The Newtown Farmers Market held its last market day the final week of October, but I was glad to hear that many of this year’s vendors will continue to supply shoppers with their great local products via e-mail orders. You’ll find contact info at http://newtownctfarmersmarket.com/vendor-list in case you have a longing for items you bought at the Fairfield Hills market every Tuesday this summer.

I can’t help but burst with pride and offer congratulations to Bee personnel who worked to build our “Buzz the Newsboy” scarecrow for the P & R Scarecrow Contest. Thanks to all who voted for Buzz, making The Bee entry top winner in the Newtown Pride category! Buzz has been hanging out by the front door of The Newtown Bee office since leaving his post at Fairfield Hills, welcoming all — including the quintet of stones nestled at his feet, painted like little bees, and left there over the Halloween weekend.

Kearns Farm celebrated Halloween by decorating its red barn on Bennetts Bridge Road with a skeleton cutout. More than a dozen red paper bags full of assorted candies hung across the entranceway by clothes pins as a treat for visitors. The sign on the doorway read, “Please take one! Happy Halloween! Beeee Safe! From Kearns Farm.”

Ah, New England weather. Measurable snow on October 30. Record cold October 31. Then we edge toward the end of this week and enjoy high 60s! Why would we want to live anywhere else?

Lions Club member Frank Gardner tells me that the Lions will be working to enhance the Orchard Hill Preserve off of Huntingtown Road, Saturday morning, November 7, beginning at 9 am. The Lions invite the public to help clearing trails, painting signs, and so on. They especially hope that Clare and Ella, who wrote about their environmental efforts recently, (The Newtown Bee, October 30, 2020, “Help Make The World Better”) will join them. Feel free to bring your own work tools, and please wear a mask.

Stop by BD Provisions, 125 South Main Street, this Saturday afternoon to watch as a 3D chalk drawing is created. And don’t forget to give a shout out “Congrats!” to cofounder John Boccuzzi, Jr, celebrating his store’s second anniversary.

Veterans and COVID-19 essential workers and families are invited to get some free basic dental care at Diamond Dental, 274 South Main Street (Plaza South), on Veterans Day, November 11. Dr Ratna Vedullapalli and staff will provide this care at the event cohosted by the Newtown Lions Club. All appointments must be made by Monday, November 9. To make an appointment and for more information, call 203-270-1053.

Meanwhile, at Newtown Smile Dentistry, 34 Church Hill Road, National Guard Captain/Army Dental Officer Dr Sean Lee will offer a free dental exam and no-cost treatment to veterans on November 11. Dr Lee, Dr Brad Pinkos, and staff of Newtown Smile ask veterans or family members to call 203-426-3310 or e-mail info@newtownsmile.com to make an appointment as soon as possible.

Can you make someone’s holiday happier? Women Involved In Newtown (WIN) is seeking to distribute Thanksgiving Baskets on November 20, and would love you to call 203-426-5600 to arrange providing all of the food and household goods for a local family to have a Happy Thanksgiving. If you take part, you are asked this year to also deliver the basket of Thanksgiving goodies.

The Newtown Fund is seeking people to take part in its annual Holiday Basket program. “Depot Day” is a little different this year, but local families will still be “adopted” and holiday wishes fulfilled by the adopters. Adopters in 2020 will be delivering the gifts and food items on December 12, between 9 am and noon, instead of the usual drop off, wrapping, and delivering by Newtown Fund volunteers. If you can help, call 203-522-6590 or e-mail newtownfund@gmail.com. You can also make a financial donation at newtownfund.org to help offset the cost of requests.

Here’s a way to help every week: Starting this Saturday, November 7, FAITH Food Pantry, 46 Church Hill Road, will hold a drive-thru food drive on the first Saturday of every month, from 10 am to noon. This Saturday, the pantry is hoping to stock the shelves with Thanksgiving dinner donations, such as cranberry sauce, green beans, corn, stuffing, gravy, etc.

My stomach is rumbling in eager anticipation already for the 60th Annual Rotary Club Pancake Breakfast! What? During COVID? Not to worry, the charitable group has partnered with Sandy Hook’s Maple Craft Foods to offer an at-home experience that will benefit the Rotary and please your palate. The Newtown Rotary Club will sell pancake breakfast meal kits online at https://maplecraftfoods.com/rotarypancake, reaping 40 percent of sales, and also invites pancake breakfasters to post photos to its Facebook page and Instagram as you cook and dine. Ordering starts November 6, with delivery options available; and on Saturday, December 5, curbside pickup will be offered at the Newtown Community Center, 8 Simpson Street, staffed by Rotarians and their families, from 9 am to noon.

The virtual Pancake Breakfast kicks off another holiday virtual event, the 35th Annual Holiday Festival to benefit Newtown Youth and Family Services, December 6-12. NYFS has created a whole bunch of fun experiences that keep everyone safe this year, from letters to Santa or a chat with an elf to a scavenger hunt, a silent auction, and a recorded performance of the Nutcracker Suite, performed by Newtown Centre of Classical Ballet & Voice. There’s so much more in store! Visit newtownyouthandfamilyservices.org to find out how to register for the various events.

Looking a bit further ahead, a Virtual Holiday Fundraiser will help The Town Players of Newtown raise money for the Little Theater. Your $10 or more donation will get you a viewing of the one-act mystery, Always, Anastasia, at 2 pm, on December 20. After the play, you can enjoy sing-along holiday caroling as the lyrics appear on your screen. To donate and get the link, visit http://newtownplayers.org or https://donorbox.org/tp2020.

So many ways to help as this very perplexing year winds down, and hopefully, so much to look forward to again, if we offer support now.

One thing we all look forward to is the new Newtown Police Department headquarters. The facility at 191 South Main Street is set for the NPD to complete its move in the very near future. On Saturday, November 7, from noon to 2 pm, the public will be offered limited tours. Our police have needed this upgrade practically since the department was formed!

You don’t have to tell a cat to wash up — the SPCA tells me that a cat will spend up to five hours a day cleaning up — but now is the time to remind all noncats that in the flu/cold/pandemic season handwashing is one step in keeping everyone safe. Wash your hands thoroughly, multiple times a day, for at least 20 seconds each time. Social distance when in public, and don’t forget that mask. Connecticut had its numbers pretty low for some time, and these three little things helped. We can get there again. Cooperation and respect for others keeps us on the right track!

You’ll be on the right track, if you promise to... Read me again.