Volunteers with FAITH Food Pantry will be outside the pantry this weekend, accepting donations during the next monthly Drive-Thru Food Drive. All are invited to visit the pantry, directly behind St Rose of Lima Church at 46 Church Hill Road, between 10 am and noon, Saturday, July 2. While all nonperishables, toiletries, cleaning supplies, cat and dog foods, and financial donations are always welcomed, the volunteers often have a few specific requests as well. This month that list includes baked beans, chili, chips, cookies, hamburger and/or hot dog rolls, iced tea/lemonade mixes, ketchup, mayonnaise, pickles, relish, salad dressing, ingredients for smores, and sunscreen. Need additional information? Contact the pantry at 203-837-0816 or visit newtownfoodpantry.org.

Congratulations to the Newtown High School student team that earned third place statewide in a Computer Science Expo in Bethel. The event took place on June 3, and NHS students Sam Staubly, Anthony Crisci, Juan Mendez, Nick Tetreault, and Kaila Sullivan took part on the team, according to NHS computer science teacher Kristin Violette. And, not only did Anthony take part in the Computer Science Expo team, but he also ranked as a National Cyber Scholar for the second year in a row in a recent National Cyber Scholarship Competition. By taking part and ranking, students earn scholarships.

Speaking of amazing NHS students ... The Newtown Bee Newtown High School Athletes of the Year have been selected. Turn to the sports section to read about a pair of standouts in multiple sports. Go Nighthawks!

Need a reason to indulge in a tasty treat? Celebrate National Ice-Cream Day on Monday, July 18, by going to your favorite local spot and getting something delicious. If your child’s birthday is in July, you can do one better by submitting them into The Newtown Bee’s Birthday Wishes for a chance to win a Ferris Acres Creamery ice-cream cake. Parents can send a head and shoulders photo of their child, with their first and last name, age, and date of birth to eliza@thebee.com for publication in “Birthday Wishes.” Be sure and include a daytime phone number in case we have questions, as well as your address. Not only will the child’s birthday be announced in the paper, but an ice-cream cake could be in their near future.

Newtown Parks & Recreation and Claris Construction’s Summer Concert Series kicked off this Thursday, June 30, and there are more free family friendly events to look forward to. The concerts are held at Dickinson Memorial Park’s bandshell on Thursdays from 6:30 to 8 pm. Echoes of Sinatra performed on June 30, Keltick Kick is set to perform on July 7, the Kathy Thompson Band will perform on July 14, Goldrush will perform on July 21, Jake Kulak and the Lowdown will perform on July 28, and Gold Roots will perform on August 4.

File this one under: Things You Don’t Expect When You Look Out Your Window First Thing In The Morning. Bill Glass shared some photos with us Tuesday morning, once some unexpected guests were safely corralled by local police and animal control officers. “This morning I woke up to the sounds of pigs snorting in my yard,” Bill shared in an e-mail. Once he fully woke up and realized that yes, he was looking at four large pigs, and that they were partaking in a breakfast of Bill’s gardens, he put in a call for help. Being the photographer that he is, Bill also started snapping pictures. The quartet is shown in this photo, before they took a ride to the Animal Control Center.

There is another “quartet” on my radar. I’m sure you read in the June 3 print edition about how Nancy K. Crevier, Newtown resident and retired editor of The Newtown Bee, has published her debut book of poetry, The Peach Quartet and Other Poems. And on Tuesday, July 12, at 2 pm, Crevier has an author’s reading at Newtown Senior Center, 8 Simpson Street. The program is free to members of the Center, or $5 for Newtown nonmembers. Register as a member — or join for just $20/year – by calling 203-270-4310. The book will not be available for purchase that day at the Center, but can be ordered ahead of the program at amazon.com – and I hear Crevier will be happy to sign any “read-alongs” that are brought to the event. Tell her Mountain sent you.

Then keep September 15 on your radar too. C.H. Booth Library is gearing up to host Crevier, Newtown resident and author Andrea Zimmermann (another fellow Bee who recently published A Legacy of Lies: A Rockridge Mystery), and Newtown resident and author Sydney Eddison, whose latest poetry collection is The Sacred Ground of Home: Poems from a country life. The authors will offer a book talk, reading, and sales of their books. It is never too early to register for a C.H. Booth Library event. Register for the event by calling 203-426-4533.

Please remember that the Friends of the C.H. Booth Library will not be able to accept any donations through July 17 because they are busy with the book sale. They will be back at the library on Monday, July 18, and able to collect donations. A sign has been placed outside the Friends’ sorting room at the library as a reminder. I know I am not the only one counting down to this year’s Friends of C.H. Booth Library Book Sale, July 8 to 12, at Reed Intermediate School, 3 Trades Lane. Friday, July 8 will be a preview event, with the public admitted between 1 and 4 pm. Admission is $40 that day only, and ticket sales will begin at noon. Saturday, July 9, through Monday, July 11, hours are 10 am to 5 pm. There is a $5 admission on Saturday for those age 19 and over (ticket sales begin at 9 am). Items will be sold at their marked prices. There is no admission fee as of Sunday morning, through the remainder of the event. Items will be sold at half price on Sunday, and $5 per provided bag on Monday. Tuesday, the final day of the sale, remainders are free and the event will run from 10 am to 1 pm.

I’ll be purr-using my way through the books, and I promise to keep purr-using my way across town looking for news to share as long as you promise next week to ... Read me again.