Congratulations to Danbury VNA. For the fourth consecutive year, the group has been recognized as one of the most successful Medicare-certified home health providers in the United States with recognition as a top 500 HomeCare Elitecompany ranking in the top 25 percent nationwide. Performance standards of quality of care, quality of improvement, and financial performance determined ranking.

Speaking of VNAs, Newtown’s group had such a successful turnout last weekend for its Thrift Shop Christmas Boutique that it has decided to do another one. Mae Schmidle called this week and was just purring over how well the sale went. “We had so much traffic, it was wonderful!” she said from the safety of her home during Wednesday morning’s storm. Mae has rounded up another crew of volunteers, and they will be at their shop at Edmond Town Hall again this Sunday from 11 am to 2 pm. That happens to piggyback well with the Newtown Holiday Craft Festival that will be ongoing in the town hall’s gym from 11 am to 5 pm. Shopping doesn’t get much more convenient than that.

Congratulations, as well, to The Newtown Youth Football seventh grade team, which is competing in the American Youth Football National Championships in Orlando this week. The Nighthawks defeated the Wyandotte County Panthers City from Wyandotte County, Kansas City, Kan., 39-0 on Monday and will play in the championship game Friday. Go team!

Speaking of football, the Newtown Football Team sponsored a food drive during the November 16 game at the Blue and Gold Stadium, organized by Kyle Packer, with the help of his sister Kelsey, and pulled in two bags of canned food and $78.45 that the teens then presented to Ann Piccini, director of Social Services.

So the game against Notre Dame was a winner for everyone, it seems.

Jo Ann Bruno of Newtown Woman’s Club, GFWC, Inc is pleased as punch that the club last week received an anonymous donation of $1,000 to go toward the renovation of the kitchen in the Alexandria Room of Edmond Town Hall. The club has a partnership with the Mary Hawley Society in support of that project, and in a down economy, are truly appreciative of such great generosity.

North Carolina author Joan Medlicott threw a few surprises into her newest book, Blue and Gray Christmas, that have caught some Newtowners off guard. “I had someone call me saying she wanted to know if I would sign a book for her mother-in-law who lives in North Carolina, and just read in ‘some book’ about my book, The Case Files of Detective Laszlo Briscoe,” said C.H. Booth librarian Andrea Zimmerman. It turns out that Ms Medlicott had inserted Andrea, as well as The Dana-Holcombe House and proprietors John and Jane Vouros, and town historian Dan Cruson into a few chapters of Blue and Gray Christmas as a thank you for help in researching the Newtown part of that book. Check out chapters 16, 17 and 18 to see how the Southern author puts our local personalities to work in her book. See? Even if you don’t have your own column, there’s more than one way to get your name in print.

Newtown residents Ros Lilgengren and Karen Pinto are among the Connecticut Clay Artists displaying and selling their art work at the Old Ruben’s Store, 3 Sugar Hollow Road, between Marcus Dairy and Pier I Imports by the Danbury Fair Mall the next two weekends. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, December 11–13 and 18–20, from 10 am to 4 pm. Twelve area artists who work in clay will present their wares, and invite all to stop by for gift ideas or just to enjoy their many talents.

Happy Hanukkah to all! The Festival of Lights begins this Friday at sundown for those celebrating the eight days of Hanukkah. This holiday commemorates the miracle of the oil, when according to the Talmud, there remained only enough consecrated oil for one day to fuel the eternal flame in the temple, following the victory of the Maccabees over the Seleucid Empire. The oil, however, burned for eight days, allowing enough time to consecrate fresh oil. So, during Hanukkah, eight candles in the Menorah are lit to represent the eight miraculous days, one each evening. Welcome the light!

Mother Nature is certainly having fun with New England. Just last week I wanted to unzip my fur coat when temperatures soared to 65 degrees. By Saturday, I was shivering and shoveling, and this Wednesday’s wild storm had me longing for a blazing fire and a hot cup of catnip tea. You have to love the challenge of living here.

Anybody who remembers Alison and Phill Truckle, who moved to Vermont and took over Tucker Hill Inn in Waitsfield a few years back, might also remember their son, James. Now a senior at Bishop’s College School in Canada, James had the honor of meeting and greeting England’s Prince Charles at a school event recently. We hear that James’s English grandmother was falling over with jealousy!

Peter D’Amico welcomes residents to Soccer and Santa at Newtown Youth Academy in Fairfield Hills on Saturday, December 19, between 9:30 am and 1 pm. Parents are invited to take all the pictures they want of their little ones and Santa at the free event that includes plenty of activities. A $5 donation, though, will get you a chance to win prizes from local businesses. The soccer part of the day is when you bring along a soccer ball to donate to Kick for Nick foundation, which provides soccer balls to children in Iraq. The late PFC Nick Madras wanted to give kids he met while serving there soccer balls. For information, visit KickForNick.org or email damicoteach@yahoo.com.  Yet another good cause counting on the big hearts of those who live in Newtown.

The other thing I know I can count on, is that next week you will find time to… Read me again.