To the Editor:

I want to thank everyone who took time out of their busy schedule to visit Sandy Hook this past Sat-urday for our Fifth Annual Passport to Sandy Hook. Sandy Hook Organization for Prosperity (SHOP) is a group of hard working 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 26 years.

Passport is our annual opportunity to show everyone what a truly special place it is. 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, Caldwell banker and the around town team. I would also like to thank the Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire and Rescue Co. 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.  Thank you also to the Newtown Highway department for letting us use their elec-tronic signs. Our entertainment is always the best, thank you to Unclaimed Baggage and One Level Down for providing some great music. As well as the Gracefull Planet for dancing in the street! Thank you to the Newtown Bee for their continued support of Sandy Hook Village. Mary Ann Jacob and Kathy Hamilton also deserve a lot of thanks for always helping us out with the passports.

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 Heming-way. Maribeth as always put 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 mer-chants 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 13, 2015