Archive | March, 2025

Webster Quilt Guild celebrates 50 years

31 Mar

The announcement, published in the October 8, 1975 edition of the Webster Herald, was brief. It was tucked away back on page 32, and if you were scanning the newspaper too quickly, you could have easily missed it.

Headlined “Quilt Guild Forms Here,” the item announced that the inaugural meeting of the Webster Quilt Guild had been scheduled for the next day, to be held at the Webster Public Library. Anyone interested in quilting was invited to attend, share their work, learn new techniques, and help the brand new club grow.

Clearly that meeting was a success, because 50 years later, the Webster Quilt Guild is still going strong. Membership is robust, and at the monthly meetings, dozens of quilters and crafters are still sharing their projects, learning new tips and tricks from one another, and enjoying presentations by guest speakers.

The Webster Quilt Guild will celebrate their long history at their “50 Golden Years of Quilting” quilt show, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday April 12 at 13 at Holy Trinity Church, 1460 Ridge Rd., Webster.

The show will feature:

  • More than 200 quilts (including an antique quilt display)
  • Display of donation quilts made for the Breast Cancer and the Asbury Storehouse
  • Huge boutique and door hanging sale
  • Scrap Fest
  • Raffles
  • Vendors
  • Annotated History of the Webster Quilt Guild
  • Food tent 

And of course one of the highlights of the show is this year’s beautiful Raffle Quilt. Tickets for this incredible piece of quilting art are just $1 each, or six for $5. (If you’d like to buy tickets before the show, email rafflequilt@websterquiltguild.com.)

The show will be held at Holy Trinity Church (1460 Ridge Rd.) on Saturday and Sunday April 12 at 13. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, noon to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $5 for adults and children under 12 are free.

Look for the quilt-covered car pointing the right way to go!

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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).

(posted 3/31/2025)

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Big things are happening at Bella’s Bumbas

30 Mar

My regular readers know that I frequently write about Bella’s Bumbas. Today I want to tell you about how this awesome local organization is looking to expand, and could use some help from the Webster community to do so.

Bella’s Bumbas is a non-profit grassroots organization run by Webster residents Marty Parzynski and Rebecca Orr, dedicated to building miniature wheelchairs for children with a wide variety of mobility issues. In the eight years since Marty built the first Bella’s Bumba for their niece Bella, they’ve shipped more than 3,000 chairs to children in 68 countries, often adapting the chairs for each child’s individual needs, and charging the parents only for shipping.

Since the beginning, Marty and Rebecca have been operating Bella’s Bumbas out of a small house just north of the village. As the number of chairs they were building and shipping continued to grow, they got creative with using the space they had available. First the living room was the office and the kitchen the workshop. Then the kitchen was the office and the larger family room was the workshop. Shelves were built everywhere to accommodate all the parts. Bubble wrap and shipping boxes were stacked in every available corner and stuffed into a ramshackle garage and adjacent chicken coop.

For eight years, that worked. But now, they’re out of room, which is beginning to hamper their ability to keep growing and offer life-changing mobility to even more children with disabilities.

So Rebecca and Marty have set their sights on building a new barn, which will accommodate all of their storage and inventory needs and free up valuable space inside the workshop.

The plan is to demolish the chicken coop and the existing garage — which is basically falling over — and replace it with a 22′ by 30′ garage. The new garage (which will be about three times the size of the old one and the chicken coop combined) will have a concrete floor and lots of shelving space, with plenty of room for future expansion. They’re also planning to replace the current (crumbling) driveway, which will be pretty much destroyed during demolition.

Rebecca and Marty have estimated the cost of the entire project to be about $60,000, and they’d really like to have it completed sometime this summer. That’s an ambitious goal, but I know that our Webster community will come together and help them achieve it.

Here are a few ways you can help:

  • Attend a Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser, Friday May 2 at the Webster Masonic Lodge, 30 Orchard St., from 5 to 7 p.m. Cost is $12 for adults, $6 for children and you can eat in or take out (cash only, please). In addition to the dinner, there will be a 50/50 raffle, basket raffles and Bella’s Bumbas merchandise for sale. There will also be some Bumbas there for children to try out.
  • Attend the Mr. Batavia Talent Show on Friday April 4 at Batavia High School. Eleven seniors from Batavia High School will compete in this 12th annual competition. Each participant chooses a nonprofit agency to receive a portion of the ticket sales if they win one of the top three spots. This year, Kahler Evans has chosen Bella’s Bumbas as his chosen charity. Tickets are $10 each and will be available at the door.
  • Send a donation check directly to Bella’s Bumbas LTD, 1170 Ridge Rd. #208, Webster, NY 14580. Please mark “WEP” on the check note to indicate it’s for the Workplace Expansion Project. (Donation receipts provided on request.)
  • When the time comes, volunteer to help with some manual tasks during the construction, like cleaning out the old garage. Keep an eye on the Bella’s Bumbas Facebook page for updates.
  • Are you a business owner? Gary Inzana from Top Tier Recruiting and Consulting has donated $1,000 and is challenging other businesses to match or exceed his donation and set their own challenge.

And a huge shout-out to the Pennsylvania Grand Chapter Order of the Eastern Star, which has adopted Bella’s Bumbas as one of their state-wide charities in 2025, which means that Bella’s Bumbas will benefit from their fundraising efforts all year long.

Visit the Bella’s Bumbas website to read more about their story and the incredible things they’re doing for our world’s children.

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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).

(posted 3/30/2025)

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Rec Center hosts clean-up day to honor Tom Smock

29 Mar

The Webster Recreation Center is organizing a community-wide clean-up event to honor a beloved long-time staff member who passed away in 2023.  

It’s called the Helping Heroes Clean-up Day, scheduled for Saturday, April 26, held in honor of Tom Smock, who was not only a valued member of the Webster Recreation Center community, but the greater Webster community as well. 

The whole idea of Helping Heroes Clean-up Day is for households, especially the elderly, who need some extra help cleaning up yard debris, to sign up for assistance, AND – to honor Tom’s giving spirit — for community members to sign up to volunteer. 

Helping Heroes Day is a very appropriate way to honor Tom. Recreation Supervisor Julie Schillaci wrote, 

Tom worked for us from November 2016 to September 2023 as a part-time custodian.  However, he was so much more! He interacted daily with the 55+ folks, fitness members, and all the kids in our building. … Tom was such a generous and humble guy.  He would always lend a hand with whatever was needed at the Recreation Center and he is sorely missed around here.

But Tom’s kindness and generosity stretched well beyond the confines of the Webster Recreation Center. In the eulogy she gave at Tom’s funeral, long-time friend Pat Font painted a picture of the kind of guy Tom was:  

Tom was a simple guy who loved the simple pleasures of life. He had lots of wonderful qualities – he was a very likeable guy to anyone who met him. … (He) had the biggest heart ever – he would give anyone the shirt off his back. He constantly gave to charities, never missed anyone’s birthday, and gave of his time and talents to anyone who needed help. 

Tom was a registered nurse, an active outdoors-man, accomplished gardener and great at repairing pretty much everything. He was a devoted Rotarian and served as the organization’s president. No matter what challenge he chose to tackle, Tom Smock committed his time and talents to their fullest. 

Right now the Rec Center has about 10 houses registered for spring clean, and about 30 volunteers signed up so far. They’d LOVE for more homes to sign up, so spread the word to you elderly neighbors. They’d also LOVE LOVE for a lot more volunteers to help out. Many hands make light work.

To register or volunteer, call the Webster Recreation Center at (585) 872-7103.  

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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).

(posted 3/29/2025)

Cookies and cupcakes and brownies, oh my! Sweet Square Bakery is open

28 Mar

The word has spread quickly through the village: Sweet Square Bakery is FINALLY open at 1 West Main St., at the Village’s four corners.

We’ve all been carefully watching this vacant storefront for months, ever since Buffalo Bleached moved out about a year ago. The prospect of having a cute little coffee shop right in the middle of town was very exciting, so much so that their first few days, the line stretched out the door pretty much the entire time they were open.

I still haven’t been able to connect with the owner, but I didn’t want to wait any longer to introduce this new Village of Webster gem to everyone.

And it is a gem. Now, I’ll be the first to say that the Village Bakery is a wonderful place for coffee and treats, a convenient spot to meet friends and set up your laptop. But it’s kind of noisy and usually pretty crowded.

The new Sweet Square Bakery offers a much different ambiance, which I can only describe as quaint and cozy. There are five cafe tables which seat 20 comfortably, and every visitor is welcomed warmly by the staff members. The large front windows let in all sorts of sunshine, making the entire shop bright and airy. The display cases are filled with delectable treats including cupcakes, cookies, brownies, cakes and more (ranging in price from $3.25 to $6.50, depending on the baked good) and there are several coffee options.

So basically, it’s another wonderful place in the Village of Webster for coffee and treats, a convenient spot to meet friends and to fire up your laptop. And it’s right in the center of town.

Here’s a look inside; all photos are courtesy the Village of Webster.

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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).

(posted 3/28/2025)

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Five years of neighborliness

27 Mar

An every-evening tradition that has brought an entire neighborhood together is still going strong — without a break — even after five years.

Every evening for the last five years (and I mean EVERY evening), the residents of the Brooksboro neighborhood on Webster’s north side have been gathering at the end of Jack Turan’s driveway for a kind of happy hour, sharing a beverage, conversation and a few laughs.

The tradition began in March 2020, just as the pandemic was shutting the world down. You remember those awful days; we were resigning ourselves to putting our lives, and relationships with our friends and family members on hold for the foreseeable future.

That idea didn’t sit well with Jack Turan. He’d heard about how, in small towns all across Italy, residents were opening their shutters, sitting in their windows with their glasses of wine, and singing. The story gave him an idea: how about meeting up with his neighbors, outdoors, to enjoy a beverage and socially-distanced conversation?

That was the evening of March 22, 2020, and the beginning of a tradition that has continued ever since. Every night, Jack stands out at the end of his driveway with a beverage, welcoming anyone to stop by for a chat. And he does so regardless of the weather or the temperature. Remember those really cold days in January? Jack was out there. No way was he going to be the one to break the tradition.

“There has to be at least two people” to make it official, Jack said. “That’s the rule.” The frigid temperatures did, however, prompt Jack to (at least temporarily) reduce the required time spent outside from 15 minutes to 10 minutes.

Last Saturday, five years to the day it all began, the weather cooperated. Skies were sunny, the temperatures were tolerable, and Jack had a lot of company at the end of his driveway. Almost two dozen neighbors, with their kids and dogs, gathered that evening to commemorate their long-running neighborhood tradition. There were beverages, of course, but also a nice selection of hors d’oeuvres and sweet treats, supplemented by ice cream from Bruster’s and mac & cheese from M.O. Pasta. Jack grilled hot dogs, and emcee Alex Scialdone played dance tunes.

The neighbors hold these anniversary gatherings every year, and even had one to mark the 1,000-day mark (I blogged about that event here). The celebrations are pretty much the same every year, just another opportunity to enjoy a nice evening outside with friends. The children get bigger and there’s usually a new dog or two. But there always seems to be a fun new twist every year.

This time, emcee Alex had upgraded the previous year’s paper plate awards to shiny statuettes, personalized for each attendee with whimsical award designations, like “Secretly a Fish,” “Best Drinking ‘Buddy’,” and “Harder to Track Down Than Someone in Witness Protection.” Also new this year was a “What the heck is this?” game. Neighbors were invited to bring an unusual item from home, and everyone tried to guess what each of the almost 20 items was. 

Each “regular” got a personalized statuette
Alex Scialdone with a statuette
This year’s brand new game

In the short time I spent there Saturday night, I heard some discussion about how much longer these daily gatherings should continue. I got the sense, though, that no one really wanted to think about that.

Even if it does eventually run its course, Jack Turan can rest easy knowing that his little social experiment accomplished exactly what it was designed to do: bring people together.

Garrett Wagner from Webster NOW was there making a video about the event. You can check that out here.

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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).

(posted 3/27/2025)

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The Friends of Webster Trails need your input

27 Mar

The Friends of Webster Trails is in the process of applying for a grant to improve the section of the Hojack Trail between Holt and Drumm roads. But before they finalize the application, they need some public input to include with it.

So if you have ever hiked — or run along, or biked along — the Hojack Trail (any section of the Hojack Trail), PLEASE consider filling out this quick survey to add your opinions to the mix. I did it, it’s anonymous, and it took about 5 minutes. It gives you the opportunity to say what you like about the Hojack and what you might not like about the Hojack. Whatever your opinions, they’re valuable.

Time is short; the Friends need to report their responses by next Wednesday, so please take a moment right now, click this link and fill out the survey. Really, it’s fast and easy, and a great way to help the Friends continue their great work.

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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).

(posted 3/27/2025)

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Webster community mailbag

26 Mar

There’s still time to sign up for this month’s Webster Chamber of Commerce Breakfast Before Business meeting, scheduled for this Friday March 28.

The Webster Chamber of Commerce hosts a monthly breakfast for Chamber members, guests and visitors interested in investigating Chamber membership. The March breakfast will be held on Friday March 28 from 7 to 8:30 a.m. at the Webster Golf Club, 440 Salt Rd. The monthly breakfasts are opportunities to network, meet new contacts, develop current business relationships, learn, and earn visibility for your business or organization. Every attendee participates in pass-the-mic time when you’re invited to (very briefly) introduce yourself and your business.

This is the largest monthly Chamber networking event in the Greater Rochester area, with 70 to 90 attendees. Reservations are required. Click here to do so.

Shopping and Hopping

Quilters and crafters, take note:

The Village Quilt Shoppe is participating in a Fantastic Four Shop Hop from April 3 to 5.

They’re teaming up with Fluffy’s Quilt Patch Plus, Jackie Lynn’s Fabric Center, and Sadie Quilts to offer

  • 15% off all bolted quilting fabric (1/2 yd min. cut)
  • Demos & goodie bags
  • Passport giveaway – Pick up your passport at the first shop you visit and turn it in at your last stop.
  • Grand Prize: 16 yards of fabric
  • Additional Prizes: Four 2nd & 3rd place winners, plus several 4th place prizes

PLUS, If you love this idea of a Shop Hop, then you’ll love this: The Village Quilt Shoppe is also participating in an All-New York State Shop Hop taking place throughout May and June.

More than 50 shops throughout the state are participating. To take part, you’ll need to purchase the All New York Shop Hop Magazine, available at the Village Quilt Shoppe or on their website. In the magazine, you’ll find a Shop Hop Passport which includes all the event details including,

  • Maps to help you navigate your journey
  • A list of stores by region for easy planning
  • Shops participating in Shop Hop Sundays
  • Special Shop Hop hours so you can visit as many stores as possible
  • Exclusive patterns included just for participants  

Plus, there’s a special New York-themed fabric, which can also be purchased in the quilt shop or online, with pre-orders available now for pickup starting May 1.

The Village Quilt Shoppe is located at 21 East Main St. in the Village of Webster, at the corner of Lapham Park.

Women’s Club announces April luncheon

The April luncheon meeting of the Women’s Club of Webster will be held on Thursday April 17 at the Penfield Country Club, 1784 Jackson Rd.

This month’s speaker will be Diane S. Miller, Associate Broker with the Re/Max Realty Group, a veteran real estate agent with over 38 years’ experience in local real estate. Diane will be sharing information on the current crazy real estate market, as well as tips for people thinking of making a move, tips for those wanting to age in place safely and tips for organizing life information to reduce stress, and more.

The event begins at 11:15 a.m. with social time, followed by lunch at noon and Diane’s presentation. Cost of the luncheon is $22 and will include a buffet featuring assorted deli subs (ham, turkey roast beef, cheeses, lettuce and tomato) Country Club chips, and a cookie. Friendship and camaraderie are included at no charge. New members are more than welcome.

Send your check made out to the Women’s Club of Webster by April 10 (FIRM) to Carolyn Rittenhouse, 405 County Line Road, Ontario, NY 14519. If you have any questions, or you think your check will be late, phone Carolyn at 585-265-1303. She will hold your place.

Looking ahead to warmer weather, the Webster Arboretum will present a program on Thursday April 24 all about Orioles and Hummingbirds.

The talk will be presented by Liz Magnanti, the owner of The Bird House in Pittsford. Orioles and hummingbirds spend their winters in Central and South America and migrate back to North America in the spring for breeding season. Learn all about these beautiful birds and how to attract them to your backyard.

The presentation begins at 7 p.m. and will take place in the Curry Building. The Webster Arboretum is located at 1700 Schlegel Rd. Click here to RSVP and to learn about future Arboretum programs.

Books books books (cheap books!)

The Friends of the Webster Public Library’s Book Sale will be held April 30 through May 3. The first day of the sale, Wednesday April 30 from 4 to 7 p.m., is exclusively for Friends Members. A Friends membership is required to attend this Book Sale and Vintage Book Sale. Membership can be purchased at websterlibrary.org or at the door.

All are welcome to attend the Book Sale on Thursday, May 1 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Hardcover books will be $1 each and paperbacks are only 50 cents each. May 2 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and May 3 from 10 a.m. to noon are Bring-Your-Own-Bag Sale days, when you can fill your bag with books for only $5. All are welcome to attend the BYOB Sale days.

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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).

(posted 3/26/2025)

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Webster Thomas to present Legally Blonde: The Musical

25 Mar

On Monday afternoon, I had the delightful opportunity to get a sneak peak at Webster Thomas High School’s upcoming production of Legally Blonde: The Musical, which takes the stage for four shows this weekend, March 27 to 29.

I knew very little about this show (or the movie it was based on) when I walked into the auditorium, despite its 18-month award-winning run at the Palace Theater from 2007-2008, and its subsequent world tours. I wasn’t even certain I was going to like it.

But as I headed home all I could think was, “What a FUN show!”

Legally Blonde tells the story of sorority girl Elle Woods, whose seemingly perfect life is upended when her boyfriend leaves her for Harvard Law School. Her solution? Get accepted into the school herself and win him back.

Blonde, bubbly and always-clad-in-pink Elle doesn’t quite fit the Harvard stereotype, however, and she faces challenges from peers, professors and her ex-boyfriend. But with the support of her new friends, she discovers her true potential and sets out to overcome those challenges.

Legally Blonde is a very entertaining show filled with dynamic dancing and very catchy songs. The production features a talented cast and crew of more than 80 Webster Thomas students, including Isabella Spencer as Elle; Colin Ritchie as Warner, the boyfriend; and Dominick Mangano, Evie Fellows and Matteo Serventi as Elle’s friends. There are some mature themes and some language, so parental guidance is suggested.

It was silly to think for even a moment that I wasn’t going to like a Webster Thomas production. As always, as I watched the young actors on stage, I was blown away by the voices and acting skills, and can imagine many of them heading off to musical theater schools around the country.

As I said, I really didn’t know much about the show when I walked into the theater. Unfortunately, I was only able to stay for the first half of the dress rehearsal, so I didn’t even get to see it all. But I’ve since read about how it ends (which I won’t spoil for you if you don’t know the story), and I’m definitely looking forward to being in the audience to enjoy the happy ending.

Webster Thomas High School’s production of Legally Blonde: The Musical will run from Thursday March 27 to Saturday March 29, with nightly performances at 7 p.m. and a 1 p.m. matinee on Saturday. Tickets are $14 each and will be available online here. Webster Thomas High School is located at 800 Five Mile Line Rd.

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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).

(posted 3/25/2025)

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The Village of Webster has a new bridal shop

24 Mar

A warm Village of Webster welcome to Pittsford Bride, which recently opened at 20 West Main.

Two years after Heart to Heart Bride left the village’s four corners, it’s absolutely wonderful to see astonishing beautiful wedding dresses, flowing with elegant grace, displayed in large picture windows along Main Street once again.

Pittsford Bride Owner Oksana Budak opened her new boutique about three weeks ago, and is already making a name for herself for the individualized services she provides her brides-to-be. 

Even if a customer chooses something off the rack, “We (can) do incredible custom changes to any dress,” Oksana said. “I can do a dress without sleeves, with sleeves, I can change the fabric … I can change everything.” The goal is for each bride to create a gown that works best for her body and fits her special vision. 

“It will be a totally different dress, but it will be her dress,” she said. 

Despite its name, Pittsford Bride is not an expansion of an existing shop. Oksana originally opened Pittsford Bride less than a year ago in the Clover View Plaza on Monroe Ave. It didn’t take her long, however, to decide that the very large space was not really what she envisioned for her boutique. She started looking around for a smaller, “cozier” location. When she discovered the newly renovated space on the Village of Webster’s Main Street, she knew it was perfect. 

In the plaza, she said, the shop seemed to get lost in the mix of all the other signs and stores, and it was more a destination rather than something people would just happen across. 

“Here, people are walking,” she said. “They stop, they look in the windows, they take pictures, ask me some questions. I like to see people walking.” 

Although the new shop is “cozier” than the one in Pittsford, it’s still plenty spacious enough to accommodate friends and family members who want to help the bride say “yes” to the perfect dress. There’s a comfortable seating area in front, a large changing room and a display room.

Oksana calls her dresses “more couture” style, with a lot of hand-crafted beading detail. “It’s a unique collection different from other stores, for brides who want to be different,” she said. She also has a small selection of mother-of-the-bride dresses and prom dresses. 

Photos courtesy Kitsul Studio, Mariah Vanhoover Photography and Kate Rasskazova

In her own words, this is what Oksana would like everyone to know about her shop:

Our Exclusive Services at Pittsford Bride

At Pittsford Bride, we are dedicated to making every bride’s dream come true with our personalized services and expert craftsmanship.

  • Professional Tailoring – Our in-house tailor works exclusively for our boutique, ensuring expert alterations and customizations in a short time frame. Brides who purchase their gowns from us receive special pricing and discounts.
  •  Custom-Made Dresses – Every dress in our boutique can be personalized to reflect your unique vision. Whether it’s adding extra lace, modifying the silhouette, or changing fabrics, we can create a gown that is truly one of a kind.
  •  Rush Orders – the bride need a dress quickly? We offer rush delivery options for brides with tight timelines.
  •  Gowns Under $1,000 – We believe every bride deserves to feel special, regardless of budget. Our boutique offers a selection of beautiful gowns under $1,000.
  •  Wedding Dress Rental –  Our rental service includes alterations, ensuring a perfect fit for your big day.

For more information or to make an appointment, call 585-414-8779 or visit Pittsford Bride’s website.

Oksana does plan to eventually change the name of her shop, but is waiting to do so until the end of the bridal season so it’s not too confusing for her current customers. She still hasn’t figured out what that new name will be, thought, so for a little while at least, we’re going to have a gorgeous little taste of Pittsford right here in downtown Webster.   

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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).

(posted 3/24/2025)

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Community encouraged to join April’s “Mail Call Challenge”

23 Mar

Webster, are you up for a challenge?

Wreaths Across America, in partnership with the Blue Star Mothers ROC and the Gold Star Mothers Rochester, have thrown down a month-long challenge for the entire Webster community. It’s called “Mail Call! Letters From Home,” and its goal is ambitious: to collect 1,000 cards and letters from Webster to be sent to our local service members deployed overseas.

Two times a year, the Blue Star Mothers send care packages to our local service members who are deployed overseas. The service members say their favorite items are the cards and letters, even more than the toiletries and snacks. These simple messages keep them going, when home seems very far away.

One service member said he kept a young student’s card in his backpack throughout deployment. “Whenever I was scared, and didn’t feel like I could go on,” he said, “I’d take out that crayoned card, and know someone was thinking of me.”

You can imagine, then, the joy we can all spread with 1,000 cards and letters. THAT’s what the Mail Call challenge is all about.

All next month, more than a dozen Mail Call mailboxes will be placed at businesses throughout Webster. Community members are encouraged to write a personal note (or several) and deposit them in one of the boxes. If we work together, we can easily achieve that goal of 1,000 letters.

Here are some tips:

  • The messages can be from adults and kids.
  • No envelopes are needed (they add extra bulk to the care packages).
  • Starting April 1, look for the special “mail boxes” stationed throughout Webster. (A list of locations is below.) Drop in the card you made at home, or take a moment to fill one out while you’re at the store.
  • Cards and letters should be addressed: Dear Service Member.
  • Include words of encouragement, and how much you appreciate their service.
  • Include your first name and your town. The service members like to know where the cards come from.
  • Spread the word to the groups in your life: Scouts, businesses, schools, social groups, sports teams, churches, etc. This challenge will take all of us.
  • Go ahead and start now, and look for the mailboxes beginning Tuesday, April 1.

You can also plan to stop by the Webster Public Library on Saturday, April 5 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for a community-wide card-making event in the Community Room. All supplies will be provided, and no registration is required. If you can’t make it to the library on Saturday, you can make a card/letter at home, or stop at the table in the library between Monday, April 7 and Saturday, April 12 to create a card/letter. Then drop it off in a special mailbox at the library.

Here are where all of the mailboxes will be located; they’ll all be in place by April 1.

  • American Legion Cottreall-Warner Post 942: 818 Ridge Rd (back entrance).
  • Jersey Mike’s Subs: 975 Ridge Rd.
  • Key Bank: 1848 Empire Blvd.
  • Key Bank: 980 Ridge Rd.
  • Lowes Home Improvement: 900 Five Mile Line Rd.
  • Mama Lor’s Cafe: 1891 Ridge Rd.
  • Pearl Vision: (Wegmans plaza) 900 Holt Rd.
  • Salvatore’s Old Fashioned Pizzeria: 195 North Ave/ (Rt 250)
  • Village Quilt Shoppe: 21 E Main St.
  • Webster Public Library: 980 Ridge Rd.
  • Webster Recreation Center: 1350 Chiyoda Dr.
  • Webster Town Hall: 1000 Ridge Rd.

All of the cards and letters collected during this special month-long event will be placed in care packages sent out in June by the Blue Star Mothers.

By the way, this project would not be successful without the enthusiastic support of the Webster Lowe’s, who donated 13 mailboxes, 13 posts, post brackets and buckets filled with cement to stand them in. And Vital Signs who made all the mailbox wrappers, and did so at a very generous discount.

The Mail Call! Letters From Home initiative is a joint effort by Wreaths Across America Webster, Blue Star Mothers ROC NY8 (military families), and Gold Star Mothers Rochester (who have lost a child on active duty).

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(posted 3/23/2025)

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