Here’s a special Valentine’s Day treat from the Chorus of the Genesee, courtesy Laureen and Doreen of the Webster Public Library.
These two lovely ladies are hostesses of the library’s very informative “Let’s Explore Webster!” video series, in which they highlight local places of interest. In their most recent video, they take us inside the Harmony House, located at 58 East Main St. in the village.
In the video, Harmony House manager Brian Moore gives us a tour of this gorgeous historic building. It’s now used mostly as home to the Chorus of the Genesee and its barbershop quartets, but is often rented out by musical and dance groups for performances and other special events.
The Valentine’s treat is offered in the middle of the video, when one of the Chorus’ quartets regails us with two beautiful love songs in flawless four-part harmony. Those performances, and the entire Harmony House tour, should not be missed.
Click here to see the video on the Webster Public Library’s YouTube channel. Then spend some time taking a look at some of the other videos Laureen and Doreen have posted. (I’m even featured in one of them.) You might learn something about our town you never knew before.
* * *
email me at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Twitter. 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.
February Break, eagerly awaited by kids, can be a stressful time for parents who have to figure out how to keep them all entertained for a whole week, without relying too much on TV and computer screens.
The Webster Public Library is here to help, with activities that promise to provide hours of fun for everyone in the family. Herewhat’s in store:
Monday Feb. 15, 3 to 4 p.m.: I Spy at Home Valentine’s Day edition
All ages are invited to join a virtual I Spy game! A series of I Spy challenges will have kids racing throughout the house to find an object, any object, that matches the description, and then show the group what you came up with. There will be other I Spy puzzles as well. Register here and you’ll be sent the Zoom link before the challenge.
Tuesday Feb. 16, 7 to 8 p.m.: Family Disney Trivia
Think you know your Disney? Join this virtual trivia game to find out! All ages are welcome, and registration is required. (One registration per family/device please!) Instructions on joining will be e-mailed to participants prior to the event. Click here to register.
On Saturday Feb. 20 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., log on to watch the Egg Drop Challenge livestream. Which eggs will survive the fall without getting scrambled? Log onto the Webster Library’s Facebook pageat 10:30 to catch all the action.
Plus, remember that the library’s Snow Building Contest is still going on, through the end of February. We certainly have plenty of snow to work with, so bundle up and get out there, build something spectacular and send a picture to sarah.brown@libraryweb.org. All masterpieces will be posted to Facebook for patrons to vote on.
If you just want to have some fun indoors, download the library’s Winter Fun Activity Pack. It’s a booklet packed with tons of fun activities for adults and kids to try at home. You can print it out or work on it right on your phone or tablet.
A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of being in the very small audience for The Webster Thomas Radio Hour, a collection of short, very humorous plays written and acted by students.
Given the restrictions caused by the pandemic, not a whole lot of people could see the play live. But DO NOT DESPAIR. Thanks to the wonders of the internet, you too can now enjoy this very clever walk back through memory lane.
The Webster Thomas Radio Hour is now on YouTube, and you can access it by clicking on this link.
If you love live theater, then you’ll be excited to know that all four of our secondary schools are preparing right now to stage plays this spring. Here are the details:
Students in the Spry Drama Club rehearsing Pajama Party
Spry Drama Club will be presenting its first-ever One Act Play Festival from March 18 to 20. Four plays will be performed, including “Pajama Party,” “Four Little Words,” “Goldilocks on Trial” and “Not so Grimm Tales.” Each play features between 10 and 14 cast members and accommodating them all for rehearsals has been quite a trick.
Artistic director Bill Ambler explained, “Rehearsal days coincide with the students’ cohort days. Each play has its own rehearsal day during the week. The kids have been amazing about social distancing and wearing masks while rehearsing.” Several soloists and small group ensembles will entertain the audience during the intermission.
Each play will give two performances for a intimate audience. The plays will also be streamed on the internet. More details to come about that.
Claudia B. and Kaci V.
(L-R) Ben H., Jennifer F. and Julia F.
Willink Middle School is preparing a Disney musical review, featuring selections from many of the shows the school has performed in previous years, with a mix of singing, acting and dancing. Shows will be scheduled for May 14 and 15. They’re hoping they can host small audiences, but even if not, the production will be shared online.
Webster Schroeder High School is currently rehearsing for their spring production of The Addams Family. They’re planning two shows, on April 23 and April 24.
They’re hoping to accommodate small audiences at these performances, but most patrons will be able to see the production live through a professional streaming service. Details about that haven’t been hammered out yet, but I’ll let you know when they do.
Some of the accommodations Schroeder Drama has made for their musical this year include a smaller cast; having no permanent on-stage set, which will allow for social distancing; and having the orchestra perform from the band room. More adjustments may have to be made if the currect restrictions aren’t lifted soon. .
The Webster Thomas Players have come up a creative way to beat the Covid: they’re taking their musical outdoors.
Webster Thomas will be presenting Cabaret at the Penfield Amphitheatre from June 17 to 19, with June 20 as a rain date. All shows will begin at 7:30 and tickets will be $12. Tickets will go on sale the beginning of May.
Director Brenda Nitsch writes,
The show will be more about the issues surrounding racism and political fanaticism and less around the unorthodox liberal lifestyles of the time. The show will be appropriate for all ages. The music is by the amazing John Kander and includes such greats as “Cabaret,” “Money Makes the World Go Around,” “Perfectly Marvelous” and “Tomorrow Belongs to Me.”
Stay tuned for more information about each one of these productions as it becomes available.
I was going through some very old blogs a few days ago and stumbled across one about my Webster Bucket List.
The bucket list was something I first came up with more than 10 years ago. It was shortly after I started writing this blog, a time when I was becoming more invested in the community. The list back then included more than 80 items from Webster and near-Webster (Penfield). A lot of them I was able to come up with on my own, but since I was just getting to know Webster, I had also solicited reader suggestions for must-see Webster places or must-do Webster activities that I wasn’t yet familiar with.
Even after all this time, I still haven’t checked everything off that list. Given that, I thought it was time to revisit my Webster Bucket List, update it, and get cracking at it again.
Over the last ten years, a lot has changed in the life of our village and town, so the list needs a LOT of updating, and I’ll once again need some help with that. But let’s look first at the items I was able to complete:
visit the Webster Museum
stop by the village offices and say hi to the ladies at the desk
see a Village Band concert at Harmony Park
see a Friday night concert at the gazebo
grab a peach cobbler from the Order of the Eastern Star during Village Days
hike the Hojack Trail from end to end (I did this one in pieces)
buy some fresh vegetables at Joe Obbie’s Farmers Market
smell some flowers at the Webster Arboretum
get a snack from one of the sample ladies (or men) at Wegmans
go to the Firemen’s Carnival
walk all the way out to the Webster Park pier
watch the sunset from the Irondequoit Bay outlet
wave an American flag at the Memorial Day Parade
donate blood at the Community Blood Drive
catch a performance by the Chorus of the Genesee
take a swim at the Webster Aquatic Center
check a book out of the Webster Public Library
take a stroll through the Webster Rural Cemetery and Webster Union Cemetery
hike the trails behind the Bay View YMCA
go bowling at Empire Lanes
see a movie at Loews
watch the Firemen’s Parade
see the live aninals in Wilbert’s nativity scene
shop at Hegedorn’s
check out the student artwork at Community Arts Day
grab a cup of coffee at Joe Bean (moved)
start the day with breakfast at T’s Family Restaurant
attend a Schroeder vs. Thomas athletic event
spend a summer evening listening to music at the Bay Side Pub
visit all the village parks: Milton Case, Wilmorite Recreation Area, Schantz Park, Harmony Park, Veteran’s Memorial Park
wave at Santa during the Holiday Parade of Lights
take a bike ride around North Ponds Park
dance in the street at the Jazz Festival
donate to Hope House to support our neighbors in need
see a concert at the Harmony House
donate to the Webster Food Cupboard (closed)
attend the annual Fourth of July celebration
hike all the town’s trails (Whiting Rd., Vosburg Hollow, Gosnell Big Woods, Finn Park, Midnight Trail, Webster Arboretum, Webster Park, Chiyoda Trail, John Ungar Nature Trail, Four Mile Creek, and the bike path
relax on a bench at Veteran’s Memorial Park and admire the flowers
buy something from a village business
grab an ice cream cone at Hank’s
see a middle school or high school music concert
hike down to Irondequoit Bay at Abe Lincoln Park
participate in the village’s Trick or Treat Trail
drive down Lake Rd. from 250 to Bay Rd.
attend Village Days (doesn’t happen anymore)
Whew. That seems like a lot of things. But I accomplished most of them through simple day-to-day enjoyment of all that our town and village have to offer. I could have checked off even more, but in my original list I had the nerve to set some rather specific requirements for many of the places I was to visit, like:
sample a cinnamon sugar fried cake at Bauman’s Farm Market
buy some cider and apples at Schutt’s
stop by Flaherty’s on St. Patrick’s Day
enjoy a soft-serve sundae at Abbott’s
eat a Gloria Special at Maria’s Mexican Restaurant
play a carnival game at the St. Rita’s Fiesta
enjoy a cup of coffee on the beach by the White House at Webster Park
view the frozen waves on the beach at Webster Park
take a class at the Webster Recreation Center
participate in an open skate at the Webster Ice Arena
have a picnic in North Ponds Park
go sledding in Webster Park
swing on a swing in Webster Park
climb to the top of the playground equipment at Ridge Park
have dinner at Hedge’s
If I can count that I’ve actually BEEN to all of those places, then I could check them all off, too. But these last few? Well, I just haven’t done them at all:
wander through the West Webster Cemetery
order a garbage plate at Empire Hots (no thank you)
grab a fettuccine alfredo at Streppa’s Bistro (can’t do that now, it’s closed)
attend a Schroeder Warriors football game
attend a Thomas Titans football game
enjoy a Tuesday night movie in the park
So I guess in retrospect, I think I’ve done a pretty good job sampling many of the places and events that make Webster a great place to live and work. As you can see, however, the list is outdated. I’m hoping you all can help me with that.
What is this list missing? Are there any special events I am forgetting about, or special places that everyone should visit at least once? Email me your suggestions, or leave a comment here on the blog. Once we get a complete list, I’ll format it so that it’s easy to print, and perhaps you, too, can work your way through my Webster Bucket List (once life gets back to normal again, of course).
School administrative assistants Sharon Nairy and Debbie Jackson with their Covid snowman
What’s a bunch of Covid-weary school staff and teachers to do on a beautiful, sunny, 40-degree February day? Go out and play in the snow!
That’s what happened a few days ago at Schlegel Rd. Elementary School, on that glorious Thursday we had (remember all that sunshine?). The idea was the brainchild of Schlegel principal Francine Leggett and Assistant Principal Kate Hesla. They’d heard about another school giving their teachers a chance to strap on some snowshoes and get outside for a little exercise. So they put out a school-wide snowshoeing invitation for Thursday during the time between the morning and afternoon class sessions.
As word got around, they learned that the P.E. department only had child-sized snowshoes. Undaunted, Leggett borrowed more than a dozen sets of shoes from Willink Middle School, and the play date was back on. (“Mr. Lamonica saved the day,” Leggett said.)
Perhaps 15 or 16 teachers and staff members took advantage of the snow day, and one teacher brought out her whole class for a stroll. Several people strapped on some snowshoes and lumbered around the front lawn. Others built snowmen or just took a long walk through the parking lots. It’s possible a snowball was even tossed through the open main office window.
The time to head back inside came too soon. But in the meantime, much fun was had, laughter happened, and there were a lot of smiles under the masks. It was a well-earned and well-deserved break.
The parking lot walkers
The snow wasn’t this deep; Principal Leggett just kind of … fell.
Three local blood drives are coming up in the next two weeks. The first is Monday Feb. 8 from 1 to 7 p.m. at Holy Trinity Church, 1460 Ridge Rd., and the second on Tuesday Feb. 9 from 1 to 6 p.m. at St. Martin Lutheran Church. 813 Bay Rd.
If you can’t make it to either one of those, a third one will be held on Tuesday Feb. 16 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the American Legion, 818 Ridge Rd.
You’ll want to make an appointement so that the Red Cross can keep everyone safe, and so you’ll be in and out quicker. Click here to do that.
Aside from saving up to three lives with your donation, here’s another reason to take the time: The Red Cross is currently testing all blood donations for Covid19 antibodies, providing donors insight into whether they have been exposed to the coronavirus.
Important information from the school district
The Webster Central School District has expanded this year’s parent/teacher conference days, which will now take place over four days, March 11, 12, 18 and 19.
On Thursdays March 11 and 18, AM students will attend school during their regularly scheduled class time, while PM students will not meet for class and that time will be set aside for conferences. And on Fridays March 12 and 19, the PM students will have class, while the AM time will be set aside for conferences. This schedule also applies to remote learners.
Transportation will run as usual when class is in session.
If you have children entering kindergarten this September, you should know that kindergarten orientation and registration are open and have gone remote.
If you have a child who will be 5 years old on or before December 1, 2021, that child is eligible for kindergarten enrollment for the 2021-22 school year. In lieu of traditional in-person orientation, Student Registration has a video for parents/guardians of incoming kindergarteners to watch at their leisure, which explaines the registration and entrance process. You can see it at websterschools.org/registration.
The district is also now accepting completed kindergarten registration packets for the 2021-22 school year. Go to websterschools.org/registration to follow the link enabling parents/guardians to complete a 100% online registration process. If you’d like to print out and fill in the registration packet by hand, you’ll also print off the packet from that site. School registration is based on residency. Webster students attend the school assigned to their home address. Use the School Locater Tool on the Student Registration website for placement information.
The safest method to submit registration paperwork is online, but the district understands this is not possible for all parents/guardians. Packets are available for pick-up and drop-off at the Student Registration Office at Spry Middle School, 119 South Avenue, Webster, Door 2 (next to the main entrance). A secure drop box is located in the vestibule from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Please do not drop off any original documentation; only copies will be accepted.
It’s time to start thinking ahead to February Break and how to keep the kids entertained. Here’s a good start.
The Webster Recreation Center will host Rich the Magic Man on Feb. 14 at 7 p.m. for a Valentine’s Day Virtual Magic Show. Cost is $10 per family. Visit the Recreation Center website and search for program #101207A.
David Semmler’s senior photo. Credit: Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund
Fifty years ago today, R.L. Thomas High School graduate David Semmler died in Vietnam at the age of 23.
I’m reminded of this anniversary by Jim Lanson, who wrote,
I believe David was a 1966 R.L. Thomas graduate. I also believe the Thomas building opened in 1962 which would have been his freshman year. David was one of three R.L. Thomas graduates who sacrificed their lives in Vietnam. Leonard Coles and Rex Daniels were the two others. Peter Kaulback, who was a 1962 Webster High graduate, the last year the high school was at the Spry building, was also killed in action.
It’s been a long time since we’ve heard anything from the Webster Museum. Being such a small space, there’s really been no way to safely accommodate vistors during the pandemic, so their doors have been shuttered for months.
But don’t you believe for a minute that those museum folks have just been sitting back, twiddling their thumbs. They’ve been taking advantage of this time to make the museum better than ever before. In a recent email, museum president Tom Pellett outlined more than a dozen projects that have been keeping the museum board members busy, from changing up the displays and improving signage to adding new programs and expanding their educational offerings.
Here are some of the highlights:
Changes are being considered in some of the main exhibit areas, specifically, moving the automotive, bakery and dairy artifacts so the “Main Street” theme can be expanded. The very popular prehistoric artifacts might be consolidated to provide more room for a display on our early founders.
The main entryway, which you may remember looks like a barn, will be decluttered and some new items moved in.
Even though the museum hasn’t been able to accommodate school groups, the Education Committee continues to discuss ways to expand the programs and even offer the tours to additional grade levels — when everything gets back to normal again.
The Historic Properties Committee is trying to figure out a way to present the 2020 Historic Home plaques this coming May during Historic Properies Month.
Plans are proceeding for the popular “History and a Cup” program and annual Barn Sale and Vintage Sale. They’re also looking to host another cemetery tour and the Sunken Ship program.
Work continues on updating the Webster Through the Years book, originally published in 1970.
Discussions with the Village Board are ongoing regarding how to improve external signage to direct more visitors to the museum.
Naturally, there are still a lot of unknowns, especially when they’ll actually be able to open again. But clearly, when that happens, the Webster Museum is going to hit the ground running.
The Webster Museum is located at 18 Lapham Park, in the Village of Webster. If you haven’t stopped by their website recently, pop in to read about their new “Websterscapes” photo gallery, then submit your own favorite Webster photo.
I love hearing from my readers, especially ones who have just discovered the blog. That was the case with Sheryl Galinski, who emailed me yesterday morning regarding the recent blog I wrote about the rare local sightings of the Pine Grosbeak.
Sheryl, who describes herself as an amateur artist and naturalist, wrote that she found my blog last week when she was searching for birding spots in Monroe County. She was particularly impressed by the beautiful photographs of the colorful finch taken by Suzie Webster. They inspired her to create some art of her own.
Here’s what she drew:
Since posting that blog, I’ve heard from two other people who, thanks to the blog, recognized the beautiful finch in their own yards. If you’ve seen them around and can snap a photo or two, please send them along to me! I’d love to post them for all to enjoy.
I feature the people and places and events that make Webster the wonderful community it is — and throw in some totally-not-Webster-related personal ramblings every once in a while as well.
I love it when readers send me news about the great things happening in their schools or the community, so please email me anytime at missyblog@gmail.com
webster on the web 