Archive | Community events RSS feed for this section

New Horizons band performs a free community concert this weekend

26 Oct

A concert this weekend at Willink Middle School features a band that has a rather unusual story.

The aptly-named New Horizons combined concert and symphonic band, which will perform Saturday Oct. 29 at 4 p.m., is part of an Eastman Community Music School program which provides musical experiences for adults, regardless of experience level. Its bands are open to any adult who wants to play an instrument, even if they’ve never played an instrument before.

These brand-new, “green” musicians, who learn from the ground up from band directors, mentors and private instructors, are joined by more experienced musicians, many of whom are returning to performing after many years. New members don’t even have to audition to join the band, because you don’t have to know how to play; anyone of any experience level is welcome.

The concept has changed little since 1991, when Roy Ernst, a professor at Eastman, came up with the idea to form a band for senior citizens.

His original ad, which ran in the Democrat and Chronicle, looked like this:

The first rehearsal was held at the Cutler Union, now part of the Memorial Art Gallery. The 30 or so musicians who showed up included several who had played years before, and some who had never played. In a historical piece she wrote for the New Horizons website, original band member Dana Johnson said there were “plenty of clarinets, flutes, saxes and trumpets but no trombones or low brass.” Barry Rabson, another original member, recalled, “It was fun, but the music was terrible!”

Nevertheless, the band rehearsed faithfully and presented their first concert in December of that year. Dana wrote, “There were about 35 band members and 40 in the audience, mostly relatives of band members.” The following year, the band continued to spread their wings, performing at schools, St. Mary’s Hospital, the Rochester Convention Center, and on a float in the Lilac Festival Parade.

In 2021, the New Horizons Program celebrated its 60th anniversary. A few things have changed in that time. Membership, for example, has grown from the original 35 to about 340. The band, while open to any adult, is still composed primarily of seniors, mostly because rehearsals are held during the day. The original, single band program has expanded to offer 17 smaller ensembles, including beginning, intermediate and advanced bands, a Big Band, beginning strings, full and string orchestras, a chorus and several chamber ensembles.

One main thing, however, hasn’t changed: New Horizons is and has always been a welcoming community of beginner and experienced musicians who simply love making music and make new friends in a non-competitive, collaborative and supportive environment. It’s an idea that’s been so well received that the program has spread to more than 200 other programs across the U.S., Canada and Europe.

About 80 of these talented, passionate musicians (including some of the newbies) will perform in the weekend’s New Horizon Band Fall Concert, Saturday afternoon beginning at 4 p.m. at Willink Middle School, 900 Publisher’s Parkway in Webster. Admission is free and everyone is welcome.

Click here to read more about Rochester New Horizons and find out how you can get involved.

* * *

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 10/26/2022)

Tags:

Enjoying a gorgeous autumn afternoon

25 Oct

I cannot recall, in recent memory, when we’ve had a more beautiful autumn. The colors are outstanding, the warm temperatures downright delightful, and the stretch of sunny weather has been unbelievable.

I was out and about Tuesday afternoon running some errands, when I decided on the spur of the moment that I needed to do SOMETHING to take advantage of the gorgeous … well, gorgeous everything. So as soon as I got home I dragged my husband to Four Mile Creek Preserve to take a short hike.

Four Mile Creek is probably my favorite Webster hiking trail. It’s flat and just the right length, and even though all of our trails are incredible at this time of year, the Four Mile Creek trails are especially incredible.

I was also inspired by upcoming Cars Along the Creek hike taking place there Saturday morning. This is a very interesting trek hosted by the Friends of Webster Trails, where trail steward Dennis Kuhn will lead participants in a two-hour hike and point out six abandoned cars which hikers can see along the trails. (Click here to read more about this weekend’s hike.)

I can’t make Saturday’s hike, unfortunately, so I figured I could revisit some of those cars myself while we were hiking.

The trails were just as spectacular as I expected, and I couldn’t resist taking a lot of photos. I also saw three of the six cars those lucky hikers will see on Saturday, and I checked out the bridge the young daredevils must have used to drive them onto the property 60 years ago.

Enjoy some photos from the afternoon, and consider taking in some of this beauty, and history, for yourself this weekend at the Friends of Webster Trails Cars Along the Creek Hike, 10 a.m. Saturday morning at Four Mile Creek Preserve, corner of Phillips and Lake roads.

* * *

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 10/25/2022)

Tags: , ,

REALLY busy weekend coming up

24 Oct

Usually it’s during the summer months that the special events pile up so fast I can barely mention them all. But summer’s got nothing on this coming weekend.

Things start off on Friday evening, Oct. 28, with a Community Food Truck Rodeo to benefit the Webster Montessori School. As you can see on the poster here, the trucks that you’ll find include Pop Up & Eats, Waffles R Wild, Al Dente Mobile Pasta, Marty’s Meats and Kona Ice.

The rodeo takes place at the school, 1310 Five Mile Line Rd. (next door to Bauman’s Farm Market) from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Friday.

It looks like it’s going to be a beautiful autumn day on Saturday, Oct. 29 for these next few events:

At 10 a.m., The Friends of Webster Trails is hosting a Cars Along the Creek Hike at Four Mile Creek Preserve, at the corner of Phillips and Lake roads.

The two-hour guided hike will introduce participants to the many abandoned cars you can see along the preserve’s trails. Apparently the land on which the preserve is now located was once used by the local youth as a makeshift racetrack in the early 1960s. Among the cars you’ll see are:

* 1951 Chevrolet Styleine Deluxe Bel Air
* 1961 Ford 500 Galaxy Club Victoria
* 1959 Nash Rambler
* 1959 Chevy Bel Air
* 1954 Plymouth Belvedere Suburban
* 1949 Green Nash Airflyte

The hike is free, and begins at the parking lot on Phillips Rd.

One of the Village of Webster’s most popuar events, Halloween in the Village, returns this Saturday, beginning with a costume contest from 11 a.m. to noon at Village Hall.

The Trick-or-Treat Trail begins at 11:30 a.m., where children can stroll the village streets and trick-or-treat at dozens of village businesses. Look for the orange pumpkins in storefront windows to see which businesses are participating.

The Festival Wagon will be taking riders along Main Street, and don’t forget to get your pet involved in the fun; the Pet Costume Contest, complete with prizes, takes place on Main St. at 1 p.m. (Click here for a recap of last year’s Trick or Treat Trail, including lots of photos.)

While you’re in town for the Halloween festival, make sure to stop by the Webster Volunteer Fire Department during their open house. They’ll have candy, of course, but this is also a great opportunity for your kids to visit with real firefighters, climb into a fire truck, see some demonstrations, and get a fire hat.

The Fire Department is at 35 South Ave. Just look for the big red trucks in the driveway.

ALSO on Saturday during Halloween in the Village, take the short stroll down to 18 Lapham Park and stop into the Webster Museum. They’ve put together a scavenger hunt and a contest, and have some Halloween treats for everyone. Plus, there will be plenty of helpers there to give you a tour through the museum if you’d like one.

Then, after the village Halloween, how about taking in some great music at the New Horizons Combined Band Concert at Willink Middle School.

New Horizons is a really cool band which welcomes all adults, even those with no musical experience. These enthusiastic concert and symphonic band musicians will be performing their fall, combined concert at Willink, on Publisher’s Parkway, beginning at 4 p.m.

There’s no charge. Check back here in a day or two for a more complete blog about this great organization.

And here’s your Saturday evening entertainment:

The Webster Recreation Center’s Pumpkins on Parade is Saturday from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

This is a very fun, family-friendly event where young and old can take a leisurely walk along the Chiyoda Trail behind the Rec Center and view hundreds of creatively carved jack-o-lanterns. At the end of the trail, there’ll be music, a kids’ slide, a mini hay maze, a bonfire, free cider and donuts, a family photo area and kids’ activities. Plus, professional pumpkin carver Eric Jones, t

The festival is totally free. The Webster Recreation Center is on Chiyoda Drive, off of Phillips. Click here to read more about this great event.

…and if you get to all of these events on Friday and Saturday, plan on sleeping late on Sunday. You’ll need the rest.

BUT THERE’S MORE!

If you need to work off some of that candy and good food, the Webster Parks and Recreation Department has got you covered.

They’re hosting their third annual Halloween-themed fitness class sampler on Sunday from 9 to 10:30 a.m., which is absolutely free and open to the community. This year’s theme is disco, and the instructors will be handing out funky glasses and disco ball necklaces until supplies run out.

Check the schedule below for details.

* * *

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 10/24/2022)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Even Santa has a favorite garage sale

23 Oct

Bazaars and craft fairs abound at this time of year, hosted by churches and community centers all around our area. But this one, which I found out about just recently, is different; it’s not just a chance to buy gifts for others, but it’s especially good opportunity to pick up some holiday items for your own home.

And it is Santa-approved.

The second annual Santa’s Garage Sale, hosted by St. Martin Lutheran Church, will take place this year November 3 to 5. I heard about if from my friend “Santa Jim” Lockwood, a St. Martin parishioner and all-around good guy. (You know him from the frequent appearances he makes in Webster during the holidays, including at White Christmas in the Village.)

Jim sent me a nice long email explaining how this event came to be. He wrote,

It started as light conversation about this time of the year. We were discussing how Christmas was just around the corner and all the stores are putting their Christmas decorations out on display.

A few of us at St. Martin had to admit to having quite a large collection of older Christmas decorations, ornaments, lights, etc. even a few artificial Christmas trees that were tucked away. We also had to admit we didn’t use these decorations anymore as we now have newer ones. These Christmas decorations are usually stored away in attics, basements, closets etc. They always take up valuable storage space and haven’t seen daylight in years.

That’s when we decided to have a holiday-type garage sale and bring a few of our treasured items that we could part with to the sale table. The idea was that hopefully someone else could these long-forgotten decorations and love them as we did.

We did a little bit of online advertising about our sale and asked for donations of Christmas items that the community was willing to part with. We even called it “Santa’s Garage Sale.” The response from the Webster community was overwhelming both in their donations of beautiful treasured decorations and in their attendance and purchase of new / different Christmas items for their homes.

Santa even had a chance to check out the holiday sale and definitely recommends it.

I also heard from Mary Lou, one of the other organizers, who wrote,

To me,  the best thing about this sale is giving people a chance to celebrate Christmas without having to spend a lot of money. Given rising inflation,  I think even more people will find their finances very tight this Christmas. It is a joy to watch parents able to shop for their kids and have a great selection of toys to pick from.   

Last year we even had big wooden playsets, like kitchens and doll houses. Also,  we were fortunate to have several artificial Christmas trees, and they were probably our most popular item.

Donations for the sale will be gratefully accepted at the church, 813 Bay Rd., on Saturday Oct. 29 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

This is a great chance to get rid of some of those older Christmas decorations you don’t use anymore. So check your attics, basements and other hidden spaces for items that can be enjoyed again by young and old. They’re also accepting Halloween and Thanksgiving items.

This year’s sale will take place at St. Martin Lutheran Church on Thursday and Friday Nov. 3 and 4 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday Nov. 5 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The church is located at 813 Bay Rd., Webster.

* * *

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 10/23/2022)

Tags: , , ,

Fifth graders reflect on race in library display

21 Oct

Talking about race issues and racism is uncomfortable for all of us. But recently, more than 30 Schlegel Elementary School students tackled that difficult subject, as part of an important project coordinated by the Webster Central School District and the Webster Public Library (WPL), in conjunction with the Gandhi Institute.

In June of 2021, students were shown a video in which Alex Hubbell from the Gandhi Institute introduced the topics of antiracism and inclusion, which also provided questions for educators to discuss with the classes. The students were then encouraged to think about those questions and write down their answers.

The resulting, thought-provoking exhibit, called “Kids Talk About Race,” is now on display through Saturday Oct. 29 at the Webster Public Library.

The project was a long time in the making. The idea first came to WPL Outreach Coordinator Jason Poole in February of 2021. He and Adult Services Librarian Jennifer Paxson worked together on a grant for the Harold Hacker Foundation to create a new curriculum for antiracism education in Webster’s elementary schools.

Because of Covid and schedule-related delays, progress on the grant was put on hold for several months. Then, last March, Schlegel Rd. Elementary School librarian Jamie Palmer hopped on board and enlisted the school’s three fifth-grade teachers, finally bringing the project to fruition by the end of the school year.

Jamie explained that she got involved because,

I felt it was important to have conversations with the fifth grade students, as it shouldn’t be a topic to shy away from. Kids have thoughts and questions and are trying to make sense of our world daily. If we ignore them and don’t just get them out on the table, they think it’s something bad and wrong to talk about instead of talking and working through their thoughts with each other.

And that really was the main impetus behind the project. The idea, Jason said, was to

facilitate these kinds of discussions (about race) happening during the school day. My belief is that kids should be learning about these things in an educational setting. They need to have a safe space where they can talk about it and figure out what they think. Not all the answers are neat and cut and dried. Some are puzzling.

After watching the video from the Gandhi Institute, the students were asked to reflect and write down their answers to these questions:

  • What did you know about race and racism before?
  • What do you know now?
  • Why is it hard to talk about race and racism?
  • Why is it important to do it anyway?
  • What do you plan on doing to make a difference in your community?

After the presentations, professional photographer Denise Batiste took portraits of the students (with parental permission) for the display.

The exhibit will be on display at the library through Oct. 29, after which it will be transported to the Central Library in downtown Rochester for display there (dates TBD).    

Presenting the exhibit to both the Webster and City of Rochester communities was an important part of the initial grant application. It’s being displayed here in Webster — a primarily white suburb — first, where people can see and talk about it. Then it goes downtown for people who aren’t in the suburbs. It hopefully demonstrates that “there’s at least some kind of effort being made to have these discussions,” Jason said.

If you’re able to check out the exhibit, take a close look at some of the things the kids have written. Clearly they were moved by what they learned. The fifth graders (now sixth graders) wrote some pretty insightful comments, and were inspired to make change. Take these answers, for example, to the question, “What do you plan on doing to make a difference in your community?”

  • I plan to tell others about how racism is wrong and how we are all equal and deserve to be treated the same as others. I plan to step in if someone is being discriminative.
  • I plan on telling my friends who didn’t do this activity why whatever you say can hurt anyone’s feelings. And I will tell them that your actions matter just as much as your words. I will also tell my family all of what I learned and how it inspired me.
  • What I plan on doing in my community is in my school. Anyone that has a different color I will include them. And if they are bullied I will make sure I will stand up for them. I will make them all feel equal and included.

There’s hope for this world yet.

The Webster Public Library is located at 980 Ridge Rd., at the back of Webster Plaza.

* * *

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 10/21/2022)

Tags: , , ,

Webster community mailbag

17 Oct

Just have a few tidbits for today’s mailbag … compared to some of these features which stretch forEVER.

The first is from our friends at the Webster Barnes & Noble. They’ll be hosting NY Times bestselling author Ellen Marie Wiseman on Thursday Oct. 20 at 6 p.m.

Wiseman, whom you might know from her books including All the Ways We Said Goodbye and The Orphan Collector, will speak briefly about her latest book, The Lost Girls of Willowbrook, and then autograph books for people.

The event is free but space is limited so please RSVP by calling (585) 872-9710. Barnes & Noble Webster is located in Towne Center Plaza, 1070 Ridge Rd.  

The Friends of Webster Trails have three great events coming up in the next few weeks.

On Saturday Oct. 29 at 10 a.m., the Friends will lead a guided hike through Four Mile Creek Preserve and tell the history behind six abandoned cars you pass along the trails there. There should be some interesting stories. The preserve is located at the corner of Phillips and Lake roads.

The following weekend, the Friends will host their annual Hot Cocoa Hike on Saturday Nov. 5. This is a fun self-guided hike along a trail marked with lights. At the end, hikers are rewarded with hot chocolate. The hike will begin at 7 p.m., also at Four Mile Creek Preserve. Please leave your dog at home and bring a flashlight and your own travel mug. There’s no cost for this hike, but please register here so they have enough hot chocolate.

Earlier that day, kids of all ages are invited to enjoy a Family Scavenger Hunt at Kent Park on Schlegel Rd. Three skill levels for ages 2 through 12 will be available. The event begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday Nov. 5 and costs $5 per child. For more information and to register, visit the Webster Parks and Recreation website.

Click here to find out more about the Friends of Webster Trails.

How about a trip to Syracuse to root on our high school musicians?

The Webster Marching Band will be heading to Syracuse on Sunday, Oct. 30 to the New York State Field Band Conference championship, where they’ll be defending their 2021 state title.  

The Webster Marching Band, now in its 37th season, is made up of students from all four WCSD secondary schools: Spry Middle School, Willink Middle School, Webster Schroeder High School, and Webster Thomas High School. Student musicians who play a woodwind, brass, or percussion instrument participate, along with color guard performers. Last year’s Large School 2 Class state championship win was the first for the band in more than 30 years.

Their show this year, “Only Light Can Do That,” revolves around being the light in a dark world. It reminds people that fighting hate with hate only creates more hate, and that fighting darkness with darkness only creates darkness. Illustrating that change can begin with one person at a time, and that light and positivity can be infectious. Musical selections include original music by Webster Marching Band Director Jerbrel Bowens.

The championship show on October 30 will bring together more than 50 of the finest high school marching bands in the northeastern United States. Each will perform a musical and visual show lasting about ten minutes for a panel of ten judges.

It’s sure to be a spectacular event, and a great chance for the One Webster community to show up in force to cheer for our young musicians. Webster’s division, the Large School 2 Class, will compete beginning at 10 a.m., with awards beging handed out around 11:30 a.m.

* * *

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 10/17/2022)

Tags: , , ,

Pumpkins on Parade (already fun) will be even better this year

14 Oct

Two years ago, when we were still struggling through the pandemic, Webster Parks and Recreation came up with a terrific new Halloween-time event that got everyone outside, hiking and celebrating the season. It was the very first Pumpkins on Parade, and it proved to be so successful and well-received that the Rec Center has turned it into an annual event.

But this year…. well, this year they’ve gone and made Pumpkins on Parade 100% better.

The path itself won’t be much changed from previous years; the mile-long Chiyoda Trail behind the Rec Center will once again be lined with hundreds of creatively carved, illuminated jack-o-lanterns. The wide variety of humorous, scary and downright wierd designs will blow you away. They’ll also have a much shorter path again this year for seniors and small children to enjoy.

But this year, the fun stuff participants will find at the end of the walk has been greatly expanded. The Webster Rotary will be there handing out candy, there’ll be music, a kids’ slide, a mini hay maze, a bonfire, free cider and donuts from Herman’s Farm Market, a family photo area and kids’ activities from Diamond Collision.

Plus, professional pumpkin carver Eric Jones, the star of the Food Network’s Halloween Wars and Outrageous Pumpkins, will be on site carving 3D pumpkins. It’s like a big Halloween festival.

BUT the success of this event depends on community participation. The Webster Recreation Center needs several hundred carved pumpkins to make the walk amazing. The need is so great that the Rec is actually offering to buy multiple pumpkins for any business or organization that wants to do some carving. You can pick them up at the Rec on Monday Oct. 24 and return them by the 28th. If you’re interested, email Katie Kovar at kkovar@ci.webster.ny.us with your contact information and how many you’d like.

Families and individuals are also encouraged to provide pumpkins, of course. Carved pumpkin drop off is Friday, Oct. 28 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 29 from noon to 2 p.m.  Every carved pumpkin gets a raffle ticket entry for a prize basket.

Even if you don’t want to carve a pumpkin, make sure to bring your family out for the event. Pumpkins on Parade takes place from 7 to 8 :30 p.m. on Saturday Oct. 29 at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr. There’s absolutely no charge.

* * *

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 10/14/2022)

Tags: , ,

Brews, brats and music this weekend in the village

13 Oct

Boy, Saturday is going to be lots of fun.

Two uber-fun Village of Webster events are happening at the same time Saturday afternoon and evening, filling West Main Street (and beyond) with music, beers and good friends.

The first is the Village of Webster Beer Walk, taking place 4 to 7 p.m. Participants will wander through the vlllage and pop into more than a dozen local businesses, which will be providing snacks and samples of craft beers, poured in your own personal mini pint glass. I did this last year with a bunch of friends and we had the most rollicking, wonderful, laugh-filled time, despite the cold, wet and windy weather.

This year promises to be much milder, so I’m really looking forward to getting together again with my crazy friends (and a few crazy daughters) for a delightful wander through the village.

Click here to read my account of last year’s event, and click here to order your tickets for the walk. They cost $20 and need to be purchased in advance.

BUT NOT ONLY THAT. The Village’s Oktoberfest and Family Games Night is also happening Saturday night, from 5:30 to 8:30 on West Main Street, featuring Rochester’s best-known Oktoberfest band, the Krazy Firemen.

What’s great about this timing is that Beer Walkers can roll right into the fun and music. Or, even if you’re not participating in the walk, you can come down with the whole family for games, food and drink. Dancing With Denise will be there again to get the kids dancing, too.

No charge for this event. So come on down and bring your friends and neighbors.

* * *

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 10/13/2022)

Tags: , , , , , ,

Beer Walk, Bourbon Bash tickets on sale

10 Oct

Tickets are now available for two very popular Village of Webster events, the Beer Walk and the Bourbon Bash.

The annual Beer Walk returns to the streets of Webster this weekend, Saturday Oct. 15, from 4 to 7 p.m. Participants will wander through the vlllage and pop into more than a dozen local businesses, which will be providing snacks and samples of craft beers, poured in your own personal mini pint glass.

Some of the participating merchants include

  • BC’s Chicken Coop
  • Bernardi & Co. CPAs
  • Woodland Silkscreen/Ohhh Lordy
  • Crafty Christy’s Boutique
  • Modified Collective
  • Beyond Cuts Salon
  • Brimont Bistro
  • Lattimore Physical Therapy
  • The Coach Sports Bar
  • JoJo Bistro and Wine Bar
  • Barry’s Old School Irish
  • Ploty’s Bar and Grill
  • Cobblestone on Main restaurant
  • Mayer’s Cider, Wine, and Brewery
  • Finns Automotive

Glass pickup this time around will be at BC’s Chicken Coop, 159 West Main Street. The Village Oktoberfest is also happening this Saturday evening from 6 to 9 p.m. (more info on that soon), so Beer Walkers can enjoy those festivities as well.

Tickets for the Beer Walk are $20 and can be purchased online here.

This year’s Bourbon Bash returns Saturday Nov. 5 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Harmony House, 58 E. Main St.

Sample bourbons and whiskey from local and national distilleries, complemented by food samples from local restaurants.

This very popular event is brought to you by the Webster Business Improvement District and Webster Wine and Spirits. Tickets are $25 and will be limited (this event always sells out, so get your tickets doon). They can be purchased online here or at websterbid.com. Cash sale tickets are also available at Hegedorns.

* * *

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 10/10/2022)

Tags: , , ,

Help the Friends of Webster Trails preserve Webster’s natural beauty

8 Oct

If you’ve lived in Webster for any length of time, chances are you’ve heard about, or perhaps even hiked, our town’s beautiful trails. The system’s almost two dozen trails already stretch from the farthest corner of northwest Webster, south to 104 and east to Phillips Rd., and more are being created every year.

We have the Friends of Webster Trails to thank for this outstanding trail system. These hard-working volunteers put in thousands of hours every summer and fall planning, creating and maintaining the trails, clearing brush and invasive plants, laying gravel, building bridges and boardwalks, and more.

A good example of the Friends’ dedication to preserving our beautiful natural lands is their current ReTree Webster initiative.

ReTree Webster is a program which recognizes that Webster’s forests are under attack from insects and disease. As thousands of ash, hemlock, oak and beech die, they’re replaced by invasive and, usually, non-native trees.   

The Friends of Webster Trails developed the ReTree program to fight back. They first completed tree surveys along many of the trails. Then, after removing some of the invasive species, new trees were purchased or grown from seedlings to replace them.

The Friends have already started planting many of those seedlings along a high traffic area of Whiting Road Nature Preserve (WRNP). Those new plants will be joined by larger saplings and other native trees next weekend, when volunteers will plant 20 saplings, some up to six feet tall, along the new Michael Johnson Trail at WRNP.  

The planting event will take place on Saturday morning Oct. 15 at 9 a.m. at WRNP. Volunteers of all skill levels are needed to transport, plant, position and protect the trees. If you’re interested in helping out, just show up at the Whiting Rd. Nature Preserve parking lot that morning. You can help make a big difference in protecting Webster’s open spaces.

* * *

If you haven’t explored any of Webster’s trails yet, this time of year is the perfect time to do so. Our area’s natural beauty is especially spectacular in the fall. Three events in the next few weeks offer some opportunities to do so.

On Saturday Oct. 29 at 12:30 p.m., the Friends will lead a guided hike through Four Mile Creek Preserve and tell the history behind six abandoned cars you pass along the trails there. There should be some interesting stories.

The following weekend, the Friends will host their annual Hot Cocoa Hike on Saturday Nov. 5. This is a fun self-guided hike along a trail marked with lights. At the end, hikers are rewarded with hot chocolate. The hike will begin at 7 p.m., at a location yet to be determined. (Details to come at webstertrails.org.)

Earlier that day, kids of all ages are invited to enjoy a Family Scavenger Hunt at Kent Park on Schlegel Rd. Three skill levels for ages 2 through 12 will be available. The event begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday Nov. 5 and costs $5 per child. For more information and to register, visit the Webster Parks and Recreation website.

Click here to find out more about the Friends of Webster Trails.

 * * *

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 10/7/2022)

Tags: , , , , , ,

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →