One of my favorite events of the entire year — and not just the holidays — is coming up very soon.
It’s the annual St. Martin Lutheran Church Evening with Santa, on Friday Dec. 6 from 6 to 8 p.m., and I love it for so many reasons: there’s free pizza and cookies, crafts and games for the kids, and it’s my chance every year to get a photo with Santa.
But what’s really neat about this event is that the church puts it on not just for their parishioners, but for all their fund-raiser event patrons, their neighbors and their families, and for pretty much everyone in the community who’d like a fun evening out with the kids. And they would truly love everyone to come to enjoy the evening’s festivities.
The highlight of the evening, of course, is Santa himself. And I mean, the REAL Santa, whom you might know from the Village of Webster’s Winter Wonderland festival and Parade of Lights. Every child will have an opportunity to talk with Santa and tell him their secret wishes (you can skip the mall lines). Bring your phone and take as many photos as you want, but St. Martin will also be taking photos for everyone, and they’re really good. It’s a great opportunity for a beautiful family photo.
Children (and adults) can decorate their own Christmas cookies, listen to Santa himself read The Night Before Christmas, enjoy some games, write a letter to Santa and sing along with Santa. And everyone gets free pizza.
When the lights dim, Pastor Kory will read the Christmas Story to children of all ages. It’s all absolutely free, but participants are asked to bring a few non-perishable food items for the St. Martin Little Free Pantry food cupboard.
It all happens Friday Dec. 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. at St. Martin Lutheran Church, 813 Bay Rd., Webster. Santa will arrive by fire truck just before the event, so make sure to be there early and bring your camera!
(The beautiful photo above, by the way, came from the 2022 event when Santa visited with 8-month old Emory.)
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email me at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)
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Kittelberger Florist‘s popular Bouquet a Month cards will be available through Dec. 7 at the Webster Museum, 18 Lapham Park in the Village of Webster.
For just $40, your card entitles you to one fresh bouquet every month for 12 consecutive months, which you will pick up at Kittelberger, 263 North Ave., Webster. They’re available at the museum during normal open hours, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 2 to 4:30 p.m., and proceeds will benefit the museum.
Holiday Shopping Friday Night Faire every Friday through Dec. 13. Holiday shop with new vendors every week, 11/29, 12/6 and 12/13 from 7 to 10 p.m.
Holiday Photos will be offered every Sunday in December. Click on the flyer for times.
Pancakes, Pups and Pictures on Sunday Dec. 8 from 9 a.m. to noon. Features a Pancake Breakfast with Santa and photos. $20/adult. $10/children. Proceeds will benefit Operation Freedom Ride. Operation Freedom Ride. On-leash dogs are welcome.
An Ugly Sweater Silent Disco on Dec. 20 from 7 to 10 p.m. Cost is $15 and proceeds benefit the Verona St. Animal Society. Click here for tickets.
It all happens at Woofs Canine Club and Indoor Dog Park, 187 W. Main Street, Webster.
Meet “Webster’s Santa” at the Women’s Club
The Women’s Club of Webster’s December meeting and luncheon will take place on Thursday Dec. 19 at the Penfield Country Club, 1784 Jackson Rd.
This month’s speaker is “Santa Jim” Lockwood, a professional Santa who many residents will recognize from the annual Parade of Lights and Christmas in July at the Joe Obbie Farmers’ Market.
Social hour begins at 11:15, followed by a brief meeting and lunch. Entree choices include chicken French, Reuben sandwich or Caesar salad. All lunches will come with fresh fruit, coffee, tea, or cold drink. Price is $24. Send your check with choice of entree made out to Women’s Club of Webster no later than December 12 to Carolyn Rittenhouse, 405 County Line Road, Ontario, NY 14519. If you think your check will be late, phone Carolyn at 585 -265-1303.
And remember, the The Women’s Club of Webster’s super-popular Holiday Cookie Sale returns to the Webster Public Library on Saturday, Dec. 14, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (or until sold out, which is pretty quickly). Proceeds from the sale benefit the club’s scholarship funds and many other programs and not-for-profit organizations in the Webster community.
Families of Young Children Asked to Take Census
Parents/guardians residing within the Webster Central School District (CSD), and who have children ages birth to 5 years residing in the household, are being asked to take a brief young child census survey that will be used to forecast student enrollment for the foreseeable future.
Completing the census is a young families’ first connection with the school district. It enables Webster CSD to keep in contact with families as their children approach school age. When families share their email address with Webster CSD through the census, it enables the district to notify those families when their children are eligible for prekindergarten and kindergarten registration.
The form can be found on the Webster CSD website beginning Dec.1 and will be available through January 6, 2025. Families who do not have access to a computer can participate by calling Student Registration at (585) 216-0029.
A look ahead at two great library events
These two events at the Webster Public Library won’t be happening until January, but I think you’ll want to get them on your calendar early.
The library will host a Preschool Open Houseon Monday, January 6 at 6:30 p.m. Representatives from preschools and nursery schools in the Webster area will be available to chat with parents and provide information about their programs. Registration is not required.
This next event sounds really cool, and will most certainly will fill up quickly.
It’s called the Library Fan Fest, on Sunday Jan. 19 from 4:30 to 8 p.m., an afternoon and evening of immersive literary fun for all ages. Participants can visit five different literary realms: The Dragon’s Den (fantasy), The Queen’s Ball (Regency era), The Fairytale Forest (princesses & fairytales), Mythology Camp, and the Comics Cafe (comics & superheroes). Each realm will offer themed crafts, activities, treats, and more. Visit with live animals, have a tarot card reading, learn a Regency-inspired dance, get your face painted, visit the Candy Shoppe, meet characters from your favorite fairy tales and comics, and more. Costumes are highly encouraged.
This event is for literary lovers of all ages. There’s no charge, but you must register. Registration for this event will open Sunday, Dec. 1. Click here to register.
Also from the library, remember that the Friends of the Webster Public Library will be hosting their Holiday Book Sale from Nov. 27 through Dec. 23 during normal library hours. A nice selection of gently-used books with winter themes will be available at great prices.
Two more reminders
The Country Gardeners of Webster will hold their annual Garden Club Holiday Sale on Saturday December 7 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Drive.
This huge sale features fresh wreaths, arrangements, poinsettias, centerpieces and gifts that are created by hand by the club members. This is always a very popular event, so you want to get there early.
The Webster Arboretum will also be there with an information table, holiday plants and a holiday raffle.
The sale is the Country Gardeners’ annual fundraiser, so think about decorating your own home, and purchasing gifts for family, friends and holiday hostesses. Admission is free.
The Webster Lions Club’s Annual Pancake Breakfastwith Santa has been scheduled for Sunday Dec. 8 (note the new date; it’s been scheduled for the first Sunday in December for years).
It will be held at Webster Schroeder High School from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Santa and his elf will be there for the children, as well as the Lion Club’s Lion. Plus, there’ll be lots of great raffle items and free vision screening for kids ages 6 months to 12 years. And of course, breakfast: pancakes, sausage, scrambled eggs, juice and coffee. Admission is free but donations will be gratefully accepted.
The Pancake Breakfast with Santa Fundraiser is one of the ways the Lion’s Club earns money to help those in need. This year, donations will be made to the Webster Community Chest, Webster Hope and other charities.
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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).
We’re only three weeks away from Wreaths Across America Day on Saturday Dec. 14, when the Webster community will come together to place wreaths on 2,100 veterans’ graves.
Wreaths Across America is a nonprofit organization which began 30 years ago, its mission to place a wreath on the grave of every veteran in the country. Last December, more than two million volunteers placed more than three million wreaths at 4200 cemeteries across the U.S. and abroad.
Webster was a big part of that effort. Last December, an estimated 1,000 adults and children, including first responders, veterans and active service members, gathered at Webster Union Cemetery to lay 1,350 wreaths.
It was an impressive turnout which put Webster on the Wreaths Across America map. Out of 235 participating towns in New York State, our little town ranked 9th for the number of veterans honored that day. And out of 6,706 locations nationwide, we ranked 248th. That’s in the top 4%in the country. What’s particularly noteworthy is that we achieved these rankings with only three participating cemeteries.
Local organizers hope the community will show that commitment again next month as Webster joins Wreaths Across America for the third straight year. This year, even more support is needed, because Webster’s Wreaths Across America effort will be expanding to FOUR cemeteries.
On Saturday Dec. 14, volunteers will be placing about 2,100 veteran wreaths — 1,000 at Webster Union, 55 at Union Hill, 736 at Webster Rural and 309 at Holy Trinity cemeteries.
The plan is to meet at noon at Webster Union Cemetery (corner of Rt. 250 and Woodhull) for a military Wreath Day ceremony at noon, after which volunteers will fan out to the other cemeteries and within Webster Union to place the wreaths.
Adults and children of all ages are encouraged to take part in this very moving event. It could be a new holiday tradition for your family and a great way to teach your children about how important it is to remember and recognize our nation’s veterans.
This would be an especially meaningful day if one of your family members is a veteran resting at one of the ceremonies. You can personally a sponsor a wreath for him or her and place it on the grave yourself. If you’d like to do that, email WebsterWreaths@icloud.com with the name of your loved one and your sponsored wreaths will be set aside for you.
Right now, you can help by sponsoring a wreath (or several). Click here to do so. Individual wreath sponsorships are just $17, and $5 from each will go to one of three charities of your choice: the Blue Star Mothers, who will use the funds to prepare and ship care packages to deployed servicemen and women; Gold Star Mothers Rochester who provide meals and support for veterans in need; and the Coats for Kids program sponsored by the Knights of Columbus.
So mark your calendar now for National Wreaths Across America Day, Saturday Dec. 14, and stay tuned for more details. You can also follow the Wreaths Across America Facebook page to keep up on all the latest news.
And check out this great feature which ran recently on Channel 8, featuring Webster’s local Wreaths Across America coordinator Cherie Wood.
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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).
The Willink Student-Parent Band will be presenting their fall concert this Saturday.
This is a very talented local music group whose musicians range from middle schoolers to grandparents, doing what they love to do — play music — all together in one place.
The band, now in its 31st season, is comprised of Webster School District students, parents, grandparents and community members. It’s led by conductors Tiffany DiPiazza and Matt Osika, who promise a musical lineup with pieces from Jurassic Park, the Muppets, disco tunes and more. Plus, in celebration of the band’s 30th anniversary last year, there will also be a special world premiere of “Dramatic Fanfare” written for the band by former Willink music teacher, composer, and Student-Parent Band founder Larry Neeck.
The Willink Middle School Student-Parent Band will perform Saturday, Nov. 23 at 2 p.m. in the Willink Cafetorium, 900 Publishers Parkway. A $4 donation is suggested for admission. Tickets can be purchased from band members or 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).
The Friends of the Webster Public Library will be hosting their Holiday Book Sale from Nov. 27 through Dec. 23 during normal library hours. A nice selection of gently-used books with winter themes will be available at great prices.
And don’t forget about the The Friends of the Webster Public Library’s annual hat sale is going on now through Saturday Nov. 23. Adult hats start at $8, children’s hats at $4. Buy one for yourself, buy some for gifts and support the library!
Cookies cookies, cookies!
The Women’s Club of Webster’s super-popular Holiday Cookie Sale returns to the Webster Public Library on Saturday, Dec. 14, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (or until sold out, which is pretty quickly).
Proceeds from the sale benefit the club’s scholarship funds and many other programs and not-for-profit organizations in the Webster community.
Country Gardeners‘ holiday salecoming soon
The Country Gardeners of Webster will hold their annual Garden Club Holiday Sale on Saturday December 7 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Drive.
This huge sale features fresh wreaths, arrangements, poinsettias, centerpieces and gifts that are created by hand by the club members. This is always a very popular event, so you want to get there early.
The Webster Arboretum will also be there with an information table, holiday plants and a holiday raffle.
The sale is the Country Gardeners’ annual fundraiser, so think about decorating your own home, and purchasing gifts for family, friends and holiday hostesses. Admission is free.
Will it actually snow this year?
I’ll be writing a more in-depth blog about this soon, but here’s your reminder that Webster’s Winter Wonderland returns to the streets of the Village of Webster on Saturday Dec. 7 from 3 to 6 p.m.
This very popular family-friendly event features carriage rides, crafts for the kids, cookie decorating, live music, story time, and a visit with Santa at the Village Hall. Then, at 6:30 p.m., make sure to get your spot for the Parade of Lights along Main Street.
Details are still being finalized, so watch for a more complete blog soon. Let’s hope we actually get some snow this year and it really LOOKS like winter.
Mark your calendar for Breakfast with Santa
The Webster Lions Club’s Annual Pancake Breakfastwith Santa has been scheduled for Sunday Dec. 8 (note the new date; it’s been scheduled for the first Sunday in December for years).
It will be held at Webster Schroeder High School from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Santa and his elf will be there for the children, as well as the Lion Club’s Lion. Plus, there’ll be lots of great raffle items and free vision screening for kids ages 6 months to 12 years. And of course, breakfast: pancakes, sausage, scrambled eggs, juice and coffee. Admission is free but donations will be gratefully accepted.
The Pancake Breakfast with Santa Fundraiser is one of the ways the Lion’s Club earns money to help those in need. This year, donations will be made to the Webster Community Chest, Webster Hope and other charities.
Looking ahead …
The Webster Quilt Guild would like me to tell everyone that they’ve scheduled their annual Quilt Show on April 12 and 13, 2025 at Holy Trinity Parish Hall, 1460 Ridge Rd.
This is a big year for the club; they’re celebrating 50 years of quilting together. Next year’s show will feature more than 200 quilts, both past winners, new quilts, and a display of our the quilts they made for the Breast Cancer Coalition and Asbury Storehouse will be available. Plus there will be some great raffles.
Admission is only $5 for adults, and under 12 are free.
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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).
Most of us are familiar with the story of Anne Frank. She was the Jewish girl who kept a diary while hiding from the Nazis in Amsterdam during World War II. Anne, her family, and four family friends hid in an 800-sq. ft. annex for more than two years, with help from employees and friends of Otto Frank, before the Nazis discovered them and sent them all to concentration camps. Her diary was turned into a book, Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl, which for many of us was required reading in high school.
So when Webster Thomas High School brings The Diary of Anne Frank to the stage next weekend, you know it’s going to be a very moving performance. The set pieces, simple and unadorned, reflect the gravity of the subject. There are a few lighthearted spots, but there are no high-stepping dances or sweeping show tunes, and it’s not a happy ending.
But if you should decide to attend one of Webster Thomas’ three performances, director Mark Stoetzel wants you to remember one thing: “This is not a story about death. It is a story about life.”
In the program’s director’s notes, Stoetzel writes,
The people Anne describes in her diary … were much like any of us. They had jobs, and friends, and favorite songs. They laughed – often at themselves … And they fell in love. But they were not saints. They made mistakes. They annoyed each other. They said things they wished they could have taken back. They complained (a lot). They were, in other words, a lot like us.
So rather than wallow in sorrow, The Diary of Anne Frank asks us to celebrate the safe and happy lives that were denied to the Frank and Van Daan families and have another piece of spice cake. Most of all, it reminds us to celebrate those around us – those we love as well as those we just can’t stand.
Webster Thomas Theater’s production of The Diary of Anne Frank will take the stage on Thursday, Friday and Saturday Nov. 21, 22 and 23, at 7 p.m. each night at the school, 800 Five Mile Line Rd. Reserved seats are $10 each and advance tickets can be purchased online here.
Evelyn Fellows plays Anne and Matteo Serventi is her loving father, Otto Frank. Dominick Mangano, Rylie Biroscak, Jeremiah Fischer, Ella Vernacotola, Brook Hoffer, Mia Fellows, Abigail McNett and Robert LoFaso co-star, supported by 17 other back-stage and crew members.
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email me at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)
You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).
If you’re a fan of Abbott Elementary, then this first mailbag item will interest you.
One of the best characters on that show is Jacob Hill, played by Chris Perfetti. What you may not know is that Chris is a 2011 Webster Schroeder grad. You may have seen him in Schroeder’s annual musicals (my favorite was when he was the Cat in the Hat for Seussical). He’s had many roles in TV and film since graduating, but his work on Abbott Elementary has become his breakout role, and has won him a Screen Actors Guild Award.
Several weeks ago, Chris was featured in the New York Times, in their “What actors do on Sundays” column. My husband, a regular NYT reader, shared the link with me, and the link should work for everyone, NYT subscribers or not.
Click here to see the article. (Photo above courtesy the New York Times).
The Diary of Anne Frank Coming to Thomas Stage
Webster Thomas High School will present the moving drama The Diary of Anne Frank later this month.
The play is based on Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl, the true story of Anne Frank, a Jewish girl who kept a diary while hiding from the Nazis in Amsterdam during World War II.
I’ll be writing more about the production soon, but I wanted to give you all a heads-up because tickets are on sale now.
Show times are Thursday, Friday and Saturday Nov. 21 to 23 at 7 p.m. each evening, at Webster Thomas High School, 800 Five Mile Line Rd. Seating is reserved. Tickets are $10 each and can be purchased online in advance here. Tickets are digital and can be printed at home.
More to come.
Festival of Trees
I’ll have a more detailed blog or three about the Village of Webster’s annual Winter Wonderland festivities. But I always like to give a social shout-out to the Webster Museum and their annual Festivalof Trees, which they host during the event.
The Festival of Trees will be held on Saturday, December 7 during Winter Wonderland. Museum visitors will be invited to vote for their favorite decorated mini-Christmas tree among 17 beautiful and creative entries which have been set up throughout the museum. (Online voting will also be available at webstermuseum.org.)
The museum will be open from 2 to 6 p.m. with live music beginning at 4 p.m.
Also this year, the museum invites everyone to help decorate their “Museum Memory Tree” by hanging an ornament with the name of a loved one or pet whom you’ve lost. The museum is also resurrecting its popular holiday raffle (so bring some cash), and will be offering the also very popular Kittelberger Florist “bouquet a month for a year” coupon booklet.
It all happens Saturday, Dec. 7 during the Village of Webster’s Winter Wonderland.
New hats and old books
A few quick reminders from the Webster Public Library about some programs this month:
The Friends of the Webster Public Library’s annual hat sale is going on now. Adult hats start at $8, children’s hats at $4.
A Vintage Book Sale will be held on Saturday, Nov. 16 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Prices start at $8.
This month’s community collections are cookbooks and recipes, and the Keeping our Promise donation station.
Mark your calendar for Breakfast with Santa
The Webster Lions Club’s Annual Pancake Breakfastwith Santa has been scheduled for Sunday Dec. 8 (note the new date; it’s been scheduled for the first Sunday in December for years).
It will be held at Webster Schroeder High School from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Santa and his elf will be there for the children, as well as the Lion Club’s Lion. Plus, there’ll be lots of great raffle items and free vision screening for kids ages 6 months to 12 years. And of course, breakfast: pancakes, sausage, scrambled eggs, juice and coffee.
The Pancake Breakfast with Santa Fundraiser is one of the ways the Lion’s Club earns money to help those in need. This year, donations will be made to the Webster Community Chest, Webster Hope and other charities.
Rec Center 55+ Monthly Newsletter
I recently got emailed my copy of the Webster Recreation Center’s 55+ newsletter, which is always packed with great programs for all of us taking full advantage of our active later years.
There is SO MUCH STUFF that I’m not going to go into too much detail here, just highlight a few things, and recommend you check out the newsletter for yourself and sign up to have it delivered monthly to your email box.
Technology Workshop, Tues. Nov. 12 from 9 to 10:30 a.m. FREE
Doctor’s Orders entertains during lunch on Wed. Nov. 13. FREE
Muslim Countries Wanderings, the Tuesday Travelogue on Nov. 12 (registration required)
The Lunch Bunch is going to Applebee’s on Nov. 15
The Holiday Party is scheduled for Wed. Dec. 11
And that’s just a sampling. Check out the newsletter for yourself to find out lots more.
Yum. Cookies.
The Women’s Club of Webster’s super-popular Holiday Cookie Sale returns to the Webster Public Library on Saturday, Dec. 14, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (or until sold out, which is pretty quickly).
Proceeds from the sale benefit the club’s scholarship funds and many other programs and not-for-profit organizations in the Webster community.
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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).
I received a couple of emails in the last few weeks with good news about two recent fundraising events.
The first was from Kevin Finn, who every year organizes the Beer Walk for the Village of Webster. This year’s walk was held on Saturday Oct. 19, and Kevin reports that the weather was perfect.
The event completely sold out its 200 available tickets. Participants strolled through the village, stopping at six businesses:
The Coach Sports Bar (where walkers picked up their wrist bands and glasses)
Jojo Bistro and Wine Bar
Finn’s Automotive (where Mayer’s Cider Mill sampled their hard ciders)
Roc Style Chicken and Burger
BC’s Chicken Coop
Lattimore Physical Therapy, where Rising Storm offered their locally-brewed beer
The event raised $3,300 for future Webster Business Improvement District events. A portion was also donated to the Harmony House to help fund their renovations.
The next day, I got this great news from the Webster Public Library’s annual Fall Book Sale, held Oct. 16 through 19: just through sales of $1 hardcover books and 50 cent paperbacks (plus $5 bags at the bag sale), the event managed to raise more than $6,000. The Kittelberger flower cards which were also being offered for sale were also a big hit; 200 of them were sold.
On a side note, I’ve also been told that a very good friend of the library — whom I only know as “Ted” — took it upon himself after the sale to rearrange the book sale area. He managed to more than double the available shelf space for both books and digital materials.
So next time you’re at the library, check out the newly organized space, which is just to the left as you come in the front door. Remember, even though the big Fall Book Sale is over, the book sale area is open all the time, and the prices are great.
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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).
Lots of great events happening in November, so grab your calendar, because you’re gonna want to make some notes.
The next Family Scavenger Hunt is scheduled for this Saturday Nov. 2 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Whiting Rd. Nature Preserve.
Participants will explore the park on a well-marked trail, completing a fun scavenger hunt along the way. Three different skill levels will be available for kids aged 2 to 12, so children of all ages can participate. Everyone who completes the hike can choose an autumn-themed prize.
Cost is $5 per child, and please preregister at the Webster Recreation Center website (look for program 301205-A). You can pay when you get to the hike. Sign in anytime between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. The hunt will take place rain or shine, so dress for the weather.
A large variety of one-of-a-kind arts and crafts, lovingly made by local crafters, will be for sale at the Webster Arts and Crafts Sale on Saturday, Nov. 2 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr.
Everything for sale is designed and handmade by the roughly 30 talented artisans who are taking part in the event, which this year will be held in the recreation center’s gym. There’s always something unique and special to find at the sale for people of all ages. Parking and entry are free.
The sale is a fundraiser for WSPS, the Webster Association of Senior Program Supporters, a non-profit organization made up of 65 drivers who volunteer their time to get Webster seniors and the disabled to their appointments, including the doctor, dentist, hair stylist and the bank. By sponsoring events like the Webster Arts and Crafts Sale, WSPS is able to provide the low-cost rides and fund its dispatchers and office expenses. WSPS is a lifeline for many people who no longer drive and would not be able to afford other forms of transportation.
Walk/Bike Webster event scheduled
If you’re a fan of getting around Webster on two feet or two wheels, or are interested in helping brainstorm ideas to improve walking and biking opportunities in Webster, then this next event is for you.
On Monday Nov. 4, from 6 to 7:45 p.m. there will be a Walk and Bike Webster event held in the Community Room at the Webster Public Library.
The purpose of the event is to start a conversation about getting around town without a car. The hope is to gather like-minded folks who want to work together to advocate for better walking, biking, and/or bus riding conditions within Webster.
The meeting will begin with a quick meet and greet at 6 p.m., followed by the film “Why We Bike,” created by Reconnect Rochester. Webster Town Council member Ginny Nguyen and Matthew Isles from Walk/Bike Irondequoit will then lead a panel discussion. Nguyen will talk about how the Town of Webster is promoting safe walking and biking, and Isles will talk about what Walk/Bike Irondequoit is doing.
There will also be a survey available for attendees to fill out, relaying their concerns to town officials. If you can’t make the meeting but would like to take the survey, click here.
As usual, the Webster Public Library has a whole schedule of entertaining activities coming up next month, designed for the whole family.
I pulled out this first one for special attention because it sounds very interesting. It’s called “Rethinking Thanksgiving — A Native American Perspective on an American Holiday.”
The library writes,
this lively, content-based presentation will give an overview of the history of this very misunderstood holiday. Participants will learn accurate and culturally appropriate information about the English settlers at Plymouth and the Wampanoag, the Native people who inhabited that area. We will discuss the actual events of 1621 in Plymouth, the relationship between the English settlers and the Wampanoag, and how this story became the holiday we know today. Participants will learn how Native People, particularly the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois), view the concept of “Thanksgiving.”
The program will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 6 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the library’s Community Room. Registration is required. Click here to do so.
Here’s a quick look at some of the other programs coming up this month. For more information, check out the event section of the Webster Public Library website.
The Friends of the Webster Public Library’s annual hat sale is going on now. Adult hats start at $8, children’s hats at $4.
A Vintage Book Sale will be held on Saturday, Nov. 16 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Prices start at $8.
This month’s community collections are cookbooks and recipes, and the Keeping our Promise donation station.
For adults:
Bluegrass music presented by Group Therapy, Tuesday Nov. 19 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Registration is required.
For the family:
Family Fun Night: STEAM, building creative structures. Monday Nov. 25, 6 to 7 p.m. No registration required.
Drop-In Board Game & Puzzle Day, Tuesday Nov. 26, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. No registration required.
The November luncheon meeting of the Women’s Club of Webster will be held on Thursday, Nov. 21 at the Penfield Country Club, 1784 Jackson Rd. This month’s speaker will be Evan Schutt from Schutt’s Apple Mill and Country Store.
Schutt’s has been a part of the local community since it first opened its doors in 1918 by Paul “Great Grandpa” Schutt. For more than 100 years, each generation has loved bringing us its delicious apples, sweet cider, and fried cakes. Evan will talk about his history of farming, tradition, family, and the mill.
The luncheon begins with a social mix-and-mingle at 11:15 a.m., brief meeting at 12:00 noon and lunch at 12:30 p.m. followed by Evan’s presentation. Cost for the luncheon is $22, with a choice of turkey melt, corned beef Reuben or apple salad. All choices include fresh fruit.
Send a check made out to WCW by November 14 to Carolyn Rittenhouse, 405 County Line Road, Ontario, NY 14519. Late registrations cannot be accepted this month. If you have questions or you think your check will be late, phone Carolyn at 585-265-1303.
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Kudos to the Webster Recreation Center for pulling off yet another successful Pumpkins on Parade festival, held Saturday night.
I’ve been attending this event every year since it began in 2020, and it gets better every year. I called it a “festival” above on purpose, because that’s really what it feels like when you emerge from the pumpkin path into the Rec Center’s big sports fields and see thousands of people playing games, enjoying the free snacks, and taking family photos.
What makes this event especially entertaining is how the Rec Center keeps changing it up, adding new elements every year. This year they got particularly creative. Ghostly displays were set up in several areas along the path. A real live witch, complete with a bubbling cauldron, swept back and forth through her witchy lair, cackling and berating anyone who dared to walk by (which was everyone). And the guys from the Parks Dept. came up with a really fun idea: they enclosed the pavilion at First Responders Park and turned it into a not-so-scary haunted house.
After leaving there, paraders followed the pumpkin path into the great fields, where even more fun awaited. There was a hay bale maze for the kids, a bonfire, pumpkin tic-tac-toe, a roller slide for the kids, bowling, family photo areas, and of course free cider, apples and donuts.
Recreation Director Katie Kovar estimated that between the path and displays, there were almost 800 jack-o’-lanterns this year, so thank you to everyone who carved one or more (and to the Rec Center staff members who carved hundreds of their own). The weather was perfect, bringing out thousands of adults and kids to enjoy this family event.
I’m already looking forward to next year to see what the Rec Center will cook up.
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).
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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