Archive | 2020

A masks update from the Quilt Shoppe

25 Mar

mask

Vanetta and Monique at The Village Quilt Shoppe are sending out daily updates for seamstresses (and seam…sters?)  interested in making masks for medical personnel. Today’s update will cheer anyone who wants to help but doesn’t want to (or can’t) leave the house to get materials or deliver masks.

The shop now  has a person who will pick and deliver masks and materials for anyone who needs that service. Just email them with your name, address — and number of kits you would like if that’s what you need — and the volunteer will drop things off or pick things up from your front porch, or anywhere else you specify.

The email is villagequiltshoppe@gmail.com.

They also remind us that “the kits from the RGH nurses need to come back to the store. WE do have other kits you can have to send to other locations if you prefer.”

They also received this letter from RGH which tells about other ways you can help:

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We are grateful for the many offers of help. As you can imagine, it means the world to our health care teams to know that they have the support of our entire community. 

Here’s how you can help: 

Donate to our COVID-19 Support Fund – one of the best and quickest ways that you can help right now is to give to RRH COVID-19 Support Fund. This virus is difficult to predict, so donations will be used to meet our most pressing needs. 

Restaurant gift cards are a great idea – our hospital leadership teams can easily order meals before and after long shifts for our front line care providers to take home. 

If you are interested in donating food to RRH to support our clinical teams, please email Julie.hamil@rochesterregional.org. Please be aware we are unable to accept homemade food items. Food must be prepared in a commercial grade kitchen and packaged in individual servings 

Send encouraging messages to our patients – we suggest using social media. You can post videos and photos with #RRHspreadjoy, and we’ll share them with people who could use a smile. Or, if you’d prefer, send your messages to rrhfoundation@rochesterregional.org. 

As always, we appreciate messages of support for our health care teams. You can email messages to rrhfoundation@rochesterregional.org or post them on Rochester Regional’s social media channels. 

Donate face masks and other medical supplies. We are accepting masks that meet FDA/CDC guidelines as well as sewn masks. We aren’t particular about the color or pattern for sewn masks – we just appreciate your generosity. Additionally, we are accepting other medical supplies, like latex-free gloves and face shields. 

Donation drop off locations: Starting Friday, March 27th you’ll be able to drop off masks, gift cards and other supplies at three locations. Supplies will be distributed across Rochester Regional as needed to support our patients and care teams: 

RRH Administrative Offices Riedman Campus – North Entrance 100 Kings Highway South, Rochester Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10am -2pm 

Newark Wayne Community Hospital Receiving Dock – North Side Entrance 1200 Driving Park Avenue, Newark Monday through Friday from 9am-2pm 

United Memorial Medical Center Jerome Center Loading Dock (off Wiard Street) 16 Bank Street, Batavia Monday through Friday from 10am-2pm 

Remember, you’re already helping our health care teams by staying home and by washing your hands frequently. Thank you for caring enough about your friends and neighbors to support their good health, and thank you for believing in us. You are now part of our team and together we can overcome this challenge.

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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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WHAT am I going to do with these kids? (Part 3)

25 Mar

Now that we’re into our second full week of no school, I imagine things are going to get a lot more challenging for parents with kids, and even for those of us without kids who just need to GET OUT OF THE HOUSE AND GO ANYWHERE, while still practicing safe social distancing Here’s a great idea to try, especially for those of you who need a P.E. component for your home lessons:

Did you know that there’s a disc golf course at North Ponds Park?

The nine-hole course was installed in 2013. Here’s a map borrowed from the Greater Rochester Disc Golf Club:

disc golf

I wrote this blog about the new course shortly after it opened, which will tell you more:

The North Ponds Park Frisbee Golf Course is ready to play. But before you go out there, you have to know that there’s good news and bad news about the course.

The good news is that it’s been set up in a beautiful park, surrounded by calm, picturesque ponds.

The bad news is that it’s been set up in a beautiful park, surrounded by calm, picturesque ponds.

The new 9-hole course is 3,150 feet long, with three holes less than 300 feet long, five holes between 300 and 400 feet, and one hole longer than 400 feet.

On the face of it, those numbers really don’t look so bad. But then when you look at the course map, you see that three of those holes run perilously close to the water, and two more actually cross it. Yikes.

The course was designed by Ryan Hand, president of the Greater Rochester Disc Golf Club. He and club members finished installing the Innova Discatcher baskets last week, and expect to erect permanent tee markers sometime this fall. For now there are small flags and numbers painted in the grass, marking recreational and intermediate tees for each hole. He also plans to add a third “professional” tee for each hole sometime in the future.

So the new course is designed to be a challenge, especially for those of us who might attempt it with a recreational (read “cheap”) Frisbee. I’m going to stock up, because guaranteed I’ll be putting several into those ponds.

Sounds like something you and/or the kids might want to try?

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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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The sidewalks are blooming

24 Mar

Thank you to everyone so far who has sent me photos of the beautiful chalk drawings that are appearing around our neighborhoods. I am happy to share those emails with you now!

First, here’s Anna E. outside her north Penfield home, where she made this incredible creation on her driveway last Thursday night. “Before the rain washed it away,” her mom said.

Anna E

Scott on Crest View Drive sent this picture of a 540-space hopscotch game, made by the kids in the neighborhood, which stretched the length of the whole street.

crestview

Little Michael chose to make his drawings on the deck, away from the street. Practicing proper social distancing!

Gramlich

This series of photos was sent to me by Jennifer Ashton, from a Facebook post by TeeJay Dill. Jennifer wrote,

“Not a kid, but a local artist and small business owner (she started and owns both White Tiger tattoo shops) trying to brighten up her neighborhood! TeeJay Dill is a gift to the Rochester community.”

TeeJay herself accompanied her Facebook post with,

“Froze myself trying to do this but felt like the neighborhood could use a little cheer. Supposed to rain (snow?) tomorrow so I will make a new one after this one washes away.”

Capture

Finally, this series of photos was sent to me by … well, frankly, I can’t find the original email/message, so I don’t remember, nor do I know what street they’re from!! Please email me again to remind me what great children created this delightful garden!

 

Do you have some children’s artwork you’d like to share? Let’s keep the smiles going! Email me!

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

 

Chalking the walk

22 Mar

I saw this happy sight as I was heading home from Wegmans this afternoon (which was not as bad as I thought!) My neighbor Cindy, chalking her sidewalk along South Ave. with her children Connor and Celia.

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Is anyone else taking advantage of this very sunny but cool day to get out and making art? Did your kids make rainbows to hang in the windows?

Please email me your photos of how your family is trying to brighten everyone’s day and I’ll post them in my blog!

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

 

Sewers and supplies desperately needed

21 Mar

maskAs you probably have heard, local hospitals are getting dangerously low on face masks. Thanks to several agencies and businesses reaching out via social media, a lot of volunteers have stepped up to offer their assistance, but supplies are also needed.

Today I received this email from our friends at The Village Quilt Shoppe, whose owners Vanetta and Monique are helping lead the charge in this effort, asking to help spread the word. They included this letter from the staff at Strong Memorial Hospital detailing their needs:

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Emergency healthcare workers are writing to you with an urgent request in this trying time. The unfortunate truth of the COVID-19 epidemic is that there is an inadequate number of surgical masks to keep healthcare workers safe while we care for infected patients. This is particularly concerning as infected healthcare workers are unable to work which reduces the number of patients that we can care for. Given the nature of this illness, infected healthcare workers could spread the virus to healthy patients prior to exhibiting symptoms; in fact, many people who have COVID-19 are completely asymptomatic but are still contagious.

We expect to see more cases in the coming days and weeks, and we will run out of masks before the manufacturing sector can make and distribute replacements. We anticipate that we will be left with handkerchiefs as our only protection between us and patients infected with COVID-19. We are asking you to help by making as many masks as you are willing and capable of making to help keep the emergency healthcare workers safe.

There are several instructional videos on YouTube…. Some feature “N95 type” with
replaceable filters which offer a benchmark of protection that is desirable but not truly necessary. If you are able to sew the fabric portion without the filter we would be equally as grateful.

Monique adds,

They are inserting a Merv13 anti-viral filter that is typically used in furnaces. If you have any of those or want to purchase them from any local hardware and include them with the masks that would be much appreciated. This is a grass roots effort with zero funding.

I am also sending a link to the Hickey Freeman project working for Rochester General. They are not quite up and running yet but you can register at this email and they will also need sewists: workfromhome@robertjeffery.us

You can find directions on how to fashion a mask at this website.

Here also is a video tutorial of the kind of mask that The Quilt Shoppe volunteers will be working on.

Supplies also needed

For those of us (like me) who did not get the sewing gene, we can help by donating supplies. Here’s what’s needed:

1/4 “elastic (if you have wider we can cut it to size)
5” or larger metal twist ties
Cotton fabric (no stretch, tight weave)
MERV 13 air filter (these are optional)

The Village Quilt Shoppe is happy to collect the supplies and completed masks.  To connect with them, and for more information on exactly what supplies are needed, check out their website here.

Also, if you live or know someone who lives near Fairport, Sew Creative in Perinton is also looking for sewers and supplies.

THANK YOU EVERYONE! The Webster community is amazing.

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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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The community comes together … again

21 Mar

help

Do you remember back to late 2012 and early 2013, when our community came together to support our West Webster firefighters — and all volunteer firefighters —  following the unspeakable tragedy of the Christmas Eve shooting?

We’re doing it again. The Coronavirus is turning us all into a global family, who must work together in a hundred different ways to weather the storm.

I’ve been hearing about many examples of this generosity in our local communities. This morning, for example, I read about a man who created a $150 tab at the Country Store for people to get food if they need it. Two people mentioned that DiVincenzo’s Bakery — which has a cash only policy — let two people walk out their doors with their orders when they only had a credit card, asking them just to return later to pay. Kristina, owner of the former Webster-based Mad Hatter Restaurant and Bakery, is making boxed meals for medical personnel. Local seamstresses are pooling their talents to make much-needed face masks for clinics and hospitals. People are bringing trash bags on their walks and helping clean up the environment.

And this is something I think we can all help with: I’ve seen a few references online about people sending letters to shut-ins at nursing homesget . I think this is a great idea. Nursing home residents often don’t even have the luxury of leaving their small rooms, especially if there’s an outbreak of illness in the facility. A personal letter is an easy way to help cheer them up and would really make their day.

I’m going to start doing this, but I would love to be able to direct my letters to specific people. Please email me if you would like your mother or father or grandmother or grandfather to receive a personal letter from me. (Make sure to check with the facility to see if they are accepting letters.) And if you would like, I can spread the word among my readers, so that our loved ones can get a LOT of letters.

If anyone is interested, I’ll start the ball rolling for my father-in-law:

Bruce Rosenberry
Elderwood Village at Williamsville
5271 Main Street
Williamsville, NY 14221

P.S., I heard from a few Nancy A. about another creative way people are getting together with friends, a virtual “happy hour,” which can be done on a phone or computer. One of my musician friends has also been trying to put together a virtual Irish music session. Doing that remotely, however, has encountered some challenges with regards to buffering and wifi.

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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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People are getting creative!

19 Mar

I’m loving all of the creative ideas to for socially-distant activities and entertainment that people are coming up with, to do with or without kids. If you’ve spent any time on Facebook recently, I’m sure you’ve seen some of them:

  • put your Christmas lights back up. Then families can take car rides around town (or walks when the weather gets warmer) to see them
  • Instead of Christmas lights, start your Easter decorating early and put up Easter chalkeggs. Or decorate your mailboxes
  • Chalk your walk — get some sidewalk chalk and craft an inspirational message on your walk or driveway. People are trying to get this going today and tomorrow, which may not work since it might rain. But we could do it anytime!
  • How about an outdoor scavenger hunt? Google it and you’ll see lots of suggestions.
  • An indoor scavenger hunt works, also.
  • If you’re out and about taking a walk on the trails or on the street, consider taking along a trash bag, and help beautify the neighborhood. Remember the plastic gloves.

When the weather starts to warm up consistently, I’m thinking maybe we could organize a “socially distant afternoon tea,” maybe at Gazebo Park. We call a time, everyone brings a chair, and a cooler, and sets up at least 6 feet apart in the park. We could meet some new friends.

Got any other ideas? Anything really fun your family is doing? Email me!

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

 

WHAT am I going to do with the kids? (Part 2)

19 Mar

We have to keep these kids reading.

hartsville

This Little Free Library is on Hartsville Lane.

That has been made a lot more difficult now that we don’t have easy access to our school libraries or the public libraries. BUT… we DO have an abundance of Little Free Libraries.

I’m sure you’ve heard about these. Basically, they’re exactly what the name says:  diminutive libraries packed with books and magazines free for the taking.  They look kind of like large birdhouses (or some other fancy design) with wide Plexiglas front doors, stuck on top of a pedestal, and can be found in front yards, at community centers, near schools and parks.

The idea is simple.  You go up to one of these book boxes, poke through the books, choose one you want, and take it home.  When you’re done with it, you can return it, or perhaps replace it with another one.

There’s a website you can visit to see where all of the officially registered Little Free Libraries are located. But I know for a fact that there are a lot more little libraries in our town than are on that map — ’cause it costs money to register them. For example, many of our schools have one outside.

So why not check out the map and start your own Little Free Library tour?  It’s a great way to keep getting “new” books for your whole family.

P.S. Don’t be afraid to extend your search into our neighboring towns. Irondequoit and Penfield, for example, have a whole bunch of Little Free Libraries.

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Community Arts Day postponed

17 Mar

cad

With an inevitable and understandable move announced this morning, Community Arts Day, scheduled for April 18, has been postponed.

In the email, CAD chair Jenny Hryhorenko wrote,

After discussion with the Central PTSA executive team and in review of the escalating group restrictions, we have made the decision to postpone Community Arts Day. We say postpone because we truly believe we can make this happen on a future weekend – but obviously it is too early for us to be planning for when that might be. There are a lot of moving parts to CAD but you can be sure our team is committed to working with the district, exhibitors, vendors, and performing groups to try and make CAD happen at a later date.

Registrants and sponsors : Refunds for your payments are available, or you can also choose to “hold your spot” and we can refund if the new date doesn’t work for you, or if rescheduling turns out not to be feasible.

We thank you for your patience and hope you are all hanging in there! Please direct any questions to CAD@websterptsa.org

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WHAT am I going to do with these kids?

17 Mar

passport_1770x2360So we’re looking at a really long break from school, and while the school district is working overtime trying to come up with lessons and activities to keep kinds active and learning, chances are that won’t be enough to keep them from climbing the walls before this is all over.

Getting them outside is always a good idea (especially if the weather stays mild) but front and back yards offer limited entertainment. So I’ve given some thought to other local outdoor activities you can consider.

Today, I’d like to remind everyone of the Wegmans Passport to Family Wellness program.

Thanks in large part to the efforts of the all-volunteer Friends of Webster Trails, Webster has about three dozen trails and trail spurs just waiting to be explored. One of the best ways to do that is with the Wegmans Passport to Family Wellness Program.

Begun several years ago, the program encourages families to get out and discover trails, using a passport to record each trail they’ve hiked. Each trail has a marker post somewhere along it, which participants use to make a rubbing into the passport to prove they’ve been there.

During normal times, the passports could be picked up at any area Wegmans, but I wouldn’t recommend doing that right now. Instead, you can click here to print one off.

Also, prizes are normally awarded by the Webster Recreation Center for completing the passports, but I’m not sure that’s applicable anymore, especially since the Rec is closed for a while. Kids would still find it fun to complete the passport, though, and perhaps you can come up with your own incentives.

The trails included in the passport are: the Webster Arboretum, Bird Sanctuary Trail, Chiyoda Trail, Finn Park, Four Mile Creek, Gosnell Big Woods, Hojack Trail, North Ponds Park, Vosburg Hollow Nature Preserve, Whiting Rd. Nature Preserve, Webster Park and the Midnight Trail.

If you read through that list and didn’t recognize some of the names, you definitely have to pack up the kids and get out there. If you’ve seen them all…. well get out there again. Some exercise would do us well.

Read more about the Wegmans Passport Program here

Download the passport here.

By the way, if you can’t get enough of this program, Penfield and Pittsford also have passports, which you can also download from this link.

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

 

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