Webster community mailbag

16 Oct

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There’s still time to get tickets for this Friday’s “Lift Your Spirits” fundraiser for the Webster Comfort Care Home, being held at Artisan Works, 565 Blossom Rd., from 7 to 9:30 p.m.

The event will feature wine and beer tasting from local breweries, music by Andy Calabrese & Chet Catallo, appetizers, full cash bar, silent auction and raffles for great prizes including a balloon ride over Letchworth, a Sabres Suite for their Dec. 27 game against the Bruins, lodging, dinner certificates, rounds of golf, a humidor, jewelry, home decor and more.

Tickets are $50 per person and can be purchased online here or by calling 585-872-5290.

The Webster Comfort Care Home, located at the corner of Holt and Klem roads, provides free hospice care to the terminally ill of our Webster community, and comfort to the patients’ families. The agency is run solely on donations and fundraisers like this.

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The Webster Public Library will present a spooky — and educational — program this Thursday Oct. 17 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. called “The Spiritualist Movement in America.”

Local presenter Jack Kowiak will share the story of the Spiritualist movement which began long before the infamous Fox sisters, and continued long after them. It was the fastest growing belief system in American in the mid-19th century.

Registration is required for this program. To register, call the library at 585-872-7075 (click 3 for the reference desk) or click on “events and classes” on the Webster Public Library website.

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blood dropIf you didn’t get a chance to visit last week’s two-day Webster Community Blood Drive, don’t fret. Your next Webster-based opportunity to save some lives with your donation is coming up soon.

Our very own Webster Volunteer Fire Dept. will host a blood drive next Thursday Oct. 24, from 1 to 7 p.m. at the fire house, 35 South Ave. Click here to schedule an appointment online, or just stop by. It shouldn’t take more than an hour out of your day and will help fill a critical  need.

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Speaking of our local fire departments, the West Webster Fire Dept. will host its annual Fire Prevention Open House this weekend, on Sunday Oct. 20 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the fire house on Gravel Rd.

The event features fire safety and rescue demonstrations, activities for the kids, and the opportunity to see all sorts of emergency equipment and trucks up close! Refreshments will be served, including apple cider, donuts, snow cones, and popcorn.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Twitter and Instagram

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Some well-deserved recognition for our Webster girls softball team

15 Oct

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You may remember a blog I wrote back in early August about our Webster Girls Softball WAA Xtreme Fastpitch Travel Team, and the very successful season they had just completed.

They ended the year with an overall record of 64-6-1 and captured their fifth championship. Earlier this month, the team’s outstanding achievements were honored by the Monroe County Legislature with a Certificate of Recognition, which noted the team members’ success on the field, in the classroom and in the community, and the outstanding sportsmanship and respect they showed all year to officials and opposing team members.

Congratulations, ladies!

 

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Village Trick-or-Treat Trail details

14 Oct

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Now that we’re well into the bewitching-est month of the year, here’s a preview of the Village of Webster’s annual Trick-or-Treat Trail.

It takes place this year on Saturday October 26. It begins, as always, with a costume contest at 11 a.m. in the Community Room at Village Hall, 28 W. Main Street. Prizes are awarded in several categories.

Then, from 11:30 to 2 p.m., kids can wander through the village, trick-or-treating at businesses up and down Main Street and North Ave.

This is a great opportunity to check out some of our village’s newest businesses, including the Village Quilt Shoppe, Jojo Bistro, Lala of Webster, The Pickled Paintbrush and Chandeliers Boutique.

AND AND AND The Webster Fire Department will be hosting an open house during the event, handing out candy and fire hats for the kids, and offering up demonstrations and other fun stuff. Plus, the Webster Museum always has special activities going on, so make sure to pop up to see them on Lapham Park.

This is always a very fun event and well attended, even if it’s rainy and cold, like last year. I always enjoy seeing all of the kids’ costumes (basically they mirror whatever cartoon or video game is popular this year) and especially like seeing when entire families get into the spirit and have group costumes. Click this link to see a whole gallery of photos from last year.

Stay tuned for more details; rumor has it, a new and improved pet costume parade and contest will be back this year. I’ll pass along details as soon as I know more about it.  In the meantime, you can watch websterbid.com for updates.

 

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How about a ride to school in a fire truck?

11 Oct
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(photo courtesy WVFD Facebook page)

Wouldn’t your kids love to get a ride to school in a fire truck? Boy, would they be the talk of the entire school day!

That’s the great prize awaiting two lucky winners of a fire-preparedness contest going on right now, hosted by the Webster and West Webster volunteer fire departments.

Part of being prepared in case of a fire in your home is creating an escape plan, and practicing it with the whole family. For the contest, students are asked to make a drawing depicting their home escape plan, then submit it to the WVFD Facebook page.

Here are the details:

  1. Entries will be by students currently in grades Kindergarten through 5th grade.
  2. Students must live in Webster and attend school in the Webster district.
  3. Entries will consist of a drawing of an escape plan of the student’s home. For ideas on how to do this, click here.
  4. Entries must have the student’s first and last name, school, current grade in school, home address, and parent’s contact information on the back.
  5. Submit drawings via private message to the Webster Volunteer Fire Department Facebook page or bring the submission to our open house at 35 South Ave on Saturday, October 26 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. (during the Trick-or-Treat Trail in the village).
  6. Two winners will be picked at random, one from the Webster Fire Department district and one from the West Webster Fire Department district.

Entries must be received by midnight on October 27, and the ride to school will be held the first week of November.

And even if your student doesn’t win, just thinking about, planning and practicing an escape plan in case of a fire in your home makes everyone a winner.

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Make this weekend “family” time

10 Oct

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They’re creepy and they’re kooky
Mysterious and spooky
They’re all together ooky
The Addams Family!

C’mon, admit it. You didn’t just read that last passage. You sang it, because you remember watching the Addams Family television show. And if that’s the case, you definitely want to grab your ticket soon to this weekend’s Webster Theatre Guild production of The Addams Family.

Like the television show, the show is a comedy about a ghoulish American family that enjoys the most macabre things in life and death. Unlike the television show, it’s also a musical, which adds to the fun.

The show originally debuted on Broadway in 2010 with Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth in the lead roles of Gomez and Morticia Addams.

The show will take the stage this Friday Oct. 11 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday Oct. 12 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. in the Webster High School auditorium, 800 Five Mile Line Rd. And then it returns NEXT weekend, Oct. 18 and 19.

Tickets can be purchased online in advance (click here), in person the day of the show. Reserve tickets are $15, wit discounts available for groups of 10 or more.

For more information, visit the Webster Theatre Guild website.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Twitter and Instagram

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Blood drive day 2 is Thursday

9 Oct

 

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I’m proud to belong to the Webster community.

The support today for the biannual Webster Community Blood Drive at St. Paul Church was amazing. I overheard one of the volunteers say there were 77 appointments made today alone, and we still have one more day in the drive.

You can see a photo above of the prizes that are being offered to donors — everyone who shows up gets 10 raffle tickets for your choice of great prizes donated by local businesses. PLUS you get other prizes including a free pint of ice cream from Bruster’s. (EVERYONE gets that!)

But more to the point, donating blood actually helps save lives. That’s the real win/win for everyone who comes.

So if you didn’t have a chance to get there on Wednesday, please consider stopping by day two of the drive Thursday, from noon to 7 p.m. at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr. I highly recommend you make an appointment; this drive is very popular, and it will get you through more quickly.  You do that by calling 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767) or by logging onto http://www.redcrossblood.org.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Twitter and Instagram

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Webster community mailbag

8 Oct

This is a busy week coming up in Webster.

klem northFor starters, I just got a notice this morning from the folks over at Klem North Elementary, asking me to post this notice about an upcoming PTSA meeting.

As you can see, the meeting is scheduled for this Thursday at 6:30 in the library.

Please consider getting involved in your school’s PTSA if you aren’t already. They do so much to support our students and staff members — and as I one of those teachers, I speak from experience. Even if you can give an hour occasionally for a special event, that would be great.

I’m always happy to publicize community events like this, so please remember me when you need help getting the word out. Email your notices to missyblog@gmail.com.

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This Thursday through Saturday (Oct. 10-12), the Friends of the Webster Library will host their fall used book sale at the library, 980 Ridge Rd., off Van Ingen Drive at the back of the plaza.

On Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., all hardcover books are $1 and paperbacks are 50 cents. Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. AND Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. are Bag Days; $4 fills an entire bag with books.

And get this! You can even use your credit card. So make your way to the sale and stock up on books for the long winter ahead.

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St. Rita School’s 35th annual Craft Sale returns this Saturday Oct. 12 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. It’s time to start thinking about Christmas shopping, and with 100 vendors signed up this year, it’s a perfect opportunity.

There’s plenty of free parking, and there’s no admission. St. Rita School is located at 1008 Maple Drive in W. Webster.

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October is domestic violence awareness month, so proceeds from this month’s Saturday Flapjack Community Breakfast at the First Baptist Church of Penfield will be donated to Resolve, an organization dedicated to intervening and preventing domestic and sexual violence against women.

The breakfast is scheduled for Saturday Oct. 19 from 8 to 10 a.m. at the church, at Penfield’s four corners. For $6 per person, enjoy pancakes, pure maple syrup, scrambled eggs, sausage, and beverages. The church is handicap accessible.

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nick KThe Nick K 5K will be running its 6th annual event this Saturday Oct. 12 beginning at 8 a.m. at Webster Parks and Recreation, 1350 Chiyoda Drive.

Nicholas Kapusniak was killed on March 1, 2014 when a drive-by shooter fired into a group of college students in St. Louis, Missouri. Nick is a former resident of Webster and was attending school at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy.

The Nick K 5K hopes to draw attention to the violence that is becoming commonplace in our schools and cities. Part of the proceeds will go to local Crime Stoppers in Rochester and St. Louis, with the rest being put towards scholarships in his name at his high school in Waukesha, Wisconsin and the St. Louis College of Pharmacy.

Runners and walkers can register by clicking here. Cost is $25, and includes a t-shirt and other giveaways. Walk-up registrations will be accepted the morning of the race beginning at 7:15AM.

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Almost 30 raffle prizes up for grabs at this week’s community blood drive

7 Oct
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Just a sampling of the prizes that await donors at this week’s Webster Community Blood Drive.

How badly do our Webster business owners want you to donate blood at this week’s Community Blood Drive? So much that they’ll give you PRIZES just for showing up.

Ok, you might consider that bribery, but they’re willing to help do what they can to encourage community members to attend this week’s two-day community blood drive on October 9 and 10, because the need is critical. Right now the Red Cross is operating on less than a 5-day supply of blood, which is kind of scary.

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One lucky donor will win these adjustable, swiveling bar stools from the Garage Sale Store, still in the box.

That’s why my spare bedroom is piled high right now with raffle prizes. You’ll see some of them in the photo above, including a very nice gift basket from The Best You Spa, which includes a bottle of wine and $40 gift certificate.

Every donor who walks through the door will be handed ten raffle tickets, which can be used to take chances on almost 30 raffle items donated by some very generous local businesses.  In addition to the Best You Spa basket, donors can also try their luck on these prizes:

Gift certificates from:

  • Barry’s Old School Irish
  • Ploty’s Hometown Tavern
  • Webster Hots
  • The Filling Station
  • ROC & Soul Fitness
  • The Chicken Coop
  • Eastway Liquor
  • Lala of Webster (and lots of tea-related gifts!)
  • Rubino’s
  • Natural Alternatives
  • The Goodie Shoppe
  • Carl’s Pizza
  • The Pickled Paintbrush (PLUS a cool kids’ craft)
  • The North Bee (PLUS gift bags)
  • Kittleberger Florist
  • Strike Back Martial Arts
  • The Village Quilt Shoppe

Plus, these prizes:

  • Two adjustable bar stools from The Garage Sale Store
  • Gift basket and gift certificate from The Best You Spa
  • Gift basket from Schutt’s
  • Beauty products from Beyond Cuts Salon
  • Growler gift pack from Knuckleheads
  • Gift basket from Hegedorn’s

And there’s more! Each donor will receive a free pint of ice cream from Bruster’s, a chance for a cool $100 from Gerard P. Smith Insurance, a $5 coupon from Superior Solutions … and there might be a few other things I’m forgetting.

Basically, you do NOT want to miss this blood drive. Here are the details:

The drive will be held on Wednesday October 9 at St. Paul’s Church on Hard Road, noon to 7 p.m. and Thursday October 10 at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Drive, from noon to 7 p.m. You can make an appointment by calling 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767) or by logging onto http://www.redcrossblood.org. Walk-ins are also welcome.

A SPECIAL THANK YOU to our newest business sponsor this year, The Village Quilt Shoppe. Thank you SO MUCH for your generosity. 

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Webster Fall Fest a success

6 Oct

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The Town of Webster could not have asked for a more spectacular autumn day yesterday on which to celebrate the annual Fall Festival.

Bright blue, cloudless skies and seasonably cool temperatures encouraged hundreds of people of all ages to head out to Gosnell Big Woods to enjoy the festivities. It was the biggest crowd I’ve seen in the three year’s I’ve attended the event. There was a line at pretty much every activity, including pony rides, wagon rides, even the kids’ games. Everywhere you looked, kids were climbing hay bales, doing crafts, trying their hand at all sorts of games, or visiting with the West Webster firefighters.

If you didn’t have a chance to go, here’s a gallery of photos to give you a feel for the fun.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Twitter and Instagram

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Go on The Journey with the Webster Marching Band this Saturday

2 Oct

 

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Your Webster Marching Band will be taking everyone on a spectacular “Journey” this weekend when these amazing musicians and dancers present their annual Autumn Fanfare field show and competition on Saturday Oct. 5.

band 2Seven bands from around the Rochester area will compete, including our very own Pride of Webster. Each school prepares a different, elaborate show, complete with huge set pieces. Sometimes band members will even act out part of the story being told. Webster calls their show this year “The Journey.”

The Pride of Webster Marching Band has been hosting this show for 34 years. Last year was was the first time I ‘d actually attended. I was blown away. Allow me to quote some of my thoughts from that evening:

It is an impressive sight. Almost 70 smartly-dressed kids moving in sync like a well-drilled Army unit, at the same time PLAYING AN INSTRUMENT. People who pride themselves on being able to walk and chew gum at the same time have got nothing on these kids.

And at Saturday night’s event, we got to enjoy the artistry of six other marching bands as well, from Leroy, Hilton, Orchard Park, Medina, East Irondequoit and Victor,  who together provided 90 minutes of music, pageantry and spectacle.

As I watched and snapped about a thousand photos, these are some of the thoughts I came away with:

* These bands don’t just get out there, walk around and play music. The shows are full musical productions, complete with elaborate set pieces (check out Stonehenge in one of my photos) and detailed story lines (one school even had several performers act out part of the story). The music is rich, and usually presented in a series of movements, guiding spectators through the story’s intricacies.

* Every performance by every school is completely different. One school hid behind their set pieces at the beginning of the show, so it looked like no one was on the field. Another put down their instruments a few times for some coordinated dance moves. There was a huge moon, geometric shapes, and yes, even Stonehenge.

* The shows are changed every year, which means a new story, new music, new set pieces, new choreography, and often new costumes and flags for the color guard.

* Think marching bands are all trumpets and drums? Webster’s 2018 production, “Heart Strings: Tugged and Torn” features violins, a stand-up electric bass and two flute soloists.

* Band parents are as invested in these competitions as much as — or even more than — any sports parent. They are cheerleaders, critics, coaches, and analysts. They are the roadies, helping set up the complicated sets and running out on the field after the final note to break everything down and move it out as quickly as possible. And if you’re school is hosting an event like this, if you’re not a roadie you’re still working hard selling tickets, running the raffle, manning food booths, or selling merchandise.

* And oh, by the way, while you’re competing, not only do you have to remember all your music, where to walk without running into anyone, and how to toss that heavy flag without dropping it, you have to do all of that while a judge is walking through the ranks, sometimes just feet away from you, watching you, JUDGING you, and communicating his observations with the head judge at the sideline. Talk about pressure.

I’m looking forward to going on The Journey again this year with our marching band, and I encourage everyone else to do so as well.

The show begins at 5:30 p.m. Saturday night Oct. 5 at Webster Schroeder High School, 875 Ridge Rd. (Gates open at 4:30 p.m.) Tickets are $7 in advance at Hegedorn’s, $9 at the gate. For more information, visit www.webstermarchingband.org.

Click here to see a gallery of photos from last year’s show.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Twitter and Instagram

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