Every year counts when it comes to continuing an organization’s legacy, but 2018 had a lot to celebrate, with many of its longtime groups reaching milestone anniversaries.

The Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) of Newtown kicked off a year of events, celebrating its 100th anniversary with a visit from Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman on February 8. VNA Newtown President Anna Wiedemann was joined by members of her board and VNA members at large for a brief gathering at Newtown Municipal Center.

“Now more than ever, we need a VNA,” Ms Wyman told the group. “We know how much nurses are needed to help people stay in their homes when possible and to offer care.

“I hope someone will be here in 100 years to congratulate Newtown VNA on its 200th anniversary,” she added.

In honor of the VNA’s anniversary this year, The Newtown Bee chronicled its vast history in a two-part installment about the many ways its members have kept Newtown healthy for the past century.

In the VNA’s early incarnation, its members did everything from delivering milk and hot lunches to school children, providing health clinics, doing ear and eye screenings, and caring for the chronically ill to administering flu shots. The trailblazing ladies were even the first women in the area to drive a car, which allowed them to visit patients who were unable to come to them directly.

Today, the VNA continues to work directly under the supervision of doctors and nurses to offer services like student eye screenings with the Newtown Lions Club; flu clinics, cholesterol screenings, and monthly blood pressure screenings at the Newtown Senior Center; flu clinics for the staff, children, and parents of the Children’s Adventure Center. The VNA also works with the Newtown Health District on everything from Lyme disease awareness to drug addiction in the area.

On September 23, the VNA commemorated its 100-year anniversary with a special gathering at the Edmond Town Hall with its many members, local doctors and groups that have helped them along the way, State Representative Mitch Bolinsky, and First Selectmen Dan Rosenthal.

That same weekend, hundreds of people came out to enjoy the 25th Annual Newtown Public Safety & Health Fair at Reed Intermediate School.

Health Fair Co-Chair and Health District Director Donna Culbert said the free event had more than 40 vendors set up throughout the school’s cafetorium to help educate the public.

A special ceremony took place on the cafetorium stage, where the fair’s founder, Mae Schmidle, received a proclamation from Mr Rosenthal.

“The Town of Newtown recognizes Mae Schmidle as being a dedicated volunteer,” Mr Rosenthal read, adding that he is so grateful for the contributions she has made to the town over the years.

Girl Power

Where would the world be if not for women? Well, surely, Newtown would not be what it is today without a special sisterhood called the Newtown Woman’s Club, GFWC Inc.

One of the first records of the Newtown Woman’s Club dates to April 1968 in The Newtown Bee. It was reported that a group of local women spearheaded an organizational meeting in a resident’s home and had invited the president and first vice president of the State Federation of Women’s Clubs in hopes of forming a federated chapter.

It was there, on March 25, 1968, that the Newtown Woman’s Club was born. It was unanimously voted in by the federation, and the group eagerly began forming its many committees.

Since then, the group of women have helped the community by raising funds through its many initiatives, like the annual pewter ornament sale, and donated money to local causes, including the fire companies, schools, and the Newtown Scholarship Association.

Youth Involvement

Newtown Boy Scout Troop 70 celebrated its 90th anniversary this year, and a formal celebration took place August 12 at Cullens Youth Center. At that time, there were 39 Scouts ranging from 11 to 17 years old within the troop. The 90th anniversary event also included a Court of Honor, and Thaddeus Teraszkiewicz was formally made an Eagle Scout.

Meanwhile, Troop 270 celebrated its 60th anniversary this year. Founded in 1958, Troop 270 is sponsored by Newtown Congregational Church. As of July, the troop had produced 103 Eagle Scouts. Many of its 44 active members were working toward that achievement as well.

The troop celebrated its milestone anniversary with a dinner event at the church on May 5. Through the event, speakers offered reflections on their own Scouting experiences and advice for current and future Scouts.

Dedicated Groups

Hearts of Hope (HOH) celebrated the fifth anniversary of its Newtown chapter with a June 20 painting party. Guests enjoyed pizza and cake, live music by Mark Swigart, and the company of 16 Newtown-Strong therapy dogs and their handlers during a two-hour event where guests of all ages also painted palm-sized ceramic hearts with positive messages and/or images. As of that month, HOH Founder Judy Pedersen told The Newtown Bee that the local chapter had generated more than 6,500 hearts since its inception.

Following elections in July, Julie Davis Friend was tapped to serve as president of The Rotary Club of Newtown. Ms Friend’s tenure will run 2018-19, which will lead into the 80th anniversary of the local chapter of the international organization.

The Benvenuto Cellini Society of Newtown celebrated its 30th anniversary in November with a dinner gathering at Sal e Pepe Contemporary Italian Bistro. The longstanding book club for men is successful, said co-founder Gordon Williams, thanks to everyone’s love of reading and a very broad subject list.

This year also marked the ten-year anniversary of Farming 101, located at 101 Brushy Hill Road. When Trout and Jennifer Gaskins bought their home in Newtown in 2007, they originally thought they would just be growing some tomatoes in the warm months to balance out Mr Gaskin’s schedule working as an artist in the wintertime.

After dedicating the first year there to clearing out the overgrown land that was once an 80-acre farm before being subdivided in the 1970s, the couple began their farming operation in September 2008.

Now they offer more than 40 different varieties of heirloom tomatoes as well as eggs, fruits, vegetables, and fresh flowers, all of which are certified organic.

Thanks to the perseverance of many residents, groups in Newtown continue to make a lasting impression in town. Here’s to many more years of milestones!