Newtown news and notes as told from the point of view of a cat named Mountain.

When you hear handbells ringing around town on Saturday, don’t shy away from them. Those bells will be in the hands of volunteers offering at least an hour of their time for this year’s Newtown-Bethel Salvation Army Christmas in July Campaign. Seven locations in town have agreed to host the red kettles on July 18. The full fundraiser will run from 8 am until 4 although a few locations will began and/or stop later or earlier. Volunteers have agreed to be at Bagel Delight (ending at 1), Bottle Stop Wine & Spirit Superstore (noon start), Dunkin Donuts (ending at noon), Newtown General Store (ending at 1), Stop & Shop (both entrances), Walgreens (10 am start), and Yankee Wine & Spirits (noon start)

Depending on how zealous some of those bell ringers get, attendees of the opening reception for “The Great Art-Doors” may even enjoy the sound. Organizers are truly hoping the third time will be the charm this weekend. The formal opening for the exhibition within Nettleton Preserve is now planned for Saturday, July 18. The event will be presented from 10 am until 2 pm, when it will be "hopefully less hot then and with less threat of afternoon summer storms," artist and curator Annette Womack told us this week. Light refreshments will be served and many artists are planning to be in attendance along Old Castle Hill Road. The reception was originally scheduled for June 27, and then July 5. It was postponed first due to oppressive heat and then following the strong summer storm of July 4. The exhibition itself quietly opened at the end of June and is on view until mid-September. Ten original works of art by 11 local artists are on display, and trail maps help visitors find all of the works. If you haven’t been there before, please note parts of the property are hilly and steep.

I’m one for a good campfire, but the return this week of smoke from wildfires in Minnesota and Canada had me a little worried. This week it’s been reported that fires in both locations are having an effect on the air quality in Newtown (and many other places), where it was decidedly yellow-green outdoors by Wednesday. It was very eerie and spooky, like me. I worry about anyone with breathing issues and hope everyone is being very careful this week.

As noted elsewhere in the paper this week, America’s Semiquincentennial events are far from over, including here in Newtown. Members of Newtown Congregational Church are still planning a special event for October, with local musicians and orators invited to participate. “Our Country’s 250th Anniversary: A Music Event” is scheduled for Sunday, October 4, at 2 pm, at the 14 West Street church. The event will include performances and sing-alongs of patriotic music and contemporary American music. Think Woodie Guthrie, Arlo Guthrie, Simon & Garfunkel, Bob Dylan, Don McLean, et al for the music. Readers will also share portions of famous historic speeches — think Gettysburg Address, Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have A Dream,” President Johnson’s “The Great Society,” JFK’s inauguration speech, and you’ll see how organizers would like to celebrate different eras with participants of all ages. Some local musicians and readers have been contacted; additional volunteers to lead music and/or read speeches are welcome. Contact Rich Collins at 203-240-7465 if you're interested. Light refreshments will be offered that afternoon and donations will be accepted and forwarded to a veterans organization TBD. Volunteers are also sought to help with set-up and/or breakdown before and after the presentation. Contact Rich for more information if you’d like to help with that aspect of the special event.

Shannon Hicks took some Semiquincentennial spirit with her when she vacationed earlier this month. Shannon and her husband have been doing a lot of camping this season, including the weekend of July 4. Saturdays at camp always include time for arts and crafts, so Shannon joined her friend Amanda, who regularly leads that program, and they invited children to decorate cowbells. The women provided the bells, patriotic stickers, ribbons, markersm and star garland, and nearly two dozen children responded with plenty of creativity and imagination.

A few hours later everyone at the campground was invited to gather together to participate in the national bell ringing event coordinated by The National Bell Festival. The country-wide event invited people to ring bells for 10 minutes as the clock struck 2:50 pm Eastern time. Despite the heat that afternoon, about 30 people showed up to ring bells, including those decorated just a few hours earlier. “We were so hot and sweaty but it was so much fun for everyone to do this together,” Shannon shared earlier this week. “The bells were adorable. Every child was so creative, with some of them even decorating the inside of their bells."

I understand at least two people have joined the research into the whereabouts of a time capsule buried 50 years ago at the Liberty & Peace Memorial. We received a note last week from a reader sharing part of an online conversation launched by Newtown Bicentennial Chair Chris Spiro, who was wondering if anyone had been able to find the location of said capsule. According to Way We Were notes from December, residents in December 1975 were sent questionnaires through the mail, inviting those who opted in to have their thoughts on Newtown and the country incorporated the collection. The capsule, however, was set to be opened “100 years from now and give future Newtowners an idea of what social, political and cultural conditions were like ‘back in 1976,’” noted the Way We Were note. Last week Reporter Jenna Visca and Production Department member Lynn Remson started looking through some of our archives, to no avail. This week former First Selectman Herb Rosenthal did more of the same, as did Managing Editor Shannon Hicks. While neither had any more luck than their predecessors, both have promised they’re not done looking for an answer.

Graham Drew had the right answer earlier this week. For the second time recently, our young reader called in with the correct response for Bee’s Buck. Graham recognized the entryway of 96 Church Hill Road as the challenge photo for the past two weeks, and will be among those to receive a Bee’s Buck for taking the time to call the office with that answer.

I often joke with people that they shouldn’t spend all their winnings in one place. This time I know one place Graham won’t need to spend that dollar: Ferris Acres Creamery. Graham was also the winner of last week’s Birthday Cake coupon from the Creamery because his mom took the time to send us his photo and birthday information. Young Mr Drew has a free ice cream cake waiting for him thanks to the ongoing partnership between this newspaper and the Sugar Street ice cream stand. Continued birthday wishes Drew!

I’ve lost count of how many birthdays I’ve celebrated. I don’t even keep track any longer. I hope you don’t lose track of the time. You’ll want to return here in seven days, when it will be time to … read me again.