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Almost 30 raffle prizes up for grabs at this week’s community blood drive

7 Oct
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Just a sampling of the prizes that await donors at this week’s Webster Community Blood Drive.

How badly do our Webster business owners want you to donate blood at this week’s Community Blood Drive? So much that they’ll give you PRIZES just for showing up.

Ok, you might consider that bribery, but they’re willing to help do what they can to encourage community members to attend this week’s two-day community blood drive on October 9 and 10, because the need is critical. Right now the Red Cross is operating on less than a 5-day supply of blood, which is kind of scary.

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One lucky donor will win these adjustable, swiveling bar stools from the Garage Sale Store, still in the box.

That’s why my spare bedroom is piled high right now with raffle prizes. You’ll see some of them in the photo above, including a very nice gift basket from The Best You Spa, which includes a bottle of wine and $40 gift certificate.

Every donor who walks through the door will be handed ten raffle tickets, which can be used to take chances on almost 30 raffle items donated by some very generous local businesses.  In addition to the Best You Spa basket, donors can also try their luck on these prizes:

Gift certificates from:

  • Barry’s Old School Irish
  • Ploty’s Hometown Tavern
  • Webster Hots
  • The Filling Station
  • ROC & Soul Fitness
  • The Chicken Coop
  • Eastway Liquor
  • Lala of Webster (and lots of tea-related gifts!)
  • Rubino’s
  • Natural Alternatives
  • The Goodie Shoppe
  • Carl’s Pizza
  • The Pickled Paintbrush (PLUS a cool kids’ craft)
  • The North Bee (PLUS gift bags)
  • Kittleberger Florist
  • Strike Back Martial Arts
  • The Village Quilt Shoppe

Plus, these prizes:

  • Two adjustable bar stools from The Garage Sale Store
  • Gift basket and gift certificate from The Best You Spa
  • Gift basket from Schutt’s
  • Beauty products from Beyond Cuts Salon
  • Growler gift pack from Knuckleheads
  • Gift basket from Hegedorn’s

And there’s more! Each donor will receive a free pint of ice cream from Bruster’s, a chance for a cool $100 from Gerard P. Smith Insurance, a $5 coupon from Superior Solutions … and there might be a few other things I’m forgetting.

Basically, you do NOT want to miss this blood drive. Here are the details:

The drive will be held on Wednesday October 9 at St. Paul’s Church on Hard Road, noon to 7 p.m. and Thursday October 10 at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Drive, from noon to 7 p.m. You can make an appointment by calling 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767) or by logging onto http://www.redcrossblood.org. Walk-ins are also welcome.

A SPECIAL THANK YOU to our newest business sponsor this year, The Village Quilt Shoppe. Thank you SO MUCH for your generosity. 

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Webster Fall Fest a success

6 Oct

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The Town of Webster could not have asked for a more spectacular autumn day yesterday on which to celebrate the annual Fall Festival.

Bright blue, cloudless skies and seasonably cool temperatures encouraged hundreds of people of all ages to head out to Gosnell Big Woods to enjoy the festivities. It was the biggest crowd I’ve seen in the three year’s I’ve attended the event. There was a line at pretty much every activity, including pony rides, wagon rides, even the kids’ games. Everywhere you looked, kids were climbing hay bales, doing crafts, trying their hand at all sorts of games, or visiting with the West Webster firefighters.

If you didn’t have a chance to go, here’s a gallery of photos to give you a feel for the fun.

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Go on The Journey with the Webster Marching Band this Saturday

2 Oct

 

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Your Webster Marching Band will be taking everyone on a spectacular “Journey” this weekend when these amazing musicians and dancers present their annual Autumn Fanfare field show and competition on Saturday Oct. 5.

band 2Seven bands from around the Rochester area will compete, including our very own Pride of Webster. Each school prepares a different, elaborate show, complete with huge set pieces. Sometimes band members will even act out part of the story being told. Webster calls their show this year “The Journey.”

The Pride of Webster Marching Band has been hosting this show for 34 years. Last year was was the first time I ‘d actually attended. I was blown away. Allow me to quote some of my thoughts from that evening:

It is an impressive sight. Almost 70 smartly-dressed kids moving in sync like a well-drilled Army unit, at the same time PLAYING AN INSTRUMENT. People who pride themselves on being able to walk and chew gum at the same time have got nothing on these kids.

And at Saturday night’s event, we got to enjoy the artistry of six other marching bands as well, from Leroy, Hilton, Orchard Park, Medina, East Irondequoit and Victor,  who together provided 90 minutes of music, pageantry and spectacle.

As I watched and snapped about a thousand photos, these are some of the thoughts I came away with:

* These bands don’t just get out there, walk around and play music. The shows are full musical productions, complete with elaborate set pieces (check out Stonehenge in one of my photos) and detailed story lines (one school even had several performers act out part of the story). The music is rich, and usually presented in a series of movements, guiding spectators through the story’s intricacies.

* Every performance by every school is completely different. One school hid behind their set pieces at the beginning of the show, so it looked like no one was on the field. Another put down their instruments a few times for some coordinated dance moves. There was a huge moon, geometric shapes, and yes, even Stonehenge.

* The shows are changed every year, which means a new story, new music, new set pieces, new choreography, and often new costumes and flags for the color guard.

* Think marching bands are all trumpets and drums? Webster’s 2018 production, “Heart Strings: Tugged and Torn” features violins, a stand-up electric bass and two flute soloists.

* Band parents are as invested in these competitions as much as — or even more than — any sports parent. They are cheerleaders, critics, coaches, and analysts. They are the roadies, helping set up the complicated sets and running out on the field after the final note to break everything down and move it out as quickly as possible. And if you’re school is hosting an event like this, if you’re not a roadie you’re still working hard selling tickets, running the raffle, manning food booths, or selling merchandise.

* And oh, by the way, while you’re competing, not only do you have to remember all your music, where to walk without running into anyone, and how to toss that heavy flag without dropping it, you have to do all of that while a judge is walking through the ranks, sometimes just feet away from you, watching you, JUDGING you, and communicating his observations with the head judge at the sideline. Talk about pressure.

I’m looking forward to going on The Journey again this year with our marching band, and I encourage everyone else to do so as well.

The show begins at 5:30 p.m. Saturday night Oct. 5 at Webster Schroeder High School, 875 Ridge Rd. (Gates open at 4:30 p.m.) Tickets are $7 in advance at Hegedorn’s, $9 at the gate. For more information, visit www.webstermarchingband.org.

Click here to see a gallery of photos from last year’s show.

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Webster community mailbag

27 Sep

So many things to tell you about today. Let’s get right to it.

Good food for a good cause

Sandy [new]TTONIGHT, Friday Sept. 27, a food truck rodeo at Veterans Memorial Park in Penfield will benefit Golisano Children’s Hospital at Strong.

The event, scheduled from 4 to 9 p.m., will feature trucks from Bay Vista Taqueria, Abbott’s, Chef’s Catering, The Meatball Truck, Waffles R Wild and Marty’s Meats. Live music will be provided by John Akers and Coupe de Villes, and the kids will enjoy bounce houses and face painting.

Admission is $5 for adults (remember, it’s for a good cause!) and children are free.

Veterans Memorial Park is located behind Penfield Town Hall, 3100 Atlantic Ave. (there’s also an entrance off Jackson Rd.).

Another food truck rodeo!

Don’t want to drive ALL THE WAY DOWN TO Penfield for dinner tonight?

The Spry Middle School PTSA invites families to come enjoy some “beats & eats” at their second annual Welcome Back Food Truck Rodeo, also tonight at Spry, 119 South Ave. Trucks will include Meat the Press, Effortlessly Healthy and Magical Marinades BBQ. Free Rochester Foam Dart Legal Nerf games will be offered in the gymnasium, and you can purchase some Webster spirit wear while you’re there as well. A DJ will provide music.

It’s picnic style so bring your chairs.

And EVEN MORE FOOD!

TOMORROW, Saturday Sept. 28, St. Rita School will host a Sticky Lips fundraiser from 4 to 7 p.m. at the school, 1008 Maple Rd., Webster.

On the menu that night will be BBQ chicken (leg and thigh), pulled pork, fresh cornbread, two homemade sides as well as a coupon for a free appetizer card when you visit the restaurant.

Tickets are $12 each and can be bought ahead of time through the school’s website at stritawebster.org/school via credit card (click on the online giving tab where you can place your order) or you can purchase tickets directly at the school.

Is it March yet?

Also TOMORROW, Saturday Sept. 28, the Village of Webster’s very own authentic Irish pub, Barry’s Old School Irish, will host its annual “Halfway to St. Patty’s Day” party.

Live Irish music will be provided by Dave North from 7:30 to 11 p.m., and throughout the evening keep an eye out for Irish dancers, whiskey samples, a “proper” Irish toast and Guinness give-aways.

Barry’s owners Danny and Jessica are encouraging everyone to “green out” for the evening, so poke through your closet for all your St. Patrick’s Day wear!

Barry’s Old School Irish is located at 2 West Main St., at the Village of Webster’s four corners.

Comfort Care Home wine tasting

WCCH LYS 2019 skHave fun and help your neighbors in their time of need by attending the “Lift Your Spirits” fundraiser for the Webster Comfort Care Home on Friday October 18 from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at Artisan Works, 565 Blossom Road.

The Webster Comfort Care Home, located at the corner of Holt and Klem roads, provides free hospice care to the terminally ill of our Webster community, and comfort to the patients’ families. The agency is run solely on donations and fundraisers like this.

The event will feature wine and beer tasting from local breweries, music by Andy Calabrese & Chet Catallo, appetizers, full cash bar, silent auction and raffles for great prizes including a balloon ride over Letchworth, a Sabres Suite for their Dec. 27 game against the Bruins, lodging, dinner certificates, rounds of golf, a humidor, jewelry, home decor and more.

Tickets are $50 per person and can be purchased online at www.webstercomfortcare.org or by calling 585-872-5290.

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Webster Schroeder HS kicks off fall musical season

25 Sep

Joseph2Wow. The fall musical season has already started in our high schools, and I haven’t even had a chance to write up my annual preview column for the D&C.

So let me take the opportunity RIGHT NOW to tell you about Webster Schroeder’s upcoming performance of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, happening this weekend.

Here’s the description from the ticket website:

Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, Joseph is one of the most enduring shows of all time. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is a re-imagining of the Biblical story of Joseph, his father Jacob, eleven brothers and the coat of many colors. Told entirely through song with the help of a main character Narrator, the musical follows preferred son Joseph as he discovers his ability to interpret dreams.

Showtimes are Friday Sept. 27 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday Sept. 28 at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Reserve tickets are $10 to $15, available at any area Wegmans or online at websterschroedermusicals.com (I always get mine at Wegmans, since ShowTix charges a service fee.) Schroeder productions are always incredible, so I highly recommend putting this one on your calendar.

Webster Schroeder High School is located at 875 Ridge Rd.

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Lots of library news, including a new nature trail

24 Sep

Our Webster Public Library, in Webster Plaza, 980 Ridge Rd., always has a lot of great programs and special events on their calendar, but this one is especially great.

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In this Google image, the Hickory Bark Woods are seen north of the library (marked in red) 

On Saturday, Oct. 5, the brand new Hickory Bark Woods Trail will be officially introduced to the public at a grand opening ceremony beginning at 10 a.m. The trail is located on Van Ingen Drive, on the north side of the library, basically across from the front entrance. There’s a stand of woods there which you may not have really noticed before. Now it has a trail and boardwalk which lead to a platform which will be used for nature programs.

 

The project represents a joint community effort of the Webster Public Library, the Friends of the Webster Public Library, the Town of Webster, the Friends of Webster Trails, and the Boy Scouts to enhance a unique natural area for the benefit of Webster residents.

Come on out that Saturday and check out the town’s newest trail!

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In other library news,

Bring the whole family to learn about Bees in Your Backyard on Wed. October 2 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the library’s community room.

Participants will learn how fresh honey is good for you, see a beehive and taste fresh honey. The program is free but registration is requested.

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ikebanaLearn about Ikebana (ee-kay-bah-nah), the Japanese art of flower arrangement, on Friday Oct. 4 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday Oct. 5 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This fascinating program, presented by the School of Ichivo Ikebana, demonstrates this disciplined art form in which the arrangement is a living thing where nature and humanity are brought together. It’s steeped in the philosophy of developing a closeness with nature.

Live demonstrations will be held on Friday at 1 and 4 p.m. and Saturday at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. It all happens in the library’s community room.

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The Friends of the Webster Public Library Fall Book Sale begins Thursday, Oct. 10 and runs through Saturday, Oct. 12.

Hardcover books are just $1, paperbacks only 50 cents, and all books are new to the sale. Credit cards are accepted. Stop in to check out the selection of books on cooking, gardening, hobbies, biographies, religion, history, sports, travel, performing arts, large print, humor and more. And make sure to enter the raffle for gift baskets packed with books.

The sale will run on Thursday, Oct 10 from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Friday, Oct. 11 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (fill a bag for just $4); and Saturday Oct. 12 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (the bag sale will continue). All proceeds will benefit the Friends of the Public Library

Speaking of the Friends, here’s a way to help them out while doing your fall housecleaning.

On Saturday Oct. 19, the Friends will sponsor a fundraising event at the Webster Savers, 980 Ridge Rd. Bring your gently used items to the rear of Savers near the library parking lot between 10 a.m. and noon. Soft goods such as clothing, bedding, towels, curtains, backpacks, hats, mittens, ties, socks, scarves and purses will find a new home here.  Hard goods such as small electrical items, toaster, hair dryers, curling irons, coffee makers, mixers, toys, games, stuffed animals, puzzles, sports equipment, knick-knacks, jewelry, baskets, ornaments, hand tools, dishes, glassware, cutlery, pots and pans are also welcome.

Savers will make a donation to the Friends based on how many items are received.

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Finally, here’s a great program for anyone who has found themselves in the role of caregiver.

A six-week educational program will focus on the needs of family caregivers of individuals living with chronic conditions. It will help caregivers develop self-help tools to reduce stress, communicate more effectively, deal with challenging feelings and more.

Classes meet at the library from 5:30 to 8 p.m. every Tuesday from Oct. 15 through Nov. 19. The program is free but registration is required; call the library at 585-872-7075 ext. 3 to sign up.

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Webster mailbag and BIKE RACK NEWS!

18 Sep
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Three Barry’s Runners — Mike Bodine, Don White and Jim Mossey — with the new bike rack, installed this week on West Main. 

The Village of Webster is finally getting its bike racks!

They’ve been more than a year in coming. It was last June that I approached the Village Board with a proposal to install some bike racks to make our village more cyclist-friendly. The idea came out of a discussion I was having with a running buddy at our weekly Barry’s Runners group. Many of the group members bring their bikes to the run and they usually end up crowded along the Barry’s Pub fence.

Not any more. Just this week, our village Public Works Department installed the first new bike rack on the sidewalk in front of Barry’s Pub/The Garage Sale Store on West Main. It’s the first of what will eventually be four racks. The other three will be placed at Veterans’ Park, Village Hall, and somewhere down in the Village Bakery parking lot (where exactly is yet to be determined).

Thank you to our Superintendent of Public Works Jake Swingly and his staff for getting this done. I truly believe that the new bike racks will make our already friendly and welcoming village even more so.

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Now on to a few mailbag notices:

The Webster Public Library will host a blood drive on Thursday, Sept. 19 from 1 to 6 p.m. in the library’s community room.

Walk-ins are welcome, but you can also make an appointment by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS. The Red Cross is still trying to make up for summer shortages, so please consider taking an hour out of your day and help save some lives.

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motorThe Webster Museum and Historical Society invites the community to an open house on Saturday Sept. 21 from 2 to 4 p.m.

If you have never visited our village museum before, this will be a great opportunity to check out all of the permanent and rotating exhibits.

The focus this weekend will me “motoring,” with exhibits inside and outside. There will be vintage cars and an antique tractor, and the big-wheeled penny farthing bicycle.  Ed Harding will show some of the Native American artifacts he’s found in his yard, you can learn about fossils, play some colonial games, make some butter and more.

Refreshments will be served.

It’s going to be great fun for the whole family, and (don’t tell the kids) educational, to boot. Plus it’s all free.

For more information visit the museum website or on Facebook.

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St. Rita School will be hosting a Sticky Lips fundraiser on Saturday Sept. 28 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the school, 1008 Maple Rd. in Webster.

On the menu that night will be BBQ chicken (leg and thigh), pulled pork, fresh cornbread, two homemade sides as well as a coupon for a free appetizer card when you visit the restaurant.

Tickets can be bought ahead of time through the school’s website (click on the online giving tab where you can place your order) or you can purchase tickets directly at the school. See that attached flyer for more details.

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If you do nothing else today…

14 Sep

…make sure you AT LEAST get out to the Rochester Garlic Festival. Because it’s downright amazing.

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It’s taking place at the Webster Recreation Center on Chiyoda Drive until 5 p.m. on Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. And it’s a must-see festival.

I spent some time there this afternoon and came away extremely impressed by the number of vendors (garlic and non-garlic), the quality of the entertainment, variety of kids’ activities and food trucks. Vendors are spread throughout the Rec Center’s gymnasium and outside under tents, and there’s are separate rooms inside for the cooking demonstrations and several tasting stations.

Parking was not a problem, either. If there’s not room in the lot immediately in front of the Rec Center (and it was crowded), you can park across the street and walk, or take a shuttle bus. Our town’s wonderful Special Police are there to help.

All of this amazingness costs just $5 admission, and children under 12 are free. And all proceeds benefit Challenger Miracle Field of Greater Rochester, a fully-accessible sports facility which we are fortunate to have right here in Webster.

So if you didn’t have a chance to go today, carve out a few hours tomorrow, and bring the kids. You won’t regret it.

For more details about the vendors and entertainment lineup (including State Line and the Zach Brown Tribute Band), visit the Rochester Garlic Festival website here.

You can also see a lot more photos from the event here.

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Weekend reminders and 9/11 photos

12 Sep

garlic fest logo

A couple of reminders about a few events coming up this weekend you won’t want to miss.

The first is the return of the Webster Garlic Festival — now called the Rochester Garlic Festival — on Saturday and Sunday at the Webster Recreation Center.

This is a great family-friendly event with a lot of entertainment, food, vendors and, of course, garlic. But you don’t have to like garlic to enjoy the festival, because most of the vendors are non-garlic ones.

Click here to read a column I wrote about the festival for more details, or visit their website here.

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quilt shoppe logo

This Friday and Saturday, make sure to pop into the Village Quilt Shoppe at 21 E. Main Street in the Webster, as this brand new business celebrates its grand opening.

Owners Monique Liberti and Vanetta Parshall opened their new shop in August and have already been warmly welcomed to the village by seamstresses who love having a convenient local source for quality fabrics and notions.

The grand opening is scheduled for Friday and Saturday Sept. 13 and 14 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with food, door prizes, gifts for everyone and scissor sharpening on Saturday.

Whether you’re a quilter or not, why not stop in and say hi.

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Last night’s Village of Webster 9/11 remembrance ceremony was a very nice affair once again. The approximately hour-long ceremony was well represented by first responders and local and regional politicians. The speeches were quite moving, and the late-summer temperatures very comfortable.

This year’s musical selections were presented by the Webster Village Band, which was a change from past ceremonies, at which the Chorus of the Genesee performed. The band did a nice job, but I was disappointed to not see some of my Chorus friends and hear their sweet harmonies.

The attendance by community members was also rather disappointing, numbering about 65. There were more musicians and official ceremony participants than there were audience members. And aside from a few little girls who had come with their firefighter father, I didn’t see any young children.

That’s too bad. I think it’s important that the younger generation know about and learn about what happened on 9/11/2001. No matter that the world it created is the only one they will ever know. They need to hear about the thousands who died, the heroic first responders, and to see how our country persevered, and became stronger.

They need to never forget, too.

Click here to see more photos.

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Village remembers 9/11

8 Sep

firefighters2

One of the most solemn anniversaries in our nation’s history comes around again this week. The two simple words by which we all know it belie the horror of the day: 9/11.

The Village of Webster always does a very nice job commemorating the occasion, with a ceremony held at the gazebo at Veterans Memorial Park on North Ave.

Scheduled for Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., the event usually lasts around 45 or 50 minutes, and includes first responders and local and regional political representatives who offer some comments. The Chorus of the Genesee also participates, performing some patriotic tunes.

Members of the Webster Fire Department are planning to congregate at the station on South Ave. at around 6:15 and march as a group to the ceremony. You won’t want to miss that.

 

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