Archive | August, 2017

Summer’s not over yet

31 Aug

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I came across this lemonade stand in my neighborhood as I was heading home after work yesterday. I always make it a point to patronize young entrepreneurs.

Kudos to these enterprising young people for stretching their summer business out as long as they could. Pictured are (L-R) Maddox Felton, Adam Dimartino, Jane Kraten, Harper Felton and Nicholas Dimeo.

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Completed U.S. map will delight Plank North students

30 Aug

class and map

In honor of the first day of school (at least for me, anyway), I offer this photo.

Those of you who read my East Extra column may remember a story I wrote in June, about Plank Road North Elementary School kindergarten teacher Peggy Garritano, and her efforts to revitalize the big United States map painted on the playground outside her classroom window.

The last photo I took of the map, which you see above, shows the map after Garritano had finished painting all of the states. But it still needed some final touches.

On Monday I happened by the school and saw the finished product, complete with its bright white state outlines. It’s a thing of beauty, and will be a welcome sight for the students when they come back on Tuesday.

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Tuesday Webster mailbag

28 Aug

blood dropI’m going to begin today’s mailbag with a nugget from Penfield, our neighbors to the south, in part because 1) I actually live in Penfield, and 2) I’m a big supporter of Red Cross blood drives.

Right now the Red Cross is experiencing a critical blood shortage, which I expect will grow even more dire thanks to Hurricane Harvey.

Right now, blood is being distributed to hospitals as fast as it’s being donated. We really need everybody who is eligible — even if you’ve never donated before — to step up and help save lives by donating.

The Penfield Community Center, at 1985 Baird Road, will host a blood drive this Wednesday August 30 from from 1 to 6 p.m. in the community room. Appointments are encouraged to help reduce your wait, but walk-ins will also be welcomed with open arms. CLICK HERE to schedule an appointment.

All presenting donors will receive a $5 Target e-card.

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village band

Your last chance to see our Webster Village Band this summer is Thursday night, August 31, at the band shell on Phillips Road.

This is the last of the band’s summer concerts, in this their 50th anniversary season. The concert begins at 7 p.m. Bring a blanket and lawn chairs, and a cooler with snacks and drinks, and make it a family event.

In case of rain, the concert will be held at the Cherry Ridge Senior Center, 900 Cherry Ridge Blvd., across from Webster Schroeder High School.

And stay tuned for more details about the band’s annual Christmas Concert, held every holiday season at Schroeder, usually in early December.

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Here are some notes from the Webster Public Library:

Thursdays are extra special every week at the library. For starters, every Thursday night is Family Night, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. These events feature new crafts and activities every week. Plans for September include a family LEGO night, making clothespin airplanes, galaxy bottles, and dragon eggs. All ages are welcome and no registration is required.

The first and third Thursdays every month are also “Tween Thursdays,” especially for students in grades 4 through 7. Meet in the Teen Lounge (or Meeting Room) from 4 to 5 p.m. for fun events and snacks.  On Thursday September 7, you’ll be creating miniature circuits with Little Bits. Registration is requested.

Check out the library’s website or Facebook page for more information.

If you’ve ever wanted to become more involved in the library, here’s a great opportunity:

On Saturday, September 30 from 10 a.m. to noon, the Friends of the Webster Public Library will host a free workshop for members of Friends of Libraries groups, interested community volunteers, library administrators and staff, and library trustees.

The presentation will offer ways that participants can develop their library’s Friends group, working to sustain the organization long-term. Discussion will center on continuous membership recruitment, engaging volunteers, and revitalizing the core members of the group to carry on their crucial advocacy work for their community libraries.

There will be opportunities to network with members of other Friends organizations after the presentation concludes at noon.

Please feel free to bring a lunch. Get more information and register here.

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This also from Penfield:

Penfield’s annual Tastin’ the Blues will be held on Saturday, September 16 at Penfield Amphitheater and Kiwanis Stage, from 12 – 4 p.m. This free event will include chili judging, beer sampling, and blues music.

Anyone who has a favorite chili recipe is invited to enter the chili contest. Chili entries will be judged by a panel. Prize packages will be awarded to the top three winners, and the first place package will include a $100 cash prize. Registration forms and rules for the chili contest can be found at the Penfield Recreation office, 1985 Baird Rd., Penfield, or at www.penfieldrec.org.

The Genesee Brew House will be on hand to provide samples of its top micro brews, and Steve Grills and the Roadmasters, with special guest Joe Beard, will provide entertainment.

Penfield Amphitheater and Kiwanis Stage is located in Veterans’ Memorial Park, behind Penfield Town Hall at 3100 Atlantic Avenue. This event is free and open to the public.

For more information, please visit www.penfieldrec.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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Dinosaurs, laughter and play keep a boy’s memory alive

28 Aug

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The memory of young Jack James Heiligman is alive and well, embodied in the smiles and laughter of children at our area’s newest playground, Jack’s Place.

Jack’s Place is a a blue, dinosaur-themed playground at Penfield’s Rothfuss Park on Five Mile Line Road. It was built by a terrific organization called the Jack Foundation, in honor of 3-year old Jack Heiligman, who lost his life tragically last October.

Hundreds of people attended the official opening ceremonies Sunday afternoon, where Jack’s mother Anne spoke emotionally about her son and how the playground has helped fulfill the dream she and her husband AJ had to keep Jack’s memory alive.

She said,

We knew we could never forget Jack, but we didn’t want anyone to forget him. With that in  mind, we started the Jack Foundation the weeks after he passed and were overwhelmed by the generosity of spirit and resources. We encouraged acts of caring and kindness in Jack’s memory and the caring people jumped in and helped. 

People would ask them how they were able to continue after such a devastating loss, to which she responded with a quote from Fred Rogers:

When disaster strikes, look for the helpers. You will always find caring people in this world who are ready to jump in to help when things go wrong. 

When the idea came to them to build a playground to honor their son, the support doubled-down. Friends, neighbors, family members and local businesses donated their time, effort and services to help make it a reality. Individuals, local companies, whole families, even children, all started raising money for the project, collecting more than $175,000 in just ten months.

The result of that outpouring of love and effort is a beautiful new play facility which incorporates all of the things that Jack loved most: dinosaurs, climbing and sliding, and the color blue. There’s even a Little Free Library, because Jack also loved books.

There are slides, of course — six of them by my count; spinny, merry-go-round thing that’s quite a bit updated from my day; a bouncy thing; a sand box where kids can “dig” for dinosaur bones; and lots and lots of places where kids can climb and crawl. There are also eight benches, where parents and grandparents can relax.

As I watched countless kids (young and old; I saw a few adults taking to the slides as well) clambering around the playscape, I could imagine Jack playing, smiling and laughing right along with them. I know that Anne and AJ imagined that as well, and I hope the thought gave them some comfort.

Here are some photos from the opening:

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Play ball!

27 Aug
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A nice photo of Challenger Miracle Field snapped by Mary Holleran

I was honored to be on hand yesterday for the official opening ceremonies for Challenger Miracle Field, a beautiful new sports facility for young athletes with developmental, physical or intellectual disabilities.

It’s located in Ridge Park, 1000 Ridge Road, behind Town Hall. It looks a lot like the Little League fields you’re familiar with, but it’s actually different in a lot of important ways.

It’s totally flat, for starters. There’s no dirt, and no grass. The pitcher’s mound and bases are not raised at all, but instead are painted into the brightly-colored rubberized artificial surface, which allows for all players to round the bases without fear of tripping, whether they’re walking, running, using a wheelchair or walker. The outfield fence is much closer to home than normally, allowing these children a real chance to hit a home run. And the fence is removable so the field can be adapted for other sports.

The field was built especially for the Challenger teams, who are typically given the lowest priority for field availability and only get to play if fields are not in use by other Little League, school or town teams. But the developers also made it clear that the field is available for use by the community; it’s for children and adults of all abilities.

There were a lot of accolades handed out at the almost one-hour long ribbon cutting ceremony yesterday, but one of the comments especially stood out.

At least one speaker called the new Miracle Field a “field of dreams.” That’s a phrase that’s tossed about a lot these days for lesser accomplishments, but I think it fits here.

In Challenger Miracle Field, these kids now have the chance to experience the thrill of playing on a baseball field that looks and feels like the stadiums they see on TV. Every weekend, they can put on a jersey and a baseball cap, step (or roll) up to the plate, raise a bat and be just like any other kid who loves sports.

Thank you to everyone who made this field a reality. Your efforts and dedication have been well rewarded and you are right to be proud.

The work is not done, however. Completely handicapped-accessible restrooms and playground, and a pavilion are still being planned for construction early next year. Fundraising continues to accomplish these goals.

Your next opportunities to help out are at the

Webster Garlic Festival, September 9 and 10 at the Webster Parks and Recreation complex on Chiyoda Drive. Food, fun, and lots of garlic. Hours are 10 a.m to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

3rd Annual Run, Walk & Roll, October 8 at Webster Thomas High School, 800 Five Mile Line Road. I’ll be running this one, so please come out and join me and my friends.

You can read more about Challenger Miracle Field — and donate directly through the website — by clicking here.

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Helping keep the neighborhood clean

26 Aug

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This is a great idea.

My husband and I were taking a morning walk the other day when we happened across this wonderful little dog poop receptacle that someone had placed next to their mailbox.

Perhaps they’ve been having trouble with people leaving dog waste bags in their front yard. Perhaps they’re just friendly neighbors and dog fanciers looking to make life easier for other dog fanciers.

Whatever the story behind it, I think it’s an inspired idea.

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Great weekend for two great events

25 Aug

ribbon cutting

Hey all my Webster and Webfield peeps, there are two important events this weekend that you don’t want to miss, if you can make the time, especially if you have children with challenges … or children at all.

The first is the grand opening of Challenger Miracle Field, which has been built in Ridge Park, just behind the Town Hall.

Webster is honored to have been chosen to be the home for this wonderful facility, which is basically a smaller version of a Little League field, where differently-challenged athletes from around the city will have a chance to hit a home run, and play other sports, just like everyone else.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for Saturday August 26 at 11 a.m., followed by an exhibition game with local celebrities and Challenger athletes. Lunch will be provided by Wegmans.

Read more about Miracle Field in this blog I wrote a few weeks ago. Then see you Saturday!

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Wait! There’s more!

On Sunday August 27, another terrific facility dedicated to helping children have fun will have its grand opening ceremonies.

It’s called Jack’s Place, a blue, dinosaur-themed playground at Penfield’s Rothfuss Park on Five Mile Line Road. It’s been built by a the Jack Foundation, in honor of 3-year old Jack Heiligman, who lost his life tragically last October. (You can read more about Jack here.)

Jack’s parents, Anne and AJ, have worked hard to keep their son’s happy spirit alive by spreading laughter, happiness and love to other families. One of the ways they’re doing that is by building these playgrounds.

Since Jack loved dinosaurs, the new playground is filled with dinosaur-themed climbing and crawling apparatus, in addition to the swings and slides and towers. Its color is predominantly blue, which was Jack’s favorite color.

Grand opening ceremonies will be held Sunday August 27, from noon to 3 pm at Rothfuss Park, 1648 Five Mile Line Road in Penfield. There’ll be music and food, and lots of time to explore the new playground.

I’ll be at both events, so please say hi if you see me and my camera!

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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’s on the TV news live, tonight

23 Aug

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WROC-TV Channel 8 will be concluding their 2017 Summer Tour of Rochester tonight when they visit Webster’s First Responders Park.

John Kucko will broadcast live from the park from 5 to 6:30 p.m. There will be giveaways and free ice cream for the first 30 people. The Webster Fire Department will be on hand with firefighters, freebies for the kids and trucks for them to explore.

Channel 8 is also teaming up with Kicks for Kids to collect shoes for students in need just in time for the new school year. When you come tonight, make sure to bring a pair of new of gently used shoes to donate.

First Responders Park is right next to the Webster Recreation Center on Chiyoda Drive, just north of the village.

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Summer cuteness

20 Aug

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In my continuing series of kids having summer fun without the aid of electronics, I submit this super-cute photo.

It was taken Saturday at Webster’s Joe Obbie’s Farmer’s Market, during the market’s annual Back-to-School Day. Children who attended were treated to balloon animals and school-supply gift bags, and could sit in the driver’s seat of a Webster Fire Department truck.

Here are two of those happy children, Grace and Paxton, who even got to try on some real firefighter gear. They’re pictured here with Webster firefighter Sarah Rosenberry, who also happens to be the kids’ music teacher at Plank North Elementary School.

Summer’s not over yet! Please make sure to send me along a photo or two of YOUR kids having some simple summer fun! 

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Jack’s Place playground set to open

18 Aug

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The east-side’s newest playground, Jack’s Place, has been completed and will be officially welcomed to the community at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on August 27.

Jack’s Place is a a blue, dinosaur-themed playground at Penfield’s Rothfuss Park on Five Mile Line Road. It’s been built by a terrific organization called the Jack Foundation, in honor of 3-year old Jack Heiligman, who lost his life tragically last October. (You can read more about Jack here.)

Construction began only several weeks ago and continued at a record pace, assuring that the new playground would be completed with plenty of time for kids to enjoy it this summer.

The playground is a testament to the strength of Jack’s parents, Anne and AJ, and their commitment to keeping their son’s happy spirit alive by spreading laughter, happiness and love to other families.

Jack loved dinosaurs, so the new playground is filled with dinosaur-themed climbing and crawling apparatus, in addition to the swings and slides and towers. Its color is predominantly blue, which was Jack’s favorite color.

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Image of a dinosaur climb-y thing from the Jack Foundation Facebook page.

Grand opening ceremonies will be held Sunday August 27, from noon to 3 pm at Rothfuss Park, 1648 Five Mile Line Road in Penfield. There’ll be music and food, and lots of time to explore the new playground.

Read more about the Jack Foundation on their website here and their Facebook page here.

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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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