Just in time for hotter days, Ferris Acres Creamery shared the news through a post on its Facebook page on April 26 that it was named "Best Ice Cream in CT" according to Yankee Magazine's Best of New England 2017 issue." The folks at 144 Sugar Street added, "We are so honored!" in Wednesday's celebratory announcement. New England Today (newengland.comeliza@thebee.comrescuerebuild.greatergood.org/cvh2017/eliza@thebee.comThe Newtown Bee. (Be sure to include a daytime phone number, which does not get published.) Bakes 'n' Cakes owner Tony Posca is happy to provide the winner of the Bee Birthday Cake with a delicious cake. Complete entry details are in each issue of The Newtown Bee. Submissions must be received by noon on Tuesday for that week's edition of the paper.The Bee's office Monday through Friday between 8 am and 5 pm (earlier and later by chance).babycontest2010@gmail.comgiftoflifeinternational.org

, a Yankee Publishing offshoot) also posted the news online. The publication also named Sticks and Stones Farm, at 201 Huntingtown Road, the best "Adventure Lodging" in the state for its "emerald moss mountain, a labyrinth, a stone barn, and open-air kitchen, and a spring-fed swimming hole."

, by noon on Monday, May 1, with students identified from left to right. Pictures submitted will run in the May 5 print edition of the paper, as space allows. Have you heard of prom invitations issued in unusual ways? If you know of a NHS senior asking their date to prom in a novel way, e-mail Eliza with the story and contact information.There is one adventure I know many Newtown High School students will be experiencing this Friday. The NHS senior prom is set for April 28. Parents are reminded that we would love to see pictures from the evening. E-mail them to Education Reporter Eliza Hallabeck, at

In addition to attending the 10th Annual Newtown Earth Day Festival last weekend, many residents took part in projects aimed at beautifying the town. Rumor has it members of Sandy Hook Elementary School's Pack 170 Cub Scouts took care of sprucing up the grounds around The Bee's printing facility on Commerce Road last Saturday morning, even in the rain that punctuated Earth Day. We extend our thanks to those young men for their help. That was a nice treat for employees to discover when they returned to work Monday morning.

. Drop-in volunteers will also be welcome. Local residents are also invited to make meals to feed volunteers. "No skills or tools necessary to come help; we will teach you everything you need to know and provide you with everything you will need!" an announcement from CVHAS reads.The volunteer efforts remind me that The Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary is still looking for volunteers to help with a Rescue Rebuild from The Greater Good effort to work on barn restoration, build paddocks, remove invasive plants, and build a chicken run, May 10-18. Volunteers are expected to be onsite each day from 8:30 am to about 4:30 pm. Volunteers can help for a part of the day or for the whole day. To register in advance, go to

for publication in the Just For Kids section of Every week there is a birthday cake awarded through a drawing to one lucky local boy or girl. Send your child's photo, name, age, and birthdate to

Newtown residents and musicians Karen Pinto and Matt Brantl and Sandy Hook resident and musician Madison Wittmer are among the Danbury Community Orchestra (DCO) members performing this Saturday evening, April 29, at the Visual and Performing Arts Center on the Westside Campus of Western Connecticut State University, 43 Lake Avenue Extension in Danbury. Under the direction of Conductor Stephen Michael Smith, the orchestra will perform Wagner's Overture to The Flying Dutchman, Korsakov's Procession of the Nobels, and Symphony No. 6 by Sibelius. DCO will also perform a newly released Suite from the Broadway hit Hamilton. The free concert will begin at 7:30 pm.

The next day, Sunday, April 30, a May Day Garden Party will be held at the Victory Garden at Fairfield Hills, Mile Hill South, from 1 to 3 pm. The event is free and open to the public. The multigenerational agricultural event will include tips and tricks for gardening, and information on beekeeping, gardening, the Newtown Victory Garden, and more. The event will also include activities for children, refreshments, and light snacks, all presented by the Newtown Parks & Recreation department.

As this week's "Lisa Unleashed" column points out, Monday, May 1, marks the fourth annual National Purebred Dog Day (NPDD), which celebrates the heritage, diversity, and predictability of the purebred dog. That is about all the dog news this cat can share this week, but you can read more about it on page B-3.

The Bee Publishing Company will again host a collection box in our lobby, at 5 Church Hill Road, weekdays May 1 to May 31, to gather items for FAITH Food Pantry in honor of service men and women. FAITH Food Pantry is located at 31 Pecks Lane and it is open Tuesday from 10 am to noon and Thursday from 6 pm to 7:30 pm. Current food and beverages needed are beef stew, brownie mixes, cake mixes, frostings, canned chicken, canned chili, canned fruit or plastic cups of fruit, cereal, Chef Boyardee, corned beef hash, hearty soups, jelly, macaroni & cheese, pancake mix, pancake syrup, pasta, peanut butter, rice, snacks, tuna, apple or cranberry juice bottles, tea bags, coffee, and condiments. Both wet and dry cat and dog food is also needed. Necessities and toiletries needed include bar soap, dish detergent, feminine hygiene products, laundry detergent, razors, shampoo and/or conditioner, toilet paper, toothbrushes, and toothpaste. Donations for the collection can be dropped off at

or call 203-970-1468.Beautiful Baby Photo Contest Founder and Organizer Lois Barber tells me Sophie Garthwait, age 3, is the first baby from Newtown to be entered in this year's Beautiful Baby Photo Contest. It is $10 to post a photo in this friendly competition, which is a fundraiser to help young, wounded American soldiers receive a specially adapted house through the Homes for Our Troops national nonprofit. 100 percent of the funds raised by the 2017 Baby Contest will be earmarked for two Marines from Connecticut who are both currently on the waitlist for a handicap house: Staff Sergeant Liam Dwyer from Southbury, and Corporal Roger Rua of Naugatuck. To enter a photo of a newborn to 4-year-old child, send a $10 check made payable to "Homes for Our Troops" and a nonreturnable 4x4-inch (cut a 4x6-inch) or wallet-size photo of the child with the child's name and the parent's contact phone and e-mail written clearly on the back to Beautiful Baby c/o Lois Barber, 33 Zoar Road, Sandy Hook CT 06482. Siblings, with the age limit, can be in the same photo and entered jointly as a family. For more information e-mail

.Newtown Rotary Club hosted several community organizations for dinner on Monday, April 17, that were recipients of the club's annual giving budget. Local Rotarians were also thrilled to present a Paul Harris Fellow to Robert LeBlanc, a Newtown resident who is a member of the board of directors from Connecticut Children's Hospital for his and his team's participation and continued dedication to the club's efforts with The Gift of Life Program. Representatives and agencies receiving Rotary donations also included Bob Eckenrode, president of Newtown Forest Association; Kaia M. Fahrenholz, president of Newtown Friends of Music, Inc; Rebecca Cosgrove, program manager at Ben's Lighthouse; and Tom Hanlon, representing Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps. To learn more about the Gift of Life organization visit

Both of The Newtown Bee's associate editors deserve extra applause this week. Shannon Hicks was honored at the April 20 New England Society of News Editors (NESNE) spring awards ceremony, when she was presented the 2017 Master Photographer award for non-daily publications. See story above, "Shannon Hicks Named NESNE Master Photographer," to learn more about that. Meanwhile, John Voket was named the Twenty-Second Annual Community Partner Award recipient for his contributions to foster, adoptive, and relative caregiver families in Connecticut by the Connecticut Alliance of Foster and Adoptive Families. A luncheon will be held on May 5 at the Trumbull Marriott for the award presentation.

I promise to clap my paws together more if you promise next week to... Read me again.