Please make note that there is a change for the 2020 Fill The Fire Truck event this Saturday, November 21. After we went to press last week, we received information that, rather than collecting at its fire station, members of Botsford Fire Rescue will be staged at Sand Hill Plaza, 228 South Main Street. Dodgingtown Volunteer Fire Company No 1 still plans to collect at its 55 Dodgingtown Road location. Members of Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company (SHVFR), Newtown Hook & Ladder, and Hawleyville Volunteer Fire Company will be collecting donations outside Big Y, 6 Queen Street. All of the Fill The Fire Truck events run from 9 am til 2 pm, and will benefit FAITH Food Pantry.

And if you happen to be shopping in Southbury on Sunday, November 22, maybe you can help support our neighboring town. Southbury Ambulance Association, Inc will be in the Southbury Plaza Shopping Center, 100 Main Street North, hoping to stuff an ambulance with donations of canned goods for distribution by the Southbury Food Bank. The Fill-An-Ambulance will take place from 10 am until 2 pm.

Newtown Lions Club members Oscar de Los Santos and Bruce Walczak profess gratitude for all who have supported the Lions’ eyeglass collection efforts over the years, and share that the club “was instrumental in collecting thousands of eyeglasses for repurposing and distribution to those in need. Recently, thanks to the efforts of Former District Governor Bill Manthey and other Connecticut Lions, a massive drive was implemented to continue our state clubs’ substantial eyeglass collection and distribution tradition.” While many donation boxes have been largely empty due to the pandemic, we are told that Lion Dr Joe Young helped contribute to the ambitious eyeglasses drive in a major way. On Saturday, November 7, Dr Young, of Village Eye Care on Church Hill Road, dropped off many bags and boxes of eyeglasses from his own surplus supplies to a Bridgeport warehouse. On November 12, a truck loaded with 30,000 eyeglasses was driven to a New Jersey Lions distribution center.

Southbury USPS postal carrier “Ken” found a special treat in the mailbox at Liz and Paul Arneth’s recently. The former longtime Newtown residents painted a rock that just begged to look like a mail truck, and left it as a thank you to their carrier. “He exemplifies all that is good about the postal service, friendly, efficient, and an all around great guy,” Liz says of Ken.

Want to adopt a “pet” without the daily care? The National Wildlife Federation has an adoption program. Many species of wildlife are declining because of human activity. Visit https://www.shopnwf.org and you can learn at the Adoption Center tab how to support a symbolic adoption of creatures like the polar bear, arctic fox, bald eagle, river otter, and others. Your donation will also support these animals’ native habitats.

Martin West encountered what appears to be a quite large coyote, “about 70 yards away, early Sunday morning in the frosty fields on Meadow Brook Road,” he tells me. I would have to agree that this is a beast any little kitty would want to steer clear of!

If you missed the Senior Center Craft Pop-Up Boutique at the 8 Simpson Street location this past Saturday, mark your calendar for November 21 or December 12 when the crafters there will again present the shopping opportunity. Visit between 8 am and 2 pm, for the opportunity to purchase some great handmade gift items — and support our Senior Center.

After you set up your Christmas tree this season, you might still be looking for the annual Newtown Woman’s Club holiday ornament to add to the decorations. This year, the double-sided pewter ornament features the historic Hawley Manor, currently undergoing major renovations and renamed “Marygold.” You can get the ornament, priced at $20, at the office of The Newtown Bee, 5 Church Hill Road; C.H. Booth Library, 25 Main Street; The Toy Tree, 14 Church Hill Road; or the Office of the Town Clerk in the Municipal Center, 3 Primrose Street. The sale of the ornaments benefits local civic organizations. Pat Bailey (203-426-3287) and Lisa Goosman (203-426-4192) are happy to answer any questions you may have.

If you have donations to support our animal shelter, FAITH Food Pantry, or Toys For Tots, you will find donation boxes set up in the lobby of The Newtown Bee, 5 Church Hill Road. Stop by with donations during our hours, 8 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday. Please wear a mask when you come into our lobby; or if you prefer not to come in, give us a call at 203-426-3141 to let us know you are here and we will be happy to come out to you to collect your items. Toys For Tots prefers unwrapped gifts for all ages of children; details on the program can be found at toysfortots.org. A full list of most needed food and household items for FAITH can be viewed at newtownfoodpantry.org. Our animal control shelter is in need of kitty litter, wet food for dogs and cats, and towels, and also welcomes donations of hard rubber dog toys, like Kongs; cat toys; slide leads; Iam’s dog food; pet treats; trash bags; paper towels; cleaning products; and other pet supplies. The shelter cannot accept pillows, comforters, or filled blankets, mattresses, and mattress pads. Thank you, in advance!

Run, jog, walk — whatever best suits you, but don’t forget to sign up for Newtown’s Turkey Trot Road Race. You can take part in the virtual event any time over the long Thanksgiving weekend, November 26-29, running the 5K wherever you would like. The Turkey Trot benefits the Cyrenius H. Booth Library, a place not only for books, but also a place for learning and fun. Participate individually or as a team; and post your photos and race time on the Turkey Trot website. The Turkey Trot will kick off with a Facebook Live event at 8 am on Thanksgiving Day. Register at the Turkey Trot website https://www.newtownturkeytrot.com.

You know that the Newtown Youth & Family Service Holiday Festival is going virtual this year, too, for safety’s sake, right? Be sure to visit newtownyouthandfamilyservices.org to find out how to register for the many fun events they are setting up. Virtual visits with an elf, the Festival of Trees, a scavenger hunt, letters to Santa, the Nutcracker Suite, and much more will be presented in ways to help you support the local mental health and youth service organization and respect the COVID-19 protocols, beginning on December 6. How about sending a group of carolers to serenade a friend, or dream up an edible creation for a competition planned in conjunction with Trinity Episcopal? Make the most of our unusual holiday this year!

While I decide which Holiday Festival events to virtually attend, I will be pussyfooting about, collecting the bits of news you love to hear. Be sure next week to... Read me again.