Archive | Community events RSS feed for this section

Webster community mailbag

6 Oct

Leading today’s mailbag is the Webster Public Library Book Sale, happening Friday and Saturday at the library, 980 Ridge Rd., at the back of Webster Plaza.

Hardcover books are just $1 each, and paperbacks only 50 cents. Today and Saturday are also BYOB Bag Sale days. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today and 10 a.m. to noon tomorrow, bring your own bag and fill it for just $5. Credit cards are accepted, and all proceeds benefit the library.

Also happening at the library this month:

  • The What, Why and How of Paranormal Investigating, Tuesday Oct. 11, 7 to 8 p.m. — Monroe County Paranormal Investigators discuss the process they go through to investigate, as well as share evidence from local haunts. There is no cost, but registration is required. Click here to register.
  • Invasive Species Talk: Spotted Lanternfly, Thursday Oct. 13, 6:30 to 8 p.m. — Learn about one of the biggest invasive species threats seen in decades, the spotted lanternfly, and how you can help stop this destructive bug. There’s no cost, but registration is required. Click here to register.
  • Spooky Storytime, Tuesday Oct. 25, 10 to 10:30 a.m. — Some skele-fun with spooky stories and a creepy craft! Feel free to wear your Halloween costume. All ages are welcome, and no registration is required.
  • Library Trick or Treat, Friday Oct. 28, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. — Bring the whole family trick-or-treating at the library. Follow the trick-or-treat trail through the entire library with a spooky maze at the end. No registration is required.
  • Halloween Crafts, Saturday Oct. 29, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. — Drop in anytime. All ages are welcome and no registration is required.
  • For the teens and tweens, there’s a Stranger Things craft night on Wednesday Oct. 12 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. with crafts and activities. Grades 4 to 12 are welcome, and registration is required. And on Friday Oct. 21 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. there’s a special Halloween Night with games, activities, crafts, treats and more. Registration is required.

St. Martin Lutheran Church is offering up some great food again.

Their next Pulled Pork Drive Thru BBQ will happen on Saturday Oct. 15 from 4:30 until gone at the church on 813 Bay Road, Webster. Pull into the parking lot, place your order using exact payment, and the dinner will be delivered to you as you drive up in your car.

The take-out dinner includes pulled pork, roll, salt potatoes, cole slaw and cookie for $12.00.  Proceeds support the church’s eleventh annual Christmas Stocking Project reaching over 500 children and teens in Monroe and Wayne counties.

These next few events are repeats from my last mailbag, in case you might have missed them the first time.

The West Webster Fire Department will hold their open house on Sunday Oct. 16 from 1 to 4 p.m., and the Webster Volunteer Fire Department will hold their open house on Saturday Oct. 29 (during Halloween in the Village). These events offer much more than fire trucks, too. There are demonstrations, giveaways, a chance to check out all sorts of emergency equipment and talk to real first responders. But of course, there’s definitely plenty of opportunities to take a picture of your young firefighter sitting in a real fire truck.

The West Webster Fire Department is at 1051 Gravel Rd., and the Webster Volunteer Fire Department is on South Ave. in the Village of Webster. These events are both free and open to everyone.

Gleason Orthodontics, on South Ave. in the village, will be hosting a winter-wear donation drive from Oct. 1 through Nov. 20.

You can drop off adult and youth-sized coats, hats and gloves at the office, 246 South Ave., during regular business hours.

The Webster Recreation Center, Webster Central PTSA and Webster Teachers Association are also hosting a Concert Apparel and Coat Drive. They’re looking for any size (toddler through adult) of the following items in good condition:

  • Winter coats, jackets, pants, boots and accessories
  • Concert apparel: white and black tops, shoes, bottoms and accessories

Collection boxes are loated at each Webster Central School building through Oct. 27.

On Saturday Oct. 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr., anyone who needs winter or concert gear can come “shop” for gently-used items for free.

And don’t forget about the Webster Community Blood Drive, which returns next Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 12 and 13 from noon to 7 p.m. at the Firemen’s Exempt Building, 172 Sanford St.

Regular blood donors will know this drive as one where everyone gets a coupon for a free ice cream cone from Bruster’s. Plus, the Red Cross will be giving all donors a $5 e-gift card, good for use at a merchant of their choice.

Walk-ins will be accommodated, but it’s always best to make an appointment. Click here and choose the time that best fits into your schedule. Or call 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767). And make sure to fill out your RapidPass on the day of your donation to save at least 15 minutes. 

* * *

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 10/6/2022)

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

Webster Marching Band lights up the field at Autumn Fanfare

5 Oct

Our very own State Champion Webster Marching Band will host their 36th annual Autumn Fanfare field show and competition this Saturday October 8 at Webster Schroeder High School, 875 Ridge Rd.

Ten different field bands will compete this year, representing schools from Buffalo to Victor. Each school has about 10 minutes to present their program for the judges before clearing the field for the next band. The programs they present reflect months worth of planning and rehearsing to be ready for almost weekly competitions in September and October, culminating in the state championships on Oct. 30.

Autumn Fanfare is always a spectacular evening of storytelling through music, marching, and even a little bit of acting. There are always huge set pieces involved to move the music-story forward, and this year is especially impressive, ’cause there’s a light show involved.

Their 2022 field show is called “Only Light Can Do That,” and according to the release the band sent, it 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.” 

The release further descibed the show:

Their performance starts with a flute soloist who plays a melody that repeats throughout the show. This represents the light. In Movement One (“Darkness”), the rest of the ensemble represents the darkness that overtakes the single light. However, in Movements Two (“Shining Through”) and Three (“Light”), you hear and see a shift of positivity when the full ensemble plays the “light” melody which represents light overtaking all of the darkness. Musical selections include original music by Webster Marching Band Director Jerbrel Bowens.

See? It’s kind of like a theatrical performance, driven by music. You really got to see it to believe it.

Autumn Fanfare begins promptly at 6 p.m. with a performance by Marcus Whitman. The rest of the schedule looks like this:

  • 6:13 p.m.: Le Roy
  • 6:26 p.m.: Hilton
  • 6:39 p.m.: Greece
  • 7:12 p.m.: Webster
  • 7:25 p.m.: West Seneca
  • 7:38 p.m.: Medina
  • 7:51 p.m.: East Irondequoit
  • 8:04 p.m.: Lancaster
  • 8:17 p.m.: Victor

Gates will open at 5 p.m. Tickets are $7 in advance from Hegedorn’s, $9 at the gate. The show will be held rain or shine.

* * *

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 10/5/2022)

Tags: , , , , , , ,

The Joe Obbie Farm Market hasn’t packed up yet

29 Sep

Fall-like weather is upon us once again, which means the Joe Obbie Farmer’s Market will be packing up for the winter soon. But all is not lost; you’ll still find the locally-produced fresh meats, vegetables, fruits, syrups, honeys and more you’ve come to love for a few more weeks.

The market is open every Saturday morning from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Webster Towne Center (Target/Kohl’s Plaza) on Holt Road, near the gazebo.

Now would be a great time to check out the market if you haven’t already. You’ll not only find many of your favorite summertime produce, crafts, cheeses, spice blends, and baked goods, but now the market is really leaning into the autumn season. Need maple syrup and cider? How about pumpkins for your porch? Stop by the market and you’ll be delighted at the selection.

The market will be open every Saturday morning through October 29, rain or shine. Check out the Joe Obbie Farmer’s Market Facebook page 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 9/29/2022)

Tags:

A sneak peek at upcoming Village events

28 Sep

September’s still here, but October and November are front and center in the minds of the Village Business Improvement District, who are deep into planning for some fun events in the coming weeks.

Lots of details are still being worked out, but here’s a taste of what’s in store so you can mark your calendars:

  • Village Oktoberfest and Beer Walk, Saturday Oct. 15. These two great events will be happening at the same time for double the entertainment. Times for the Oktoberfest are still being finalized, but we do know the Krazy Firemen will be returning to perform on East Main. The Beer Walk will run from 4 to 7 p.m. Tickets will be available soon at www.websterbid.com.
  • Trick or Treat Trail, Saturday Oct. 29, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. This event always kicks off with a costume contest at Village Hall from 11 a.m. to noon. And don’t forget to have your pups join in the fun; prizes will be given out throughout the afternoon by judges who’ll be wandering around on the lookout.
  • Bourbon Bash, Saturday Nov. 5, 6 to 9 p.m. at the Harmony House. Good drink, good food, and this always sells out. Watch for ticket information coming soon.
  • And of course, the Village of Webster’s Holiday Extravaganza on Saturday Dec. 3. Lots of details still being hammered out about this event, so stay tuned.

Keep tabs on all of these events on the Webster BID website.

* * *

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 9/28/2022)

Tags: ,

PTSA/WHEN-sponsored speaker will address social media concerns

27 Sep

I can’t speak for everyone in my generation, but I’ve come to a point in my life where I can’t keep up with the pace of technology. That’s especially the case with the proliferation of social media outlets. I mean, I’m still not even on board with TikTok and Snapchat, which in 2022 are among the elder statesmen of social media.

So I can’t even imagine how difficult it must be to have kids right now, who seem to be on their phones every waking moment. Keeping them safe and focused on school and other responsibilities is a formidable task.

A program coming up on Tuesday Oct. 4 is designed to help parents with that task.

The program, sponsored by the Webster Central PTSA and the Webster Health Education Network (WHEN), is called Social Media and Your Kids. It features Mark Stossel, an award-winning poet and filmmaker, who will speak on how technology affects, influences, and makes addicts of all of us.

Stossel is kind of an expert in the field. He ran social media for multinational brands and worked for a social media company where he designed some of the same notification structures to distract people that he now raises awareness about. He has spoken with hundreds of thousands of students, parents, and educators around the world about social media’s impact on our lives and provides a unique and much needed critical perspective on the role of technology in schools and in our society. 

His presentation will illustrate some of the specific ways technology is designed to be addictive and distracting, give an overview of how students are using social media, and give recommendations on how to improve focus and diminish distraction in learning environments. 

Stossel will speak at assemblies at both Webster Thomas and Schroeder high schools, but the presentation on Oct. 4 is meant for the entire Webster community. It will be held at Webster Schroeder High School, 975 Ridge Rd., on Tuesday Oct. 4 beginning at 7 p.m. Admission is free.

For more information on Stossel, go to socialawakening.org. For more information on his Webster School District presentations, contact Joe Montemaro, district director of educational technology and information, at 216-0123 or joe_montemaro@webstercsd.org.

* * *

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 9/27/2022)

Tags: , , , , , ,

Webster resident reflects on cemeteries in her new book

25 Sep

I’m a sucker for cemeteries. They’re so peaceful. I love to just wander through them, enjoy the solitude, look at the epitaphs, and think about the lives they’re trying to sum up in just a few words.

So when I heard about a recent book about cemeteries written by Webster resident Jane Hopkins, I sat up and took notice. Then I started reading it, and realized that Hopkins and I are of the same mind when it comes to the power of cemeteries to touch us deeply.

The book is titled Cemetery Reflections, and it was sparked in part by a single, simple headstone. Hopkins was taking a walk in a historic cemetery in Canada a few years ago and came across the grave of a young child. The epitaph read, “Step Softly, Here lies a dream.” A much larger monument which stood nearby detailed the death of four children three weeks apart, and their father several months later. Hopkins writes in her book, “I thought about the dreams of these parents for their children, and the harsh reality that comes to many of us who experience an early death in the family.”

As Hopkins continued to wander the cemetery, she contemplated the deep grief expressed in the words on the child’s headstone. It compelled her to explore more cemeteries, perhaps, she wrote, “looking for a workable philosophy of loss and afterlife ─ including my own death ─ and how to  make it easier for those left behind.”  

The result of those wanderings is the new 206-page book, Cemetery Reflections, a visual journey through notable cemeteries, illustrated by stunning black and white and color photos. Historic poetry and beautiful prose accompany the photos, giving the book a free-flowing feel similar to what one would experience on a cemetery walk. 

You can meet Hopkins yourself and learn more about her book at a talk she’ll hold on Saturday, Oct. 1 at 2 p.m. in  the Gleason Auditorium at the Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County, 115  South Ave., Rochester. The talk is free and open to the public.

Copies of Cemetery Reflections are available for $44.95 at Amazon.com.   

* * *

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 9/25/2022)

Tags: ,

Webster community mailbag

23 Sep

I’d like to lead this week’s mailbag with a huge THANK YOU from the Webster Museum.

The recent Museum Barn Sale, held Sept. 15 to 17, was a tremendous success, reportedly the best ever. Museum volunteers would like to thank the Webster community for all the donations, purchases and “delightful company.”

Your support for this — the organization’s biggest fundraiser of the year — assures that the Webster Museum will be with us for another year, carefully preserving our town’s rich history.

The Webster Museum is located at 18 Lapham Park in the Village of Webster, and is open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 2 to 4:30 p.m.

In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, the Webster Public Library brings these two events your way:

  • Hispanic Heritage Month Night, Thursday Sept. 29 from 6 to 8 p.m. Celebrate the month with a culture-filled evening of food, dance, music, crafts and more. All ages are welcome, and registration is requested. (Click here)
  • Hispanic Heritage Month Crafts, Saturday Sept. 30, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All ages are welcome, drop in anytime and no registration is required.

Also from the library, their big Fall Book Sale is right around the corner.

It happens Thursday through Saturday Oct. 6 to 8, with the best deals saved for Friday and Saturday. Check out all the details in the flyer below.

If your kids are REALLY into fire trucks, then you’ll want to mark these dates on your calendar.

The West Webster Fire Department will hold their open house on Sunday Oct. 16 from 1 to 4 p.m., and the Webster Volunteer Fire Department will hold their open house on Saturday Oct. 29 (during Halloween in the Village). These events offer much more than fire trucks, too. There are demonstrations, giveaways, a chance to check out all sorts of emergency equipment and talk to real first responders. But of course, there’s definitely plenty of opportunities to take a picture of your young firefighter sitting in a real fire truck.

The West Webster Fire Department is at 1051 Gravel Rd., and the Webster Volunteer Fire Department is on South Ave. in the Village of Webster. These events are both free and open to everyone.

Gleason Orthodontics, on South Ave. in the village, will be hosting a winter-wear donation drive from Oct. 1 through Nov. 20.

You can drop off adult and youth-sized coats, hats and gloves at the office, 246 South Ave., during regular business hours.

The Webster Recreation Center, Webster Central PTSA and Webster Teachers Association are also hosting a Concert Apparel and Coat Drive. They’re looking for any size (toddler through adult) of the following items in good condition:

  • Winter coats, jackets, pants, boots and accessories
  • Concert apparel: white and black tops, shoes, bottoms and accessories

Collection boxes are loated at each Webster Central School building through Oct. 27.

On Saturday Oct. 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr., anyone who needs winter or concert gear can come “shop” for gently-used items for free.

The Webster Aquatic Center will be hosting a Blood Drive on Tuesday Sept. 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Aquatic Center, 875 Ridge Rd.

Call 1-800-RED-CROSS or log onto RedCrossBlood.org to make an appointment.

 * * *

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 9/23/2022)

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

Sloppy, muddy, mucky fun at the Rec Center

18 Sep

Webster Parks and Recreation did it again, devising a very successful, tremendously fun and unique event that the whole family could enjoy.

I’m talking about last Saturday morning’s second annual Mud Run, held along the lawns and walking paths behind the Rec Center on Chiyoda Dr. The two-hour event drew several hundred children and adults of all ages, who payed $5 each for the privilege of scrambling over obstacles, wading through muddy streams and combat-crawling through pits filled with about six inches of muck.

I was one of those hundreds of people, and boy was it a blast. To the Rec Center’s credit, there were ways around most of the obstacles or mud pits for anyone who really wanted to take advantage of them. But most everybody embraced the opportunity to go a little crazy and get as muddy as they could. Several groups went through three or four times. (I only did it twice.)

Fresh from their success at the Mud Run, Rec Center staffers have turned their attention to this year’s Third Annual Pumpkins on Parade, scheduled for Saturday Oct. 29.

This is an amazing, family-friendly Halloween-time event, when the Chiyoda Trail is lined with creative, scary, and downright funny jack-o-lanterns. Community members and businesses are encouraged to carve up some pumpkins, drop them off at the Rec Center that morning, and then come back that evening with the family to look for them along the mile-long trail which winds around the back of the property. Afterwards, everyone gets free donuts and cider.

More info to come about this in the next few weeks, but start thinking about now about how you want to carve your pumpkins!

Thank you to my friend Patty Wyble for the photos above.

* * *

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 9/18/2022)

Tags: , , , , ,

Webster’s very own “My Evil Twin” to perform at the Fringe Festival

15 Sep

Two former Webster Schroeder students (class of ’74) are teaming up at the Rochester Fringe Festival to perform a funny, fast-moving mini-musical, based on their lives growing up as identical twin brothers.

Jim and John Demler are both opera singers, so the show, which they call My Evil Twin, will naturally include a little bit of opera. But it will be blended with elements of Broadway and pop and (according to the Facebook event page), will “provide the twins the chance to unleash their virtuosic basso voices with madcap energy and emotion.”

The page describes My Evil Twin the show as

an intimate musical …. Funny, poignant, and adventurous, My Evil Twin exposes tenderness and vulnerability beneath masculine bravado as the twins tell the story of their lives in words and song. It is a tribute to sibling love.

Members of the Class of ’74 may remember Jim and John Demler, especially since John wrote they were both “above-average athletes,” albeit only “mediocre students.” They both played in the Ridgecrest Elementary orchestra under the baton of Jeff Frasier, and both went to school not to study music, but to become teachers.

The show we are performing at the Fringe Festival was written for us, and is a funny, brief chronicle of our lives as twins and performers. We have remained best friends throughout our 65 years, but this essentially the first show we’ve ever done where we’ve sung duets together.

My Evil Twin will be performed at the Geva Theatre Center on Wednesday Sept. 21 at 5:30 p.m. and Thursday Sept. 22 at 9 p.m. Tickets for the 75-minute show are $18 for adults, $12 for students. They can be purchased online here, by phone at (585) 957-9837 (fees apply), at the door or at the box office at the corner of Main and Gibbs.

* * *

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 9/14/2022)

Tags: , ,

Webster community mailbag

14 Sep

I’m going to begin today’s mailbag with lots of stuff from the Webster Public Library. I haven’t blogged about them much recently, but it’s NOT because there’s nothing going on over there. Actually, there are so many new programs happening at the library, I’m just going to kind of list them, and you can get even more detail from the flyers posted below.

  • Thursday Sept. 15, from 6:30 to 8 p.m.: Classical Guitar Salon. Bring your guitar and meet other guitarists of all ages to socialize, share and perform. Registration is requested.
  • Saturday, Sept. 17, from 2 to 3 p.m.: a parenting program from Parent to Parent called Understanding OPWDD Support Services (Office for People with Developmental Disabilities). Especially for parents of children with developmental disabilities.
  • Tuesday, Sept. 20, from 2 to 3 p.m.: Practical Tips for Aging in Place, a discussion offering practical tips, strategies and home modifications to allow you — or your loved ones — to age in place. Registration is required.
  • Thursday Oct. 6 through Saturday Oct. 9, the Webster Public Library Fall Book Sale returns, with an incredible variety of books at more incredible prices. More to come about this, but check out the flyer below for more information.

Here are some follow-up reminders about some things I’ve already blogged in more detail about. If you’re interested in any of them, click through to the original blog.

  • The Webster Recreation Center has two family-friendly events this week. The first is a concert at the Arboretum on Thursday Sept. 15 at 6 p.m., featuring the wonderful folk/pop duo Doctor’s Orders. Bring chairs, a blanket (it’s getting cooler in the evenings) and a cooler if you want. There’s no admission fee.
  • On Saturday Sept. 17, from 10 a.m. to noon, the Rec will hold its second annual Mud Run, a fun one-mile, non-competitive run through mud and obstacles. I’m definitely going to be there this year. Cost is $5/person for lots of laughs.
  • The Red Hot and Blue Band will hold a benefit concert at the village gazebo on Sunday Sept. 18, beginning at 3 p.m. There’s no admission fee, but free will donations will be taken at the concert, with all proceeds to benefit St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
  • Get your German on at the Challenger Miracle Field Oktoberfest, Friday and Saturday Sept. 16 and 17, Webster Firemen’s Field. The two-day event runs from noon to 10 p.m. each day and will have lots of great German bands and German food. Admission is $9, free for children 12 and under.

And finally, don’t forget about two big garage sales happening this weekend.

The Webster Hope, Inc. Garage Sale is going on today through Saturday Sept. 17 at Holy Trinity Church, 1460 Ridge Rd. Webster. And the annual Webster Museum Barn Sale runs Thursday, Sept. 15 through Saturday Sept. 17 on Phillips Rd. Click here to read about this incredible sale, which is the museum’s largest fundraiser of the year.

* * *

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 9/14/2022)

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

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →