Archive | April, 2025

Community members answered the library’s Mail Call Challenge

6 Apr

Thank you to everyone who stopped by the Webster Public Library on Saturday to write cards and letters to our deployed troops as part of April’s Mail Call: Letters From Home Challenge.

Haven’t heard about this yet? In short, it’s a month-long challenge for Webster to write 1,000 cards and letters to our deployed troops, which will then be included in care packages sent overseas in June.

You may have already noticed one or more of the “Mail Call” mailboxes which have been placed in a dozen businesses and agencies throughout town. Community members are being encouraged to stop by one of these mailboxes, write a card (or several) and deposit them in the box. The library is hosting one of these mailboxes, and if you didn’t make it Saturday, you can still stop in anytime this week; there’ll be a table set up in the lobby with cards and materials.

Brylee
Lucy

But LOTS of people DID stop by on Saturday. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., tables in the library’s Community Room were filled with cards, markers, stickers, crayons … everything and anything needed to make a beautiful card, or just write a quick thank-you. And for most of that time, the tables were also filled with adults and children, coloring and stickering and creating. The kids especially loved the project.

Mail Call organizer Cherie Wood estimates that about 140 people came to write a card. By the end of the day, 126 personalized messages had been stuffed into the library’s mailbox to be “mailed” to our service members.

That’s a great start, but 1,000 cards and letters is a big challenge. So keep an eye out for the mailboxes throughout town, and get writing! You can do them at home, even make it a family project. Teachers can make it a class project, or ask your church group to make cards.

Peter and Leah
Will Meyers
Morgan and Julie Streeter
Todd and Lucy Eardman
Violeta and Oscar Garote

And by the way, the Blue Star Mothers would like to include a box of Girl Scout cookies in each care package, but don’t have quite enough yet. If you’d like to donate a few, click this link, then scroll down to where it says “Donate Cookies.”

Thank you, 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 4/6/2025)

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New book, “Life Will Teach You,” is a grieving father’s letter to his daughters

5 Apr

In June 2017, Brian Bohannon’s life turned upside down. Over a period of just four days, his wife Christine passed away from cancer, leaving him to raise their then 4-year old and 7-year old daughters by himself. Christine was just 39 years old.

As he worked through his grief and started to build his new life, Brian was saddened by the fact that his wife would not be around to guide their daughters through the ups and downs of life, would not be there to answer their questions, or give them a shoulder to cry on. Determined not to lose whatever chance he had to do that for them, he wrote Life Will Teach You: Lessons for Teens and Their Parents on Life, Death, Health, Love, and Loss. 

“My initial goal,” Brian said, “was to pass this down to my daughters with everything their mother would have taught if she lived to tell them. I also wanted to give this to them before I die and lose the chance.” His original plan was for it to be a memoir and letter to his daughters. But as it developed, he realized it might be something that could benefit a lot of people.

Brian calls Life Will Teach You “a handbook for life. … There is a lot on grief and loss, life and death, but also lessons from my high school health class.”

In the Amazon.com listing he writes,     

This is a love story … a life or death story … a story of overcoming grief and loss, but ultimately, a be all you can be story. It’s a story for teens and their parents on how to pursue mental, physical, spiritual, and financial health. It is everything I think young people need to know about life, full of lessons from my 30 years of teaching high school health.

The book is a “Road Less Traveled” for teens, young adults, high school and college graduates, and their parents. Everything your parents should have taught you. Everything you didn’t have a chance to ask your parents. Everything you should have learned in school. Life, death, love, loss, health, and everything in between. My version of “everything, everywhere, all at once,” in one book.

He kinds of sums it in a second subtitle he’s attached to the book: “Confessions of a High School Health Teacher, Widower, and Girl Dad on Everything Young People Need to Know About Life.”

Life Will Teach You: Lessons for Teens and Their Parents on Life, Death, Health, Love, and Loss was published in November 2024, and is available on Amazon for Kindle, in paperback and hardcover, starting at $15.95.

Brian Bohannon grew up in Webster and graduated from Webster Thomas High School. He now lives in Williamson with his daughters.

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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 4/5/2025)

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Spry Middle School vocal groups earn top NYSSMA honors

4 Apr

Congratulations to two Spry Middle School vocal groups who achieved top honors at the recent NYSSMA Major Organization Evaluation Festival.

Spry Middle School’s two vocal powerhouses, SoundWave 6 and SoundWave 7/8, both received a Gold Rating at the festival, held in Honeoye on Tuesday April 1. The rating is awarded to ensembles that demonstrate an outstanding level of technical and artistic skill in their performance, an incredible accomplishment that reflects the high standards and hard work of these singing Warriors.

SoundWave 6 is directed by Katie Goodman, who also co-directs SoundWave 7/8 with Stephen Costanza. 

“These students go above and beyond, giving up their lunch study periods to participate in SoundWave, showing true dedication to their craft and their ensemble,” Goodman said. “We are so proud of their commitment, teamwork, and musical excellence.”

This is the first time in 15 years that Spry Middle School has been awarded Gold at this prestigious event. Congratulations to all these talented students,and their directors, for making Webster proud.

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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 4/4/2025)

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Rich Marlin named Webster Chamber Business Person of the Year

3 Apr

Congratulations to Rich Marlin, financial advisor with Edward Jones in Webster, who was recently named Webster Chamber of Commerce 2025 Business Person of the Year.

A financial advisor for 43 years and an Edward Jones partner for more than 30 years, Rich is a husband, father, business owner and advisor to many. He’s also an active volunteer who’s been involved with many community efforts in addition to his involvement with the Chamber of Commerce.

Outside the office, Rich is passionate about sharing his time, treasure and talent with local non-profits. In addition to his Chamber Committee work with the Program and Membership committees, Rich leads the Chamber’s coordination for the annual United Way Day of Caring. He has sponsored Chamber connecting events such as Connect at Noon and has led past Power Hour presentations.

Rich has contributed financially to many charitable causes including the Webster Community Chest and Comfort Care Home, Hope Ministry, Webster Health & Education Network, Christopher’s Challenge, the Webster Garlic Festival, Wreaths Across America, One Soldier at a Time, the Webster Association of Senior Program Supporters, and the Heritage Christian Stables Day of Caring. AND he was a Boy Scout leader for more than 20 years.    

Rich’s efforts with the Finger Lakes Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association is a project especially dear to his heart. Since 2021 he’s served on the Walk to End Alzheimer’s Committee as a board member and chairperson. The event has raised more than $1,100,000 and Rich personally has raised more than $7000.

We have a plaque for him today that is inscribed with these words: “2025 Business Person of the Year presented by the Webster Chamber of Commerce to Rich Marlin in recognition of your outstanding contributions to the Webster Chamber of Commerce and your commitment to the community”.

In honor of his contributions to our community, Rich was presented with a plaque at the Webster Chamber of Commerce’s February Breakfast Before Business meeting. The Chamber also made a donation to an organization of Rich’s choosing.

The Business Person of the Year is an individual who is recognized as having set a standard of accomplishment in both business and the community. Nominations are from the Chamber’s business members who have made a significant impact on the role of business in the community. The nominee must have been an active member of the Chamber for at least 18 months, someone who is always willing to go above and beyond and be a leader that motivates others. He or she must have a level of community participation by contributing resources in the form of time, talent, or money to our community via projects, clubs, churches, and not-for-profit organizations.

(Pictured above, L-R: Webster Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Barry Howard, Deb Gargantiel from Rich Marlin’s staff, Business Person of the Year Rich Marlin, Rich’s wife Kathy Marlin, and Elena Heisel from Rich Marlin’s staff)

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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 4/3/2025)

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Webster community mailbag

2 Apr

Color Webster Green and Webster Public Library are presenting a special program all about recycling on Tuesday April 8.

The hour-long program, called “Recycling 101: Understanding Monroe County’s Recycling Systems,” will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the library’s community room. Meagan Evans-Saurini, the Environmental Educator for Monroe County’s Department of Environmental Services will help clear up the confusion about what can and cannot be recycled, tell us more about the county’s recycling programs, how to “Recycle Right,” and provide information regarding the Monroe County/WM ecopark.

The program will be held Tuesday April 8 at the Webster Public Library, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Bring your questions! Please register here.

Calling all (former) Dancing With Denise Dancers

Denise Baller is celebrating her Dancing With Denise dance studio’s 40th anniversary this year, and she’s looking for help to do that.

“Miss Denise” is planning a huge 40th anniversary recital on Saturday, May 24 (and some other special events are in the works) and is asking for help from past students and families to make the milestone even more special. I’ll be writing a more detailed blog about her plans in the coming weeks, but in the meantime, If you have pictures from the studio’s history over the past 40 years, please send them to dwdmissdenise@gmail.com. Your memories will help paint a beautiful tapestry of the studio’s journey.

Stay tuned for more information, but start looking through your photos now!

Next blood drive to feature cookies from the Women’s Club of Webster

The American Red Cross is sponsoring a blood donor drive from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 26 at St. Martin Lutheran Church, 813 Bay Road, Webster.  

Blood donors will be warmly greeted at the cantina by members of the Women’s Club of Webster, and enjoy supremely scrumptious homemade cookies to enjoy with their juice.

The whole process takes only about an hour. Appointments are not required. Donors should feel free to just drop in. For more information about the blood drive, please contact Katie Houtat 585-353-9964.

News from the Friends of Webster Trails

The Friends of Webster Trails has a workday coming up this month, scheduled at the State Road Nature Preserve, 1571 State Rd. (just west of Salt Rd.).

The trails at this new preserve need some TLC, including trimming brush from the sides of the trails, removing stumps in the trail, and cleaning out some trash. There’s a variety of tasks, suitable for many skill levels.

Volunteers should bring shovels, pick axe, loppers, pruning shears, a hand saw and water. Wear long sleeves and pants, boots (State Road NP can be muddy), gloves and bug spray.

Work will last from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Please click here to register.

Second Call for Trail Partners

The Friends of Webster Trails has also just put out another call for trail partners, volunteers who love our trails and would like to help maintain them.

The Friends are looking for volunteers to help with these few specific trails: 

  • Whiting Road Nature Preserve Blue Trail
  • Whiting Road Nature Preserve Yellow Trail
  • Four Mile Creek Preserve Yellow Trail
  • Four Mile Creek Preserve Red Trail
  • Four Mile Creek Preserve Orange Trail

If you’re interested, contact Trail Committee Chair Linda A. Siple at lindasiple52@gmail.com.

What happening at the library in April?

For children and families:

  • Egg Hunt on Friday April 18 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Bring the family to search for Easter eggs at the library after hours, and enjoy some craft time afterwards. Registration is not required.
  • Earth Day Drop-in Crafts, Saturday April 19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Up-cycle materials into creative crafts to celebrate Earth Day. All ages are welcome. Registration is not required.

For teens and tweens:

For adults:

  • Adventures on the Appalachian Trail, Tuesday April 22, 6 to 8 p.m. Phil Arnold shares stories and video from his backpacking adventures. Registration is required.
  • Mysteries in Stone: Headstone Symbols and the Graveyard Poets, Thursday April 24, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Cherie Wood reveals hidden meanings carved in the gravestones of our colonial and Victorian ancestors. Registration is required.

This month’s Community Exchange is party supplies! Bring in your unused party stuff and swap it out for something New-to-you! And April’s Donation Station is accepting period products for NY Hope, and food, personal care and household items for Willow Domestic Violence Center.

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. Diane Miller, Associate Broker with the Re/Max Realty Group, will offer tips for people thinking of making a move, for those wanting to age in place safely, and tips for organizing life information to reduce stress.

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. 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. 

Webster Arboretum program

The Webster Arboretum will present a program on Thursday April 24 all about Orioles and Hummingbirds.

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. The public is welcome Thursday, May 1 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m, when hardcover books will be $1 each and paperbacks are only 50 cents each. Friday 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.

And don’t forget about the Special Needs Parent Resource Fair scheduled for Saturday April 19 from 10 a.m. to noon. More details about this to come, but stick it on your calendar now. No registration is necessary for this event!

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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 4/2/2025)

Mail Call at the Webster Public Library

1 Apr

Chances are pretty good you’ve heard about the “Mail Call: Letters From Home” challenge recently — especially since I’ve been writing about it a lot.

In short, it’s a month-long challenge for Webster to write 1,000 cards and letters to our deployed troops, which will then be included in care packages sent overseas in June. (You can read more about it here.) You may have already noticed one or more of the “Mail Call” mailboxes which have been placed in a dozen businesses and agencies throughout town. There are cards and pens placed next to each one, so perhaps you’ve even taken the moment to write out a personal message and placed it in the box.

But if you haven’t had a chance to do that yet and would like to help our town achieve this monumental goal, here’s an easy way to do that:

This Saturday, April 5 you can stop by the Webster Public Library from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for a community card-making event in the Community Room. All supplies will be provided, and no registration is required. You can bring the kids, invite your neighbors and friends, and have a little fun while brightening the lives of our deployed service members. The library is located at 980 Ridge Rd., at the back of Webster Plaza.

Won’t be able to make it on Saturday? The library will have supplies out at a table all next week, so you can stop in anytime. And of course you can make some cards at home and drop them in the Mail Call mailbox in the library, or in any Mail Call mailbox in town.

Here are where the mailboxes are located:

  • 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.

Let’s DO this, 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 4/1/2025)

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Girl Scout cookies for our troops S.O.S.!

1 Apr

You’ve been hearing a lot about this month’s Mail Call Challenge, when we as a town are joining forces to write 1,000 cards and letters for our troops. (There’s more information about that in tonight’s blog.)

The Blue Star Mothers will be shipping those letters overseas in care packages this June. They’d also like to include a box of Girl Scout Cookies in each of those care packages. But right now they’re about 60 boxes short.

Girl Scout Troop 60344 is still taking online orders for cookies to send with the care packages, and are REALLY hoping you can help them meet their goal. Here’s all you have to do:

  • Click here to go to the online cookie store.
  • Scroll all the way down until you see this option:
  • Choose how many boxes you’d like to donate (a variety will be automatically chosen for you) and then check out.

Thank you for helping our Girl Scouts fulfill their mission of service, and for bringing joy to our deployed service members.

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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 4/1/2025)

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