Webster community mailbag

Some of these “mailbag” items today didn’t actually come through the mail. I found out about them by scrolling through webpages or just saw them when I was out and about in the village.

Take this donation opportunity, for example, which I especially want to point out to patrons of Barry’s Old School Irish. A couple of regular patrons thre are very involved with the Father Laurence Tracy Advocacy Center on North Clinton Ave., a non-profit organization dedicated to providing advocacy services for the residents of the North Clinton neighborhood.

The box propped up on the windowsill in Barry’s musicians’ corner (“Kenny’s Corner,” for those of you REALLY regular customers). Patrons are invited to donate warm socks, hats, gloves, mittens and handwarmers for distribution to those the Father Tracy Center serves.

I’m told that last year the donation box was set up at Mama Lor’s, and it was overflowing. Let’s show them how our Barry’s Family and Webster Village community can do that as well.

Barry’s — and the box — are located at 2 West Main St.

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Do you know a great teacher who deserves to get some extra special recognition? How about nominating him or her for an Oak Tree Award?

Co-Sponsored by the Webster Teachers’ Association and the Webster Central PTSA, the Oak Tree Award recognition program is an annual award designed to recognize teacher excellence in Webster CSD schools by honoring an educator from the elementary and the secondary levels. 

Any Webster resident or district employee, current or former student, parent, teacher, or administrative colleague may nominate a teacher for the Elementary or Secondary Teacher of the Year Oak Tree Award. Educators include: UPK-12 teachers, special educators, literacy specialists, school counselors, librarians/media specialists, school psychologists, school social workers, speech and language teachers, occupational therapists, and physical therapists. 

Award nominees must meet the following criteria:

• Currently teaching in a full-time position in Webster Central School
• Have a minimum of 5 years teaching experience in Webster Central Schools
• Plan to continue to teach the next school year in, or retire from Webster Central Schools
• Be a member of both the Webster Central PTSA and the Webster Teachers’ Association

Nominations are due by February 1, 2022. Click here For more information and a link to the nomination form.  

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Webster’s next two blood donation opportunities are coming up next week.

On Tuesday Dec. 14, St. Martin’s Lutheran Church will sponsor a drive at the church, 813 Bay Rd., from 1 to 6 p.m.

Then the next day, Wednesday Dec. 15, a drive will be held at the Webster Firemen’s Building, 172 Sanford St. (at the south end of Firemen’s Field) from 1 to 7 p.m.

The Red Cross has a great promotion going on right now, too. Donate at either one of these drives and get a $10 Amazon gift card emailed to you. Click here to make an appointment.

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A few notes from the musical guys of the Chorus of the Genesee. They’ll be performing at Eastview Mall in front of J C. Penney’s on Tuesday Dec. 14 at 6 p.m. This would be a fun time to get some Christmas shopping done.

I can’t make it to that, but I will definitely be taking part in the Chorus’ annual Soup and Caroling Night on Tuesday Dec. 21, beginning at 7 p.m.

For those of you not familiar with this event, here’s what I wrote about my experience a few years ago:

The Chorus has been hosting this evening of caroling for at least 24 years. There were also a whole lot more people at this event. I counted about 60 men, women, children and dogs. I was told that it was more than double what the Chorus usually draws. It helped, I think, that the weather was pretty pleasant.

Everyone gathered at the Harmony House, enjoying coffee and cookies, sheets of music and Santa hats were handed out, and when 7 p.m. rolled around, everyone filed out into the street.

The first stop, as it has been every year, was Webster Eyecare Associates, which is pretty much across the street from the Harmony House. The folks there have come to expect this annual visit by the Chorus carolers, and this year — for the first time — had donut holes and hot chocolate for the chilly singers.

I’m really looking forward to this, as I always do. I can’t say that I did a great job singing last time, but no one could hear me because the Chorus’ beautiful voices pretty much took center stage. But I did have some delicious soup and the company was grand.

This is the kind of thing that really makes our village special, and I encourage everyone to come out and enjoy.

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Tags: American Red Cross, blood drive, Chorus of the Genesee, Local business, Missy Rosenberry, Oak Tree Award, Village of Webster, Webster Central Schools, Webster NY