The Newtown Lions Club Presents
A Tour of Newtown
Welcome to Newtown, Connecticut!
Mural by Virginia Zimmerman
The Newtown Lions Club would like to take you on a tour
of Newtown. Not only will this guide provide some of the
history of the town and show you historic sites on Main
Street and beyond, but you’ll also learn about some of the
events that make Newtown, Connecticut, such a special
community for people of all ages.
We are proud of the community that we have built since its
founding in 1705. Whether you are from out of town or
have lived in Newtown for generations, we hope this guide
will teach you a few things about our special community –
and possibly even inspire you to reach out to a local “Lion”
to see if you can get involved. We’re always looking for a
few good Lions!
For more information on how to get involved with the
Newtown Lions Club, please contact:
Membership@NewtownLions.org
www.NewtownLions.org
A Tour of Newtown
The Seasons in Newtown
A Few of Newtown’s Attributes
Newtown has great schools with excellent award-winning
academic, music and sports programs. It is a wonderful
family-oriented community with great parks and
recreational opportunities. It is also conveniently located
to New York City, Hartford and Boston.
Newtown has many fine clubs and organizations that
meet every interest. Arts and theater groups, Boy Scouts
and Girls Scouts Troops, Bridle Lands, Choral Society,
FAITH Food Pantry, Fish and Game Club, Flagpole
Photographers Camera Club, garden and horticulture
clubs, Historical Society, Kevin’s Community Center
medical clinic, Knights of Columbus, Lions Club, Meals
on Wheels, Newcomers & Neighbors Club, Newtown
Action Alliance, Sandy Hook Promise, Society of Creative
Arts of Newtown (SCAN), Visiting Nurse Association, five
volunteer fire companies, and Women Involved in
Newtown (WIN), are just some of the community groups
in town that are available to residents.
Newtown also has a very active Parks and Recreation
Department, many adult and youth sports programs, the
NYA Sports & Fitness Center facility for all ages and a
new community center and senior center scheduled to
open in 2019.
Why is it “Nicer in Newtown”?
It’s the town, the people, the events, the programs, the
volunteers, the churches and – the Newtown Lions!
Interesting Historical Facts
What little paper money that circulated here was not
legal tender and was frequently counterfeit. A small
group of intrepid Newtown men were responsible for
bringing to justice members of at least two gangs of
counterfeiters who were operating in and around
Fairfield County, one in 1746 and another in 1768.
From Newtown Historian Dan Cruson’s book, “A Mosaic of Newtown History”
The Poor House was built in the early years of the 19th
century as an alternative to farming the indigent out to
various families within town, who would be willing to
care for them in exchange for town subsidies. In an
account of expenses for the town of Newtown kept
between 1807 and 1820, the cost of keeping the poor
was the highest of any town expenditure.
Following various burglaries between 1894 and 1897,
twelve men were apprehended and ended up in the
state prison. Of all the robberies, the largest haul
appears to be $5.00 and a new sportscoat.
In one burglary, two men entered a baggage room,
stoked up the fire, and opened and searched all the
drawers in the room, but recovered little of value except
a small revolver. They then broke into a bar and took
some small bottles of liquor and an umbrella. During an
ensuing shoot-out one of the burglars suffered a shotgun
blast. The doctor removed 20 pieces of shot out of his
hip and back, and another piece of shot pierced his ear
and hat.
School expenses were once handled by the school
committee which had the power to tax and disburse tax
revenues independently of the town.
Money and Counterfeiting in Colonial Newtown
Crime Does Not Pay in Sandy Hook
The Poor House
Taxes for Schools
SIGHTS AROUND TOWN
Painting by Jim Chillington
The Newtown Flagpole
Newtown’s flagpole in the center of the intersection of
Main Street at Church Hill Road and West Street stands
100 feet above ground, is buried 11 feet below ground and
weighs 2½ tons. It was first installed as the wooden
“Liberty Pole” in 1876 to commemorate the 100
th
anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of
Independence. Three wooden poles were used before the
present steel pole was erected in 1950. Lions Club
members replace the smaller 12’ x 18’ winter flag with the
larger 20’ x 30’ summer flag yearly.
As early as 1880 there have been many calls to remove
the flagpole. In 1981, however, state legislation was
passed prohibiting the removal of the “Historic Landmark,”
assuring this symbol of Newtown will remain standing.
There have been many suggestions on how to relieve the
congestion at the flagpole. These range from installing a
permanent traffic cop at the site, to constructing a
roundabout around the flagpole, to adding a traffic light at
the Currituck Road and Route 25 Main Street merger. Still,
it seems that drivers are growing increasingly courteous
and patient as they navigate around the town’s famous
landmark.
The Newtown Meeting House
Newtown was founded in 1705 and then incorporated in 1711. Many of
the first settlers came here from Stratford. They began gathering in each
other's houses for worship and town meetings, but they needed a larger
space for the townsfolk to gather. At that point in history, there was no
separation of church and state and attendance at public worship was
compulsory. The Congregational order of church government was the
approved order for the colonies. The church was established here in
1714 and Thomas Tousey was the town’s first minister. In 1720, the first
meeting house/church building was completed. It sat in the middle of
Town Street, now Main Street, facing Bridgeport. All property owners in
town were taxed to support the church and minister.
People, mostly men, would meet here to discuss town matters such as
hiring a teacher, finding a pig warden, repairing roads and other items.
On Sundays, they and their wives and children would gather for services
that were two hours long. The minister often used an hourglass to make
sure the sermons were long enough. Because the sermons were long
and often read, some people fell asleep. However, there was a man
called a tithing man who carried a tithing rod to awaken slumbering
parishioners. Men sat on one side and women and children on the other,
with the few slaves seated at the back. A drummer was used to call
worshipers every Sunday, until he was replaced by the bell (which is still
in the steeple) in 1763. There was no heat in the building so it was quite
cold.
In 1792, Trinity Church wanted to enlarge its building and move to the
other side of the street. Since they needed more room, they asked the
Congregationalists to move their church 132’ to the west. Incredibly, the
building was jacked up, ox carts were placed under it, and it was moved
onto its current foundation in less than 2 hours. Eventually, the
Congregationalists sold their building to the Newtown Historical Society
for a dollar. Today, no official town meetings are held in the old church
building, but it remains a popular spot for concerts and weddings.
The Liberty Pole Building
Formerly known as the “Chase Building”
Adapted from: “A Return To Grandeur For A Historic Main Street Property” By Nancy K. Crevier, The Newtown Bee, September 29, 2015
This structure, commonly known as the “Chase Building,” located at 33 Main Street was “a mess” when the new
owners purchased it and began restoration. The restorers did a fair amount of research on the building and the time spent
poring over archived Historical Society photographs and other records was time well spent.
A long line of commercial enterprises have been located on this corner for over 230 years. Newtown’s first general store
opened here sometime around 1785, and in 1924, the Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company (A&P) opened at that location. It “has
housed everything from grocery stores and soda fountains to real estate and an insurance office.” It was also the first home
office of The Newtown Bee in mid-1877. Over the years, tenants have also included dentists, financial planners, a drug store,
a bookstore, beauty shops, a dry cleaner, the VNA thrift shop, and a stationery supplier. When the larger section had been
built in 1825, it was even used as a town hall.
Newtown Savings Bank
Newtown Savings Bank was founded in 1855 to provide
banking services to local citizens. Its first office was in
the home of Henry Glover, not out of the back of a
Conestoga wagon on West Street as one rumor
suggested. In its first annual report in 1856, the bank had
$7,104 in real estate loans and $17,201 in deposits. The
bank purchased a safe in 1860 for $100. In its long
history, the bank has only been broken into twice with the
second time being in 1905. In that break in, burglars blew
the safe, but according to the bank’s history notes, there
was only $7.80 in the safe at the time. The bank’s first
building opened for service in 1910, on the site of the
present main office location in Newtown.
The bank now has 14 branches in the area. Over
the years, the architecture of the bank additions
have been blended into Main Street’s sense of
historical buildings. This addition to the bank was
originally the Congregational Church Parsonage
and now contains offices for the banks top
executives.
The General Store
The Newtown General Store was built in 1847. The original mercantile shop was a place where people
congregated on Main Street to discuss the topics of the day while buying their day to day staples.
Today the Newtown General Store is a full-serve delicatessen. You’ll also find other unique items available for
purchase.
Be sure to stop in at the General Store for a quick lunch or a cup of coffee. Many of the sandwiches they serve
are named after places and things found in Newtown:
THE FLAGPOLE
THE HAWLEYVILLE
THE DICKERSON
THE QUEEN STREET
THE BOROUGH
THE BOTSFORD
THE TREADWELL
THE CASTLE HILL
THE SANDY HOOK
THE DODGINGTON
THE TAUNTON HILL
THE BEE
Edmond Town Hall
Edmond Town Hall was gifted to the town by Mary
Elizabeth Hawley in August of 1930, and was named in
honor of her great-grandfather, Judge William Edmond.
Sadly, Ms. Hawley did not live to see the building
completed. The clock tower bell first rang for her funeral.
The Georgian Style building on Main Street is listed on
the National Register of Historic Places and houses a
500-seat theater, a formal 250-seat banquet hall, a 600-
person occupancy gymnasium and spaces for fund
raising, weddings and special events. In 2007, the
Lions Club raised funds for the replacement of the
majority of the theater seats.
Edmond Town Hall is known for its $3 movies and some
“Special free movie events.”
It is also the site of the Lions Club’s “Great Pumpkin
Race” and the drawing for the “Lions Mustang Raffle.”
Step inside to see the wonderful Mural of Paintings by
artist David Merrill that the Lions Club funded
portraying many of Newtown’s Icons.
The Monument
Known to most as the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, the memorial was
the last of the gifts benefactress Mary Hawley bestowed on Newtown.
Although it is thought of as “the war memorial,” the monument’s original
name was “The Peace and Liberty Monument.” The intention was not to
suggest battle, but as stated in a May 15, 1931, Newtown Bee article, to
give Newtown a memorial “symbolic not only of the three great victories
of the American people, but representative, as well, of the nobler things
of the spirit — it was not the actual conflict that it desires to
commemorate, but rather the spirit and idealism that prompted the
sacrifice of thousands of youthful lives for honor and principle.”
The monument is “to commemorate three periods in the history of our
development when force of arms inspired by the spirit of righteousness
and lofty ideals brought our country into being; protected it through civil
strife; and raised it to the position of Champion of World Democracy and
Guardian of Peace.”
The McGovern Granite Co. began work, following a brief note in The
Newtown Bee on September 4, 1931, that “Some crazy or vicious
individual backed his auto across a section of the little triangle where the
soldiers’ memorial is to be erected after Mr. Steck had finished grading.
Some boys have been tracking the plot up, and cows have been allowed
to walk across the newly graded plot.”
It was not until May 1939, though, that the monument was officially
dedicated during an extravagant Memorial Day celebration that included
a parade from Sandy Hook Center to the top of Main Street, the
decoration of the streets and businesses with flags and buntings,
specially selected speakers, bands, poetry and actress and opera singer
Grace Moore’s only Newtown performance.
Excerpt from “Where Newtown Pauses To Remember” By Nancy K. Crevier, The Newtown Bee, May 28, 2010
Summer Flags on Main Street
The Newtown Lions supply, mount, and
service the American flags which line Main
Street every year. The flags are mounted on
Memorial Day weekend and fly through the
Labor Day Parade.
Main Street is an important part of the Historic District. There is great pride in living on Main Street. In the past few
years, there have been many homes that have been restored. In order to maintain the historical feel of the area, the
Borough has not allowed the installation of traffic lights in the center of Main Street at the Flagpole.
Matthew Curtiss, Jr. purchased the house at 44 Main Street in 1781. It is a fine example of Connecticut saltbox
architecture, and for some time it was believed that he was the house’s builder and first resident. Thus his name was
attached to it. Subsequent research shows that the house was originally constructed in about 1750. Curtiss sold the
house in 1807, but may have continued to live there until his death in 1824. The house was acquired by the Historical
Society in 1970. It serves as their headquarters and is open to the public as a house museum.
The present contents of the house include not only furnishings of the time the house was new but also items of later
date which help to tell the history of Newtown. Rooms suggest the way family possessions could have been added as
one generation followed another.
The Matthew Curtiss House in “The Borough”
Main Street Historic District
Houses on Main Street
Main Street is a pleasure to walk down anytime of the year
Cyrenius H. Booth Public Library
Newtown’s Main Street is filled with wonderful old
buildings. Mary Hawley, Newtown’s benefactress, is
responsible for one of the most striking - the
Cyrenius H. Booth Library. Built in 1931 and named
for her maternal grandfather, Dr. Cyrenius H.
Booth, it was one of her many gifts to Newtown.
Unlike other municipal buildings – Hawley School
and Edmond Town Hall – the library was designed
to resemble a gracious Georgian home to blend
with the historic homes lining the street. To this day,
many Newtowners and visitors alike assume the
library was once a home converted to a library.
The staff is known for its “small town” friendliness
as well as its skills in providing top-notch research
to locate information and answer your questions.
Ask what the “H” stands for in Cyrenius H. Booth,
search your ancestry in the excellent genealogy
collection, explore the chbMAKERS Corner, have a
cup of coffee in the small café, or browse through
the offerings in the Friends of the Library’s Little
Bookstore.
The C.H. Booth Library offers materials, information
and support for every member of our community.
They look forward to providing more co-working
spaces and a business incubator for entrepreneurs,
job seekers, independent professionals, students
and remote workers. They also offer support for
local businesses and for the economic growth of
our town.
Inside the C.H. Booth Library
Once inside this beautiful building, you will see how
the original reading rooms have been adapted to meet
the ever-changing needs of a growing community. The
historic blends with modern technology to provide a
21st Century library that speaks of the past.
The library still provides a comfortable reading room
filled with magazines and newspapers, quiet-study
areas, small-group meeting spaces, and interesting
programs for all ages. The building is also filled with a
marvelous collection of antiques and relics of
Newtown’s past. Many of these items had belonged to
Mary Hawley and came from her home.
Along with printed books, DVDs, and
CDs, the library now offers downloadable
eBooks, audiobooks, online materials,
and WiFi.
The new chbMAKERS Corner is a
gathering place where all ages can
discover new skills and network with
others to explore and create.
The Pleasance
An old gas station at 1 Main Street was purchased by the
owners of The Newtown Bee to build a new office and print
shop. However, the cost to build the new building turned out
to be twice what they wanted to spend, so they decided to
convert their property into a wonderful public garden instead.
It was given the fitting name of “The Pleasance” when it was
established in 1997. The property is beautifully landscaped
and has pathways to many features including an antique
cast iron Fiske fountain, a gazebo, various large sculptures,
and a bocce court.
It even has a “Bunny Garden” sculpture garden complete
with Mr. McGregor, and Peter too, in his garden and Mrs.
Rabbit and her young bunnies welcoming all children into
their storybook home located in the back of the property.
The Newtown Bee
The Newtown Bee was established in 1877 as a post-Civil War
rural weekly newspaper. However, its original founder, John T.
Pearce, did not always feel there was enough news to report, so
some weeks he did not issue a publication.
The early Newtown Bee identified itself as "independent
Republican" and was challenged by an upstart paper aligned with
the Democratic Party called the Newtown Chronicle. Founded in
1880, the Chronicle enjoyed a large readership among the many
Irish immigrant workers who came to Newtown to build the
railroads, farm, and work in the rubber belting industry. Reuben
Smith purchased the Bee in 1881, bought out the Chronicle, and
committed the Bee to non-partisan news coverage.
The Bee’s success at building an initial subscriber list is attributed
to Reuben Smith’s brother, Allison, making a circuit in horse and
carriage of surrounding settlements to sell subscriptions and
collect social news, and, then later, to the formation of a network
of correspondents in dozens of communities around Newtown.
These activities yielded news of social affairs, illnesses, sermons,
agricultural plantings, lawsuits, arrests, thefts, road conditions,
fires, lightning strikes, shad runs, and business ventures.
The Newtown Bee entered the electronic age in September
1980, when computers replaced the old typewriters in Editorial. In
March 1995, it also became the first newspaper in the state to
offer continuously updated news and information on its website.
They are a member of New England Newspaper & Press
Association, with multiple awards for editorial and advertising
content.
The Bee is located at 5 Church Hill Road. The current owner and
publisher is R. Scudder Smith. He and the fifth and sixth
generations of the Smith family are part of today's staff.
Fairfield Hills Campus
Home to:
• Newtown Municipal Center
• Future Community Center and Senior Center
• NYA Sports & Fitness Center
• Baseball, softball, and soccer fields
• Victory Garden
• Edible Fruit Trail
• Walking Trails - 2 miles of trees, flowers and open air
• Dog Park
• Horse Trails
• Pickleball practice courts
Newtown acquired the 30 buildings of the former Fairfield
Hills Hospital 185-acre property from the State of
Connecticut in 2004. Some have envisioned transforming
the site into a college campus, others a commercial
complex, or a golf course. The discussions continue.
Ferris Acres Creamery
Some of the best ice cream in America is
found right here in Newtown! In 1864, William
David Baldwin Ferris, a descendant of the first
Ferris to arrive in Newtown around 1703,
purchased the farm where Ferris Acres
Creamy stands today. He established a family
tradition in agriculture that has been adopted
by at least one family member of each
succeeding generation. Today, Ferris Acres
Creamery located at 144 Sugar Street on
Route 302 continues as a true family
business with three generations involved.
People come from all around for this amazing
ice cream! Local favorites include Cow Trax,
Route 302 Chocolate Moo, The MJ Rell, Bada
Bing, Ali-Oop, and Bad Habit.
The Flag Trees on Route 302
The living painting at 68 Dodgingtown Road on Route 302 was created by artist David Merrill at the bequest of the
property owner, Mr. Harold Lasher, and has been photographed countless times. Mr. Lasher, who lost many close
friends and colleagues in the September 2001 terrorist attacks, decided to honor them after seeing the color guard
march at St. Patrick’s Cathedral for a 9/11 memorial service. “They died because they were American,” he said.
“The flag represents everything America stands for – Strength, Liberty, & Freedom.”
Orchard Hill Nature Center
Orchard Hill is a great place to visit for a relaxing walk through the woods. There are 15 varieties of trees and 14
varieties of plants that are marked as to their type, and a refreshing stream. The park is located at 20 Huntingtown
Road. Its historical assets include two mills and dams, which date back to the early part of the 19th century. Its natural
assets include rare beauty and a remarkable diversity of habitats which provide a home to an unusually large number
of species of plants and animals. The Lions do much of the maintenance of this park.
Dickinson and Treadwell Parks
DICKINSON MEMORIAL PARK - Located at 50 Elm Drive in Newtown, this park is open to Newtown residents
only, from 9 a.m. until sundown. Dickinson Park has five NEW tennis courts, a softball field, a NEW basketball
court, a NEW Skate Park, two playground areas, FUNSCAPE creative play area, and a pavilion and picnicking
facilities, complete with charcoal grills.
TREADWELL MEMORIAL PARK - Located at 47 Philo Curtis Road in Sandy Hook, this park is open from 9 a.m.
until sundown. Amenities include four tennis courts, a ball wall, a basketball court, two playground areas, a pavilion,
a multi-purpose baseball/softball field, two regulation-size soccer fields, and a swimming pool complex, which
features an 8-lane, 25-yard pool, with a diving "L" and wading pool. Locker facilities are available. The Lions Club
was instrumental in building the playground.
EVENTS IN NEWTOWN
Newtown Lions Mustang Raffle
Every spring for over 25 years, the Newtown Lions Club kicks off a Classic Mustang Car Raffle for a vintage Ford
Mustang. All the Mustangs are convertibles with a V8, automatic transmission, power steering, and disc brakes in
stunningly beautiful condition. Remember those days of cruising down the highway with the wind in your hair and your
best one by your side? Or, maybe you’ve always wanted to own a classic American car. Let us take you back in time.
What a ride! Thank you to everyone for helping us serve our community and the world through Lions Charities.
Annual Newtown Earth Day Festival
Newtown’s Earth Day Festival is a daylong event of family
fun and learning held on the front lawn of the Newtown
Middle School at 11 Queen Street. This annual outdoor
event was organized by a group of concerned citizens over
10 years ago to highlight the town’s natural resources and
help the town learn how to become a bit “greener.” It brings
together friends, neighbors, school groups, work colleagues,
clubs and organizations to make our town a better place.
As part of the Earth Day event, the Newtown Lions Club
invites you to join us in participating in our Lose The Litter
campaign to help clean up the streets, parks and schools of
Newtown.
Tackle the Trash! The Lions Club will provide garbage bags
and gloves if you need them. You can choose a road, a park
near you, or one of the many school parking lots and
grounds to clean up. Sign up at the Lions table at the
Newtown Earth Day Festival and let them know what area
you are going to clean. Working together we can all make a
difference!
The Duck Race
Lobster Festival
The Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue
Company’s Annual Lobster Festival, presented in
early June on a Friday and Saturday night, attracts
thousands of guests yearly. 2,050 lobsters and 750
pounds of ribeye steaks were served in 2018! The
event takes place at the Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire
& Rescue main station located at 18-20 Riverside
Road.
The next time you attend the Lobster Festival, look
for the Lions Club members and ask about our
activities.
Cyrenius H. Booth Library Book Sale
Thousands of book dealers, avid readers
looking for that special book, and people looking
for a bargain come to Newtown where the
Library hosts a Book Sale every year. It is a
five-day event held at the Reed Intermediate
School located at 3 Trades Lane. The event in
2018 featured 100,000 books, collected by a
hundred volunteers who raised $100,000 for the
Library’s operations. Five hundred people
waited in line for the doors to open on the first
day of the 2018 sale.
This event is held the weekend after
the Fourth of July every year. Stop by
outside of the book sale where you
will find friendly Newtown Lions
selling Mustang raffle tickets and
offering information on how to join the
Lions.
Newtown Labor Day Parade
On September 3, 1962, 4,000 people lined the streets of Newtown to view the town’s first ever Labor Day Parade.
The first parade was intended to be a Memorial Day Parade but the organizers were late in getting the planning
started so it became the only Labor Day Parade in the state. Newtown was a much smaller town in 1962 with a
country flare. “Everybody, when you walked down Main Street, knew each other and said ‘hello.’” Forty-one units
marched in that first parade. In 2017, more than 200 units participated. Newtown’s Labor Day Parade has grown to
be the largest in the state, attracting governors, senators, and other dignitaries.
The Great Pumpkin Race
Eighth Grade Scarecrow Contest
Students at Newtown Middle School have been creating “larger-than-life” scarecrows for the annual Eighth Grade
Scarecrow Contest for over 20 years. Students are encouraged to work in groups, but can create their scarecrows on
their own if they wish. The Art Enrichment students make their creations as part of a class project, but any eighth
grader may participate. Residents may vote for their favorites at $1 per vote and all funds raised benefit the charities
that are chosen by the top three winning groups.
Halloween Night on Main Street
The “Happening Place” to Enjoy Halloween
The festivities and crowds have grown incrementally for
decades, with many under the misconception that this is a
Town sanctioned event.
Thousands of costumed Trick-or-Treaters have been known to
visit residents on Main Street. Residents reported between
2,050 and 2,300 at their doors in 2017, with the first costumed
guests appearing as early as 4:30 that afternoon.
Residents easily spend a few hundred dollars on candy. (Eric
DaSilva letter to the editor, May 2018: “As a Main Street
resident who spends over $300 annually for Halloween
candy…”)
Since 2011, residents and visitors have been treated to a
display of carved pumpkins. The pumpkins were launched as a
fundraiser.
Newtown police officers help with traffic along the busy
roadway. Some also stand outside the police station at 3 Main
Street, handing out treats. Local groups often set up in the
courtyard of Edmond Town Hall, offering non-candy fun, treats,
and games.
Adults often join in the festivities as well, donning costumes
and escorting children as they walk along Main Street.
Excerpts from Newtown Bee articles
Luminaires
Newtown’s Main Street and Ram Pasture come alive each year with the Christmas Spirit. Residents follow luminaries
that line South Main Street and Elm Drive to attend the Annual Ram Pasture Tree Lighting. It is held on a Friday night,
generally the week after Thanksgiving, each year. This tradition has been going on for over 30 years.
The Tree Lighting
Recent Tree Lighting events have included
performances from Newtown High School’s
acapella singers, the Ashurst Academy of
Irish Dance, and Lathrop School of Dance.
In addition to the entertainment, caroling and
refreshments served, the highlight of the
night is a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus!
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Community Health
The Newtown Lions have partnered with the Visiting
Nurse Association of Newtown in vision screening
programs both in the schools and in the community.
Screening has been expanded to include grade
school students in addition to pre-school children.
Free eye screenings have also been made available
to the public at the Annual Newtown Public Safety &
Health Fair. At the fair, Lions members also distribute
information about the Lions KidSight Program, which
helps parents, children, and educators detect and
treat children’s vision problems.
The Newtown Lions also sponsors Red Cross Blood
Drives and collects used eyeglasses for distribution
to people in need. Over 2,000 eyeglasses are
collected per year.
The Newtown Lions facilitated the $400,000 grant
from Lions International for an Eye Clinic in Africa.
This Grant was given to a project called the
“Sustainable Comprehensive Community Eye Health
Program.” It was originated by a Newtown teacher
who has traveled to Africa to help with eyesight
exams and treatments for the poor in remote areas.
The project began as a local effort, and the new eye
clinic will be funded for the Grand Bassa, Margibi,
and Rivercross Counties in Liberia. This is the
second eye clinic effort Newtown efforts will support.
The Newtown Lions Club reached
out to help our neighbors who were
devastated by the Sandy Hook
tragedy. Immediately after the
incident, the Club started raising
funds to pay for counseling and
therapy for Sandy Hook Elementary
School students, teachers, staff and
their families and for the police, fire
and emergency medical personnel
who responded to the scene. The
Lions continue to support this effort
through their fund raising activities.
Our Community
Newtown Lions Donations
“We Serve”
100% of our fund-raising money goes to Charities
The following is a list of just the Charities that we donated $1,000 or more to last year.
*Newtown Lions also donated to an additional 38 Charites
American Alzheimer's Association
American Diabetes Association
American Red Cross
Barton Center for Diabetes
Central Emergency Response Fund
Child & Family Institute
CT Radio Information System
Cullens Youth Association
Danbury Low Vision Center
District Low Vision Centers
Doctors Without Borders
Domestic Disaster Relief
Dorothy Day Hospitality Center
FAITH Food Pantry
Families United in Newtown
Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation
Guiding Eyes for the Blind
Healing the Children
HomeFront
Joe Young Mission Trip
Juvenile Diabetes Research
Kevin’s Community Center
Lions Club Int’l. Disaster Fund
Lions Club Int’l. General Fund
Meals on Wheels
Multiple Sclerosis Society
Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps
Newtown Forest Association
Newtown Fund
Newtown Senior Center
Newtown Social Services
Newtown Volunteer Fire Companies
Newtown Youth & Family Services
Parent Connection
Regional Hospice
Relay for Life
Renewal House
Resiliency Center of Newtown
Salvation Army
Sandy Hook Community Foundation
Unite For Sight
Vision Screening
Voice For Joanie
Women Involved in Newtown
The Newtown Lions Club is made
up men and women who enjoy
good fellowship and give their
free time to help those in need in
their community, their state and
the rest of the world.
Lions also welcome high school
aged boys and girls to join our
Leo’s Club.
The Newtown Lions Club meets
on the second and fourth
Wednesday of each month from
September to June. The social
hour starts at 6:00 pm and
dinner meeting at 6:30 pm. A
short business meeting and a
program or guest speaker follows
dinner. Most meetings end by
8:30 pm.
For Lions, “We Serve” is not only
a motto but a definition and
philosophy.
“It’s Great to be a Lion”
We Make a Living
By What We Get,
But We Make a Life
By What We Give
It will give me an opportunity to help my community
I will enjoy the fellowship shared with other club members
It will afford me the opportunity to develop leadership skills
I will become part of an organization larger than myself
I may even wish to become part of the leadership team at
the local, regional, national and international levels
Helping others will give me a sense of satisfaction
www.newtownlions.org
HOPE YOU ENJOYED YOUR TOUR!
Thank you Flagpole Photographers Camera Club
The Newtown Lion’s Club would like to thank Flagpole Photographers Camera Club members Mark Ashbolt, Chane Cullens,
Rhonda Cullens, Anne Eigen and Linda Lubinsky for supplying most of the photos for this brochure!
Flagpole Photographers Camera Club is a local nonprofit group founded in 1985 that enables members to share their
images and expertise, to learn and grow in their photography, and to enjoy the camaraderie of fellow photographers.
They come from diverse backgrounds, with photographic skills ranging from beginning novices to professionals. New
members are always welcome to join the club and may enter their work in monthly club competitions, participate in
workshops, take field trips, get involved in community programs, and take part in annual exhibits.
Additional club information, meeting dates, including calendar of events, member galleries, and workshop information
can be found at: FlagpolePhotographers.com. For more information contact Info@FlagpolePhotographers.com.
Acknowledgments
Co-Producer: Ed Miklaszewski, Newtown Lions Club
Co-Producer: Rhonda Cullens, Flagpole Photographers Camera Club
Special Assistance: Shannon Hicks, The Newtown Bee
Proofreaders: Daniel Cruson and Oscar De Los Santos
Special Thanks: Bill Brett, Chane Cullens, Kacey Miklaszewski Dillier,
Walt Schweikert, Ryan Storms, Gordon Williams, and ShopRite
Information Contributors:
• Newtown Town Historian – Daniel Cruson
• Newtown Historical Society – Gordon Williams
• Cyrenius H. Booth Library – Beryl Harrison
• Ferris Acres Creamery – Terry Ferris
• Newtown Lions Club
• Connecticut State Library
• Newtown Parks & Recreation
• The Newtown Bee
• Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company
• Flagpole Photographers Camera Club
Photos by: Mark Ashbolt, Lisa Brown, Chane Cullens, Rhonda Cullens,
Anne Eigen, Lucy Handley, Shannon Hicks, Linda Lubinsky, Ed
Miklaszewski, Bruce Walczak, and The Newtown Bee photo archives
Paintings by: Jim Chillington, David Merrill, and Virginia Zimmerman
Copyright 2018
2018 Edition