To the Editor

I want to thank everyone who in spite of the weather took time out of their busy schedule to visit Sandy Hook this past Saturday for our fourth annual Passport to Sandy Hook.

Sandy Hook Organization for Prosperity (SHOP) is a group of hardworking and dedicated merchants, property owners, and residents who dedicate a lot of their free time to make Sandy Hook Village a place that I have been proud to call my home for 25 years. Passport is our annual opportunity to show everyone what a truly special place it is, a place within us all.

Pulling off an event like this takes a big effort from many people. First of all I would like to thank our major sponsors, Newtown Savings Bank, WPLR, LRM Landscaping, and Andy Sachs and the Around Town Team. I would also like to thank the Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company and the Newtown Highway Department for bringing their vehicles down to the Hook for everyone to enjoy. Thank you also to the Sandy Hook Ladies Auxiliary for collecting food and stuffing the truck for the FAITH Food pantry.

Our entertainment is always the best; thank you to the Bobby Donaldson Band and John Voket for stepping up for us every year. Thank you to The Newtown Bee for their continued support of Sandy Hook Village, and for our marketing coordinator Melissa Lopata for all of her work on our press releases, advertising, and passport material.

A big thank you to our Passport committee for all of their work behind the scenes: Sharon Doherty, Mike Burton, Mike Porco, Jr, and of course our leader, the chairperson of our group, Maribeth Hemingway. Maribeth puts an incredible amount of time and effort into this event, and it really truly could never happen without her. Last but not least I would like to thank all of our participating merchants for all of their time and effort to make Passport a really special day.

Thank you all again for coming, and please stop by again. Maybe for the Halloween walk, or the Christmas tree lighting, or just to take a stroll through the village to shop and have something to eat. See you next year!

Joe Hemingway

President

Sandy Hook Organization for Prosperity

10 Overlook Knoll,  Sandy Hook              October 15, 2014