Happy Hanukkah this week, merry Christmas this weekend, and happy Kwanza next week! This cat will have a little extra cream this week in celebration. And if you just realized what the date is and still need to purchase gifts for loved ones, have no fear. Something that never gets old is gifting a subscription to your local newspaper. I’ll make it easy for you, just go to our website, newtownbee.com, click the green “Subscribe” button at the top, and then click “Gift Subscription.”

And while you are thinking of plunging into gifting newspaper subscriptions ... Love Has A Home (LHAH) Founder Bill Donaldson is taking the plunge. Into a pond. On December 31. Want to join him? Bill recently promised supporters and donors that if he and LHAH raised $10,000 on Giving Tuesday toward its goal of purchasing Sticks and Stones Farm, he would jump into the property’s pond. While the November 29 effort fell short by $3,000, Bill is moving forward in good faith and still planning to do a New Year’s Eve Polar Plunge. He is also inviting readers to join him. So if you’d like to flash freeze 2022 away, and will either collect donations from others to support your effort or make your own donation to the fundraising goal, visit lovehasahome.org/polarbearplunge. Registration is requested for participants, and can also be done at that website. Spectators are also welcome that Saturday afternoon. The plunge is planned for 1 o’clock, with hot beverages and snacks to be served — indoors — immediately following the jump.

As of December 16, USA Today announced Norwalk’s Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum (LMMM) has been voted by the public as one of the ten best holiday historic home tours in the country. There is still time to visit the museum to see the new exhibition titled, “A Holiday Wonderland at the Mansion,” which is on view through Saturday, December 31. The exhibit explores Victorian holiday traditions and features 21st-Century Christmas trees and more. For more information on the holiday exhibition, schedules, and programs, visit lockwoodmathewsmansion.com.

Speaking of history, Newtown Historical Society is looking for a volunteer, urgently. As the group posted on its Instagram account, @newtowncthistoricalsociety, this week, “The individual who currently holds the position of Membership Recruitment will be stepping down at the end of January, so we are looking to fill this position prior to February, so it can be seamlessly transitioned. If you are interested, or simply would like more information, please email Barbara Wilson at bkwilsonhistory@yahoo.com.”

Did you notice this news from C.H. Booth Library? The library announced this week that it has new notary public services by appointment. Those in need of the services can email help@chboothlibrary.org or call 203-426-4533 to schedule an appointment or for more details. Those using the services should bring all documents unsigned, and two forms of identification, and there is no charge for this service, according to the library.

Calling all nonprofits! If you are looking to gain more volunteers, help spread the word about upcoming events, or gain support and insight from others, check out the C.H. Booth Library’s Newtown Nonprofit Council. The group meets once and month and will have its next meeting on Tuesday, January 17, at 10 am. It is the Newtown Nonprofit Council’s first hybrid meeting after being solely virtual. Participants can attend in person at the library or by Zoom. Contact Lily MacHugh at lmachugh@chboothlibrary.org to learn more and receive the meeting link.

A Sandy Hook resident shared this photo of a beautiful flying feathered friend this week. According to the resident, this bird has been returning daily to the same area of trees. I am at a loss for what type of bird this could be. If you know, feel free to email my The Newtown Bee coworker Eliza Van and let her know your thoughts. Have you spotted a beautiful bird in your yard? This cat is curious ... But really, please remember to share all photos of out of the ordinary animals outdoors with us. You may just find your photo in this column.

For those who may have missed it, Dr Ayesha Dholakia, a resident physician in pediatrics at Boston Medical Center and Boston Children’s Hospital who grew up in Sandy Hook, had a reflective piece on the last decade since the 12/14 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School published by WBUR, “The lessons I learned at Sandy Hook Elementary.” The piece, which is available to read at wbur.org, focuses on words many Sandy Hook School alums will recognize: “Think you can, work hard, get smart, be kind.” Keep up the good work in the medical field Dr Dholakia! We think you can.

Here’s a little fun story about Sandy Hook School’s motto: It started as “Think you can, work hard, get smart.” As The Newtown Bee reported in 2011, “be kind” was added when the school was integrating the Responsive Classroom program into its environment. Then when late Sandy Hook Elementary School Principal Dawn Hochsprung started at the school for the 2010-11 school year, she met with teachers and school parents. “Through those discussions Ms Hochsprung realized while the school community has high expectations, learning should also be fun,” The Newtown Bee reported at the time. The final part of the full school motto, “have fun,” was then added.

Do you know someone who has lived in Newtown all their life? Or do you have a new neighbor that just moved to town? Both people — as well as everyone in between — would make a great person to be featured in The Newtown Bee’s Snapshot profile. Reach out to reporter Alissa Silber by e-mail at Alissa@thebee.com to recommend someone who lives and/or works in Newtown. It is a fun way to get to know people and learn more about what makes the Newtown community so special. See page two of this week’s print edition to read about Joanne Antignani.

I have to share congratulations to Newtown Savings Bank this week. The bank recently announced that it was named as Best Small Bank in Connecticut by Newsweek for the second time. “Serving you and our communities is what motivates us to do our very best every day. We wouldn’t be the bank we are without you,” an announcement from the bank read about the news. Then, Newtown Savings Bank President & CEO Ken Weinstein said, “As a mutual savings bank and a community bank, our efforts in the community are central to our mission and we are honored to be recognized for a second time as Connecticut’s Best Small Bank. I am proud of the dedication and hard work of our employees and their commitment to our customers.” What more is there to say except, now that’s “the power of local.”

I will continue to keep my ears open locally to report more news next week as long as you promise to ... Read me again.