Toni Earnshaw, co-chair of communications for Newtown Action Alliance (NAA), shared with me the Newtown experience of last month’s National Vigil for Gun Violence Victims, held December 11, at the National Cathedral in our nation’s capitol. Sixty Newtown residents took time out of a busy month to join with hundreds of others from across the country, meeting with more than 50 legislators, “to honor victims with action by calling on Congress to do a better job of keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous people,” said Toni. Tom Campbell, a member of the board of NAA, noted that “even a conservative Republican from Utah, Congressman Chris Stewart, was open to a meeting and to discussing a bill to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers.”

“To all but the extremists, the gun profiteers, and their lobbyists, this is the kind of law that your average citizen and your average gun owner supports,” said Toni. In addition to these legislative meetings, the group delivered letters to all 535 members of Congress, specifically requesting that Congress pass expanded background check legislation. Newtown Action Alliance, for a second year, was the leader in organizing the vigil at the Cathedral, as an opportunity to remember the 30,000 Americans lost to gun violence each year. The vigil was attended by Senators Richard Blumenthal and Christopher Murphy, as well as Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty, Toni told me. “Gilles and Joyce Rousseau, the parents of Lauren Rousseau, a teacher killed in Sandy Hook Elementary on December 14, 2012, spoke at the vigil, along with victims and family members of victims from around the nation,” she said. Pastor Matt Crebbin of Newtown Congregational Church worked with the National Cathedral and clergy from multiple denominations to provide a service of comfort, hope and inspiration, said Toni.

“It is with renewed commitment that we Honor with Action to End Gun Violence so that America’s children and families will be safer from gun violence in the future,” said Po Murray, chairman of NAA.

2014 seems to be taking a kindly leave of Newtown. Donna and Joan of Queen Street Cleaners received a random act of kindness on Saturday, December 27. Joan, a dog lover (and probably a cat lover, too, although she didn’t exactly say so…), saw a woman with “an adorable puppy” walk by, and ran out during a pause in business to give it some pets and cuddling. It turned out the pup’s owner was walking about distributing handmade cards from Potter Road Elementary School in Framingham, Mass. The dog walker handed cards to Donna and to Joan, and each card made by the elementary school children contained a gift card to Dunkin’ Donuts.  Donna and Joan never found out the woman’s identity, but they are so grateful for her kind act.

Bee employees also found that mysterious acts of kindness took place over the long holiday weekend. Clipped to several Christmas trees around the office were dollar bills, each one wrapped in a tag honoring a victim of 12/14. I have no doubt that these acts of kindness will continue to be paid forward, and if you take a look at the story in the Education section this week about Hawley School’s Kindness Assembly, you will see how far one act of kindness can go. What a gentle, loving way to exit 2014.

Do I hear wedding bells? They may be off in the distance, but Newtown Bee layout whiz Susie Leniart has quite the sparkling ring on her left hand this week. Congratulations to Susie and her beau (and fellow Bee employee), Matt Seaman!

Louise and Dick Baker’s granddaughter, Rebekah, loves dragons. Santa knew just what to bring her, delivering this T-shirt imprinted with the warning: MEDDLE NOT IN THE AFFAIRS OF DRAGONS, FOR YOU ARE CRUNCHY AND GOOD WITH KETCHUP. The jolly old elf threw in a dragon necklace for good measure, too. Looks like someone had a good holiday!

Maybe New Year’s Eve will not left you too exhausted to stay up until 9 pm on January 1. If so, tune in to The History Channel. Sandy Hook resident David Goldin, a former Grammy Award-winning record producer and radio engineer for the Mutual Broadcasting System network, WOR, NBC, and CBS, will be on Brad Meltzer’s Lost History show Thursday at 9 pm, and then on Friday, January 2, at 1 am, on History Channel H2. Or, try the following link to the website on History Channel: www.history.com/shows/brad-meltzers-lost-history, and play the December 26 episode that starts with D-Day. Why, you ask, is David on the show? Because in 2010, David recognized a transcription on eBay of a unique 15-minute interview with Yankees baseball hero Babe Ruth. He was puzzled, as he had once owned that original radio transcription and had donated it to the National Archives. Thanks to David’s inquiry, in 2012, the former head of the recorded sound and film division of the National Archives, Les Waffen, was arrested and found guilty of the theft of thousands of recordings that had been donated to that foundation.

After the New Year festivities, it will be time to settle back into some routines. What better habit to reacquaint yourself with than the NUMC Monthly Pasta Dinner? The delicious classic meal will be served up Saturday evening, January 3, from 5 to 7:30 pm, in the lower level of Newtown United Methodist Church, at 92 Church Hill Road. It’s just $10 for adults, $9 for seniors, and $3.50 for children to indulge in a full pasta dinner with beverages and homemade desserts. Takeout is available by calling 203-426-9998, if you are feeling cozy at home.

The new year means the return of another tradition: The Newtown Bee First Baby Contest 2015. Winning parents (from Newtown or Sandy Hook only, please) will be whoever submits the earliest 2015 birth date to The Bee, no later than Tuesday, January 13. A plethora of wonderful gifts and gift cards from local merchants is the prize. What new parents wouldn’t love a free dinner or lunch a one of several area restaurants? The lucky baby can start saving with a $25 savings account at Newtown Savings Bank, or pose for pretty pictures by Sandra Lynn Photography. A new baby is exciting — and exhausting. Winning parents will get a few nights out with free passes to Edmond Town Theatre, maybe after indulging in a European facial at Avancé Esthétiques and a haircut and color at Salon Michele. Driving that new baby from place to place to be admired by relatives and friends will mean wear and tear on the car. NJK Sunoco comes to the rescue with a free oil change, or fill up with a $25 gas card at Dodgingtown Garage, Inc, on Route 302 (and right now, that $25 in gas goes a lot further than it did a few months ago!). These are just a few of the great gifts celebrating Newtown’s First Baby. If you have a baby on the way in the next several days, have your doctor give you a note with the exact time and date of birth, your address, place of birth, and baby’s sex, weight, and name. E-mail your information to shannon@thebee.com, or send it by snail mail to Shannon Hicks c/o Bee Publishing Co, PO Box 5503, Newtown CT 06470. Good luck!

It’s never to late to learn something new. If you’ve been curious about 3D printing, satisfy that curiosity at the C.H. Booth Library, where a 3D printer is available for patrons to use. Send an e-mail to chbya@biblio.org, and they will respond with times and information for training sessions. You’ll be printing in 3D before you know it!

I’m always looking for something new — to write about. When I find it, you’ll be the first to know, if you… Read me again.