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Two ways to help support the Webster Comfort Care Home

23 Apr

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.

* * *

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.

Thursday Webster mailbag

18 Apr

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.

Local Cub Scouts caring for the environment

14 Apr

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.

 

Notes form the Town

1 Apr

There’s all sorts of interesting notices coming from the Town Hall folks these days, and I would be remiss not to pass them along.

The first announcement is one that Webster gardeners anxiously await every spring: the leaf mulch pile has arrived!

It’s back at its usual location behind Webster Town Hall, and the 100% pure leaf mulch is free to Webster residents (no contractors or landscapers please). And no machinery or other equipment is allowed to load the mulch, so grab your shovels and your kids and get on down there while the supply lasts. Which is usually not very long.

Webster Has the Yellow Dot Program

Haven’t ever heard of the “Yellow Dot” program? Neither had I until about a month ago when Supervisor Nesbitt wrote about it in his weekly column. It seemed really interesting, so I tucked the information away…until now.

The program is sponsored by the New York State’s Sheriff’s Association, and it helps emergency responders provide prompt care in the event of a car accident.

The idea is to place a Yellow Dot on the rear driver’s side window, alerting emergency responders to look in the glove compartment, where you’ve placed important medical information. The Yellow Dot can also be used to alert those who respond to emergencies in your home. Simply place the decal on or beside your front door, and place a completed information card in the freezer part of your refrigerator.

If you’re interested in participating in the Yellow Dot program, stop by the Webster Town Hall at 1000 Ridge Road for more information.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection

The Monroe County Department of Environmental Services (DES) and the Town of Webster, Town of Penfield and the Village of Webster have joined forces to hold an appointment-only Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection on Saturday, April 20.  This collection will take place at the Webster Highway Garage, 1005 Picture Parkway from 7:45 am to noon.

To ensure safety and reduce waiting times, appointments are required at all HHW collections.  Appointments for this HHW collection will be accepted until April 19. To schedule an appointment, Webster residents should call 872-1443, Penfield residents can call 340-8710 (Monday thru Thursday, 7 am–4:30 pm), or go online to http://www.monroecounty.gov/hhw to schedule your appointment.

Oh, and by the way, in case we forgot to mention it, APPOINTMENTS ARE REQUIRED!

This Household Hazardous Waste collection is open to all Monroe County residents.

Pharmaceutical Collection

The Sewer Department will be having a Pharmaceutical Collection on Saturday, April 27 from 10 am to 2 pm at 226 Phillips Road. They will only accept unused, unwanted, or expired medication.  No mercury or hazardous material will be accepted.

I did this last year, just drove up and dropped off a bag filled with medications we no longer needed. It was quick and easy and painless, and I would recommend it to everyone. Please don’t flush old meds down the toilet. And don’t use them if they’re expired, and especially don’t if they were prescribed for someone else. That’s just dangerous.

For more information call 265-0505.

 

Mini mailbag

25 Mar

Before this pre-holiday week overtakes us completely, I wanted to make note of a few notices that have come through my email box.

The first is from the folks at the Town of Webster, who’d like everyone to know that Town Hall will be closed this Friday March 29 in observance of Good Friday. They’ll reopen Monday April 1st (April Fool’s Day — no comments, please) at 8:30 am for regular business.

On Saturday March 30, the community is invited to attend an Easter Bunny Pancake Breakfast at the Webster Columbus Center, 70 Barrett Drive.  The event is being held as a fund-raiser to help Katy Corpus earn her trip as a Student Ambassador with People to People this summer.

In addition to breakfast, the event will feature

  • An Easter egg hunt for children 12 and younger (for children who attend the breakfast only)
  • An adapted egg hunt for children with special needs
  • Pictures with the Easter Bunny
  • Face painting
  • A raffle for an Easter basket filled with goodies

The breakfast will run from 8:30 – 11 am. Pre-sale tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for children, and are available at Computer Works Pro (1991 Empire Blvd., Webster) or online at www.kcorpus.com/katy. Tickets will also be available at the door for $10/$7.

Vegan and gluten-free options will also be available.

 

 

Thursday Webster Mailbag

20 Mar

It’s a sure sign of spring: special events are beginning to pop up all over the place.

For starters, Webster Thomas High School’s Production of The Wiz eases onto the stage for four shows beginning this evening at 7:30 pm.  The Wiz is a hip, 1975 adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s classic book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and the even more famous movie.

Yesterday several of the cast members treated Thomas staff and students to a teaser, featuring some of the songs from the show. So I can tell you that this is going to be a very entertaining, high-energy production. Anyone who lived through the ‘70s will enjoy the cultural references to that … far out … era. The kids will enjoy the vibrant costumes and upbeat melodies.  It’s about as different from the Wizard of Oz as it can be, while still sticking to the famous storyline. The Cowardly Lion, for example, looks and acts a lot like Elvis.

Tickets are $10 and are still available for all shows, but it might be too late to get them at Hegedorn’s, so pick them up when you get to the show.

The Wiz will be presented tonight, Friday and Saturday at 7:30, and Saturday at 2 pm, at Webster Thomas High School, 800 Five Mile Line Road, Webster.

THROUGH THE STUDENT LENS RECEPTION

Friday night, you’re invited to attend a reception for a multi-school photography show called Through the Student Lens 2013,at the Image City Photo Gallery.  This annual event showcases stunning photography by high school students from all around the county. The idea is to give students a chance to display their photographs professionally, in a gallery setting. This year’s collection includes 170 images by students from 17 area high schools, including Thomas and Schroeder.

Through the Student Lens opened on Wednesday and runs through April 14.  You can meet the artists at a reception Friday night March 22 from 5-8:30 pm.  The Image City Photo Gallery is located at 722 University Avenue, in Rochester.

25TH ANNUAL SCOUTING FOR FOOD

Believe or not, this weekend marks the 25th anniversary of Scouting for Food. I know this because I got one of those hangy-tag things on my doorknob earlier this week. If you did, too, and immediately tossed it into the recycle bin, go fish it out, because this is a very worthwhile effort.

Here’s the way it works: On Saturday morning, gather up some non-perishable foods, put them in a bag, and then plop the bag outside your front door by 9 am. That’s all there is to it.  The Scouts will be around to pick it up, sort it and deliver all the donations to local food pantries.

AND, these days Scouting for Food also includes a clothing drive. So get another bag, fill it with gently used clothes and shoes in it (no household items, please), and plop the bag outside your front door right next to the food bag. These items will be donated to Goodwill.

If the Scouts don’t make it by your house to pick up the donations, you can drop them off yourself at any Wendy’s Restaurant or any Goodwill store between March 23 and March 30.

SCHLEGEL ROAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BEAUTIFICATION FAIR

Schlegel Road’s Second Annual Beautification Fair is Saturday, March 23.  All sorts of crafters will be on hand to display a tremendous variety of gift items. Funds raised through the craft sale and raffles will go towards beautifying the school’s cafeteria. The second phase of the project began earlier this month, when Schlegel art teacher Colleen Palmer and all of her students started painting murals during their art classes. You’ll can check out their work this weekend while you’re at the fair.

The show takes place from 10 am to 4 pm at the school, 1548 Schlegel Road in Webster.

BLOOD DRIVE AT THE AQUATIC CENTER

Your next local opportunity to donate blood is Tuesday March 26 at the Webster Schroeder High school Aquatics Center, 875 Ridge Road. Donations will be taken from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm. It might be best to make an appointment for this one, since a lot of Schroeder students will probably be participating as well. Call 1-800-RED-CROSS.

WEBSTER CHRISTIAN SCIENCE AND HEALTH FAIR

Did you know that dogs’ nose prints are as unique as human fingerprints? That there’s such a thing as glow-in-the-dark soda? And what the heck is “morphing matter”?  Find out more about all of these questions and more at Webster Christian School’s Science and Health Fair, Tuesday evening, from 7-8:30 pm.

I went to this event last year and was amazed at some of the projects these young people were able to pull off. I may have to go again this year just to see what “dry ice bombs” are.

Webster Christian School is located at 675 Holt Road.

RENEW WEBSTER

A free Renew Webster Home Energy “Lunch and Learn” Workshop is scheduled Wednesday, March 27, 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM at the Webster Recreation Center to help residents learn about and understand programs available to help them reduce energy use and annual energy costs by an average of $700.

At the meeting, homeowners will be able to sign up for their free or reduced-cost energy assessment, as well as learn about other energy efficiency program opportunities available from Rochester Gas & Electric (RG&E).

The Town of Webster will provide each family (up to 100) with a 10-pack of compact fluorescent light bulbs, which can save $84 per year or more by replacing incandescent light bulbs.

The lunch and program are free of charge, but space is limited. Pre-registration is encouraged to reserve your light bulbs and lunch at http://www.RenewWebster.org or toll free at 1-866-495-2959.

The Wiz visited the elementary schools this week!

12 Mar

The cast members who performed: Top row (L-R) Andrea Saitta, Bree Bullock, Kylie Dennison, Zoe Waltman, Sam Cino (Scarecrow), Carson Klasner (Dorothy), Alex King (Tin Man), Alec Nevin (Lion), Luciarose Barone, Sarah Krolik, Nicole Meredith. Bottom row: Gabby Jerzak, Mia Klasner, Kay Edwards, Diana Lohrman, Niccole Pucci, and Selene Klasner.

Students and staff members from three Webster elementary schools got a sneak peek at Webster Thomas High School’s upcoming production of The Wiz! earlier this week.

Seventeen cast members from the production made the rounds on Monday and Tuesday to Dewitt Road, Klem North and Klem South elementary schools to perform several numbers from their spring musical The Wiz, which takes to the Webster Thomas stage Thursday March 21 through Saturday March 23.

At each stop, the entire student body came out to watch as the cast members performed six musical numbers, including the scene when Dorothy meets Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion. They were also introduced to some brand new characters: the Yellow Brick Road Dancers and Crow Dancers.

I didn’t get to attend the performance, but it was artfully captured in photos by Klem North parent Jen Swab-DeGrace, who kindly sent me the photos below for my blog.  I just love the expressions on the kids’ faces in the first one; they’re obviously enjoying the performance very much.

The whole family is going to enjoy this show (clearly, the kids already do). Even adults familiar with The Wizard of Oz movie will find  this production delightfully different.  It’s a funky musical adaptation, set to the beat of ’70s rock and Motown melodies. It’s one of Broadway’s most popular musicals and inspired a hit Hollywood movie in 1978 starring Michael Jackson and Diana Ross.

The show runs Thursday March 21 and Friday March 22 at 7:30 pm, and Saturday March 23 at 2 and 7:30 pm. Tickets are $10 and are available at Hegedorn’s Courtesy Desk, 964 Ridge Road, Webster, online at www.websterthomasplayers.com and through the Webster Thomas Players’ ticket line at 585-234-8248.

 

Was Mary Todd Lincoln insane?

5 Mar

A fascinating program scheduled for this weekend in Webster will explore the question of whether Mary Todd Lincoln was deranged — or just depressed.

Photo of Mary Todd Lincoln by Matthew Brady from Wikimedia Commons.

Apparently it is common knowledge that the wife of Abraham Lincoln was considered a “lunatic,” to use the accepted term of the day.  But there are some who believe that Mary Todd Lincoln was suffering not from lunacy, but from depression.

One of those people is Patricia Nugent, an East Irondequoit native who has written about the subject in the online edition of Ms. Magazine. In her article, she writes,

Many of us know that the former First Lady was convicted of lunacy, instigated by her eldest son, Robert Todd Lincoln. She spent almost four months in an insane asylum until she was able to enlist support for a retrial, at which she was declared sane once more.

What we don’t know much about is what led to the behavior that was considered lunacy in the court of public opinion and a court of law…my assessment is that Mary Todd Lincoln suffered innumerable losses in her life and had few socially acceptable means of expressing her sorrow. Such bottled-up sadness resulted in acting out behavior that was interpreted as insanity.

Those losses included the death of her mother when she was just six years old, rejection by her stepmother, the loss of three of her four sons, and, of course, the assassination of her beloved husband. Her eldest (and only surviving) son, was no support at all.  He was “cold, judgmental and unaffectionate,” Nugent wrote.

I’d say that’s an understatement. For crying out loud, he had his mother convicted of lunacy.

Nugent will discuss her article at a presentation from 2-4 pm this Sunday March 10, at the Harmony House, 58 East Main Street, Webster. The public is invited to join the discussion and learn more about this tragic woman whom Abraham Lincoln loved so dearly, but whom historians call “one of the most detested women in American history.”

The event is being sponsored by Yesterday’s Muse Books, and there is no charge. Refreshments will be provided by Webster Gourmet.  For more information, call (585) 265-9295.

The Webster Public library needs your input

23 Feb

Our Webster Public Library is really neat. The staff there is always finding ways to keep things fresh. Every time I stop in there’s something new going on.

Friday, for example, I was heading toward the back of the library for a meeting with Library Director Terri Bennett and stopped up short at their awesome Hometown Heroes display, honoring firefighters, army and police personnel. It’s a very nice tribute, but the best thing about it?  Kids are invited to try on all the equipment (adults too, of course, if they feel so inclined.)

 

Terri told me it’s been quite popular with the young ones. Not so much with one young man, though, who had this conversation with this Dad (and I quote very loosely):

Son: “I want to be a fireman when I grow up.”
Dad: “Well c’mon then, son, try on the helmet.”
Son: “No, Dad, I’m not a fireman TODAY.”

The youngsters below had no such qualms:

Library fans Jack Fitzsimmons and Alyssa Doody

The display will be up through the end of the month, so bring the kids on by.

Now back to the real reason you clicked into the blog. Why does the library need your input? Simply because they’re going to have to make some big decisions in the coming years about their collection, their services, even how they use their space. But before they do all that, it would help to know what the community really wants.

Let’s face it: libraries are facing the two-fold challenge of adapting to rapidly changing times, and steadily decreasing funding. Our own Webster Public Library has formed a long-range planning committee charged with addressing those challenges.  They started by asking the community for feedback to guide their discussions. But so far they’ve had limited success.

You might remember, for example, a survey which was distributed several months ago asking for public input. But then again, you probably don’t remember it, because only 29 people responded.  I’m pretty sure more than 29 people in this town have opinions about our library.

So consider this a personal invitation. Webster Public Library Director Terri Bennett would love to hear from you.  What do you like about the library? What don’t you like? What would you like to see more of? What do you think of the children’s area…the teen area…the periodicals?  Do you like the cafe? Are there enough computers? Do you use the Quiet Room? (Did you know there was a Quiet Room?) Is the carpeting too dull? No opinion is too frivolous.

And just think about it. If you’re the only one who responds, and you ask for a water slide for the children’s room, who knows?

Email Terri Bennett at tbennett@libraryweb.org with your thoughts and suggestions.  Or call her at (585) 872-7075. Or just stop by to see her. She’s really nice.

 

More local people helping others

12 Feb

I received some photos yesterday from a couple of other fundraisers last weekend which involved local people and local places.

Flaherty’s Three Flags Inn on Bay Road held an all-day fundraiser on Sunday, in which they donated a portion of everyone’s check to the West Webster Fire Department. Judging by the number of people who packed the place all afternoon and evening, they raised a ton of money. Organizers also had a 50-50 raffle going, there were dozens of raffle prizes, and entertainment by local musicians (who played for free). I had very nice late lunch with a dozen of my closest friends. It was just a terrific event all around.

Thanks to my friend Kristen North for these two photos, including the panoramic one of the bar, above.

Music by “My Dingo” inspired at least a few of the patrons to take to the dance floor.

You might also have heard about the 13th annual Polar Plunge on Sunday, when crazy people (many in costume) took a swim in frigid Lake Ontario to benefit the New York Special Olympics.  Among the brave souls to take the plunge were Webster Schroeder 11th grader Phillip LiPari, Spry Middle School seventh grader Sadie LiPari, and Klem Road South Elementary School teachers Doreen LiPari and Jennifer Forsey, all pictured below.  Between the four of them they raised more than $500 for the cause.

 

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