NSB Donates $20,000 For Tercentennial Fireworks

By Jan Howard

John Trentacosta, president of Newtown Savings Bank and treasurer of the Tercentennial Commission Steering Committee, announced during last week’s Steering Committee meeting that the bank would donate $20,000 for a fireworks display planned as part of next year’s celebration.

The fireworks are scheduled for the weekend of August 6, 2005, in conjunction with a townwide picnic, vintage baseball game, antique car show, skate boarding demonstrations, bands, and more, to celebrate the town’s 300th year.

The August 2005 celebration marks the 1705 purchase of Newtown from the resident Native Americans. The transaction took place on the banks of the Housatonic River on July 25, 1705. However, in 1750, the calendar was reformed and the date became August 5.

Mike Fitzsimons, chairman of the fireworks display, has met with First Selectman Herb Rosenthal, Police Chief Michael Kehoe, and Fire Marshal Bill Halstead regarding the event and is on the Planning & Zoning Commission’s agenda on October 7 for a modification of its regulation to allow for a one-time exemption to the prohibition of such displays.

Volunteers are still needed to help with the Tercentennial Ball on February 5. The ball, one of the opening events of the tercentennial year, will be held at the Fireside Inn and includes live and silent auctions.

To volunteer, call Janet Woycik at the C.H. Booth Library, 426-4533, or Barbara Kasbarian at the Parks and Recreation Department, 270-4340.

According to Ms Woycik, a person is needed to chair a committee to obtain items for the auctions.

“We need someone who knows a lot of people,” she said.

Donations are also needed for the live and silent auctions. In addition, sponsors are needed for the band, flowers, and other items for the dinner dance and other events planned during the tercentennial year.

Tables for the ball are available for corporate sponsorship. For a sponsorship, contact John Martocci at Newtown Savings Bank.

In other business, Rich Woycik, chairman of the Committee for Commemoratives, said response to wearable items has been positive. Sweatshirts for adults and long and short-sleeved T-shirts and caps for children and adults are available for purchase at the Parks and Recreation office at Town Hall South, Newtown Savings Bank offices on Main Street and in Sand Hill Plaza, C.H. Booth Library, and The Newtown Bee.

Mae Schmidle reported that the tercentennial website would be up and running shortly.

The committee members also discussed publications that would be issued during the tercentennial year, including a calendar, a book of historical essays, and a coffee table book of color photographs. Chairman Dan Cruson noted the calendar would be available by Thanksgiving and the book of essays after the beginning of the year.

The next meeting of the Tercentennial Steering Committee will be October 6 at 3:45 pm in the C.H. Booth Library meeting room.

Donations for the tercentennial celebration may be sent to Newtown Tercentennial Inc, c/o Newtown Savings Bank, 39 Main Street, Newtown CT 06470.