My friends at the Webster Public Library wanted me to gve you all a heads-up about Wednesday night’s FREE Caring Community Concertat the Webster United Church of Christ, 570 Klem Rd.
This concert will feature the eight-piece contemporary band Allegro, and begins at 6:30.
This is the first of the church’s annual summer benefit concert series, and this one will be near and dear to any book lover’s heart, because it will benefit BookBox for Kids and Teens, the Webster Public Library’s summer mobile library at Phillips Village.
BookBox is a terrific program begun by Children’s Services Librarian Jason Poole several years ago. It’s designed to get books into the hands of kids who can’t easily make it to the library — specifically the 500 or so kids who live in the Phillips Village neighborhood.
Once a week, library staff members set up a tent in an open field and unload a couple of crates of books. Kids can stop by, scan the collection, sign out one book or several, and keep them for the entire summer if they’d like. They can even make special requests, and their favorite books might very well show up the following week.
It’s a great way to keep kids reading all summer long, and a great cause to support.
The Wednesday night concert is free, but a collection will be taken and donations will go to support BookBox.
The concert will run from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the United Church of Christ, 570 Klem Rd.
A couple of reminders this morning about upcoming events, plus a few new events for your consideration.
This Friday July 9, the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, at the corner of Webster Rd. (Rt. 250) and State Rd., will host a drive-through Taco Dinner, beginning at 4 p.m. and ending when they’re sold out.
Customers will have a choice of beef and chicken Birria style street tacos along with rice and black bean sides. The meals, priced at $12 for the first one and $11 for each additional meal ordered at the same time, are prepared by Tacodero, of Rochester. Its owner and chef, Cordero Rivera, has worked as a private chef cooking for hip-hop artists and NBA players in NYC before moving to Rochester.
Orders can be placed when you drive into the event. Proceeds will support the church’s outreach efforts in the Webster community and the greater Rochester area.
The Friends of the Public Library have added more dates for their Pop-Up Book Sales.
Four more sales have been scheduled for Thursday July 15, Saturday July 31, Thursday August 12 and Saturday August 28. They’ll be held in the Webster Public Library parking lot from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., weather permitting. (Cancellations will be posted on the library’s website and Facebook page or you can call the library at 585-872-7075.)
Prices will be $1 for hardcover, 2/$1 for paperback. On August 28, the last sale day, bring your own bag and fill it to the brim for just $3 (or two bags for $5).
By the way, remember that the library is holding Outdoor Storytimes at Harmony Park every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 9:30 a.m. No registration is necessary. The park is located just off Phillips Rd. on 10 Foster Drive. For more information, check out the library calendar here.
This tidbit also from the library: “Binge Bags.”
If you’re in the mood to take a break and binge on four or five movies — all with the same theme (like Star Wars or the best of Stephen King) — you can check out a “Binge Bag” at the library. It will be your own personal movie marathon. (Don’t forget the popcorn.)
The Webster Recreation Center’s next Family Fun Day will be on Saturday July 17.
The Summer Splash Family Fun Water Day will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. at the First Responders Splash Park, located on Chiyoda Drive adjacent to the Webster Recreation Center. Make sure to wear your swimsuits, bring a towel and some cash because there will be food trucks.
No registration is required, and the event is free for all ages.
And while you’re near the Rec Center, make sure to grab your copy of the new “Find a Way to Play” playgrounds passport. This is a new program from the Webster Parks and Recreation Department which encourages families to get outside and explore all of the great play areas we have here in Webster.
The 10-page passbook highlights many places right here in town where children and adults can be active and have fun. It encourages everyone to visit different facilities and discover each one’s unique amenities. The booklet provides a brief description of not just playgrounds, but two spray parks, the skate park and more.
You can read more about the program in this blog I wrote a few weeks ago.
There’s a very special event coming up later this month which I’ll write more about at a later date. But it’s something I think you’ll want to get on your calendar right now, especially if you’re not familiar with Rochester Challenger Miracle Field.
Miracle Field is located on Ridge Road behind Town Hall. This beautiful facility was specifically designed for individuals with physical and/or cognitive challenges and is fully wheelchair accessible. It offers those with developmental, physical or intellectual disabilities a barrier-free, safe, accessible place to experience the health benefits and joy of play through baseball, other team sports, and adaptive recreational equipment.
On Saturday July 24, Miracle Field will host their “Heroes Helping Heroes” day, a tribute to the Challenger athletes and the men and women who keep them safe.
From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. first responders will be playing ball games alongside the Challenger players. You can watch the games, cheer on these amazing athletes, then stay to visit with law enforcement representatives, first responders and mounted police officers. Plus there’ll be carnival games, food trucks, a dunk tank and a visit from Spikes, the Red Wings mascot. It should be a great morning of family fun.
Also coming up later this month, a brand new event from the Webster BID, those folks who bring you White Christmas in the Village, Trick or Treat Trail, Wine Walks and more.
It’s being called the Family Games Night & Beer Garden, scheduled for Friday July 30 from 6 to 9 p.m. on West Main Street in the village.
The BID website promises sidewalk chalk art, Giant Jenga, Giant Connect Four, Cornhole and a free yoga class. Beer and wine will be served up by the Coach Sports Bar and food from Webster Hots (including a kids’ menu). Live acoustic music will be provided by Steve Bartolotta from 6:30 to 8:00.
Details are still being hammered out, so stay tuned. You can also check the BID website for updates.
Another crafty shop is coming to the Village of Webster.
The Village HandWorks will be opening in just a few weeks at 19 East Main St., right next door to the Village Quilt Shoppe. As the name implies, the new shop will feature original hand-crafted goods, and offer a place for crafters to practice their skills, take a class or two, or just gather to sit, stitch and share their projects.
The Village HandWorks is owned by Webster resident Jenn Ratcliffe, an experienced spinner and weaver herself. She envisions her new place as a “unique yarn shop/learning center,” a welcoming environment for crafters of all skill levels who love making things with fabric and paper. She and her talented friends will be offering classes in spinning, weaving, fiber arts, knitting, crocheting, sewing, embroidery, crewel work, print making, book arts, dyeing and more.
There’ll be a big leather couch in one corner where people can sit and stitch, get help with their projects, and read research books from her library. And this is fun: she’ll be setting up her spinning wheel and loom right in the front window so passers-by can watch her work.
Jenn is clearly passionate about her craft and super excited to be part of the Village of Webster community.
It makes me feel good to be part of the revitalization of the village. COVID is still here, but it’s a little less scary and people are starting to get out more. Being in this retail space allows me to share my skills and ability, and also brings life to this space and hopefully to the village.
And being right next door to the Village Quilt Shoppe? Some might consider that direct competition, but Jenn considers it a great opportunity for collaboration.
I don’t quilt, and there will be no quilting (here) because that’s their expertise. We’re looking forward to working as a team to create classes together. Maybe while mom’s next door taking a quilting class, her children can be here taking a different kind of class.
For now, Jenn and her husband Tim are deep into cleaning and renovating the long-vacant storefront. But they hope to have a soft opening by July 17 followed by a grand opening the following week. Stay tuned for more details about both. Their website is still under construction, but what they have so far you can see here.
From the time I was a child, I’ve known “field days” to be those extra special days at the end of the school year when classwork was put on the back burner and the entire school headed outside all day to play games, eat snacks and just have some fun.
But the field day I went to Saturday at Kent Park was something entirely different.
The event was the XRX Radio Club Field Day, a chance for amateur radio (ham) operators to practice their skills totally “off the grid,” meaning no electricity from RG&E, no internet and no cell phones. The Field Day challenge for radio operators is to transport their equipment away their homes, set up in a park or other remote area, rebuild their stations, put up antennaes and operate in quasi-emergency conditions.
Held annually, Field Day is an nationwide event, held simultaneously with 1000 similar stations across the US and Canada over a 24-hour period and involving more than 30,000 radio amateurs. Operators communicate via voice, Morse code and computers connected to transmitters.
This year’s Field Day was set up in the parking lot past the playing fields at the very north end of Kent Park on Schlegel Rd. When I stopped in about an hour after the event began, five separate broadcast stations were in operation, complete with generators, computers, transmitters, and all manner of antennas.
I immediately connected with Field Day Chairman Bob Karz (K2OID), who in no time recognized that I had less than zero knowledge about all that I was seeing. He was kind enough to give me a tour of the entire operation, taking me from station to station, very patiently explaining the several different ways communications (“exchanges”) were being made (UHF/VHF, digitally, with antennas, and by satellite).
Despite Bob’s best efforts to simplify things, I still felt like I’d been dropped into the middle of a foreign country. (Bob called the language everyone was speaking “hamspeak,” adding that there are even subsets of the language.)
But I did learn some interesting things, like how sunspots and atmospheric conditions can be the difference between hearing someone in Batavia and someone in California, what “CQ” means, how you can bounce an exchange off the moon, why UHF/VHF exchanges are harder to make, and why “80 meters” bands only come alive at night.
Ben works the radio at his first Field Day under the watchful eye of Tim Brown (WB2PAY)
For most of the participants, the weekend’s activities were a kind of contest. The goal was to make contact with as many ham operators across the country as possible in the allotted time. (Some years they’ve contacted all 50 states, and once even chatted with the astronauts aboard the International Space Station.) There are even bonus points awarded for things like if the operator is under 18 or new to the hobby, and using Morse code. And UHF/VHF contacts count double because they’re harder to make. But if you make an exchange with an operator you’ve contacted before? That’s a demerit.
One station, however, set apart from the others, wasn’t part of the contest. It was the “get on the air” station, dedicated for the use of newbies or inexperienced hams, or those who haven’t been on the air for a long time and wouldn’t be comfortable being part of the competition.
This is where I watched 11-year old Ben Kennerknecht (W2BMK) take his turn on the radio during his first Field Day. Hesitant at first, it took him little time getting the hang of the proper exchange protocols. You could see his confidence and pride grow with every new contact.
Ham operator Don Dunn (AB2MN) explained that the weekend also serves another important purpose.
The FCC allocates a good deal of radio spectrum (that is radio frequencies) for hams’ use. We are thus expected to have the knowledge and skill to establish impromptu radio communication’s ability in the event of an emergency, be it natural, or man-made, local or regional. This is part of what we do, and Field Day is a way we practice, learn and maintain our skills, improve, and teach others.
Hams are often the first voices from disaster areas such as tsunamis, floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes. When cell phone and land line circuits were overloaded during the 9-11 attacks, amateur radio operators carried critical information from both attack sites.
Mostly, though, it’s about ham operators getting together to enjoy their hobby. Or, as Bob explained,
Field Day is two days of junk food, very little (or no) sleep, generators, solar panels, and solving unforeseen problems. Field Day is more often than not rain and mud. Field Day (believe it or not) is FUN.
Hmmm. Fun, snacks, friends, even a little bit of learning. Maybe this field day isn’t so different after all.
Jim Herbst, from the Monroe County Public Communications Office, and his mobile communications center, for Field Day support
Tom (KC2VHS), Harry (W2HRY) and Peter (W2SKY) at their radios
Bob Herz prefers Morse code
Post-event update: Bob Karz emailed me on Monday to tell me that more than 1000 contacts were made with stations in every state except Alaska, and several Canadian provinces. More than 50 hams participated, which was a record for the Webster event.
He also added that “we had a bit of an unplanned ‘adventure’ when our computers logging our contacts crashed at midnight Saturday by deciding not to talk to each other. It took an hour and a half to find a work around. Obstacles like this are fairly typical for Field Day as well as for real emergencies.”
I got a few emails the other day about some upcoming grab-a-dinner events that didn’t make it into my recent mailbag, so I wanted to feature them today.
The first is a fun event being hosted by the Webster Girl Scouts Service Unit on Tuesday, June 22. It’s a Food Truck Rodeo, held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Willink Middle School on Publisher’s Parkway. As you can see on the flyer, the event will feature four food trucks — Kona Ice, Macarollin, Tuscan Wood Fired Pizza and Stingray Sushifusion. But for added fun, several local entrepreneurs and businesses will also have tables for you to brouse. They include:
Color Street
Crowned Free
LulaRoe
Pampered Chef
Perfectly Posh
Tastefully Simple
Thirty-One Gifts
Simmons Custom Creations
And (this is exciting) if you didn’t get your fill of Girl Scout cookies earlier this year, they’re going to be sold as well, so you can stock your freezer.
All proceeds from the Food Truck Rodeo will go directly to Webster Girl Scouts to support their community service projects, STEM projects, camping, and more.
What an excellent way to celebrate the last day of school: go out to dinner and support a good cause all at the same time. Bring your lawn chairs!
I don’t often get calendar notices from the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, so I’m especially pleased to pass this news along to you.
The church will host a drive-through Taco Dinner Event on Friday, July 9 from 4 p.m. until gone. Customers will have a choice of beef and chicken Birria style street tacos along with rice and black bean sides. The meals, priced at $12 for the first one and $11 for each additional meal ordered at the same time, are prepared by Tacodero, of Rochester. Its owner and chef, Cordero Rivera, has worked as a private chef cooking for hip-hop artists and NBA players in NYC before moving to Rochester where he was recently profiled in the Democrat & Chronicle.
Orders can be placed when you drive into the event. Proceeds will support the church’s outreach efforts in the Webster community and the greater Rochester area.
The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd is located at 1130 Webster Road (Rt. 250) at the corner of State Rd.
A few of the items in today’s mailbag are reminders about events happening this weekend. But first, a note that the Joe Obbie Farmers’ Market is officially open for business for the summer.
This early in the season, you’ll mostly find specialty items like syrups and honey, flowers and crafts. There were a couple of fresh produce stalls last weekend — opening weekend — with some beautiful strawberries. But the number of vendors and selection will expand every week, so make sure to check back regularly. And there was a food truck as well, which organizers have said will be a regular feature.
The market is located in Webster Towne Center plaza, in front of Old Navy and near the gazebo. It’s open every Saturday through November from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
St. Martin Lutheran Church, 813 Bay Rd., will hold a huge garage sale this coming Thursday, Friday and Saturday (June 17-19). Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. All proceeds will benefit the church’s local missions and neighbors in need.
The Webster Thomas Players will present their spring musical, Cabaret live and in person this year at the Penfield Amphitheater, 3100 Atlantic Ave., in three shows June 17 to 19.
The production will be PG-13, but the subject matter is most appropriate for mature audiences, addressing issues around anti-Semitism and political fanaticism. Audiences will recognize many legendary musical numbers including “Willkommen,” “Don’t Tell Mama,” “Maybe this Time,” “Money,” and of course, “Cabaret.”
Cabaret will be presented in three shows:
● Thursday, June 17, 7:30 p.m. ● Friday, June 18, 7:30 p.m. ● Saturday, June 19, 7:30 p.m.
The rain date for all shows will be Sunday, June 20 at 7:30 p.m.
Reserved seating tickets are available for $12 in advance, and can be purchased online here. On the day of the show, reserve tickets will be $15 (if available). General admission “bring your own” lawn chair ($10) or blanket ($25) options are also available. You can see more details about these options on the website (websterthomasplayers.com).
It’s Sidewalk Sale Weekend in the Village of Webster.
Five village shops will be setting up some tables outside their stores this Friday and Saturday and offering some great bargains both outside and in.
So take a stroll downtown this Friday and Saturday and meet some of our very friendly small business owners.
Webster doesn’t have an Independence Day parade, but you don’t have to go very far to enjoy one.
Penfield’s Independence Day Parade will be held Saturday July 3, beginning at 10 a.m. It steps off at Penfield High School, proceeds south on Five Mile Line Road to Route 441, east on Route 441 to Baird Rd., and north on Baird Rd. to end at the Penfield Community Center.
The town is dedicating the parade to all the people who helped the town’s resisdents make it through a very difficult 2020, and who may still be helping them cope. Help came in many forms during the pandemic: physical, mental, spiritual, emotional, financial and more.
Penfield residents who wish to contribute a name, or names, to the banner may submit them on the Town of Penfield website at www.penfield.org. Names may also be submitted via phone at (585) 340-8655, option 0. The audience at Penfield’s Independence Day will also have the opportunity to add their heroes’ names to the banner as it is walked through the parade.
The banner will be displayed in a prominent location after the Independence Day festivities, so the heroes can be recognized beyond the holiday.
Here’s this month’s Webster Museum History Bit:
Now and Then: Webster Baseball
Today’s baseball in Webster differs from the early days in so many ways.
Ball fields are all over town now. There are school fields and town fields and park field and fields owned by philanthropic organizations and pick-up games in empty spaces. There are many varieties of bats, balls, mitts, caps, helmets, uniforms and protective equipment, many of them tossed on grassy fields while players wait their turns.
Nineteenth century Webster baseball teams were loosely organized, equipped with one homemade bat and one hard rubber ball (that’s it!) and used the underhand swift pitch. Games were played on borrowed private property for at least ten years before the first organized high school game was played in 1888. Since then, Webster has fielded many excellent school teams and a number of players who went on to careers in professional baseball.
In the 1890s local businessmen organized teams and rented land now bounded by Lapham Park, Park Ave., Dunning Ave. and Elm Street. They fenced it and added a grandstand and ticket office. Uniformed and equipped, the teams from the town and from Nine Mile Point played teams from Rochester, Brockport, Parma and Penfield.
I love living in the Village of Webster. The people are friendly, the streets are extremely walkable, there are parks within walking distance, and great restaurants and pubs just around the corner. We live on a street, but feel like we are part of a neighborhood.
Saturday (June 12) was a great example of what’s to love about Webster. For starters, that afternoon our Park Ave. neighbor Doug Pucci hosted his second annual Village Block Party, featuring two food trucks and a free concert by his Red Hot and Blue Band, playing from Pucci’s spacious porch.
Everyone in the village was invited, and more than 100 answered the call. Adults spread their quad chairs across the lawn and closed-off street and listened to the music, or stood in small groups visiting with neighbors. Children chalked in the street, played with bubbles and danced in the grass.
It was the perfect opportunity for long-time neighbors to reconnect after a long pandemic. It was also a chance for new residents to meet their new neighbors and start to to know the feeling that they are part of the village community.
It was the quintessential village experience.
The lemonade sales force: Emilio Martinez, Owen Knapp and Will Brunswick
The home office
Earlier in the day, I was riding my bike and happened upon a woman setting up chairs and a table in the lawn of the apartment complex near my house. She was taping some kind of sign onto the table. Curious (and being who I am), I stopped to find out what was going on.
Her name was Jennifer Martinez, and she explained that she was setting up the table for her son and his friends, who were going to hold a Free Lemonade stand later that afternoon.
Apparently every year since her son Emilio was very young, Jennifer’s mother Gail had held a garage sale. And every year during that sale, Emilio would set up a lemonade stand. This year, Gail wasn’t able to hold her sale, so Jennifer suggested that Emilio simply set up his stand outside their home instead.
In years past, Emilio had charged for his lemonade. But not this year. When I asked Jennifer about that, she said that the idea to hand out the lemonade for free was “just to be kind.” Then, after giving it a bit of thought, she added, “It’s nice to be among people again.”
Emilio and his fellow business owners Will Brunswick and Owen Knapp, all 7th-grade friends at Spry Middle School, were enthusiastic lemonade hawkers, even though they weren’t earning any cold, hard cash. They stood out on the sidewalk yelling “free lemonade!” to all the cars driving by on busy South Ave, and any time a biker, walker or runner got within 50 yards of the table, one of them (usually Owen, wearing a flag cape), would chase them down “selling” their wares at full volume.
At first the salesmen were only getting a lot of honks and waves from passing cars. But while I was there (getting my free lemonade), they were able to wave down a passing FedEx delivery truck, whose driver gratefully accepted the refreshment. And if yelling to someone didn’t work, they would take the lemonade to their customers, at one point skittering across South Ave., two-fisting cups of lemonade, to deliver them to people who were setting up for the block party.
The highlight of the day was probably when the boys were able to attract the attention of a passing police car. The officer didn’t stop, but she did come back a few minutes later and invited another colleague to join her. So at one point two Webster police officers were standing at the table enjoying some lemonade.
The kids even earned a little money after all. Some patrons couldn’t resist throwing a dollar on the table, and one family brought them some fresh-picked strawberries.
A friendly neighbor who didn’t mind at all a random stranger stopping to chat. Free lemonade and kids having fun doing something other than sitting in front of a screen. Just two more things I love about village life.
Two of the boys’ favorite customers
Jennifer handing out a free lemonade
Owen, Emilio, Jennifer and Will with Jennifer’s parents Gail and Rich
If you live in or near the village, you may remember the Village Block Party held back in September on Park Ave. The event was hosted by The Red Hot and Blue Band, who set up on the porch of RHB band member Doug Pucci, who lives at the corner of Park Ave. and South Ave.
The band played for three straight hours, while community members sat around and listened (socially distanced of course), and children danced and made chalk drawings in the middle of the closed-off street. It was a much-needed and greatly appreciated respite from the depths of the pandemic.
Well, the Village Block Party is back again this year, and it’s going to be even better.
On Saturday June 12, Webster community members are all invited to come together to enjoy the rockin’ sounds of the Red Hot and Blue Band, beginning at 3 p.m. And bring some cash, too, because this time the party will feature two food trucks, Terry’s Tips and Beef and Netsins Ice Cream.
Aside from the food trucks, there’s no charge for this event. Just bring your quad chairs and join your neighbors for an afternoon of good music and good food. It all happens on Park Ave. between South Ave. (Rt. 250) and Lapham Park.
This week’s Friends of the Webster Public Library Pop-up Book Sale has become a Bring-Your-Own-Bag Book Sale!
On Thursday June 10 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., bring your bag to the library and fill it with gently used books for just $4. It’s an inexpensive way to stock your personal library for a summer-full of great reading for you and your family.
The sale will be held in the Webster Publc Library parking lot, at the rear of Webster Plaza, 980 Ridge Rd. All monies raised will go to support library initiatives.
Don’t forget about this weekend’s WebsterSummer Celebration, returning on Saturday June 12 to the Webster Recreation Center.
From 5 to 10 p.m., the whole family is invited to come out for dinner and snacks from some great food trucks (including Wraps on Wheels, Nancy’s Fried Dough, Effortlessly Healthy, Bay Vista Taqueria and Seabreeze Catering and Hot Sauce), while enjoying some great live music.
Festivities will conclude at 9:45 with a fireworks display. For more information, especially about parking for the fireworks, please visit the Webster Parks and Recreation webpage.
This Saturday also maks the opening of the Joe Obbie Farmers’ Market.
This blurb from the market’s Facebook page seems to indicate that exciting changes are in store:
Things are lining up for what we believe to be one of our biggest and best market years ever. We are happy to announce that the market has grown with new vendors being added. We are pleased to see many old faces return as well. And also very pleased to announce the addition of a food truck and a possible lemonade truck.
The market is located in Webster Towne Center plaza, in front of Old Navy and near the gazebo. It’s open every Saturday through November from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Several Village of Webster shops will be holding a sidewalk sale next week on Friday June 18 and Saturday June 19. Take a stroll through the village, pick up some bargains and visit with with some of our very friendly small business owners.
The shops that will be participating in the sidewalk sale include Lala of Webster, Nest Things, The North Bee, Yesterday’s Muse Books, and the Village Quilt Shoppe.
The Village of Webster’s summer schedule is heating up, none too soon, much to the delight of a COVID-weary community which sorely missed out on last summer’s music and dance.
The Friday Night Concerts at the Gazebo, sponsored by Webster’s Business Improvement District (BID), start up again on Friday June 25, featuring Keys to the Caddy from 7 to 9 p.m. The concerts continue on July 9 (performer TBD) and July 23, featuring The Red Hot and Blue Band.
Movies in the Park are also returning to Veterans Memorial Park this summer, scheduled for July 13 and 27 and August 10 and 24. Movies and times are still being determined.
And finally (and this is very exciting) the Webster Jazz Festival will be returning in September, with Music in the Pubs on Friday Sept. 17 from 6 to 11 p.m., and Music in the Street on Saturday Sept. 18 from 4 to 11. I’ll tell you more about that as the time gets closer.
As you can see, details are still being hammered out for many of these events, and I expect others will be added in the next several weeks (I’m hoping for another wine walk, myself). So stay on top of things by visiting the BID website often, where you can also sign up for the BID newsletter.
Another sign of summer, Webster’s two spray parks are now open, dawn to dusk, every day of the week. They’re located at Ridgecrest Park on Ebner Drive, and the First Responder’s Spray Park, 1350 Chiyoda Drive, next door to the Weebster Recreaytion Center.
And ANOTHER sign of summer: The Joe Obbie Farmers’ Market will be opening on June 12! Here’s a blurb from the market’s Facebook page with some more details:
Things are lining up for what we believe to be one of our biggest and best market years ever. We are happy to announce that the market has grown with new vendors being added. We are pleased to see many old faces return as well. And also very pleased to announce the addition of a food truck and a possible lemonade truck. We are still waiting on final word from NY agri markets on the set up this year but are confident things will be more relaxed as we return to normalcy. More information will posted as we close in on June 12th.
It’s the First Annual WCCH Duck Derby, this Saturday June 5 at the Beeches Pavilion at Webster Park. Volunteers will conduct a race of rubber ducks down Mill Creek. Participants can purchase ducks for $5 each, then cheer them on as they ride the “rapids.” Cash prizes will be awarded for first, second and third place ducks. Ducks can be purchased online at www.webstercomfortcare.org.
This is a family-friendly event for children and adults of all ages. Child-friendly activities and refreshments will be available while ducks are racing.
By the way, put this one on your calendar, too: the WCCH “Lift Your Spirits” Wine and Beer Tasting Event is BACK this year, on Friday October 22 at ArtisanWorks.
Webster Marching Band Bottle and Can Drive
Don’t forget about this weekend’s bottle and can drive on Saturday to benefit the Webster Marching Band. This will be a drop-off drive only. Just pack up your returnables and swing by Willink Middle School on Publisher’s Parkway between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to drop them off. There will be plenty of worker-bees there to help you, so you won’t even have to get out of the car.
If can’t make it to Willink on Saturday, they’ll come to you. Simply call the Bottle and Can Hotline, 24/7 at 234-8684 (option 1), leave a message and they’ll call you back for details. You can also drop off returns at any time to area bottle return companies (Can Kings, Nickleback, Upstate Bottle Return) and just tell them to credit the Webster Marching Band for the return.
Dancing for a Cause
A big shout-out to Denise Baller and Dancing With Denise for not only shining a spotlight on her dancers during her school’s upcoming recital, but also on a terrific local organization, Bella’s Bumbas.
At the studio’s backyard dance recital this Saturday, Denise and her students’ families will present Bella’s Bumbas with a donation to cover the cost of building several pint-sized Bella’s Bumbas wheelchairs for children with mobility issues.
On the Dancing With Denise Facebook page, Denise writes, “It’s a wonderful, teachable moment to show my students how spreading compassion and love can make little ones who aren’t as mobile ‘feel better when they are dancing’!”
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
