The return of the Webster Firemen’s Parade was met with beautiful weather and an appreciative crowd Thursday night as thousands watched it make its way down Main Street.
This year’s parade, which lasted around 75 minutes, wasn’t as long as others have been, and the crowds were lighter than I would have expected after a two-year hiatus. But otherwise, the event was the same loud, colorful, musical spectacle that we have come to know and love.
It was great to see many of our old favorites return, like the Towpath Volunteers and the Marion Red Caps. As usual, there was terrific representation from many of our neighboring towns’ fire departments and first responders. It was also a delightful surprise to see a brand new parade entrant, the Sodus Home School Marching Band, who performed with the best of them. I hope to see them again in future parades.
There were a TON of kids in the audience, and I’m not sure what they enjoyed most. It might have been the abundance of huge trucks and fire trucks who were all more than happy to blast their horns whenever they saw a child pumping his or her arm.
But it was probably the candy, being handed out or tossed from floats by the bushel basket full, that made the evening almost as lucrative as Halloween. And most of the kids came well prepared, with Wegmans bags or buckets in tow. Others pressed their baseball caps into service, or just piled their spoils on the ground next to them.
With the return of the Firemen’s Carnival and Parade, it almost feels like life is finally back to normal. Thank you to the Webster Volunteer Fire Department for helping make that happen.
Click here to see a full gallery of photos from before, during and after the parade.
If you’re a fan of our Webster Public Library (and you should be), you probably have noticed that there’s much more to the library than just books and DVDs and periodicals and puzzles. In many respects it’s like a mini art gallery. And I’m not just talking about the local artist’s wall over by the Community Room, which regularly displays fine art and photographs from local residents. No, I’m talking about the other creative artwork hanging throughout the space (like the sea creatures in the children’s area) or growing out the floor (like the big Reading Tree in the main lobby).
These creations and many more spring from the creative imaginations of Linda Liddle and Katrina Viza, whose friendship — and a small business — have grown ever since the day they met, working at the library.
Here’s a story of how that happened, submitted by Arianna Ackerman, the library’s new marketing strategist.
Have you ever wondered what happens when you have a crazy idea at work, but instead of having it shot down, you meet a fellow creative spirit who supports you? And even crazier, contributes by telling you “This is how we could bring this idea to life, “or “Oh, what if we add this?” You create a friendship which continually snowballs until suddenly you’re business partners! This is the story of Little Kat Create.
Linda Liddle and Katrina Viza seem to have a decorating problem, or as they would rephrase it, “We like to see our surroundings in a visually pleasing and inviting way,” which is how the installations at the Webster Public Library got started. Their love of design and large-scale art was the catalyst for creating the art installation wall near the building’s public computers, which was a tremendous feat, but they show no signs of slowing down. The goal of the two is to “…craft spaces and environments that cause people to pause and look, question, or smile and inspire is what we feel art is all about. And what better place to do it than in a library!”
Their business took on a new life when a young woman was walking by the plaza and saw their snowflake blizzard installation and saw the paper cone tree constructed under the library’s dome. She was intrigued and approached the pair about doing a larger scale installation for her church on Easter Sunday. Many enormous paper flowers later, they were in business.
When deciding on a name for their new venture, the two decided to meld Linda’s side hustle, Liddle Designs into Little Kat, a play on both their names; but it wasn’t until Katrina’s daughter, Maddie, suggested they add “create” and helped them establish the business on Instagram, they felt their partnership was cemented. The final piece of the puzzle was the cat icon inspiration Katrina found as an illustration in a children’s library book. Linda drew their own version and they had a logo. With business cards printed and in hand, they got to work.
Since their initial start a year ago, the pair have collaborated with local businesses, schools, churches, and individuals for parties, proms, baby showers, church functions, and private events. They even provide unique atmospheres for events, like the wedding they have coming up in October, and are scheduled to give a class on how they make their creations at the Penfield Library later this year. While the two have made dozens of beautiful creations for the Webster Public Library, it seems like Little Kat Create has no intention of slowing down. We can’t wait to see what they make next, and you can join in all the behind-the-scenes fun by following Katrina and Linda’s adventures on Instagram by following @littlekatcreate, or pop by the Webster Public Library to see what magic they make next.
Summer events are coming fast and furious now. There’s no excuse for the kids (or adults) to say they’re bored anytime soon.
Here are some highlights:
The next Webster Wine Walk is Friday July 15 from 5 to 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 each for a chance to sample wine and snacks at a dozen or so different merchants throughout the village. These tickets go very quickly, so get yours soon, by visiting the Webster BID website.
Summer Splash Day returns to the First Responders Splash Park on Saturday July 16 from 3 to 5 p.m. There’ll be all sorts of splash-y fun, and free Kona Ice sponsored by Gleason Othodontics. The spray park is located next door to the Webster Recreation Center on Chiyoda Drive.
What’s a Webster summer without music at the gazebo? The first Friday Night Concert of the summer will be held July 22, from 7 to 9 p.m., featuring the Rochester Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra. Bring your lawn chairs, blankets, snacks and liquid refreshments.
This year’s Heroes’ Day at Challenger Miracle Field is scheduled for Saturday July 23. Plans are still coming together about this fun and inspiring event which teams first responders up with our Challenger athletes. Details are slim right now, but click here to read a blog I wrote about last year’s event.
There’s a Family Games and Beer Garden Night coming up in the village on Friday July 29. These have become very popular family events. Part of Main Street is closed down, and the BIG games brought out: Giant Jenga, Giant Connect Four, Cornhole, sidewalk chalk, and more. There’s live music and dancing from Dancing With Denise. Brought to you by the Webster BID, this Games Night will be sponsored in part by the Webster Health and Education Network (WHEN). Visit the Webster BID website for more information.
The annual Waterfront Art Festivalis back, this year on July 30 and 31 at the same location (North Ponds Park) with a different name (Charles E. Sexton Memorial Park). Now in its 49th year, this event will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, and is always packed with high-quality artisans. Check the website for more details.
As I find out more about these events, I’ll try to post it. In the meantime, stay up on the Webster BID website for updates and additions.
Oh, one more thing.
The barn doors at 394 Phillips Road are now open for donations to the Webster Museum’s Barn Sale, scheduled for Sept. 15 to 17. This annual sale makes a significant contribution to the all-volunteer museum’s operating expenses.
The museum welcomes household goods, tools, toys, pottery, collections, books, music, games, etc. Think small and easy to lift. Please DO NOT leave large furniture, clothing, shoes, computers, exercise equipment or skis.
You can just leave your donations in the barn (receipts are on the table). Call Jan Naujokas at (585) 265-3268 if you have questions.
The Village of Webster’s regular Wine Walks are not only a great social occasion and chance to try some terrific new wines; the events also benefit local organizations.
The very popular Wine Walks are sponsored by the village’s Business Improvement District (BID), which donates the proceeds from each one to local nonprofit agencies. The most recent Wine Walk, held May 21, attracted almost 200 participants, and raised $750 for that month’s designated charity, Heritage Christian Stables, located on Salt Rd.
A community impact program of Heritage Christan Services, Heritage Christian Stables specializes in therapeutic riding programs for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Presenting the check to Heritage Christian Stables Director Tara Defendorf-Kuba (center, with Harry Potter the horse) are BID representatives Kevin Finn (left) and Janice Raffaele-Addamo, from Finn’s Garage.
The next Webster Wine Walk is scheduled for Friday, July 15. Visit www.websterbid.com for more information.
The Joe Obbie Farmers’ Market, which for years has set up every summer Saturday in Webster Towne Center, has just gotten better.
On Wednesday the market introduced its brand new “Evening in the Park” market at Charles Sexton Park (formerly North Ponds Park).
The new market, held from 4 to 8 p.m., is an offshoot of the regular Saturday Joe Obbie Market we’ve come to know and love. It doesn’t replace the Saturday market at the plaza, but is like a bonus market, held during the week.
Ten vendors had set up Wednesday night, selling a variety of wares from fresh vegetables and maple syrup to honey and crafts. The Webster Recreation Center had an information table, and four food trucks catered to hungry visitors. The vendor turnout was a little light compared to the regular Saturday market, but it’s still early in the season and I expect the Evening in the Park will grow through the summer.
There was also live music, provided by Steve Lyons and his band.
Judging from the attendance at this first-ever event, it appears that the new market will be quite successful. An hour into the event, the parking lot was mostly full, and people were still streaming in, quad chairs in hand, planning to grab some dinner at the food trucks and listen to the music.
The Evening in the Park will be held every Wednesday in July and August from 4 to 8 p.m. at Charles Sexton Park (North Ponds Park), which can be reached by taking the Rt. 104 access road off of Rt. 250/North Ave.
And don’t forget about the original Joe Obbie Farmers’ Market, held every Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Webster Towne Center (Kohl’s/Target Plaza) by the Old Navy store.
Without a doubt, the highlights of the Webster summer event schedule are the Firemen’s Carnival and the parade that heralds its arrival. And after two very boring, Carnival-less summers, I’m pleased to see that this very popular event is back this year, Wednesday July 13 through Saturday July 16.
The excitement is already beginning. The rides are being set up at Firemen’s Field, and the water barrels staged for the parking lots.
You can check out all the details about what will be happening, and when, at the NEJFD website, but here are some of the highlights:
Wednesday July 13:
Craft beer expo
The Breakfast Club plays in the Beer Tent
games, food, rides
Thursday July 14:
Fireman’s Parade begins at 6:30 p.m.
North of Forty plays in the Beer Tent
Games, food, rides
Friday July 15:
State Line plays in the Beer Tent
Games, food, rides
Saturday July 16:
Kiddie Parade at noon, beginning at Spry Middle School
I think we need to be reminded every once in a while that even during difficult times — and we’ve had a lot of difficult times recently — simple, magical moments can still happen to brighten our lives.
Such is the case with the following story, which I picked up from Facebook. It was recalled by my friend Jim Lockwood, “Webster’s Santa.” You’ve no doubt seen Jim in the village’s annual Parade of Lights at White Christmas, or maybe your kids visited him at the gazebo last year before the parade.
If you’ve ever had the good fortune to meet Jim, you know as I do that he actually is the real Santa Claus. There’s just something … magical about him and the effect he has on everyone he meets. I think this story which he shared a few days ago illustrates that.
He titled his story “Never Too Old.”
A few years ago I did a Christmas in July gig in one of the small towns in our area. It was a local Farmer’s Market set up in a large municipal parking lot.
It was a warm Saturday afternoon in July, not too busy, moms magically juggling bags of fruits and vegetables, going from stand to stand with children in tow, checking everything out. Children were asking, “Where are your reindeer?”, “How many elves do you have?” and “Why are you here in the middle of summer?” All good questions needing carefully-worded answers.
A young woman waited until the line dwindled, then came over to my chair and whispered that her elderly grandmother had never seen or talked with Santa. She asked if I would talk with her, if I had the time. Of course Santa has the time. I told her, I would love to talk with her grandmother. During a lull of a thousand questions she brought her beautiful grandmother over to visit with Santa. I think they were vendors at the market.
This young woman gave me one of the most memorable moments I’ve had portraying Santa Claus by bringing this wonderful soul to visit with Santa.
They say Santa is the spirt of Christmas, that he brings happiness and hope. I think they got it right!
Yes, she did tell me her Christmas wishes…
When I asked Jim if I could share his story in my blog, he wrote, “I was so humbled and honored to be the first Santa that she had ever visited.”
“She brought the joy and happiness that day. She was the Spirit of Christmas! I think her face tells the whole story.”
Last August, I posted a blog about a small memorial located in Ridge Park, just steps from busy Ridge Rd., and next to Challenger Miracle Field. It was erected decades ago, but I had only just noticed it recently.
The memorial was created in honor of Jon S. Gerling. After discovering it, I tried to do a little research into Mr. Gerling, with limited success. So I tossed the blog out there reporting what I had discovered, and ended it by asking for anyone with more information to contact me.
It took several months, but earlier this year I heard from Rob Gerling, Jon’s son, who filled me in a little more about his father’s background and why the memorial was placed there.
He wrote,
You are correct my father is Jon S. Gerling, and you are correct he was very active in the Webster Athletic Association. Prior to his death my brother and I played baseball in WAA and my father was both a coach of teams and commissioner of the league. After his death the baseball field by the Town Hall was dedicated in my father’s name.
Rob added that Jon was the son of Curt Gerling, who at the time owned Empire State Weeklies, which published many weekly newspapers in the area including the Webster Herald. Curt was also an author (having written three books on Rochester society and an autobiography), and an early WXXI-TV personality.
In a follow-up email, Rob provided even more background about his family and life in 1960s Webster, writing,
(My father) grew up in the Rochester area, went to Brighton High School, and graduated in 1959. He attended Furman University in Greenville, SC, although only went for a couple of years. He married my mother, Sheila Siede, in December 1961. Myself and my brother Jim, followed in 1962 and 1965.
My father and his brother Bill both worked for my grandfather at Empire State Weeklies in Webster (now owned by Dave Young). Dave was there when I worked a few afternoons when they printed the papers on Tuesday afternoons.
My father was active in local sports, the Webster Athletic Association, with my brother and myself, up until his passing. My father along with his father was an avid outdoorsman. He enjoyed duck and pheasant hunting and fishing on Sodus Bay, where Curt Gerling (his father) had a hunting cabin. The place on Sodus Bay has since been sold. While at Empire State Weeklies, my father sold advertising space in the various papers to local businesses where the paper was distributed.
His Brother Bill passed away in the early 2000’s and he also worked at the paper. He, like Curt, was very active in local Rochester politics. My father, not so much.
Webster was a different place in the 60s and 70s growing up. We would go to Wegmans, Al’s Pizza, Musclow’s, Charlie Riedel’s and GoldenWest for a big night out on the town. There was a drive-in and a bowling alley. The town has changed in the last 50 years.
My father is buried at West Webster Cemetery … He is buried with my father’s family, while his father Curt, and brother Bill are buried at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Rochester.
Many thanks to Rob for helping us know more about Jon Gerling and how he — and his family — made their mark in our town.
Click here to read the original blog I posted about the memorial.
This is the latest in my on-again, off-again series of Bygone Blogs, in which I am re-posting some of my favorite blogs from the last eight years. This one was originally published on December 18, 2011.
The psychology of dinner dishes
As we were clearing the table after dinner last night, my husband, son and I got into a discussion about loading the dishwasher. (All families talk about stuff like this, right?) It wasn’t one of our more in-depth discussions like we’ve had about things like the proper way to hang the toilet paper, or why there are grease spots on the kitchen ceiling. No, this was simply an exploratory discussion about why on earth my husband chooses to stack the glasses on the inside rows of the upper rack rather than filling the outside rows first. That’s just weird.
From that discussion, we came up with an interesting idea: how a person loads a dishwasher can tell you a lot about their personality.
Let’s say, for example, that you always insist on loading the dishwasher yourself, and when someone else does it, you go back to correct their work when no one’s looking. That means you have control issues.
Do you make sure all the knives, spoons and forks are separated into their own individual compartments? You’re OCD.
Do you put your knives in point-up? That’s sadistic.
Do you methodically fill every square inch of the top racks with cups, glasses and serving utensils; stack bowls, dinner plates and pots and pans two layers deep in the bottom rack; shoe-horn in six more cake plates, and THEN turn it on and expect the appliance to deal with it? Totally passive-aggressive.
Think about that when you’re hanging around in the kitchen with your extended family this holiday season. You never know what you might discover.
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
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