away on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. Wireless Zone of Newtown, 228 South Main Street, is one of the participating locations. In addition to the backpack donations, families can enter their students in a sweepstakes to win a $10,000 college scholarship through the giveaway’s Big Impact. Children in grades kindergarten to twelfth grade are eligible for entry and can be registered at their local TCC and Wireless Zone stores during the School Rocks Backpack Giveaway event.

The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) is set to hold its 112th annual field day open house, Plant Science Day 2022, on Wednesday, August 3, at Lockwood Farm, 890 Evergreen Avenue, Hamden. Gate opens at 9:30 am and the event runs from 10 am to 4 pm. The event is free, open to the public, and takes place rain or shine. Highlights for the event include the presentation of the Century Farm Award and the Samuel W. Johnson Memorial Lecture, which will be presented this year by Katie S. Dykes, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) commissioner. There will also be technical demonstrations on beekeeping systems used in Connecticut, managing weeds in lakes and ponds, and poster displays featuring research topics. And CAES experts will be on hand to diagnose plant diseases, and identify plants, insects, weeds, and collect soil samples for testing. Activities for children will also be available. More information about the day is available online at portal.ct.gov/CAES/Plant-Science-Day/2022/Plant-Science-Day-2022-Wednesday-August-3rd.

The 2022 Labor Day Parade is seeking donors/sponsors and participants. Margot and Bob Hall have already been announced as grand marshals for this year’s event, returning to its traditional route on Monday, September 5. The parade’s theme is “Celebrating Newtown’s Hidden Gems.” Want to be part of the first parade since 2019? Visit newtownCTlabordayparade.org or contact Melissa Kopcik at 475-444-3126 or participate@newtownCTlabordayparade.org. Donors and sponsors are also needed if this year’s parade is going to be another big success. Contact Melissa at the phone number above or send a note to sponsor@newtownCTlabordayparade.org. Donations of all sizes are gratefully welcomed, and if it helps, the organization behind the parade is a 501(c)(3).

I’ll be a happy one-cat parade as long as you promise next week to ... Read me again.