A community game of catch called "Hey, Mom, Wanna Have A Catch?" climaxed Sunday afternoon, hosted by the New Milford Express U15 youth baseball players, their families and friends on the Village Green. Event organizer Dan Olson reported 225 participants, ranging in age from 60-somethings to 22-month-old Lily Lipinsky, daughter of New Milford High athletic director Keith Lipinsky. The Mother's Day weekend event started Friday, May 10, at 6 p.m. with Mayor Pat Murphy executing the ceremonial first throw on the money to Grace Linhard, executive director of the Western Connecticut Health Network Foundation. Two days and countless throws and catches later, including overnight sessions enhanced by lighting, the event closed with News-Times/Spectrum Editor Emeritus Art Cummings and Spectrum Editor Norm Cummings rekindling memories of their youth by exchanging a few throws. Donations were accepted throughout the event, with proceeds to benefit the Express and the Western Connecticut Health Network for its fight against breast cancer. Express participants, including players, parents and siblings, sported pink T-shirts graced by "Hey, Mom, Wanna Have A Catch?" A couple of dads of former New Milford youth and high school baseball players, John Kaiser and Sonny Shaw, helped anchor the Saturday morning shift from 2 to 5 a.m., much of it during rain showers.

The state tournament is not in the offing for the New Milford High baseball team this spring. [...] memories of a mulitude of close defeats likely still sting the Green Wave coaches and players this week as the 2013 season winds down. The lanky righthander spun a no-hitter against the overmatched Bobcats, the first such gem by a Green Wave hurler since stylish southpaw Brian Wood turned the trick May 17, 1989, with a 13-strikeout performance against Joel Barlow. Monday's victory raised the NMHS ledger to 5-13 heading into this week's home games Monday against Stratford and Wednesday against Immaculate.

Registration for the five-kilometer event is available at www.fasttracktiming.com, or by printing a paper application and mailing to race host Breakaway Sports Event Management, PO Box 63, Morris, CT 06763. The Woodbridge Running Company will award a $20 gift certificate to its store to each male and female age division winner. Sponsors include Bank Street Theater, Fast Track Timing, Woodbridge Running, The Edge, Stop & Shop and New Milford Sports Club.

Registration is underway for many programs offered by the New Milford Parks & Recreation Department. Online signup is now available at www.newmilfordrec.com by clicking on "Create New Account" to open an account and providing all contact information. Cell phone numbers with the carrier are needed for possible texts with last-minute program changes.

The following program is offered by Bridgewater Recreation: FAMILY Saturday gear swap A free outdoor gear swap is scheduled Saturday, May 18 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Bridgewater Pavilion along Sarah Sanford Road East. Among the items to sell and purhcase will be gently used athletic equipment and outgrown or unwanted outdoor gear from the garage. Sellers can set up and get a good spot at 8 a.m. Several picnic tables are available but participants might want to bring tables. Donations will be accepted to benefit the Bridgewater Recreation Gift Fund.

The inaugural Little Britches 5K Run/Walk will be offered Sunday, May 19 with a 9:30 start from the Bridgewater fairgrounds at 100 Main Street South. A Kids' Fun Run will start at 11 a.m. Proceeds will benefit Little Britches Therapeutic Riding in Bridgewater. Advance registration for $20 is available at www.register.fasttracktiming.com. Race-day signup would be $25. The event is sponsored, in part, by the Connecticut Community Foundation. For more information, visit www.fasttracktiming.com or www.littlebritchesct.org.

The Good Hill Farm Preserve is home to one of our newest trails," said Payne, who serves as the trust's executive director, "and offers a meandering, up-and-down hike, that continues through the hillside woodlands and along an old wood road to the Miller Preserve. The 467-acre Good Hill Farm was purchased from the Lawrence Pond family in 2002 with a grant from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection's open space acquisition fund, a grant from the town of Woodbury, and the support of many Roxbury and Woodbury residents. The non-profit organization, which is governed by a volunteer board of directors and is supported by membership dues and charitable contributions, now maintains 32 preserves, with 30 miles of hiking trails and three active farms, as well as offering educational programs.

Coach Eileen Holden's diamond crew owned a 10-4 overall record this week as it prepped for games Wednesday against Lauralton Hall at NMHS, Thursday against Masuk at NMHS and Friday at Newtown. The team is very excited to have accomplished one of our many goals," explained coach Holden, "getting our eight wins for states before the start of May. The Green Wave is scheduled to cap its regular season next week with games Monday at Brookfield, Wednesday against Stratford at NMHS and Friday, May 17 against Joel Barlow in Redding.

For registration or more information, call director John Wrenn at 860-354-3629, visit the office at Sherman School during hours of Mondays to Fridays from 9 a.m. to 11:30, or check www.townofshermanct.org/parkrec.html. Registration for the kayak and canoe rack is underway at the Park and Rec office. Each 20-foot by 20-foot plot costs $4, with previous owners entitled to their former plots until May 12. Residents can swim at the New Fairfield H.S. pool as part of a program in cooperation with New Fairfield Park and Recreation.

MVP SOS provides funding to New Milford children who have financial need so that they are able to participate in school related or after-school sports, arts, music and educational programs regardless of their financial status. The tournament is offered in memory of Bob Rasor, a founding member of MVP SOS, who believed along with his fellow charter members in the transformative value of extra-curricular activities in the way of mentorship and guidance.