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Webster Library to host Volunteer Fair

2 May

The Webster Public Library will host their annual Volunteer Fair next Saturday, May 10 from 10 a.m. to noon.

I know for a fact that our community is a very giving one, and both teens and adults are always on the lookout for volunteer opportunities. The Volunteer Fair is a great way to check out some of these opportunities at almost two dozen local agencies, all in one place and one time, and meet with the directors of these local agencies one-on-one to ask all your questions.

Here are the organizations that have signed up to be there:

  • Baywinde Senior Living Community
  • Color Webster Green
  • CP Rochester
  • Friends of the Webster Public Library
  • Friends of the Webster Trails
  • Girl Scouts of Western New York
  • Greater Rochester Habitat for Humanity
  • Lasagna Love
  • Lifespan
  • Literacy Rochester
  • Maplewood Nursing Home
  • Never Say Never Foundation
  • North East Joint Fire District – Webster Fire Department 
  • St. Ann’s Community
  • Trillium Health
  • URMC/Meals on Wheels
  • VFW Webster Post 943 & American Legion Webster Post 942
  • Webster Arboretum Association
  • Webster Comfort Care Home
  • Webster Community Chest
  • Webster Hope
  • Webster Museum

Registration is recommended if you would like to be reminded about the fair but not required. Attendees can come any time during the fair and ask questions and get information. If you are unable to attend, information about the attending organizations will be available at request.   

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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 5/2/2025)

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Webster Museum announces History and a Cup series

1 May

Judging by how well my local history blogs are received, and the traffic I get to my Webster History Bits link, a LOT of you out there like to learn about Webster history. To you, I say, put this month’s History and a Cup series at the Webster Museum on your calendar.

Three programs have been scheduled, each one on a Wednesday, from noon to 1 p.m. The focus of these programs is on oral history; long-time Webster residents tell their stories in a comfortable, give-and-take atmosphere. Attendees are encouraged to bring a sandwich and enjoy some soft drinks and cookies as they sit back and listen to the stories. There’s no charge for these events and registration is not needed.

Here’s the schedule:

Wednesday May 7: Jon Anderson and Bill Ruoff.

Jon and Bill are both graduates of Irondequoit High School who have lived in the Village of Webster for over 50 years. Both have been Village trustees, with Bill serving as Village Mayor. Jon is currently the Immanuel Lutheran Church Historian.

Wednesday May 14: John Gonzalez

John Gonzalez is married to Shari, daughter of Bruce and Mary Hegedorn, and has been actively involved in the Hegedorn family businesses for many years. John will share his experiences and what it was like working with Bruce Hegedorn and Bill Gray, who eventually became partners.

Wednesday May 21: Surprise guest! Stay tuned here and stay in touch with the Webster Museum website for more details.

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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 5/1/2025)

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Grab a great spaghetti dinner, help out Bella’s Bumbas

30 Apr

A quick update today about Bella’s Bumbas‘ efforts to expand their operation and how you can help.

As I first wrote about the project in this blog a month ago. Rebecca Orr and Marty Parzynski, — the irrepressible force behind this amazing organization — are running out of room in their small workshop space. They’d like to demolish the old garage behind the house and build a brand new, spacious barn.

They estimate the cost for the big project will be about $60,000. Thanks to incredible support from the Webster community, they’re about halfway to their goal, but they have a long way to go. So they’ve worked up a few fundraisers to help them achieve their goal.

The first is this weekend, a Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser, Friday May 2 at the Webster Masonic Lodge, 30 Orchard St., from 5 to 7 p.m. Cost is $12 for adults, $6 for children and you can eat in or take out (cash only, please).

But there will be much more than just pasta on Friday! Rebecca tells me that more than 30 items and baskets will be raffles off, including squish marshmallows and Trace Bourbon, gift certificates and pet lovers’ baskets, baby essentials and movie night baskets, and much more. Plus there’ll be Bella’s Bumbas merchandise for sale and a few Bumba wheelchairs for the kids to try out.

If you can’t make it to the dinner but would like to help out, here are a few other ways you can do that:

  • Send a donation check directly to Bella’s Bumbas LTD, 1170 Ridge Rd. #208, Webster, NY 14580. Please mark “WEP” on the check note to indicate it’s for the Workplace Expansion Project. (Donation receipts provided on request.)
  • When the time comes, volunteer to help with some manual tasks during the construction, like cleaning out the old garage. Keep an eye on the Bella’s Bumbas Facebook page for updates.
  • Are you a business owner? Gary Inzana from Top Tier Recruiting and Consulting has donated $1,000 and is challenging other businesses to match or exceed his donation and set their own challenge.

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

By the way, they’re now accepting bids for building the 30′ x 22′ pole barn/garage, driveway removal and replacement, a roll-off Dumpster for debris removal, industrial style shelving, and other parts of the project. For more information and to offer an estimate, email bellasbumbas@gmail.com.

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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 4/30/2025)

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Keep those cards and letters coming!

28 Apr

Time is running out to achieve the ambitious Mail Call: Letters From Home goal set at the beginning of this month to collect 1,000 letters and notes for our deployed service members.

During this month-long challenge, community members have been encouraged to stop by one of a dozen businesses throughout Webster which are hosting mailboxes (like the one above) and fill out a card with a simple message of thanks, or we’re thinking of you, or we’re proud of you. The messages will then be sent overseas this June inside care packages prepared by the Blue Star Mothers of Rochester.

The month is almost over and Cherie Wood, the project’s organizer, reports she’s counted 800 cards and letters so far. So we really need to step up these next few days, Webster, and put this great initiative over the top!

We still have a few days to make that happen, so when you’re out and about today or tomorrow, consider stopping by one of these businesses to fill out a message and put it in the mailbox:

  • 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.

Can’t make it this week? The mailbox at Town Hall will be up until May 16, and the folks at Lowe’s will be hosting their mailbox all year, so loom for it when you stop in for your gardening supplies.

Cherie has high hopes that once she’s had time to collect the mail from all of the mailboxes, the messages will number well over 1,000. So, given the incredible response she’s seen from our community, she’s already planning to run the Mail Call project again next year.

So start saving your blank cards (without them “we would have been sunk,” Cherie said) and talk to your clubs and groups about having card-making parties. Teachers, this would be a great class project! The more, the better, because every single one of these positive messages from home will brighten the day for a deployed service member.

Town Hall
Lowe’s

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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 4/28/2025)

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Fashion and fun, courtesy the Women’s Club of Webster

27 Apr

Fabulous food, fashions, fun, friendship and raffles are on the menu for the 2025 Spring Luncheon and Fashion Show, Sunday June 1, sponsored by the Women’s Club of Webster.

In addition to the beautiful fashions on display, courtesy Chico’s at Pittsford Plaza, participants will enjoy a delicious luncheon, with choices of a crisp apple salad with chicken, chicken French with lemon sauce, or Reuben sandwich. All choices include a beverage, rolls and butter. There will also be basket raffles and a 50/50 raffle, all to benefit local charities.

The donation is $37.00 per person. Please mail your choice of entree, names of people you wish to sit with, and check payable to the Women’s Club of Webster to Bonnie Travis, 1065 High Vista Trail, Webster, NY 14580. Reservations are due by May 21.

The luncheon and fashion show will be held on Sunday, June 1 at the Penfield Country Club, 1784 Jackson Rd., beginning at 11:30 a.m. Questions can be directed to Laura at Bonnie at (585) 671- 2345. All proceeds will be donated to the many local charities supported by the Women’s Club of Webster.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 4/27/2025)

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Mark your calendar for this summer’s Village of Webster events

23 Apr

The first Village of Webster Wine and Food Walk for 2025 is coming up fast. It’s scheduled for Saturday May 10 from 4 to 7:00 p.m.

This is always a great time to get together with friends and stroll the streets of the Village of Webster, popping into businesses and sampling a variety of wines and delicious bites from local restaurants. You’ll discover new flavors and meet many of our local merchants.

Tickets are on sale now. They’re $24.25, and are available online only. You’ll need to register ahead of time (click here), then bring your digital ticket (or paper copy) to the Chicken Coop at 158 West Main Street to check in. You’ll get a souvenir wine glass and a map to guide you on your tour. DO NOT FORGET YOUR ID. It is REQUIRED.

This spring’s event stops include The Coach, Annette’s Restaurant, JoJo Bistro & Wine Bar, and OHHH, LORDEE! Everything Sauces, with more to be announced soon! 

The Wine Walks are brought to you by the Webster Business Improvement District (BID). 

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The Wine Walk is just the first in a whole list of great summer events the BID will be hosting. Here’s what’s in the works:

The Friday Night Gazebo Concerts begin July 18 with a performance by the Earthtones featuring 70’s/80’s music including favorites from Fleetwood Mac, Billy Joel, Hall & Oates, ABBA and more. The rest of the summer schedule looks like this:

The Gazebo Concerts are held from 7 to 9 p.m. and are free.

The Webster Jazz Fest is scheduled for Aug. 15 and 16, with “Jazz in the Pubs” on Friday and “Jazz in the Street” on Saturday. This year’s Craft Beer Walk is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 6. And of course, watch for blogs about the Trick or Treat Trail in October and Webster’s Winter Wonderland in December.

More information about all these events, when it becomes available, can be found at websterbid.com.

And stay tuned for more information about this summer’s big concert to benefit The Coach’s employees after the restaurant’s devastating fire in March.

It’s scheduled for Sunday June 1 from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Harmony House, and will feature two bands, Leecy, Greg & Friends, and Prime Time Brass. Coach bartenders will be there to pour your drinks, there’ll be raffles and Coach-themed merchandise for sale.

Tickets go on sale May 1. More details to come in a future blog.

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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 4/23/2025)

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Get your free trees, courtesy the Sierra Club

22 Apr

Now here’s a great way to beautify your property and help the environment at the same time, and it won’t cost you a thing.

On Saturday April 26, members and volunteers for the local chapter of the Sierra Club will be stationed at Webster Park to hand out free trees to the public. They’ll be stationed at the parking lot at SW corner of Lake & Holt Rds.

Your species options will include:

  • White Pine
  • Black Cherry
  • Serviceberry (aka Juneberry)
  • Bur Oak 

Planting instructions will be included. All trees are bare-root, so please bring a bag or container of water to keep the roots wet until the tree can be planted. 

The event will be held rain or shine on Saturday April 26 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Webster Park (corner of Lake and Holt roads).

Sierra Club members will also be at Seneca Park, Northampton Park and Genesee Valley Park (near the pool) on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. if you find yourself closer to one of those parks that day.

This is the fifth year that the Sierra Club has held this event. Last year’s event was very successful; 600 saplings were given new homes.

The trees are free, but members will also be grateful for any small donations. For more information, email John Kastner at: johnkastner49@gmail.com

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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 4/22/2025)

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Webster community mailbag

21 Apr

The Town of Webster invites community members to participate in a public workshop at 6 p.m. on Tuesday April 22, which will discuss the Town’s Comprehensive Plan Update. Learn about the purpose and benefits of comprehensive planning, get an overview of the update process and take part in a hands-on visioning session.

The workshop will be held at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr., beginning at 6 p.m. Visit Click here to visit the project website and learn more about it.

Get rid of those expired drugs

Webster Health & Education Network (WHEN), in partnership with The Town of Webster and the Webster Police Department, will hold a Spring Drug Take Back Event on Saturday April 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Webster Justice Court Building, 1002 Ridge Rd. (Look for the blue roof behind Town Hall.)

This event helps residents prevent the misuse of potentially dangerous unused, unwanted, or expired prescription and over-the-counter medications by safely disposing of them.

Drug Take Back initiatives address a vital public safety and health issue. According to the DEA, rates of prescription drug misuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. The DEA also reports that Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines — flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash — both pose potential safety and health hazards.

Residents can visit: WHENdfcc.org/events for details or to register to receive a reminder email prior to the event. No appointment or registration is necessary to participate.

Visionaries to host seminar

The Visionaries, a support group for adults with low-to-no vision, will partner with University of Rochester’s Flaum Eye Institute to present a seminar on Ageing Eye Diseases on Wednesday May 7 at the Webster Public Library.

Many of us probably know someone who’s suffering from an eye disease. Age is a contributing factor leading to glaucoma, cataracts and age-related macular degeneration that impacts one’s quality of life, leading to surrendering driver’s licenses and resulting isolation. Anyone interested in more information is invited to attend the presentation.

The seminar will begin at 1 p.m.

The Webster Arboretum Association, together with local growers and local garden clubs, will host the 2025 Webster Arboretum Plant Sale on Saturday May 10 from 8 a.m. to noon.

A tremendous variety of beautiful, healthy plants from standard to uncommon will be available including annuals, dwarf conifers, geraniums, dahlias, tomatoes, trees, shrubs and more. It’s a great way to celebrate spring and get some live plants perfectly suited for your garden. And don’t forget Mother’s Day!

This year’s vendors include:

  • Annee’s Greenhouse
  • Branches and Blooms Nursery
  • Coldwater Pond Nursery
  • Country Gardeners of Webster
  • Hazelmore Nursery
  • Iroquois Garden Club
  • Mill Creek Gardeners
  • Rochester Dahlia Society
  • Tomato Queen

The sale will be held at the Webster Arboretum, 1700 Schlegel Rd. Webster.

And here’s another reminder that 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.

Learn about our cobblestone buildings

Ever wonder about those beautiful cobblestone homes and businesses that dot our town? You can learn more about them when the Webster Museum welcomes Walworth Town Historian Gene Bavis on Sunday May 18 to talk about these remarkable structures, which are scattered throughout many towns and villages in Webster New York.

The talk begins at 2 p.m. at the Webster Museum, 18 Lapham Park in the Village of Webster. No registration is necessary and free refreshments will be provided.

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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 4/21/2025)

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Community Arts Day is bigger and better than ever

19 Apr

One of my favorite community events of the entire Webster year has been greatly improved for 2025.

Of course, it’s Community Arts Day (CAD), scheduled for Saturday May 10 at Webster Schroeder High School. CAD is the Webster Central PTSA’s annual celebration of the arts, a showcase of the musical and artistic talents of our K-12 students. It’s basically a great big show-off day, a family-friendly festival with displays of art, musical performances, dance, a talent show, demonstrations and more. PLUS there are carnival games, community group exhibits, a bake sale, craft booths and lots of food. Plus, the admission is FREE.

Pretty cool, huh? But believe it or not, this year’s Community Arts Day promises to be even better than before. Organizers have been working hard behind the scenes for months to make CAD bigger, with lots more new features for community members to enjoy.

For starters, the carnival will be returning this year, complete with inflatables for the kids to climb. There’ll be twice as many craft vendors and some new community organizations setting up throughout the Webster Schroeder hallways. The Pride of Webster Marching Band Color Guard will be putting on a show, and several make-and-take craft demonstrations, for both adults and kids, will be set up in the library. And of course the “Webster’s Got Talent” talent show returns (register here to perform, deadline is May 1).

The instrument donation table will be set up again, but in a more visible location this year. Community members are encouraged to donate your gently used band or orchestra instruments that are taking up space in your attic or closets, and they’ll be handed off to students in need who can’t afford to buy their own.

But this new wrinkle is probably my favorite: every one of our schools, including the elementary schools, has been invited to provide a sampling of the dramas and/or musicals they performed this year. So if you missed seeing Hadestown at Webster Schroeder or Once Upon a Mattress at Spry Middle School, or any of this year’s performances, you’ll see a little bit of each at Community Arts Day.

I’m sure I’m forgetting to include some of the new stuff that will be happening this year, so make sure to check the Community Arts Day website or Facebook page regularly for up-to-date information.

Community Arts Day 2025 will be held at Webster Schroeder High School on Saturday May 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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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 4/19/2025)

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Murder and Mayhem are brewing in Schroeder drama The Café Mocha Murders

18 Apr

The Schroeder Theater Company is brewing up a steaming dose of mystery and laughs with their upcoming production of The Café Mocha Murders, which takes the stage next weekend.

Forget your average employee meeting. At The Bean Shack, things are about to get frothy… and fatal! When a raging storm knocks out the lights, it’s not just the espresso machine that goes silent. Someone’s gone and kicked the coffee grounds, leaving a whole lot of questions and a sprinkle of suspicion.

This wildly witty whodunit by Deanna Strasse is a delicious blend of latte art, caffeine cravings, and the ever-so-slight chance of, well, death. Prepare for over-the-top characters, like Soma (Aspen Russell), Ian (Evan Burdick) and Ivy (Reese Holland) who take on plot twists that’ll make your head spin faster than a barista on a Saturday morning, and enough intrigue to keep you buzzing long after the curtain falls.

The Café Mocha Murders will be presented at Webster Schroeder High School, 875 Ridge Rd., Thursday through Saturday, May 1 to 3 at 7 p.m. each night, plus a matinee on Saturday, May 3 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10. They’re available online here and at the door.  

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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 4/18/2025)

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