The weather couldn’t have been better for yesterday’s Memorial Day Parade and ceremony, and a big crowd lined Main Street to watch as the parade made its way to the Webster Rural Cemetery. The day’s events were dedicated to all of Webster’s first responders who put their lives on the line for us every day. “Chip” Chiapperini and Tomasz Kaczowka were posthumously named honorary Parade Grand Marshals.
Click on the photo or click here to go to a Facebook gallery of photos from the morning.
If you still haven’t heard about Relay for Life, then you’ve been living under a rock.
The Relay is an annual fund-raiser for the American Cancer Society in which teams pledge to walk around a track for 12 straight hours in honor of those who have fought or are still fighting the battle against cancer. This year’s event is being held June 1-2 at the Webster Thomas High School track. A lot of teams have signed on so far, but more support is still needed.
I am pleased to pass along this notice from Robyn Whittaker, Webster’s biggest Relay for Life cheerleader and CRO (Chief Relay Officer) for the village’s Relay for Life team:
If you haven’t ever been to the Relay because you think it’s a race, you should know the the only “race” is to the cure. We invite the community to come out that night and see what we are all about.
The evening starts out by celebrating our survivors and then our caregivers as they start off the laps before the teams take the track. Each team differs in their numbers but not in their quest to help fight cancer. Entertainment , games at the team campsites along with fun ways to raise money fill up the time until 10pm when the Remember ceremony starts. The ceremony is heartfelt and touching and the silent lap led by a bagpiper in the darkness, lit only by luminaria honoring or remembering our loved ones, brings out many tears.
Fun laps take over and continue through the night to keep those who are not catching a few zzz’s in their tents on the track and having fun. Midnight brings on the Fight Back ceremony as participants learn how they can help fight cancer with lifestyle changes.
The event wraps up at 6am with those who chose to stay the whole night, packing up and feeling good about what they did. After all, cancer never sleeps.
Please come out to Thomas High School on June 1st at 6pm and join the event!!
Couldn’t have said it any better myself. For more information about Webster’s Relay for Life, click here.
In one of my blogs a few days ago I mentioned how I recently drove by a group of Webster High School Marching Band parents and students who were cleaning up a stretch of Ridge Road. I lamented the fact that I didn’t know about it ahead of time so I couldn’t snap any photos.
Well, a big thanks to Patty Homeier for sending along the following two photos from her team. Patty wrote that her group of three adults and three kids worked for about an hour and a half, and collected 10 large bags of trash (and a few car parts).
They and three other groups cleaned both sides of Ridge from Hegedorns to the movie theater.
Patty also mentioned in her email that her family is new to the marching band. I think it’s pretty cool that even though they’re new to the organization, they’re already participating in events like this. It’s a great example of how much Webster Marching Band families are committed to this community.
Thank you to the Webster Marching Band for cleaning up our Ridge.
I love the hard hats. (L-R) Mikayla Cassidy, Theresa Homeier and Anna Halpa.
Theresa Homeier works in the woods.
Several days ago when I was driving through town I noticed a group of young people and adults picking up trash along Ridge Road. My first thought was, “Huh. I’ll bet that’s folks from the Webster High School Marching Band. I think this is the stretch of highway they adopted.” That was immediately followed by my next thought, “I wonder why they didn’t tell me they were going to be doing this so I could come out and take photos?”
Ah, well. Maybe next year. But seeing them did remind me of the great new program for young musicians which the Marching Band has introduced this year. I’ve mentioned it before, but it deserves much more attention. It’s THAT great an idea.
It’s called the Webster Kidets Marching Band, and it’s designed for 5th and 6th graders in the Webster School District who’d like to see what it’s like to be part of a real live marching band.
To participate, a student should already be playing a musical instrument in school; chorus and orchestra students are encouraged to learn a percussion instrument to play with the group.The colorguard section is open to any student.
The band will hold four practices on June 3, June 24, June 26 and July 8, and then march in the huge Firemen’s Parade on July 10. Brass, woodwind and percussion musicians are invited to sign up, as well as students interested in performing with the Kidets colorguard.
Registration is $30 per student, which includes a parade uniform (t-shirt) which the student can keep. The program can provide drums, mellophones, euphoniums and colorguard flags. Flutes, clarinets, saxophones, trumpets and trombones must be provided by the students.
What a wonderful opportunity this is for young musicians to get a taste of the excitement and pride that comes with being part of a marching band.
For more details, including rehearsal times, log onto the Webster Kidets webpage.
On Saturday morning, I took advantage of the electronics recycling event held at Webster Schroeder High School. It was hosted by the Webster Health and Education Network as a fund-raiser. They were asking for $5 from everybody who came by, and you didn’t have to donate, but I was more than happy to do so. Not only is WHEN very deserving of our support, but I consider $5 a paltry sum to pay to get rid of a car-load of old laptops, televisions, phones, charger cords, alarm clocks, and other electronic whatnots that have been cluttering up my house for too long. And I also like the idea that they’ll all be disposed of properly and not wind up in landfills.
As I drove through the collection area, I was happy to see that the tractor trailer belonging to Maven Technologies (the business who will be disposing of the electronics) was already piled high with donations — mostly huge computer monitors. That was great news for both WHEN and our environment.
It reminded me of Supervisor Nesbitt’s recent column, which noted that the town’s recent pharmaceutical collection event, held on April 27, was also a huge success.
Supervisor Nesbitt wrote that the event drew more than 380 participants, who contributed more than 613 pounds of outdated drugs to be destroyed. Too often these expired prescription drugs are flushed down the drain, and when they reach Lake Ontario, they can affect not only the immediate lake environment, but also our own health.
The town has already planned another pharmaceutical collection for sometime in October, so if you missed this one, start saving up your old drugs for the fall.
In the same vein, the Town Hall has received a lot of phone calls about when the town’s next shredding event might be. The Town Clerk’s office is working on a date to have an event sometime in late summer or early fall. Check the Town of Webster website for details and dates.
I think it’s great that we in Webster have all of these opportunities — plus the regular hazardous materials disposal events — to do the right thing for our environment. Kudos to the Town for recognizing the importance of such things.
Hey Webster, you’ve got a busy couple of weeks ahead.
Tomorrow — Saturday May 4 — the Webster Nursery School is hosting a garage sale fundraiser from 9 am to 3 pm. This is a multi-family sale with “many great items all families can use,” including toys, books, games, children’s clothing and household items. From 2-3 pm you’ll find reduced prices on everything. Baked goods will also be available for purchase.
The sale will take place in the parking lot behind the Webster Baptist Church, 59 South Ave.
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The Friends of the Webster Public Library will hold their annual spring used book sale, next Tuesday through Saturday.
Members of the Friends are invited to a sneak peek on Tuesday from 5-8:30 pm, a perfect chance to get the best bargains right off the bat. (If you want in on that action, you’ll be able to purchase a membership that evening.)
The rest of the book-loving public can shop on Wednesday and Thursday May 8 and 9 from 10-8:30, Thursday and Friday from 10-5, and Saturday May 11 from 10-1.
And before we leave the library, here’s a fun little invitation I saw on their newly revamped website (it’s next to the photo of a cat reading a book).
Which type of pet reads the most? Send us a picture of your pet reading a book. Whichever pet type has the most pictures reading will win and be the best reader! Send pictures to Jenny Paxson and we’ll post them on the Webster Library Facebook page and they will also go on display at the library.
Sounds like fun. But my cats only read romance novels, and that would just be embarrassing.
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Have a little history with your tea on Wednesday May 8, with the Webster Museum’s History and a Cup program. Bring a sandwich — the museum will provide the coffee or tea — and hear some stories about growing up in Webster.
History and a Cup begins at noon on Wednesday, at the Webster Museum, 18 Lapham Park in the village.
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The Schroeder Varsity Girls Lacrosse team needs shoes!
No, not for themselves. They’re collecting black shoes (sizes 12 to 7-8) for students at Brown’s Hall Primary School (K-6) in Jamaica. Students are in need of black gently work or new shoes to wear to school (preferably closed-toed).
Donations are being accepted through May 10, and can be dropped off in the box near the front desk just inside Schroeder’s front door.
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Dahlia season is upon us. Early spring is the best time to plant the tubers so they’ll bloom in late summer and early fall, when most of 
the other flowering plants are fading.
The members of the Rochester Dahlia Society and other gardening groups will be selling dahlia tubers and more mature plants at the Webster Arboretum, 1700 Schlegel Road, on Saturday, May 11 from 8-12. Other sales will be held May 12 and 26 at the Rochester Public Market and May 25 at the Rochester Civic Garden Center.
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My friends at Yesterday’s Muse book store recently sent this announcement about a local author:
Now available, the recently published memoir of a Rochester soldier who fought in World War II: A Long Way from Home: The Memoir of John Cipolla, 101st Airborne Division, 1942-1945, by Matt Fox.
The recent release of The Battle in Common, another locally-focused account of World War II, enjoyed a huge response. Fox’s work chronicles some of the same events, but from the perspective of one soldier. From the back cover:
“In 1942, shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, John Cipolla saw a recruiting poster for the airborne infantry outside of the recruiting office in his Rochester, NY neighborhood and signed up. After months of grueling training, he shipped out for Europe with the newly-formed 101st Airborne Division. The year he spent in Europe would be the most momentous year of his life. He took part in Operation Overlord, parachuting into Normandy the night before troops hit the beaches, and parachuted into Holland for Operation Market Garden. He was with the 101st at Bastogne, when they shivered in the snow and fought desperately to keep the Germans who surrounded them at bay. This book is John’s story, told from his perspective as a private in C Company of the 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment.”
The book was written over a period of nearly seven years, during which time Fox interviewed Mr. Cipolla extensively, and performed exhaustive research to fill in gaps of chronology and verify facts. It was published last year by Mr. Fox through Amazon’s CreateSpace publishing service.
The book costs $10, and is available for purchase at Yesterday’s Muse Books, 32 W Main St in Webster, NY. Inquiries by phone or e-mail are welcome: 585-265-9295; yesterdays.muse@gmail.com.
Webster’s new community website, WeAreWebster.com, has just come up with a great idea. 
It’s called “Invite Your Neighbor to Dinner,” and it’s just what it says. The idea is to ask a neighbor over for dinner sometime during the month of May, enjoy a fine evening with friends, then take a picture of the occasion and post it to WeAreWebster.com.
It’s a simple concept, and on the face of it a no-brainer. But unless you regularly join your neighbors for dinner parties, how often do we really do this?
Joe Harmon, the website’s creator, tells me he’d like to sponsor a new community event like this every month. He’s already got some ideas in the works, but will be asking the Webster community for ideas as well.
Check out this new program and the other great information by visiting WeAreWebster.com .
To find out more about this new community website, click here to read my earlier blog.
There was a very nice article on the front page of the local section of yesterday’s D&C about one of Webster’s finest community service organizations, the Webster Comfort Care Home. (See the article online by clicking here.)
The home, located at the corner of Holt and Klem roads, provides free hospice care to the terminally ill of our Webster community. This year they’re celebrating their tenth anniversary with a series of events beginning with a fund-raising concert this Saturday night, which was prominently featured in yesterday’s article.
The concert is called “An Evening With The International Guitar Duo and Petar Kodzas” and will feature a candlelit cabaret atmosphere and “world-class” musical artists playing classical, pop, jazz and country music. Bakery items and beverages will be available for purchase, including wine and beer. There’s no admission charge, but a a minimum $10 per person donation is suggested. Tables for 8 can be reserved for $80 by calling Craig Pratt at 585-347-4202.
It takes place Saturday night April 27, beginning at 7 pm, at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Drive. For more information go to www.webstercomfortcare.org. Or click here to see video clips of International Guitar Duo: http://vimeo.com/51718023 and classical guitarist Petar Kodzaz: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGg3WSjAefA.
WCCH Fashion Show
Finally, don’t forget about the The Webster Comfort Care Home’s annual Spring Fling Fashion Show fundraiser on Saturday, May 18 at 11:30 am at the Penfield Country Club. Fashions are being provided by Stein Mart and the event includes a delicious luncheon and silent auction. Cost is $27 per person. Reservations are required and can be made by calling Mary Ann at 872-6568.
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In the past ten years, the Webster Comfort Care Home has hosted more than 290 of our friends and neighbors, providing them with compassion and comfort as they ended their life journey. There is no charge to residents or their families for these hospice-like services, and they receive no government assistance to help defray their operating expenses, nearly $190 thousand annually. Instead, all of the agency’s funding comes by way of corporate, business and individual contributions, and fundraisers such as these.
The Webster Thomas Odyssey of the Mind Team poses with principal Glenn Widor.
Get a great dinner Friday night and benefit a good cause.
A Webster Thomas High School Odyssey of the Mind team won the state championship in their problem and division, “It’s How You Look at It”, and will advance to the World Finals to be held May 22-23 in Lansing, Michigan.
To defray the cost of getting to Michigan, team members Brystol Cook, Sarah Kennedy, Abby Wezelis, Andrea Saitta, Rachel Crumley, Allesandra Suchodolski, and Lizzie Hart are hosting a series of fundraisers, so come grab a bite to eat and support the team.
The first is a chicken barbecue on Friday April 19 beginning at 4 pm. The barbecue is provided by Tastebuds Catering, and will take place at Webster Thomas High School, 800 Five Mile Line Road. The release I received said that pre-orders would be taken until two days before the event. That was yesterday. If you’re still interested, you can email thomasOOTM19@ gmail.com or ThomasOOTM26@ gmail.com to see if they’re sold out yet. Cost is $10 for a marinated half-chicken, mac salad, coleslaw, bread and butter.
If it’s too late to sign up for this weekend, they’re having another one next Friday April 26. You can definitely get in on that one.
Community Arts Day is back
One of my favorite events of the school year takes place this weekend, when Community Arts Day returns to Webster Schroeder High School this Saturday April 20 from 10-4.
This is great family-friendly event which celebrates the many artistic and musically talented students in our schools. Samples of artwork from every school in the district will be on display, and entertainment by dance troupes, martial arts schools, music groups and more are scheduled throughout the day. The entire first floor of the school is packed with performers, artwork, and community displays. There’s a children’s area with crafts, baked goods and refreshments, and the YMCA Carnival set up in the gymnasium with games, prizes, a bouncy house and inflatable obstacle course.
I tell you folks, this is a great inexpensive way to entertain the kids all day.
Admission to Community Arts Day is free. Proceeds from food, craft, and carnival booth sales will benefit cultural arts programs within the Webster Central School District. For more information, visit the Community Arts Day website. You can also click here to see the full performance schedule.
Webster Theater Guild Proudly Presents…
After a fun day at Community Arts Day, consider taking in a family-friendly evening of music, dance and drama presented by the Webster Theatre Guild.
Community groups scheduled to perform include the Neighborhood Acting Company, the Bowties, Rochester Gay Men’s Chorus, Greater Rochester Repertory Companies, The Women of Note, St. Paul’s Church Choir, JCC Center Stage, the Webster Thomas/Schroeder Show Choir, and of course the Webster Theatre Guild.
The event will take place in the cafetorium of Willink Middle School, 900 Publisher’s Parkway, beginning at 8 pm. There’s no charge, but donations will be accepted, all benefiting the West Webster Fire Department and the Webster Community Chest.
Dig into Your History
The Webster Museum will host a genealogy talk on Sunday April 21, called “Searching For Your Family History.”
Gabriel Pellegrino, a long-time Webster resident and director of music at Holy Spirit Church, will present a talk on how to use the public library, the Internet, church records and newspapers to find your family history. Bring your questions and he may be able to point you in the right direction.
While you’re there, be sure to check out the museum’s new exhibits on “Life in the 1920s and 1930s.” You won’t believe how different — and colorful — the kitchens were back then.
The talk will run from 2-4 pm. The Webster Museum is located at 18 Lapham Park in the village. Check their website for more information.
Earth Day is still a week away, but Webster Cub Scout Pack 108 got a head start yesterday, when they cleaned up Veterans Memorial Park in the Village of Webster.
Cubmaster Amy Schell wrote that this is the third year the Pack 108 cleaned the park. “We had nine Cubs, first graders through fourth graders from State Road School help,” she said. “Also helping were two siblings and nine parents. This is one of our favorite service projects. We collected 10 bags of garbage, had fun and got some fresh air.”
The effort was sponsored by Delta Laboratories and Friendly’s restaurant.
Amy also snapped the photos you see here.
Super job, kids! You’re a great example of why Webster is such a wonderful place to live.
I feature the people and places and events that make Webster the wonderful community it is — and throw in some totally-not-Webster-related personal ramblings every once in a while as well.
I love it when readers send me news about the great things happening in their schools or the community, so please email me anytime at missyblog@gmail.com
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