What’s happening with the Women’s Club?

12 Sep

Now that it’s September, the answer to that question is … LOTS.

The autumn season actually kind of kicked off on August 20, when 30 Women’s Club of Webster members and guests gathered on a gorgeous Thursday afternoon for a leisurely 90-minute cruise on the Sam Patch along the Erie Canal in Pittsford. Thanks to Captain Zach for the smooth ride and First Mate Bob for serving up beverages and some very interesting canal history.

The canal cruise was just the first of several special events the club is planning for the 2026/27 year. Next up is the Women’s Club’s annual Card and Game Party, scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 29.

Participants can play any number of card games or, if you don’t like card games, bring a game of your choice. You can play with friends or take advantage of the opportunity to meet some new people. There are door prizes, raffles, 50/25/25 drawings and more. 

Coffee and danish will be served beginning at 10 a.m. with a buffet lunch at 12:30, including salad, eggplant parmesan, chicken French, roasted rosemary potatoes, fresh vegetables, rolls and butter, with cookies and brownies for dessert.   

It all takes place on Tuesday, Sept. 29 at Glendoveers, 2328 Old Browncroft Rd. Donation is $45 and reservations are required by Sunday, Sept. 20. For tickets, send a check payable to the Women’s Club of Webster to Diane Miller, 428 Seneca Park Ave., Rochester, 14617. Make sure to include the names of anyone you would like to play with. 

Sip, Shop ‘n’ Savor at Lala’s

This is going to be a fun time.

On Thursday, Sept. 24, Lisa Schlonski, owner of Lala of Webster, will host one of her very popular Sip, Shop, Savor & Support events to benefit the Women’s Club. Basically, this is an evening of coming together as a community to have fun with friends, meet new people, and benefit a good cause at the same time.

From 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday Sept. 24, shoppers are asked visit Lala’s and purchase items worth $15 or more to be included in raffle baskets being prepared for the Women’s Club’s Card and Game Party, scheduled for Sept. 29. As a thank you, shoppers can take advantage of a 20% discount off your entire Lala purchase that evening. Then, after you’re done shopping, head next door to Jojo Bistro & Wine Bar for more discounts, live music and special appetizer and drink menus.

Details are still coming together for this terrific evening out, but put it on your calendars now.

Lala of Webster is located at 38 East Main Street in the village.

Give blood, enjoy homemade cookies

The Women’s Club is also proud to assist once again at the American Red Cross Blood Drive scheduled for Friday, Oct. 9 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Webster Public Library, 980 Ridge Rd. Women’s Club members will staff the canteen, offering donors supremely scrumptious homemade cookies, congenial conversation and a friendly word of thanks for giving the gift of life.

Walk-ins are welcome, but it’s always best to make an appointment. Log onto redcrossblood.org/give, or call 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767).

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

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(posted 9/12/2026)

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Don’t miss the Garlic Fest

12 Sep

I spent a little time at the Webster Garlic Fest at the Webster Recreation Center this morning, which was packed with vendors and garlic-loving crowds. As always, I was amazed by the wide selection of crafts and food items, not to mention more varieties of garlic than I ever knew existed.

I was fortunate to be there to see the Garlic King and Queen open the ceremonies, assisted by Webster Town Supervisor Alex Scialdone, and I personally met Count Snackula, the Garlic Fest’s very own garlic-loving vampire.

I couldn’t stay very long, which meant I didn’t have a chance to drop the supervisor into the dunk tank, and I didn’t try out the duck pond game. But I did wander around to check out all the booths and took lots of photos. Some of them are here, but I’ve posted a lot more to a Facebook gallery here. And if you don’t have access to Facebook, you’ll also find them on a Google gallery here.

The Webster Garlic Fest continues Saturday Sept. 12 through 5 p.m., and Sunday Sept. 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It’s being held at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr. Parking is across the street in the former Xerox parking lot, where free shuttles will be transporting guests back and forth.

Single-day tickets are only $5, and children under 12 are free. Tickets will be available at the door, or if you buy them online ahead of time, you can sail right through the ticket lines.

Proceeds from the Webster Garlic Fest benefit

  • Wreaths Across America: Honoring and remembering veterans resting in local cemeteries on National Wreaths Across America Day, December 19, 2026.
  • Blue Star Mothers ROC NY8 (military families): Building Care Packages for locally deployed service members and helping military families in our area.
  • Gold Star Mothers Rochester (mothers who have lost a child, spouse, sibling, or parent in active duty): Helping community veterans-in-need with meals, resources, and year-round support.

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(posted 9/12/2026)

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

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Hope garage sale returns next week

11 Sep

The huge Webster NY Hope Garage Sale is coming up next week, from Sept. 16 through 19, and you want to put this on your calendar for sure.

The garage sale, held at Holy Trinity Church, 1460 Ridge Rd., Webster (just east of Phillips Rd.), is Webster HOPE’s largest fundraiser, the culmination of a year’s worth of volunteer effort collecting, sorting and pricing items. Items are clean and organized, and include a wide range of high-quality goods. They include household items, crafts, tools, sporting goods, electronics, holiday, books, games, puzzles, toys, décor, floral, baby, pets, lamps, jewelry, collectibles, small furniture, Christmas items and more. The gymnasium and another large room in Murphy Hall are set up by “department” with the different categories of goods.

Here are the details:

  • Sale begins Wednesday, September 16, 6 to 8 p.m., Preview Night, Murphy Hall at Holy Trinity Church, 1460 Ridge Rd. (just east of Phillips Rd.). Admission is $10 for this special preview.
  • Thursday, September 17 and Friday, September 18, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Saturday, September 19, 10 a.m. to noon only, everything is half-price!
  • Cash, credit cards and Venmo will be accepted.
  • All proceeds go to Webster Hope.

Webster Hope serves the needs of residents in the 14580 zip code, providing food, clothing, household goods and furniture to those in need. 

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 9/11/2026)

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Lots of Webster businesses are in contention for Rochester’s best

11 Sep

You might have read a few days ago in my blog that Sweet Shenanigans bakery on East Main St. in the village has been nominated them in the Best Bakery category of this year’s Rochester Community’s Choice Awards.

Well, as I was going online yesterday to vote for them again (guess what? You can vote EVERY DAY!) I noticed that they are not the only Webster business included in the list of nominees, by far.

I took a quick walk through the list last night and this is what I came up with. I’ve identified them by their category, so when you vote, look for the category to find them. See if there’s a business in here that you’d like to support, and after you’ve read through them all, I’ll tell you again how to go about voting.

Beauty and Health

  • Joe’s Barbershop
  • Lattimore Physical Therapy
  • Burds Physical Therapy

Dining (various sub-categories)

  • Proietti’s Italian Restaurant
  • Royal Dynasty
  • Sweet Shenanigans
  • Mama Lor’s Cafe
  • Bill Gray’s
  • Charlie Riedel’s
  • Tom Wahl’s
  • Uncle Buck’s Catering
  • BC’s Chicken Coop
  • Abbott’s Frozen Custard
  • Bruster’s
  • Salvatore’s
  • Castaways

Entertainment and Leisure

  • Play-a-Latte

Kids and Education

  • DK Dance
  • Northern Hemisphere Gymnastics
  • St. Rita School (preschool)
  • Webster Thomas High School

Pets

  • Ruff Day Pet Resport

Services

  • Ace Swim & Leisure

Shopping

  • Orville’s Home Appliances
  • Heart to Heart Bride
  • Warren’s Decorating
  • Kittelberger Florist
  • Sunscape Farms
  • JF Jones Jewelers

If, as you go through the nominations, you see that I’ve missed anyone, please let me know and I’ll add them to the list.

Here’s how to vote:

  • Go to Rochester Community’s Choice Awards and click “Vote Now.” If you hit a Democrat and Chronicle paywall, don’t worry. Just back out of that screen and hit “Vote Now” again and it should let you through.
  • The voting instructions are there, but basically they’ll make you register before you make your first vote, then you’ll breeze through the next time you log on.
  • Scroll down to the category you want.
  • Click on the category and the nominated businesses will show up. Just click “vote” next to your selection.

As I mentioned, you can do this every day through Sept. 23, so basically, you can stuff the ballot box. So log on and let’s vote for Webster!

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(posted 9/11/2026)

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

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Susan Elizabeth Portraits is dressing up the Village of Webster

10 Sep

One of the things I like best about writing this blog is that occasionally I discover a hidden corner of our town or village that I can share with everyone, like an under-publicized event, an unusual find, or perhaps a local resident who’s doing great things for others.

But I especially like learning about small businesses which have just moved to town, so I can help spread the word. That’s why I was pleased when Sue Mongiovi emailed me about her new photography studio, Susan Elizabeth Portraits, located at 47 West Main St. in the Village of Webster.

Sue actually opened up her new studio space in January, but she’s been doing the photography thing for a long time. Her passion for photography began 20 years ago, when she was working part-time as an assistant wedding photographer while, ironically, working full-time at Kodak. But even back then she longed to open up her own studio and leave the corporate grind behind.

In 2007 she made the leap, leaving Kodak (before they downsized her) so she could focus all her attention on pursuing her passion. For a long time she worked out of her home, until she rented her first studio in 2018 in the Anderson Arts Building in Village Gate, and then later the Hungerford Building. When that didn’t pan out, she dropped the studio idea altogether for two years. But she always kept one eye focused on the real estate listings in case the perfect property became available.

The last thing she expected was to find that perfect space in her very own village, around the corner from her Webster home.

The new two-room studio is located on the bottom floor of a small house on West Main Street. “I’ve never had anything like this before,” Sue said, “and it never dawned on me to look in my own town. I’m such a city girl. I live here, but I’ve always thought of an artist being in the city in some run-down building.”  

The space is perfect for what Susan Elizabeth Portraits has become especially known for: a dress-up photo studio. There’s a small hallway for a gallery; a side room filled with fancy dresses, shoes, jewelry, tiaras, hats, and some fairy wings; and the studio space itself where Sue makes the portraits.

Girls come in with their moms (or sometimes it’s teenage friends, or even a Girl Scout troop), and explore the dress-up room, choosing whatever outfits and bling they’d like. They’re encouraged to examine all the props in the room, find their favorites, get creative and make their own magic.

“I feel like this is their place, to let them be who they want to be,” she said. “I love watching them transform, so they suddenly feel more confident, more proud of themselves.”

Even the process of selecting the outfits is part of the experience, so Sue will make a short video to help them remember it. Once everyone is primped and proper, they move into the studio for photos. Whether her clients ultimately decide to purchase the completed portraits doesn’t seem as important to Sue as being able to provide the experience.

“I don’t want them to just come over here for us to take pictures,” she said. “I want them to have that feeling of togetherness. Two people coming in or friends coming in, having fun in here, playing dress-up. …  Whether or not they buy anything, it’s more like I just want them to have this place to go, to have this fun experience.” The finished products are kind of like a bonus.

Dress-up photography is just a small part of the services Susan Elizabeth Portraits offers, which also include family and couples’ portraits, senior portraits, special event photography and more. For more information, check out her website here, Facebook page here, and find her on Instagram and Pinterest.

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(posted 9/10/2026)

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

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Webster business bits

9 Sep

I’ve had occasion recently to visit several of our town and village’s small business owners. My main purpose was to solicit donations for the Women’s Club of Webster’s upcoming Card and Game Party, and of course everyone was very generous, as our small business owners always are. But it was also a great chance for me to check in on these businesses, and chat with the owners to see how things are going.

In the process, I learned about all sorts of special events and new offerings, several of which I would now like to share with you.

We’re going to start with some BIG NEWS from Sweet Shenanigans at 15 East Main St. in the village. This little bake shop is barely six months old — they only opened in April — but it has already become a village favorite.

So much so that our sweets-loving Webster community has nominated them in the Best Bakery category of this year’s Rochester Community’s Choice Awards.

The Community’s Choice Awards is a nationwide program which celebrates the best businesses and organizations across the country. Community members nominate and vote for their favorite companies in more than 100 categories. Sweet Shanigans is vying against six other Rochester-area bakeries, including some big names you will definitely recognize. And this is just the first round; if they get enough votes, their category will be whittled down to five semi-finalists, then three finalists.

Voting is open now through September 23, so log on soon to cast your vote for Webster’s very own Sweet Shenanigans. Click this link to go to the voting page, click on the “Dining” tab, then “Bakery.”

And this is the kind of thing that has made Sweet Shenanigans a favorite:

They’ve just introduced a really fun new concept, the “Shenanigans Surprise Bags.” Basically, if you’re undecided about what to choose from the delightful variety of goodies in their display cases, you can order a surprise bag. They’ll choose around eight items from the cases and the bread rack — generally a $25-$30 value — and pack them up all ready to go. Your cost is only $20.

There is a limited amount of Surprise Bags available, and they’re only offered on Thursdays.

This adorable little “Trinket Trade Box” is located outside Oh Bella, a charming boutique located at 24 East Main St.

Owner Isabella Proietti got the idea from a shop she came across in Orlando and installed hers at the beginning of summer. The idea is kind of like a Little Free Library, but in this case children can place little trinkets, toys or stickers in it, and take what they’d like. Isabella says it’s been very popular, with both children and adults alike.

It’s pretty adorable. Make sure to check it out next time you’re in the village.

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Never Say Never Stables, located at 906 Maple Dr. in West Webster, has recently introduced a brand new “Horse Hangout” experience for adults.

It’s part of the Barnside Social Club, a welcoming place to relax, connect, and enjoy the company of horses, without the pressure of riding, lessons, or need of experience.

The Never Say Never website explains,

Many of the horses at Never Say Never Stables are enjoying their senior years. After spending their lives teaching, carrying, and caring for people, they’ve earned a softer landing. While they’re no longer suited for regular adult riding, they still thrive on connection. They love being groomed, pampered, hand-grazed, talked to, photographed, and simply enjoyed for who they are. And as it turns out, many adults are looking for exactly that.

The Barnside Social Club was created for those who miss being around horses, dream of owning one someday, once rode years ago, or simply find peace in their presence. Here, there is no pressure to ride, perform, or know anything about horses. Just come as you are and enjoy authentic connection with these wonderful animals—and with other people who appreciate them, too.
Because sometimes the best part of the horse isn’t riding.

The program offers participants the opportunity to meet and connect with the horses in a relaxed barn atmosphere. You can meet fellow horse lovers and enjoy light refreshments or BYO, depending on the event. No riding experience is necessary.

New adventures are scheduled every month. Click here for more information and to check availability.

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

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(posted 9/15/2026)

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Beer Walk and Car Show return to the Village of Webster soon!

8 Sep

It’s beer walk time again, and I’m very excited.

The 2026 Main Street Car Show and Beer Walk has been scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 19 from 4 to 7 p.m., and I will definitely be there. The Beer Walk itself is always a terrifically fun time, when I get together with friends and laugh. so. much. But the Car Show, which was added last year, has made this Saturday afternoon event 100% better.

The Business Improvement District (BID), which is organizing the event, is calling it the Fall Kickoff in the Village.

Here are the details:

  • During the Beer Walk, participants will wander through the village and pop into local businesses, which will be offering food tastings (in many cases) and samples of craft beers, poured in your own personal miniature pint glass, which you will pick up at the Main Dive.
  • In addition to the Main Dive, some of the other stops will include Threads and Tonic, The Mary Wee Pub, JoJo Bistro, The Coach Sports Bar, Ploty’s, and LaLa Gift Shop. 
  • Our village businesses will be offering dining and shopping specials during the event, and Pub 235 and Salvatores will be set up on Main Street for additional dining options.
  • Organizers are encouraging everyone to get in the autumn mood by wearing your favorite high school, college or pro jersey or t-shirt — baseball, hockey, football, any sport!
  • Ticket holders must be over 21 and MUST provide a valid ID when you pick up your glass. Glass Pickup will be at the Main Dive, located at 5 West Main. Participants can even walk right around the corner and personalize their glass at Serenity Life Creative Studio, located at 10 North Ave. 

Car Show

This is the second year for the Main Street Car Show, which promises at least 70 cars along West Main Street (and maybe elsewhere as well — details are still being finalized).

The show will run concurrent with the beer walk, from 4 to 7 p.m., and will also feature music and food trucks. So you can grab your beer tasting, wander around the show, stop into another business for another beer tasting, wander around the show, grab some food, get another tasting, wander around the show …. you get the drift.

Some details are still coming together, and eventually an event map is going to be pulled together, including a dining menu, so stay tuned for updates at websterbid.com.

Tickets are NOT needed to attend the car show.

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And here’s a quick reminder about two Village of Webster events coming up this weekend:

The Webster Business Improvement District (BID) will host its 4th annual Webster Health and Wellness Fair on Saturday, September 12.

The fair will showcase businesses and professionals throughout our community that address all aspects of health and wellness. It will be held at Lattimore Physical Therapy, 70 Barrett Dr. from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and there’s no charge to attend. The fair will feature all aspects of health and wellness, including physical, mental, environmental, social and financial health. Pharmacists from Wegmans will also be on hand for a vaccine clinic.

During the Wellness Fair, the BID will also host a free shredding event from 10 a.m. to noon in the parking lot.

This is a drive-through event. Please bring paper only, and staples do NOT need to be removed. Paper must be placed in cardboard boxes or paper bags (no plastic), with a limit of five boxes per vehicle.

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

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(posted 9/8/2026)

Play-a-Latte celebrates one year anniversary

7 Sep

Play-a-Latte, Webster’s very own play café, is celebrating its first anniversary, and parents and kids of all ages are invited to join the fun.

Play-a-Latte, located in Towne Center Plaza (Target Plaza), is owned and operated by Richelle Acker and Kristi Phillips. It offers families a bright, kid-friendly space where children can dive into imaginative play, and a coffeehouse vibe, where parents can sip, chat, unwind and catch up with friends while their kids explore. It’s a bright, colorful, welcoming atmosphere reminiscent of small-town America.

Eight different custom-built playhouses (retail and service shops) line the walls, surrounding a “central park”-type area with picnic tables, all encouraging imaginative play. There’s also a fenced-off area for very young children, a party room, and a separate sensory room: a quieter, calmer space with muted lighting, fidget toys and sensory tiles and boards. Plus, there’s plenty of comfortable seating for parents and grandparents, and a nice variety of refreshment options for both adults and children.

Basically, it’s adorable.

In the last year, the play café has seen steady business, especially during the colder months when playing outside isn’t a great option. Visiting the indoor playground has definitely been a delightful experience for little ones, but Richelle and Kristi are finding that one of the best parts about their business are the adult friendships they’re making at the same time.

Richelle wrote,

We have built so many wonderful relationships with our customers and made a lot of new friends along the way. Our favorite part of the job is seeing our “regulars” come in and being able to relax and chat with them during their visit. While we recognize that it’s not always possible (or common) for business owners themselves to be present and working the “front lines,” we pride ourselves on being able to be at the play café, interacting with families and looking for ways to improve the experience.

Especially being a new business, we feel it’s important to build connections with customers, the community, and to have the day-to-day operational perspective to identify opportunities for improvement. 

In the past year, Richelle and Kristi have also sponsored a wide variety of holiday events, pop-up vendor events (like Crochet Creations by KF and Abide Link Permanent Jewelry) and lots of informational specials events (like a cookie-making class, Love-2-Learn Sensory Class and Raising Readers with Elise). They’ve also already become deeply involved in the Webster community. They partner with local businesses and organizations for their supplies and special events, and have supported dozens of charitable organizations with donations of toys, gift cards, advertisements and sponsorships.

Richelle added,

In addition to having over 7,400 playtime admissions since we opened … we have also hosted 50 private birthday parties and have had so much fun adding our personal touches and making them all feel special for our families.  We love being creative with the business and we look forward to expanding our services to the community in our second year.  We have lots of fun ideas such as baby/toddler music classes, educational workshops for parents, and private family photo sessions/holiday photoshoots in our space.  

Play-a-Latte will celebrate its one year anniversary on Saturday, Sept. 12. They’ll be open for playtime from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. that day (reservation are suggested). Guests that day will enjoy a complimentary dessert tray and can take photos in front of a cute backdrop. There’ll also be a basket giveaway, and anyone who shares their anniversary post will have a chance to win. Plus, all merchandise will be on sale for 50% off.

Play-a-Latte is located on the west side of Towne Center Plaza on Ridge Rd. (next to Cold Stone). You can find more information on their website, Facebook page and Instagram (Playalatte_PlayCafe).

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 9/7/2026)

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Hojack Trail improvements officially introduced to the community

6 Sep

About two dozen people attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony last Thursday afternoon marking the official re-opening of the greatly improved Hojack Trail.

As you probably know, the Hojack is Webster’s premier Rails-To-Trails trail. Part of the former Hojack Railroad, the trail runs almost five miles from the northwest of town to the southeast, between Lake Road and Phillips Road. Several connections to other trails can also me made from the Hojack, including the Vosburg Hollow Nature Trail, John Ungar & Michael A. Johnson Trails, Charles E. Sexton Memorial Park, and the Bird Sanctuary Trail. It’s one of the most popular trails in the Webster trails system.

For several months through last summer and fall and into this spring, volunteers from the Friends of Webster Trails (FWT) worked hard, resurfacing the entire stretch between Holt and Drumm roads, improving drainage, and adding plantings, signage and benches. The work was made possible with a large grant, which was matched by two anonymous donors. Those improvements were officially introduced to the Webster community at Thursday’s ribbon-cutting.

FWT Board Member Ben Wisniewski welcomed the assembled guests, and reminded everyone about the trail’s rich history, which goes back to 1875 when the Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad — the “Hojack Line” — came through town.

He said,

By the 1890s, the railroad was the center of the village, with a large station there. Four daily trains took passengers to Sea Breeze and into Rochester, while freight was shipped out of town. The golden age of the railroad transformed Webster and the entire area. But times changed, cars and trucks become the dominant means of transport, and the railroad eventually closed.

Passenger trains stopped running to Sea Breeze in 1929, and in 1964, less than 100 years after the Webster Station was built, this section of the Hojack Line closed.

It wasn’t until the 1990s when a local movement began to turn the old rail bed into the rail trail we love today. The Friends of Webster Trails was established in 1997, charged with maintaining the new Hojack Trail.

The Friends have created many more trails in the years since, but the Hojack has always been one of the most popular. But there were often times when the trail would get very muddy, flooded and sometimes become impassible. FWT has long wished to improve the trail surface, but the cost to do that was a huge stumbling block.

Then, in early 2025, the stars aligned. FWT became aware of the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Trails Maintenance Fund for Western New York, which provided a large chunk of the needed funds. And when two very generous community members stepped forward to provide the funds required to make up the difference, the work could begin.

In addition to the resurfacing, the FWT added two new kiosks with maps and trail information, wayfinding signs, point-of-interest signs, new trees and shrubs and access bollards, all designed and built by FWT and its community partners.

The Hojack really is a beautiful trail, and the crown jewel of our extensive trail system. We owe a huge debt to the Friends of Webster Trails for all the work they’ve done to really bring it up to snuff so that we can all enjoy it for years to come.

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We have an amazing trail system in our town, and I hope you can see now that the Friends of Webster Trails are the folks to thank for that. These dedicated volunteers are committed to planning, maintaining, and promoting our trails, and advocating for the preservation of the natural character of Webster’s open spaces.

If you’re a regular user of any of Webster’s 28 miles of trails, please consider showing them some love by becoming a member of the Friends. It doesn’t cost much (really, just $15 for an individual or $20 for a family) and the funds go directly to making our trail system better for everyone to enjoy.

You can find out more about the organization and see an interactive map of all the trails at the Friends of Webster Trails website.

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 9/6/2026)

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Can you help? The Senior Singers need a new director

5 Sep

I’ve written several times about the Senior Singers, an enthusiastic group of older adults who meet once a week at the Webster Recreation Center to sing, socialize and perform community concerts.

For the past many years, this fabulous vocal group has been led by Sylvia Vazzana, who recently decided to retire from that volunteer position. So the Recreation Center is hoping there’s someone out there who’d be interested in taking over.

The commitment is not huge. Right now the group meets every Tuesday from 11 a.m. to noon at the Rec Center. Four times a year they perform a community concert/sing-a-long, featuring Broadway tunes, old standards, and Christmas carols for the holidays. There are currently about 20 to 25 members in the group, and they’re supported by a wonderful accompanist. They have lots of fun, and they love sharing their music with the community. As one member said, “We old folk love to sing!”

The Rec Center would like to find someone as soon as possible to fill the role, especially since the next season is scheduled to start Sept. 15. They’d be happy to work with the new director if the current time and day are a challenge. So if you have any experience leading a chorus, or know someone who’d like more information about this rewarding volunteer opportunity, please email Daphne Geoca, the Recreation Center’s 55+ Coordinator, at dgeoca@ci.webster.ny.us.

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(posted 9/5/2026)

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