After the blog I posted yesterday about how happy I am that the total solar eclipse is over and done with, I received several emails from readers telling me about several places where you can recycle your glasses for a good cause.
Another total solar eclipse will be happening in October, which will pass over parts of southern Chile and southern Argentina. Several local agencies are collecting gently used eclipse glasses to distribute among the schoolchildren there who might not have easy access to glasses.
Here are the places I’ve heard about so far (if you know of any others, shoot me an email):
The Gathering Place and the United Church of Christ, both at 570 Klem Rd. Collection boxes are located in the narthex and outside the west entrance. Please bring them in by the end of next week.
Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr.
The Webster Rotary Club
The Webster Public Library, 980 Ridge Rd., is collecting them in the lobby.
The Warby Parker location at Eastview Mall, which is collecting for Astronomers Without Borders
Please make sure the glasses are undamaged and in good condition, and thank you for passing along the love!
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Finally, the much-ballyhooed total solar eclipse has come and gone, and while there was maaaaaybe some increased traffic in our area, we all pretty much survived no worse for wear.
I don’t know about you, but I’m sure glad it’s over.
I mean, for the last few days I couldn’t turn on the radio or TV news without hearing the announcer giving dire warnings about not using proper sunglasses, or dire warnings about the near-apocalyptic traffic problems we could expect. You couldn’t even avoid it when you were traveling 104 or the Thruway, where every half mile there was another flashing sign warning of “severe” traffic delays.
Fortunately, those severe traffic delays didn’t seem to materialize (at least not around here), leaving us with just one main thing to gripe about: the weather.
It certainly could have been sunnier, and granted, it would have been nice to actually have to use those funny sunglasses to see the partial eclipse. It would have been cool to see the crescent-shaped shadows and the sun’s corona. Having said that, it WAS pretty neat to watch the light noticeably fade, and to experience the darkness in the middle of the day. People around us actually cheered when the totality passed, thankful for the show.
I enjoyed the spectacle with old and new friends at a home off of Schlegel Rd. One of the more interesting things we experienced was a raucous flock of seagulls which flew over the neighborhood during the pitch darkness, raising an unbelievably huge ruckus which probably reflected their total confusion.
The whole day brought me back to 1969 (I believe), when I was living in Owego, when my mother (who worked at the small-town newspaper) handed us some photo negatives so we could view that year’s partial solar eclipse. In the photo below are my brother Chris (left), my sister Mindy (right) and me in the middle, outside the newspaper office.
Actually, I DO have one more thing to gripe about:
Back before Christmas I thought I was smart to purchase my solar eclipse glasses before they became unavailable. Who knew that in the weeks before The Event you’d be able to pick up a free pair in pretty much every business you entered?
Ah well, the next time a total solar eclipse tracks over Webster, I’ll know better.
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Important note: Thanks to everyone who has informed me about the places where you can recycle your glasses. Stay tuned tomorrow for information about how.
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email me at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)
You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).
It’s as sure a sign of spring as the first robin: The Webster Central School District’s — and the entire Webster community’s — grand show-off day, Community Arts Day, returns to Webster Schroeder High School this Saturday, April 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This very family-friendly festival, which is marking its 47th year, showcases the musical and artistic talents of Webster School District K-12 students, and involves the entire community in a day to celebrate the arts. It was created as a collaborative effort to raise money to encourage and enhance fine arts programs throughout the district. (Below are a few examples of the artwork from previous years. Click here for a full gallery from last year.)
Dozens of activities are planned throughout the day, including art displays, carnival games, crafts, community group exhibits and more. Webster student groups will present musical performances throughout the day, and the Webster’s Got Talent talent show will feature aspiring student singers, musicians, and dancers from 2 to 3 p.m. Community performing groups will fill out the schedule of events, and all the performances are free.
Admission to Community Arts Day is free. Proceeds from concessions, craft, and carnival booth sales will benefit cultural arts programs within the Webster Central School District.
For a complete schedule of events and map of exhibitors, follow the Community Arts Day Facebook page, where updates will be posted regularly.
By the way, organizers could really use some more volunteers at the event. Just a few hours of your time will help raise funds for your kids’ schools. Student and adult helpers would be more than appreciated! For more information, click here.
Here’s something new at this year’s Community Arts Day which I particularly wanted to highlight:
This year, the Webster Central PTSA is partnering with the WCSD Music Department to offer a Used Instrument Donation Drive, an opportunity for families to donate their gently used instruments to students who aren’t easily able to afford a new instrument.
The Concert Wear/Coat Drive the WCPTSA does every fall is so successful, this seemed like another wonderful way to help those in need, while spreading the love of music. The school district will cover the cost of repairing any instruments that need repair.
A table will be set up at Community Arts Day where families can drop off their unused instruments, so pack up your old instruments and bring them along!
Also new at this year’s Community Arts Day
ALSO, this year, for the first time, I’ll be setting up a Webster on the Web table, where I’ll just be hanging out, hoping people will stop by to chat and perhaps feed me some good blog ideas.
Please look for my little table and stop by to say hi. If I’m not there, I’ll be wandering around the school with my camera, so watch for me out and about, too!
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email me at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)
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Got my quarterly newsletter from the Friends of Webster Trails (FWT) a few days ago, which is always good for a blog post. Even though I’ve been a member of the Friends for years, it always amazes me the untiring effort this group puts in every day of the year — not just in the warmer months — to not just maintain our current trails but build more.
You can read the whole newsletterhere, but I’ve pulled out some tidbits which I found particularly interesting:
For starters, the Friends have a brand new website. The one they had before was pretty good, but this newly updated site is a big improvement. The great maps are still there, plus there are more photos, news about the trails, an interactive event calendar, and more integration with social media. (Click here to read the blog I wrote about the new site in February.)
Couple of opportunities to meet some of the volunteers and learn more about the Friends: on Saturday April 13, the Friends will have an information table set up at Community Arts Day, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. You can learn about some of the plans they have for 2024 and learn more about volunteer opportunities.
Also on Saturday April 13, the Friends will be presenting a program on Trail History at the Webster Public Library from 11 a.m. to noon. You’ll hear a brief history of the more than 20 miles of trails in Webster, and discover some hidden gems in the trail system. Registration is requested.
On Saturday April 20, Earth Day, the Friends will be working at Gosnell Big Woods Preserve clearing vines and dense foliage along the split rail fence. They’ll also be doing some tree and shrub potting at the ReTree Nursery. Both projects could use a lot of hands, so check the newsletter for details about how you can help.
The Friends will be attending the Webster Public Library’s Summer Reading Kickoff Party on June 21 at Charles Sexton Park from 5:30 to 7 p.m. They’ll have an information table there and will be revealing a Kids Summer Reading List related to trails.
Denise Bilsback, Membership Chair, reports that the membership total is down a bit, but only because she cleared out some deadwood. (Hint hint: make sure you renew your subscription!) But, she says, “we continue to get a steady stream of new members monthly.” (Yay!)
Want an easy way to help out? The Friends need some mowers. The FWT will provide the mowers and the volunteers just need to do the mowing and put the mower back in the trailer for Parks and Rec to pick up. Should be just a few hours a month. Email contact@webstertrails.orgfor more information.
I didn’t even get into the individual reports from the trail stewards, most of which reported all kinds of work clearing trees, replacing boardwalks and gates, and much more. The work continues nonstop so that we all can fully enjoy the great natural resources that Webster offers.
According to a new trail counter recently purchased by the Friends, use of the trails is huge. The Bird Sanctuary Trail, for example, had more than 900 hikers during one week last December. So it’s great to hear that new members continue to join the Friends, but memberships still are a small percentage of those who actually enjoy the trails.
So please, check out the new website, and when you do, PLEASE hover over that “become a Friend” tab and drop $10 (or $15 per family) to become a member and help the Friends of Webster Trails continue to do great things for our community.
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The event, scheduled for Sunday May 5 at the Cottreall-Warner American Legion Post on Ridge Rd., will shower up to 20 babies with “Baby Baskets of Loving Care,” each filled with gifts for moms and their babies including baby clothing, handmade outfits, homemade blankets, sweaters, booties and hats, diapers, wipes, baby supplies, toys, and more. The new mamas will also be offered chair massages and other pampering at the event.
Active duty, veterans and military spouses of active duty and veterans who are expecting or have children up to 6 months old are welcome to register for and attend the shower. (Must be a resident of Monroe or Wayne counties.)
The Mothers have been pulling together donations for many months, but they’d love to get a lot more. If you’d like to help out, you can donate to their baby gift registry through this Amazon.com link.
Blue Star Mothers president Amy VanDerwerken said, “We love how the local community comes together to support this event. They allow us to provide diapers, clothes, wipes, bibs, blankets, bottles, toys, books, etc.” Besides the many individuals who donate from the Amazon Baby Shower list, they also receive donations from several local businesses and community organizations.
Blue Star Mothers are mothers, stepmothers, grandmothers, foster mothers and female legal guardians who have children serving in the military, guard or reserves, or children who are veterans. The Baby Shower for Military is one of the group’s most important service projects. Each year BSM NY8 honors up to 20 local military families, and for some of these expectant mothers, it may be the only baby shower they get, since they’re usually stationed far away from their close relatives.
“We hope to continue growing and working with the community to be able to support our local military families,” VanDerwerken said. “We could not do this military baby shower event without that support.”
The Military Baby Shower will be hosted by the Cottreall-Warner American Legion Post on Sunday May 5 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. It’s totally free for the first 20 women to register. To sign up, or for more information, contact one of the Baby Shower Committee Co-chairs, Amy VanDerwerken and Jill Harris, at 1VP.NY8@BlueStarMothers.US.
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email me at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)
You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).
If you’re a big fan of Girl Scout cookies like I am, you know that the cookies have arrived and the troops are hard at work delivering them. But if you missed out on ordering this year, or you REALLY need more Thin Mints to toss in the freezer, have no fear. I know of at least one troop which will be selling them at local businesses in the coming weeks.
Webster Girl Scout Troop 60344 will have a table set up in these locations on these dates:
Sunday, April 7: Lowe’s Home Improvement, 900 Five Mile Line Rd., 1 to 4 p.m.
Friday, April 12: Edge Barber Shop, 205 North Ave., 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 13: Edge Barber Shop, 205 North Ave., noon to 3 p.m.
Saturday, April 27: Walmart, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Saturday, April 27: Walmart, 1 to 4 p.m.
They’ll not only be selling cookies to all of us, they’ll also be taking orders for cookies which will be included in care packages being put together by the Blue Star Mothers for our locally deployed troops, which will be mailed out in June.
Service members love Girl Scout cookies, as you can imagine. They’re a small taste of home. And even after they’ve been bounced around the world and even if they arrive in crumbs, they’re still treasured. So plan to stop by one of these tables this month, pick up some extra cookies for yourself, and help spread smiles around the world.
You can also purchase cookies online to be included in the care packages. Click here to get to the website, and make sure to indicate “Have Girl Scout Troop 60344 deliver the cookies” so you don’t pay for shipping. And please add the word “Care” before their name (like, Care Missy Rosenberry). This will let the troop know the cookies will be donated to our service members. (Best to stay away from chocolate cookies since they might melt in transit!)
email me at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)
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I was reading the most recent newsletter from Challenger Miracle Field the other day, when I came across a bit of news which made me stop in my tracks. It’s the kind of news that should be shouted from the rooftops, and I was surprised I hadn’t heard about it earlier.
At last month’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Miracle Field Vice Chair Ron Kampff was honored as Citizen of the Year.
If you’re at all familiar with Miracle Field, then you know about Ron Kampff and why this award was so well deserved. Ron is a Webster treasure; the heart and soul of Miracle Field, and the driving force behind the creation — and continuing success — of this incredible facility. He commitment to fostering inclusivity within our community is unparalleled.
Ron is most proud of being able to help both children and adults with disabilities in our community. During his 30 plus years of being a board member of the Webster Little League, he was able to start a challenger baseball program in 2001, which has grown from 32 participants to over 150! He has also been a member of the Kiwanis Club of Webster, where he has served as president. Continuing his mission to help others, Ron and a good friend started raising money in 2014 to build a facility designed for kids and adults with special needs. Hence, Challenger Miracle Field of Greater Rochester was born! They now operate year-round and offer a variety of sports and special events on and off the field. Ron was fortunate enough to also establish a Beep Baseball team for the blind and visually impaired. Taking it a step further he helped form Rochester Area Blind Athletes, Inc where he serves as Vice-President…and Ron says, “Miracles really do happen!”
Ron walked in the parade alongside his friend Billy, accepting congratulations all along the way. Today I add my congratulations, along with heartfelt thanks from the entire Webster community.
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email me at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)
You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).
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 