It is not too late to go to www.ragnarrelay.com/race/capecod and pick out a team to support for this  year’s RagnarRelay, a 24-hour relay run from Hull, Mass., to Provincetown, at the tip of Cape Cod. There are several teams running this year to support Sandy Hook and Newtown foundations, and all welcome your donations (and moral support). The race is from May 9 to May 10, so don’t delay.

Are you singing “Oh where, oh where, has my little lion and pig gone?” We might have the answer. A Bee employee spotted these two lovable stuffed animals at the side of Brushy Hill Road this past Monday morning. They were still there, looking just as forlorn, at noontime, so she plucked them up and brought them to the safety of The Bee office. If you are the owner, please stop by the office at 5 Church Hill Road and claim them. (The piggy is a puppet, but he’s not talking.)

The Annual Letter Carrier’s Food Drive is this Saturday, May  10, to benefit the town food pantry at Town Hall South. Carriers ask that you place your bag of nonperishable food items on the mailbox by 9 am. Pick up begins about 10 am. A collection box will be located at the Newtown Post Office on Commerce Road, in case you want to participate, but are a PO box holder. Please make sure that all donations have a current “use by” date, and have not expired. Volunteers will be needed at the Town Social Services office in Town Hall South to unload the donations and sort the items. If you would like to assist, please call 203-270-4330.

A former letter carrier is about to celebrate a milestone birthday. Former postmaster Anna Bresson Maye will be turning 100 years old on June 1, and Botsford Postmaster Nancy Kuszpa is hoping everyone in town is willing to help. Nancy is planning a birthday celebration for Anna, to take place Saturday, May 31, from 1 to 2:30 pm, at Botsford Post Office. All are invited to enjoy cake and coffee with the birthday girl. Birthday cards are requested. If you cannot attend the party, Nancy is hoping anyone who is reading this will take a few minutes to purchase, sign and mail a birthday card for Anna. She is hoping to have 100 cards ready for the centenarian. They can be mailed to Anna c/o Botsford Post Office, 1 Botsford Hill Road, Botsford CT 06404-9998.

Route 6 through Sandy Hook Center, as well as part of Riverside Road, is sporting an All-American look, thanks to the American flags posted all along the way. Members of Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company were busy setting the flags in place on Tuesday, and I’m told the flags were provided by SHOP. It definitely gives a  patriotic flavor to the Center, and in plenty of time for Memorial Day weekend, May 24–26.

Calling all hungry men! The Newtown Senior Center is hosting a men’s breakfast, Thursday, June 5, at 9 am — for free. Any man wishing to attend should call 203-270-4310 and reserve a seat. You’ll get a chance to pick out your breakfast choice, too, when you call. This could turn into a regular event, if enough guys in town decide to participate. What a great way to start the day, and maybe meet some new folks.

Residents of Great Quarter Road were out having a little block party at 1:30, I understand, Wednesday morning. It was rather unplanned, but when a huge tree decided its time had come and crashed across the road, taking wires and a transformer with it, it called for some investigation by anyone living nearby. Maybe one bird too many decided to roost in its branches? Fortunately, no one was hurt, and after a few hours of sawing and chopping, the road was cleared and all was quiet once again. Late night readers were, however, thwarted by the lack of electricity.

The next girls night out (GNO) filled with kindness, a monthly event at the Ben’s Bells Newtown studio on Church Hill Road, will be Saturday, May 17. That’s a slight change from the usual presentation on Friday nights, but everything else remains the same: $10 donation per person, light refreshments (BYOB), “be kind” raffle prizes, and plenty of socializing with other women, from 8 to 11 pm. Reservations are open now, and can be done at www.gno-may17.eventbrite.com. For additional information, send and e-mail to newtown@bensbells.org. The next GNO has already been announced, by the way. It will be Saturday, June 21.

For anyone who likes to paint, draw, sculpt, play with clay, or dabble in nearly any other kind of art, the studio at HealingNewtown, located within the lower level of Newtown Congregational Church, 14 West Street, is offering free open studio time beginning this Saturday, from 1 to 3 pm. Supplies are provided, and artist/director Valerie Culbertson will be on hand. Instruction is not provided, however — it’s your own play time. The open studio will run every Saturday through October 18, with the exceptions of June 7, July 12, August 9, and September 6. A $5 donation is suggested. Come out and play! (Feel free to e-mail Valerie at artshealingnewtown@gmail.com, if you have questions.)

Just a reminder: “The Faces of Poverty and Homelessness” program is this coming Tuesday, May 13, 7 to 9 pm, at Newtown Congregational Church. Presenters remind us that hunger may very well have a familiar face — the reasons why people find themselves in need, short- or long-term, of services like food pantries and shelters are myriad. The information you come away with may be surprising. Assistant Minister Allysa De Wolf and speakers will share ideas on how community members can respond to these pressing issues. No registration is needed, and the program is free. But feel free to bring a nonperishable food item to donate to local food pantries.

Sheila Cole had her eye on the planter of herbs at the pre-theater raffle last Friday night, at The Little Theatre. But her worries about whether or not it would be warm enough to leave it outside were for naught; someone else walked off with the prize… You win some, you lose some.

Newtown artist Karen Pinto went from fiddling with clay at the Saturday HealingNewtown “Claydate” last Saturday, to fiddling her fiddle at the Danbury Community Orchestra concert Sunday evening. I’m sorry if you missed either event; they were both most enjoyable,

I can’t miss out on a chance to wish Happy Mother’s Day to all of the moms out there. And in a salute to Ogden Nash, a quote for all kids to remember this weekend: “I hope my tongue in prune juice smothers / If I belittle dogs or mothers.”

I may be guilty of belittling dogs, I’ll confess. But I never belittle the news, so be sure next week to… Read me again.