I hope this Thanksgiving finds you well, warm, and as content as this cat, knowing you are reading me again.

Ahead of this week’s opportunity to give thanks and share what we are grateful for, Gary Peters was one happy man last week. On November 14, Gary filled the back of his car and traveled once again to Bridgeport Rescue Mission, a place he visits and volunteers for regularly. Gary has organized Thanksgiving collections for BRM for a few years and last Monday he made the annual drive with this year’s collection done through Newtown Congregational Church and Newtown Lions Club. Thanks to the generosity of their members, NCC and the local Lions delivered a combined 412 pounds of frozen turkeys and 45 pounds of Thanksgiving dinner fixings to the mission. The photo below shows Gary’s car once all of the donations were loaded for their road trip.

We often see our local first responders taking care of people who have been involved in crashes and other emergencies along Newtown’s roadways. This weekend, members of one of the town’s fire companies will be purposely — and carefully, of course — in the roads. On Sunday, November 27, from 9 am to 2 pm, Hawleyville Volunteer Fire Company will conduct a Fill the Boot Drive. Members will be out at the intersection of Routes 6 and 25, conducting their bi-annual Fill the Boot fund drive. This is their only fundraising event of the year, so drivers are asked to be generous with their spare cash. “Remember,” say organizers, “we are your neighbors who train year-round to answer the call in your time of need.”

Do you know someone who has lived in Newtown all their life? Or maybe do you have a new neighbor that just moved to town? Both people — as well as everyone in between — would make a great person to be featured in The Newtown Bee’s Snapshot profile. Reach out to reporter Alissa Silber by e-mail at Alissa@thebee.com to recommend someone who lives and/or works in Newtown. It is a fun way to get to know people and learn more about what makes the Newtown community so special. See page A-2 of this week’s print edition to read about Wendy Devereaux.

The eighth grade football team captured the Shoreline Conference championship. Congratulations! That and more athlete updates (like a trio of tennis players from town who helped their team place third in a national tournament) can be found in this week’s Sports section.

Trinity Episcopal Church did very well again with The Great Pumpkin Challenge this Halloween season. Many members of the church — who took on and continued the project from founder Mackenzie Page in 2016, when Mackenzie headed off to college — volunteered to set up (and later take down) scaffolding, hand out candy on Halloween, carve pumpkins for the display, and help collect and place carved pumpkins from the public for the annual Halloween display. A total of $891 was raised through donations, all again going to The Hole in The Wall Gang Camp. This is, according to a note from organizers late last week, an increase over last year’s final tally. Congratulations to Trinity for continuing this wonderful tradition, and to everyone who helped make the festival fundraiser another successful event.

In more news from Trinity Episcopal Church, those who assembled in the pews for worship service at Trinity Episcopal Church last Sunday morning were treated to a new sound. A generous donation was made recently by the family of Jim and Ann Moore, who have been memorialized with the purchase of a new-to-Trinity Baldwin grand piano. The new Baldwin made its debut during Trinity’s service on November 20. The piano that had been in the sanctuary hasn’t gone very far, either. It has been relocated to Trinity’s community room, where it will continue to be appreciated.

Kettle corn fans, here’s some good news for you: Friends of Newtown Seniors (FONS) has launched its Second Annual Stosh’s Kettle Corn Fundraiser. Bags of the locally made treat are being sold again through FONS, who is filling orders through December 23. Bags are $9 each. FONS Chore Services Coordinator Bev Bennet Schaedler is proud to remind readers that Stosh’s is made right in Brookfield. It’s also a nondairy, all natural, vegan, and delicious treat, she pointed out recently. Orders are delivered each Wednesday and Friday to Newtown Senior Center, at 8 Simpson Street. Proceeds will benefit FONS and its mission to provide advocacy and services to local senior citizens through outreach and programs. Want additional information? Contact Bev at 203-430-0633 or FONSchoreservices@gmail.com.

The offer of Bingo at the senior center last week, which concluded the Friendsgiving event on November 18 (see photos at right), was so popular, its start was delayed while senior center staff searched for additional Bingo cards. The Commission on Aging recently purchased a new spinner and master board to keep track of the numbers already called, and a new set of cards was also put into play on Friday. So many people wanted to play, however — including a number who wanted to play two boards! — that there was a bit of a scramble while one employee pulled the center’s retired cards out of the closet, and another ran to the community center side of 8 Simpson Street to borrow what they could. First Selectman Dan Rosenthal was the guest caller, which always pulls in an appreciative crowd. In the end, it was a great way to conclude the early Thanksgiving event.

Here’s a reminder for those with children with upcoming birthdays: The Newtown Bee’s “Birthday Wishes,” which announces upcoming birthdays in the Education section, offers one lucky child every week a chance to win a free ice cream cake from Ferris Acres Creamery. Parents can send a head and shoulders photo of their child, with their first and last name, age, and date of birth to Education Editor Eliza Van at 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. All children submitted for birthday announcements are entered into that chance to win the free ice cream cake. With the Creamery closed for the season, who could ask for a bigger birthday surprise?

You’re forgiven at this time of year for not remembering everything that is scheduled to happen around town. But don’t worry. We have you covered. Make sure to check The Newtown Bee’s calendar in print and online to keep up-to-date. If you check the calendar you won’t miss events like this week’s free movie weekend at Edmond Town Hall or all the other upcoming holiday happenings.

That’s right. If you hear the sounds of Whoville this weekend, it is coming from Edmond Town Hall, where this weekend’s free movie weekend, presented by Ingersoll Auto of Danbury, is screenings of the 2000 feature How The Grinch Stole Christmas, starring Jim Carrey, November 25-27 Showtimes are 1 and 7 pm each day. Tickets can be reserved in advance by stopping by the box office, 45 Main Street, or by going online to edmondtownhall.org. (And don’t miss reading about Ingersoll Automotive President Todd Ingersoll and his recent surprise from the ETH Board of Managers in the story by Shannon Hicks elsewhere in this week’s paper.)

While I’m not grinchly, I do share a good number of characteristics with my famous green friend. I promise to put all of my characteristics to good use again next week as long as you promise to ... Read me again.