A few years ago I wrote a blog about a unique band that draws its members and directors from all over the Rochester area, and welcomes adult musicians of all ages, regardless of how long they’ve been playing their instrument.
The group is called Eastman-Rochester New Horizons, and it prides itself on being a no-audition program open to beginning and experienced musicians of all levels. Members enjoy rehearsing, playing, singing and performing with others in bands, small ensembles, orchestras and/or a chorus. It was founded by Roy Ernst in 1990 and is affiliated with the Eastman Community Music School.
I was reminded of the program recently when I found out New Horizons will be presenting their spring concert this coming Wednesday, May 22, at Eastman Theater. The symphonic band concert will feature international music from Scotland, Spain and Italy, and include pieces from Edvard Grieg to Cole Porter.
The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m., and it’s totally free and open to the public. You might just see some people you know, from the musicians in the ensembles to former band directors from our area, including conductor Larry Neeck, a retired music teacher from Willink Middle School.
The New Horizons program includes bands, orchestras, a choir, big band, jazz ensembles, and many smaller ensembles. You won’t see them all on Wednesday night, but what you will see is a bunch of very talented musicians who simply love making music and love sharing it with their community.
The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday May 22 in the Kodak Hall at the Eastman Theater, 26 Gibbs St.
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For the last several months, I’ve been participating in a terrific inter-generational pen pal program through the Webster Recreation Center.
The program, organized by Recreation SupervisorsJulie Schillaciand Daphne Geoca, connected 21 Webster seniors with a classroom of second graders at Autumn Lane Elementary School in Greece. When I heard about the program last fall, I jumped at the chance to help young people improve their writing skills and find out that writing can actually be FUN.
Shortly after the school year began, each participating senior was matched with a student, and we received our first hand-written letters in late September. In my first letter, I met Nataleigh, who asked me what my name was and if I had any pets.
Over the next seven months, we received, and responded to, five more letters. I don’t know about the ones the others were getting, but mine were covered in bright colors and rainbows, stickers and smiley faces, and surprise bears poking their heads up when I opened the envelope.
Nataleigh and I bonded over rainbows and cats, and shared things we liked and disliked. (She doesn’t like to read. I’m going to have to do something about that.) But the last letter was my favorite, because it included an invitation to an end-of-program reception when we would finally be able to meet each other in person.
A sampling of the letters and artwork I got from NataleighNataleigh and me
So last Thursday the other seniors and I traveled to Autumn Lane Elementary and finally got to meet our pen pals. We gathered in the school’s gymnasium, the kids sang us some songs, and several of the students went up to the microphone to tell us all how much they enjoyed getting our letters.
After all the festivities, the kids served us some drinks and snacks, and we had some time to sit and chat. Nataleigh told me about her family and some of the trips they’ve been on, and about her friend’s dog Princess (who likes to follow her around and bites her nose, which is not too bad since Princess doesn’t have any teeth). I told her about the cats I foster, how much I love her rainbow artwork and the sparkly red dress she wore for the occasion. (Check out the slideshow below for photos.)
There was so much to talk about and the hour went by much too quickly. It was a delightful program which brought two generations together in a heartwarming way and formed what in some cases will surely be lifelong friendships.
Young Brooke T. summed it up perfectly when she stepped up to the microphone during our visit and gave the assembled pen pals some sage advice: “Sometimes you don’t make a friend with your eyes. Sometimes you can write your way to friendship.”
I’m already looking forward to being part of this program again next year so I can write my way to even more friendship.
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There’s nothing quite like community theater. It’s usually an intimate experience, the actors sometimes just several feet away from you, weaving their story for your enjoyment. It’s even better when the acting is REALLY good and — especially — when the tickets are free.
It’s for all of those reasons that I’ve been attending Off-Monroe Players (OMP) productions for several years now. This little theater group, which calls the Downtown United Presbyterian Church home, has been around for more than 40 years, and has made a name for itself by producing Gilbert and Sullivan shows exclusively.
They stage three or four shows a year, each one humorous and family-friendly, as Gilbert and Sullivan always is, with great acting and fun costumes. They never charge for tickets, but audience members are welcome to drop a donation in the basket at the ticket table.
The Off-Monroe Players’ spring production, The Grand Duke, opens this weekend, and I encourage everyone in Webster to go see it, because you might just recognize someone you know.
My friend and neighbor Karen Seidel is a regular OMP cast member, and often one of the leads. In The Grand Duke, she plays the part of Julia Jellicoe, an English actress. She’s excellent in any role she portrays, and has a beautiful voice that fills the auditorium.
The show opens this Friday night May 10 at 7:30 p.m., with five additional shows over this weekend and next (click here to see show times). And while I said they don’t charge for tickets, it is important to reserve your seats in case they sell out (and keep reading for a special announcement about the opening night show). Parking is right across the street and also free.
Special Donuts with the Duke on opening night
So, if great theater at a great price sounds good to you, may I also suggest you attend opening night.
Every person who makes a reservation to join for opening night will receive a FREE donut at intermission. So you won’t have to ‘Duke it out’ to enjoy your treat, the Players are requiring reservations for this special event so they can place an accurate donut order.
Click here to read more about the Off-Monroe Players, and click here to reserve your seats.
All shows are presented at the Downtown United Presbyterian Church, 121 N. Fitzhugh St. in Rochester.
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The 2024 Girls on the Run season is coming to a close, and the organization is looking for a few volunteers to help out at their culminating event, a 5K race held at MCC in Brighton on June 1.
Girls on the Run is a physical activity-based, positive youth development program that uses fun running games and dynamic discussions to teach life skills to girls in 3rd to 8th grade. During the ten-week program, girls participate in lessons that foster confidence, build peer connections and encourage community service as they train for the end-of-season 5K.
I had the pleasure of attending one of these events a few years ago, and it’s a blast. Basically, it’s a huge party, attended by lots of teams and hundreds of girls coming together to celebrate their successes. The air’s filled with happiness, excitement, positivity and a real sense of pride in accomplishment.
As many as 100 volunteers are needed for the event to be successful. There are lots of ways you can help out:
Registration
Star Power Hour activity leaders
Medal station
Course marshals
Water station
Happy Hair stations
Running Buddy opportunities, where we invite family members and/or trusted friends to run alongside participants.
All proceeds from the event will benefit Girls on the Run of Greater Rochester. Last year’s 5K events brought together more than 2,000 participants including program participants, their family and friends and community members. For more information about the event, how to register and volunteer opportunities, visit www.gotrrochester.org/5K.
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Note: I had this blog all written and ready to post even before I learned today that Lollypop Farm is expecting to receive more than 80 dogs from a local hoarding case. They really need foster parents to lighten the load. Please read this blog, and consider becoming a foster.
Many of you know that I foster cats and kittens for Lollypop Farm. I’ve written about the experience in my blog and talk about it all the time at social gatherings, because I love it so much.
Right now, Lollypop has a lot of families officially registered as fosters, but most of those families are not very active. So the need is great, and constant (think about the recent hoarder case in Penfield where the Humane Society rescued more than 50 cats), and many more fosters are needed. Often the animals which are brought in need time to get stronger, bigger or need medical respite before they can be adopted out.
That’s where we come in. Fosters might stay with you just for a week, maybe as long as a few months. But every single one of them just needs a place to be loved and cared for until they find their forever homes.
Lollypop sent out a plea last week asking foster families to tell about their experiences. I wrote mine about the cats we foster, but it could have very easily been about dogs, rabbits, even hamsters. Here’s what I wrote:
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My husband and I have had cats all our lives, so when our last feline friend, Lily, passed away a few years ago, she left a huge hole in our hearts. But we were newly retired and knew we wanted to do a lot of traveling. It really wouldn’t be fair to get another cat if we planned to be gone for long stretches of time.
Becoming a kitty foster parent was the perfect alternative. By fostering a cat (or even better, KITTENS!), our hearts and home would be filled with love again, but we would still have the flexibility to travel.
Whenever I tell people that I’m a foster, the immediate reaction is, “Oh, I could NEVER do that. I wouldn’t be able to give them up.” It was from these folks that I learned the term “foster fail.” Yes, I say, it is hard. I fall in love with every foster that we welcome into our home, and I cry every time I have to say goodbye. But I know that for every kitty I return to Lollypop, there are dozens of others awaiting loving foster homes, and I can provide that.
So far, the turnaround has been brief; since we began fostering last fall, I think we’ve only been “cat-less” for a few days. I believe the record is less than 24 hours.
Two of the cats we’ve fostered are part of Lollypop’s MaryEllen Program, which is another level of wonderfulness. Cats in this program still belong to their original owner and are temporarily entrusted to Lollypop’s care due to some family emergency or difficulty. I love knowing that my being able to provide continuing loving care for their feline family member removes a little bit of stress from what must be a difficult time.
One of the best things about being a Lollypop Farm foster mom is the incredible support we get from the foster team. Despite the great volume of critters passing through their offices every day, they treat each one like it’s their favorite. Foster families are never short of supplies — food, litter, toys — which are a simple phone call away. Staff members patiently answer your questions (and I’ve had a lot of pretty dumb ones) and address any of your concerns. And if there’s ever an issue which requires veterinarian attention, the clinic staff (equally amazing) is there for you.
When I tell people that I’m a Lollypop foster parent, they very often respond, ”Oh, that is SUCH a caring thing to do!” Of course I agree with them, nod, and thank them for their kind words. I DON’T tell them that a huge part of my motivation to be a foster parent is purely selfish.
I love cats. I need cats in my life. The fact that there are cats out there that need me as well is just a wonderful bonus.
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Please consider becoming a Lollypop foster family. It’s extremely rewarding. Click here to go to the Lollypop website to find out more and fill out the foster parent interest form.
Even if you can’t become foster right now, there are other ways you can help: 1) donate funds to help assure that animals in need get plenty of food, medical and behavioral support. 2) donate supplies; in addition to towels, blankets, and flat sheets there are many supplies that are needed to work with shelter animals. Click here to see Lollypop’s Amazon Wish List.
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Chris (right) and his best man, Ed SuslovicEd Suslovic officiating Chris and Chelsea’s wedding ceremony
Now here’s a really nice story which hails from Geneva, but has a distinctly Webster connection.
About two and a half months ago, on Sept. 29, Webster resident Chris Costello and his fiance’ Chelsea were married in a beautiful outdoor ceremony in Geneva. Now, that news in itself is not remarkable. But there’s much more to this story, and it’s pretty touching.
More than 20 years ago, 8-year old Chris Costello was diagnosed with leukemia. After months of chemotherapy, remission and relapsing, he was finally told that a blood stem cell transplant would be his best chance at survival.
Hundreds of miles away in Portland, ME, Ed Suslovic, who had registered as a stem cell donor more than a decade earlier in college, found out he was a match for a young boy battling leukemia. He didn’t hesitate to donate his blood stem cells to a perfect stranger, ultimately saving Chris’s life. A year later, Chris and Ed met in person and instantly formed an unbreakable bond.
Now, back to the wedding. Obviously, it was already a special day. But it was made extra special in that Chris’s stem cell donor and longtime friend, Ed Suslovic, served as best man and officiated the wedding.
How heartwarming and appropriate that was, since it was Ed’s selfless donation that made it possible for Chris to marry the love of his life.
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In 1998, once Chris had regained his health, his mother established Christopher’s Challenge to educate about bone marrow transplants, encourage people to become potential bone marrow donors, and provide financial support to patients going through bone marrow transplant procedures. You, too, could save a life and be part of someone’s inspirational story by signing up through DKMS, the world’s largest blood stem cell donor center.
To find out more about Christopher’s Challenge, click here.
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Last year was the first time I’d ever seen a full production of Nutcracker. That in itself is hard to believe, but it’s especially egregious given that not only does Rochester get a professional performance of the holiday classic each year, but that performance also features a lot of young local dancers.
More than 30 children from Webster’s very own Dancing With Denise studio will be performing alongside the full international professional Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballettroupe this year, filling the roles of mice, party kids, snowflakes, doves and other characters. It’s a rare opportunity for these kids to audition, rehearse and perform with a professional, international touring ballet company.
Any of you who’ve had the pleasure of seeing Nutcracker already know that it’s a truly magical show, from the bright Christmas-Eve-celebration colors, costumes and staging in the first act, to the sparkling wintry scenes in Act II, wrapped in the beautiful music we all know so well. The addition of adorable local children makes it even more enchanting.
I remember feeling somewhat sorry last year for the professional dancers when the kids were performing. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one, for example, paying more attention to the little rats scurrying around the stage than the pitched battle taking place between the Rat King and the Nutcracker.
Aside from the children, The Nutcracker features an award-winning ensemble from Ukraine, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Turkey, and more. It’s marking its 31st tour this holiday season, with stops in more than 50 cities across the country. As part of their “Dance With Us” program, the company partners with local dance studios like Dancing with Denise to cast young talent to perform onstage alongside the professional artists. This is the 15th year Dancing with Denise has had the privilege of being chosen to host this magical event.
Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet will take the stage on Friday December 8at 7 p.m. at The West Herr Auditorium Theatre. Tickets are going fast for the one-time performance, so get yours soon. Click here to order online.
I recently got an email from a proud papa who told me that Emma Clausen is also performing in the Nutcracker this weekend.
Emma, who also lives in Webster, dances with TNT Dance Explosion in Irondequoit. She performed last weekend at Eastman Theater with the Rochester City Ballet and RPO and performs again this week with the ballet company at Fort Hill Performing Arts Center in Canandaigua.
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When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Or in this particular case, in the absence of Barry’s Old School Irish, find the next best place to get your Irish music fix.
On Sunday night, that place was Temple Bar and Grill on East Ave. My husband and I joined many other Barry’s regulars there that night, where we headed to catch a performance by one of our favorite Irish musicians, Dave North. It was like Old Home Week when we walked in and saw many of our Barry’s friends gathered around the bar. We really weren’t too surprised, though; Temple Bar has long been known for offering up Irish music on Sunday nights, and Dave North has been a regular performer there for decades. We’ve all enjoyed his shows at Barry’s, and were happy to follow him downtown.
Walking into the bar that night and seeing so many familiar faces helped fill the hole in my life created when Barry’s closed almost two months ago. We counted a good dozen Barry’s regulars among the Temple Bar faithful that night, and we spent a delightful couple hours enjoying a few pints and reconnecting with friends.
Temple will never replace Barry’s, but as we await the return of our favorite Irish pub to Webster (soon, please, Danny and Jess!) it’ll do in a pinch.
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Farm markets have to be some of the best things that autumn has to offer. Sure, farm markets are great the rest of the year, too, when we can get a ready supply of fresh vegetables and flowers. But they take on a spectacular beauty in the fall, alive with color and holiday trappings.
Here in the Webster area we’re blessed with a great number of farm markets, within town or just minutes away. I visited a bunch of them recently; here’s a little about each one, complete with photos.
(This is not meant to be an exhaustive list, but it’s a good start!)
Schreiner Farm, 490 Phillips Rd.
I’m going to begin our tour today with one of the smallest farm markets in Webster, but also one of the friendliest.
The family-owned Schreiner Farm Market has been located at 490 Phillips Rd. since 2008. Before then, Ken and Darlene Schreiner had a farm stand at the home they owned across the road. They outgrew that and decided to build a much bigger market on the land they owned on the east side of Phillips.
“(Ken) and I do everything on the farm, plant it, grow it, cut it,” Darlene said. Given it’s just the two of them, it’s a small operation, as you might imagine. You’re not going to find a Facebook page or even a website. You’re just going to have to stop by and check it out for yourself.
Bauman’s is one of those markets where it’s hard to find a parking spot on October weekends. But it’s worth the effort, because the kids are going to love exploring the huge cornstalk teepee, the spooky haunted house, straw maze and pumpkin patch (all free).
For sale right now: sweet corn, pumpkins, friend cakes, and loads of apples.
And a huge congratulations to Bauman’s, which at the most recent Webster Chamber of Commerce meeting was recognized for celebrating its 115th anniversary!
Herman’s Farm Market is a 5th-generation farm known for its apples, peaches, cherries, apricots & nectarines. Before the big game, stop by for some fried cakes (which were recently decorated with Buffalo Bills blue and red sprinkles), snacks, Finger Lakes Coffee Roasters ground coffee.
Maier Farms is known for their beautiful fall displays and impressive selection of pumpkins, gourds, ornamental corn, straw bales and more, including some items you won’t find many other places. Find lots of unique gift items here too.
Mayer’s Cider Mill, 699 Five Mile Line Rd.
I had a bit of a hard time finding out a whole lot online about Mayer’s and what the market offers, but the few sites I did find (a Facebook page here and a website here) mentioned apples (of course) and donuts, and a tasting room.
According to an article in the Genesee Valley Pennysaver, Mayer’s is “the oldest continuously operating cider mill in New York State,” dating all the way back to 1876. That history alone is a good reason to stop by. Read the whole article here.
Whenever I hear someone talking about Schutt’s, usually it’s in the same sentence as the words “fried cakes.” But there’s a whole lot more to love about Schutt’s.
There are the apples, of course. You can pick your own or select them from their abundant displays. There’s a fermented cider tasting room, weekly events and craft classes, u-pick flowers, lots of other fresh fruits and vegetables, and so many holiday decor and gift items.
Schutt’s Apple Mill has been open since 1918 and continues to be an autumn favorite.
Many of my friends swear by Sunscape Farms for their fresh vegetables. This time of year Sunscape still features an impressive variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, plus honeys, jams and maple syrup, fresh cut flowers, fall decor, fall plants and shrubs. And don’t forget, there’s always complimentary organic lollipops for the kids at the register.
Welch’s is not very big, but it is the closest farm market to my house, so I’m a regular visitor there, especially during corn and pumpkin season.
Family-owned and operated since 1959, Welch’s is especially known for their greenhouses, flowers, vegetable plants and gardening supplies. They have a lot of bulk mulch and topsoil.
What struck me more than anything when I stopped by there, however, were the mums. As far as the eye can see. That really seems to be their forte this time of year, so if you want mums, make sure to include Welch’s in your travels.
Of course, no blog about farm markets is complete without mentioning Wickham Farms, the king of agri-tainment in our area. Located about four miles south of the Village of Webster, Wickham’s parking lot ALONE (not including the overflow lot) is bigger than some of the other farm markets themselves. I went by on Wednesday, when they were closed, so I didn’t have any problem finding parking. But I also didn’t get to experience the joy of watching small children as they explored what has really become an autumn carnival.
In addition to the corn maze for which they’ve become known, the farm has a wide variety of activities to keep kids entertained for hours, including a “mountain slide,” a train, farm animals to pet, a jumping pad, singing tractor, mini golf, a playground and more. There’s also lots of food.
Admission is required to visit the farm. Discounts are available for on-line presale tickets. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.
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Sometimes I get so focused on what’s going on within the borders of Webster that I fail to notice some outstanding attractions just a stone’s-throw away. This weekend, I explored one of these hidden gems when I visited the Heritage Square Museum in Ontario.
Heritage Square Museum is a 19th-century living history museum. Located just 12 minutes east of the Village of Webster at the north end of Ontario Center Rd. in Ontario, it includes ten individual buildings spread across 13 beautiful acres, which reflect what life was like for many of the Town of Ontario’s earliest settlers.
Despite living in the Webster area for almost 30 years, I’d never visited Heritage Square before Saturday, when I took advantage of the incredible early fall weather to drive out for their “Apples, Apples, Apples” day. True to its name, the event featured an apple pie and ice cream social, demonstrations related to the apple industry and apple crafts. This all in addition to all of the historical homes and shops which were just begging to be explored.
I spent a very enjoyable hour or so wandering among the buildings (my favorites were the old Hojack Railroad depot, the schoolhouse, the log cabin and the jail). The buildings were attended by very knowledgeable volunteers, who all had interesting stories to tell that brought the history to life.
Of course I also had some homemade apple pie and ice cream, enjoyed while listening to the incredible harmonies of a trio called “LED.”
What particularly impressed me about Heritage Square is how beautifully the buildings and grounds are maintained, which is especially notable given the museum is run exclusively by volunteers. And it takes a lot of volunteers, from the docents and barn sale workers, to tree trimmers and cafe staff, to guides for the school groups that visit every spring. And every one of them is equally passionate about preserving and sharing the history of their town.
I highly recommend that you and your family visit Heritage Square Museum. Seeing history firsthand, walking in the steps of our great-great grandparents, is really the best way to understand and appreciate history.
Heritage Square Museum is located at 7147 Ontario Center Rd., Ontario. It’s open weekends through October from 1:30 to 4 p.m. and guided tours are available. Admission is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors and kids 16 and under, $20 for families.
On Sunday Oct. 22, the museum will host its 2nd Annual Halloween Happening from 1 to 4 p.m. Trick or treat through the historic buildings, hear spooky stories, and enjoy kids crafts and games. Halloween snacks will be available for purchase. Cost is just $5 per car. Don’t forget to wear your costume!
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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
