All are invited to join Newtown Hearts of Hope on Wednesday, November 15, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm, at Newtown United Methodist Church, 92 Church Hill Road in Sandy Hook, for this month's painting party.Facebook.newtown@ourheartsofhope.org or by contacting

All Hearts of Hope volunteers who paint the ceramic hearts that are randomly distributed to bring joy, will be celebrated.

All guests will be invited to enjoy cake and refreshments, and the music of Mark Swigart, a Sandy Hook musician and leader of Max and the Allstars. Mr Swigart will entertain at the evening's festivities on his keyboard/piano. Jazz and blues are on the menu for the night.

This month, volunteers will be painting for Life Star nurses and pilots. A $5 donation per heart painted is requested to help cover the costs of all the supplies.

All ages and artistic abilities are welcome at the monthly gatherings. Painters can create their own designs, and HOH-Newtown recently added a new feature for those who say they cannot paint. A limited supply of hearts are available that have pictures already drawn onto them. Painting party guests will just need to be able to fill in the spaces, and enjoy the feeling of creating a unique work of art.

Hearts of Hope launched in New York in January 2002 in response to 9/11. It is a pay it forward program where people paint clay hearts with simple images and messages of hope, which are then delivered to individuals and places that have gone through a tragedy or are in need of a positive message.

The clay hearts and painting supplies are provided for each painting session. Attendees are asked to make a donation of $5 for each clay heart they paint to the 501(c)(3) organization to help cover the costs of supplies.

Each painted heart is put into a maroon nylon bag, with a note card from the painter to the recipient, along with a note about Hearts of Hope. The nylon bag is then put into a clear cellophane envelope so that the entire package is protected if hearts are hung in public places in inclement weather. The hearts are meant to be found and taken home by those who find them.

Each month, the Newtown group tries to focus its creations on a specific group. This month, volunteers will be painting for Life Star nurses and pilots.

A $5 donation per heart painted is requested to help cover the costs of all the supplies.

Registration is requested and can be done through

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