Did you lose your camera lens cover while buying an ornament from the Woman’s Club in front of the library on Monday? Lorraine Vanderwende says that a lens cover was found, and has dropped it off at The Bee office on Church Street. Come in to claim it!

As though they have some sort of annual agreement, when the sounds of the Labor Day Parade bands disappear, the trees on Main Street begin to show their true colors. Hints of red, yellow, and orange are dusting the edges of the leaves already this week. I guess summer really is over.

Speaking of the autumn of the years… 80 might seem like a ripe old age, but not when you wear it as well as Joan Glover Crick, who will celebrate her birthday on the 15th of this month. She still claims to be 60, a number I find highly believable. I heard she is planning a couple of rounds of golf at Newtown Country Club on the big day, and no doubt, will shoot well under par (as she has a “special” way of marking her card).

For a few years Lois Barber has coordinated a Beautiful Baby Contest, which brings donations for Homes For Our Troops through $1 votes. This year’s contest raised more than $4,000. This summer she added a silent auction of sports-related memorabilia. Hosted for its first few weeks at The Sports Authority in Danbury and then concluding August 25 at 1st & 10 Sports Bar & Grill in New Milford (who added a trip to Hawaii to the raffle’s offerings), it raised another $2,000. The best seller was a full-size, autographed NY Giants helmet with a Super Bowl emblem and Eli Manning’s signature on it. It sold for $600 to a man who brought his 11-year-old son with him when he picked up the helmet. “The boy left wearing it on his head,” Lois says. A pair of tickets to a Ryder Cup session in Illinois was donated after the donor read about the auction in The Bee, according to Lois. The winner told Lois “Even if I don’t go, I want to support our troops.” The winning bidder, who paid $60 for the lot, served in the US Navy; his friend, who paid $200 for four Mets tickets, served as an Army medic in Desert Storm. It sounds like Lois is helping veterans help veterans. A side note: the high bidder for a complete set of NFL cards from Topps didn’t list a phone number. Lois is offering those cards again, and wonders if any Bee reader would like to match (or beat?) the $30 bid that had been left for that collection. Call Lois, at 203-270-8017, if you would like details or to make a bid. Lois is hoping to turn the silent auction into an annual event as well. Call her or send an e-mail to loisbarber@sbcglobal.net if you have items to donate.

I understand Justin Scott faced a real problem Tuesday morning as he headed off to the Big Apple. Now that we’re into September, he wondered should he venture out in his favorite hat — a light, straw-type model with black band — or conform to the calendar and dig out the old felt hat? Since I did not spot him leaving town, I’ll have to see if Bill Cunningham caught him for fashion shots in The New York Times.

Slow down on Tuesday, September 11, when you pass by the Bryant homestead at 78 Main Street, across from the Newtown Ambulance garage. Fifteen-year-old Reed Bryant, who previously fashioned a World Trade Center memorial replica that is now on display in the main lobby of C.H. Booth Library, will be planting 360 American flags in his front yard in remembrance of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Even though Reed was just 4 years old when the attacks took place, he has a great love of history, he told me, and a strong belief that everyone, whether they lived through that day or not, should always be aware and remember it. “It’s just something I thought would be good for the community,” says Reed, who added that the display will probably remain up in his yard through September 12. Reed has even bought a seat on the board of the 9/11 memorial in New York City, and says that he hopes to add to the flag collection every year until he eventually puts up a display of 3,000 flags.

Just a reminder, too, that at 8 am on Tuesday, September 11, Howard Lasher will host a memorial service on his property on Route 302, near the Bethel line. You know it — the spot where the beautiful maple trees are painted to represent the American flag. The public is invited.

Congratulations to Newbury Place owners Liz Page of Newtown and her partners Amy Cameron and Eva Schick of Southbury. The specialty gift shop located at 41 Oak Tree Road in Southbury has been selected by Connecticut Magazine as the Best Gift Shop in Connecticut. A continually evolving merchandise selection, superior displays, holiday themes, music, and of course the personal service and signature packaging that Newbury Place provides makes it not surprising to me that they have earned this honor. Additionally, in gratitude for the success of their shop, Liz, Amy, and Eva have recently begun a “Pay It Forward” program, giving away thousands of dollars to support local charities and organizations. Curious? Visit www.newburyplace.com.

John Moran cut down a tree for Laura and Ken Lerman, with one restriction: the Lermans would have to get rid of the wood. Living on Main Street, Laura knew there wouldn’t be a problem. The wood was stacked outside with a “FREE” sign at 11:15 one recent morning. At 11:20 am, it was gone. Residents often put out free goods, but five minutes from placing the wood to getting rid of it is, I think, a new record.

Fall is second best only to springtime for cleaning out closets and shelves. There are a couple of places in town looking for your castoffs: In preparation for an upcoming class at C.H. Booth Library on long-term storage of gowns and other textiles, the librarians are seeking donations of used, but clean, white or nude pantyhose, and bags of cotton batting to stuff gown sleeves and so on. Bring your donations to the reference librarians, third floor, of the library, during regular library hours. Newtown Senior Center needs donations of yarn and material for making items for the annual Holiday Bazaar. If you have any to spare, please drop it off at the Riverside Road facility during their regular hours, Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm.

If you haven’t had a chance to visit the welcoming space at Newtown Senior Center, the public is invited to an open house, Saturday, September 15, from 11 am to 2 pm. Meet members of the Commission on Aging, pick up some handouts, and enjoy refreshments.

I’m spreading the word: The Animal Center is seeking adopters who have warm and safe barns or sheds for feral cats. All of the cats are neutered, vaccinated, and healthy. If you would like to adopt a barn cat or two, contact The Animal Center at info@TheAnimalCenter.org.

I’ll be out and about this week in fine form. Want to know what your friends have been up to? Read me again!