Bobby Archiere, Joey Santella, and Kaj Djonne were sadly surprised by the amount of trash they picked up last week in their Yearling Lane and Horseshoe Ridge neighborhoods. As so many others have learned, there are lots of others who consider the world one big garbage can. Thanks to these three fellows for trying to make a dent in the tossed away trash. They can share the Good Egg Award this week with Kat Barton. Kate Sclafani, who has used her house as a meeting point for NHS “Two Schools One Song” students to gather and work toward raising $13,000 to build a school in Cambodia, said the kids were given a helping hand by Graceful Planet co-director Kat Barton. After reading about the group’s efforts in The Bee, Kat donated T-shirts to sell to further the cause. She also offered to sell more of the “Gratitude Rocks” at the Graceful Planet on Washington Avenue, the same ones the group sold at the Blue Z Coffeehouse this past Thursday, April 29. Kat (and I’m not saying this just because of her name) is worthy of The Bee’s Good Egg Award.

The contemporary bluegrass, folk, and Americana music Redstone Ridge Band will be at Newtown Congregational Church, Friday, April 30. Andy Spencer, Paul Pozzi, Dave Aston, Scott Camara, Irv Hagewood, and Vic Gallagher will perform at the 14 West Street church at 7:30 pm. It’s $10 for adults, children are free, and a reception follows the performance.

Also this weekend, May 2, at 2 pm, Newtown Meeting House will be filled with song and celebration as musicians gather to mark the installation of an elevator that has made the historic building handicapped accessible. The concert will feature music from opera to musical theater to jazz. Sopranos Gwynne Wittmann, Ann Martindale, and Elizabeth Norton, all students of Pamela Hoffman (who will also be performing), and baritone Richard Busch, will sing selections from the opera, art songs, and American standard repertoire. Also performing will be pianists Margarita Nuller, Éric Trudel, Susan-Anthony Klein, and Brianne Chasanoff. The concert is free and open to all, and a reception will follow the performance. No donations will be requested, but reservations are recommended. For reservations or more information, contact Sherry Paisley at 203-270-8293 or nmh1792@hotmail.com.

The 18th annual National Association of Letter Carriers National Food Drive will take place Saturday, May 8, when letter carriers across the country — including Newtown — collect nonperishable donations as they deliver mail along their routes. Last year carriers collected a record 73.4 million pounds of food. Donations from this year’s drive, according to NALC, are expected to push the overall total since the annual drive began 18 years ago to more than one billion pounds. Donations will be collected by more than 1,400 local branches of the postal union and delivered to food banks, pantries, and shelters serving the communities where they are collected. That means FAITH Food Pantry and Newtown Social Services food pantry will directly benefit from these efforts. All you need to do is put some nonperishable food into a plastic bag and hang it from the front of your mailbox next Saturday morning. Please check the expiration dates on those donations. Items collected that are past date must be thrown out.

A Donate to Skate team has joined NYFS, Park and Bark, and Pootatuck Watershed Association teams for the Save Mocha Now! Community Challenge set up on behalf of local charities and Mocha. Teams will compete until May 23 to give Mocha Coffeehouse on Glen Road the most business. The winning charity team gets a pool of money, and hopefully raises support for a locally owned coffeehouse to stay in business at the Mocha location. For information, visit savemochanow.com.

According to a press release I got my paws on this week from “Doggie-Bags,” this past week was National Scoop the Poop Week, so I guess it’s time to remind dog owners to be responsible and pick up any “presents” left behind by Fido when walking on public property. Doggie-Bags notes that the 10 million tons of dog waste produced annually by 80 million dogs in the US is responsible for environmental and health hazards. Remember: bag = wag. No bag = a drag. Tsk. Someone should tell canines about litter boxes….

On a pleasant note, don’t forget that May 3 to 7 is Teacher Appreciation Week. Cheer up your favorite educator with a heartfelt “Thank you!” at the very least. There is more to teaching than the three R’s, so let teachers know their hard work is valued.

I’m unaware of a Cat Appreciation Week, but I hope you value this column enough that next week you’ll …. Read me again.