Cowboys and Indians, Marathon Runners, and Hollerin' From the Rooftop!

1. Don't be alarmed if you see people standing on top of Tri-Town Market at Flanders Four Corners in East Lyme waving their arms and hollering today. They are all law enforcement officers who have volunteered to stay on the roof of the supermarket until they've raised $5,000 for Special Olympics!

The Cop on Top fundraiser began yesterday but today they're all in it for the long haul, with plans to stay perched aloft from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. So do stop by and make a donation, or buy a hot dog to help the cause! 

2. The first annual 5K road race in memory of Gary Batch, a Waterford man who died of Mesothelioma, will be held at Waterford Beach Park today but it's not to late to sign up. People can register this morning at 9 a.m. The race begins at 10 a.m.. All the proceeds go to research Mesothelioma. The event is being catered by Filomena’s restaurant. For more information about the race, and to register or donate, click here.

3. September 22 is National Hunting and Fishing Day and DEEP is celebrating at Sessions Woods in Burlington with a daylong event featuring cowboy sharp shooters, field dog and bird of prey demonstrations, fishing and hunting workshops, target shooting and archery, facepainting for kids, and much more from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m..

I don't hunt but this sounds like tons of fun—and it's free! 

You can find more information about Connecticut Hunting and Fishing Appreciation Day and Sessions Woods Wildlife Management Area on the DEEP Web site at www.ct.gov/deep/HuntFishDay. Sessions Woods is located on Route 69 (341 Milford Street) in Burlington.

4. The Niantic Bay Half Marathon will be bringing more than 700 runners to East Lyme on Sunday for what has become the largest running event this side of the Connecticut River. The event runs (pun intended!) from 9 a.m. to noon and follows a route around Giants Neck and Rocky Neck State Park.

People are encouraged to come out and cheer for the competitors, which include about 200 people from our towns this year. The traffic impact should be minimal during the event itself, although there will be alternating traffic on Giants Neck Road and traffic on Giants Neck Road south of Dell Lane will be diverted to Griswold Drive, Dell Lane and Edge Hill Road. 

5. As the first recorded inhabitants of Lyme, the Nehantics have been residents in the area for the past 3,000 years and researchers are learning more about the Native American group all the time.

On Sunday, anthropologist, archaeologist, and historian John Pfeiffer will give an overview of the history of the Nehantics at the Lyme Public Hall, 249 Hamburg Road, in Lyme. The talk begins at 2 p.m. and admission is free.