Just a quick reminder today about a special event being hosted jointly by the Webster Museum and Webster Public Library this Thursday afternoon.
In honor of National Women’s History Month, the Museum and the Library have created an interesting program where you can meet several well-known Webster women, past and present.
At the program, scheduled for Thursday March 30 at 3 p.m. at the Webster Public Library, you’ll meet:
Victoria Woodhull, a leader in the women’s suffrage movement, stockbroker, and the first woman to ever run for president;
Erva Wright, Monroe County politician whose active role in civic service at the local, county and state levels earned her the title First Lady of Webster;
Esther Dunn, a lifelong Webster resident and long-time Webster teacher, best known for the book she published in 1971, Webster Through the Years;
Agnes Semmler, a farm wife who raised her family on Shoecraft Rd;
Ginny Nguyen, Town of Webster councilwoman;
and me, Missy Rosenberry
Each character will speak for about 5 to 6 minutes, describing a little about their lives and accomplishments. As for me, I’ll be telling you more about how I came to create the Webster on the Web blog and how it has become part of the fabric of the Webster community.
The program is free, but registration is required. So click here to sign up and please join us for what should be a very interesting presentation.
The Webster Public Library is located at 980 Ridge Rd., at the back of Webster Plaza.
In honor of National Women’s History Month, the Webster Museum and the Webster Public Library have combined their talents to put together an interesting program this month, where you can meet several well-known Webster women, past and present.
At the program, scheduled for Thursday March 30 at 3 p.m. at the Webster Public Library, you’ll meet:
Victoria Woodhull, a leader in the women’s suffrage movement, stockbroker, and the first woman to ever run for president;
Erva Wright, Monroe County politician whose active role in civic service at the local, county and state levels earned her the title First Lady of Webster;
Esther Dunn, a lifelong Webster resident and long-time Webster teacher, best known for the book she published in 1971, Webster Through the Years;
Agnes Semmler, a farm wife who raised her family on Shoecraft Rd;
Ginny Nguyen, Town of Webster councilwoman;
and me, Missy Rosenberry
Each character will speak for about 5 to 6 minutes, describing a little about their lives and accomplishments. As for me, I’ll be telling you more about how I came to create the Webster on the Web blog and how it has become part of the fabric of the Webster community.
The program is free, but registration is required. So click here to sign up and please join us for what should be a very interesting presentation.
The Webster Public Library is located at 980 Ridge Rd., at the back of Webster Plaza.
Hot on the heels of my Webster Public Library-centric mailbag a few days ago, here’s another easy way to help support the library in March.
Starting March 1, the Webster Library Foundation is teaming up with Kittelberger Florist for their Generosity in Bloom program. Kittelberger’s will be offering two floral arrangements –priced at $65 or $100 — and 20% of the proceeds of those sales will go towards growing the endowment of the Webster Library Foundation.
The Webster Library Foundation was formed in 2010 for the sole purpose of providing a long-term alternative revenue stream to support special projects for the Webster Public Library that are not in the regular library budget. Past projects have included such things as Wi-Fi hotspots, media signage, outdoor sound equipment for summer story times, senior space signage and reading lamps, and reading tablets for early literacy skills. All Foundation gifts are invested and the resulting earnings given to the library. To date the Foundation has funded more than $192,000 in projects.
Click here to order flowers through the Generosity in Bloom program. The program runs through the entire month of March.
There are so many great things happening at the Webster Public Library, so many great community programs and services, that I want to devote today’s mailbag to some of them.
For starters, this coming Saturday March 4, the library will be the special guest at the Webster Recreation Department’s regular Saturday “Stay ‘n Play at the Parks & Rec” program. Stay & Play is a way for children to have fun while their parents are using the recreation facilities.
From 9 to 10:30 on Saturday March 4, the Webster Public Library will treat children to an all-ages musical storytime, followed by a craft. Membership is needed to use the gym and attend classes, but general use of the facility and child watch is open to the public. Stay ‘n Play at the Parks & Rec is every Saturday from 8 to 11:30 a.m.
Registration is required. Click here to do so and to get more information. Webster Parks & Recreation is located at 1350 Chiyoda Drive.
The library is participating again this year in the annual Neighborhood Forest free tree program. Since 2010, Neighborhood Forest has given away more than 90,000 free trees to be planted across North America.
If you’d like a free tree for your home, click here to register. Registration is only open through Feb. 28, so do it today!
Trees will be available for pick-up at the Webster Public Library during their Earth Day celebration on April 22.
Starting March 1, the Webster Public Library will be collecting formal dress-wear, shoes and accessories for high school students. The collection will last all month, and in early April (April 4 from 6 to 8 p.m. and April 8 from 3 to 5 p.m.), students will be invited in to try on outfits and take them home. Students in grades 9 to 12 are welcome, and no registration is required.
So start poking through your closets for some of those no-longer-used outfits, and drop them off at the library!
Check out some of these upcoming programs in March:
Healthy Eating Without Eating, Thursday March 9, 6 to 7 p.m.: Learn to make nutritious meals that are easy to prepare and don’t require any heat. Registration is required.
Women of Webster, Past and Present, Thursday March 30, 3 to 4 p.m.: Meet and hear the stories of some interesting Webster women including Ginny Nguyen, Esther Dunn and others (P.S. they even talked me into participating in this one!) Registration is required.
Books ‘n Bites Book Club, Thursday March 30, 6 to 7 p.m.: A fun and lively group who love to read fun and lively books. Bring your favorite book to share for this first meeting. Registration is requested.
These next two programs aren’t happening for a while, but you’ll want to get them on your calendar now.
The first is a Special Needs Resource Fair, scheduled for Saturday April 15 from 2 to 4 p.m. This is especially designed for parents, guardians or caregivers looking for more information about resources and opportunities in our community for children and adults with special needs.
Caregivers can come any time during the time of the fair and ask questions and get information. If you are unable to attend, information about the attending organizations will be available upon request. Registration is not required unless you would like to be reminded of the event. Click here to register.
Three dozen organizations and agencies have already signed up. If you’d like to join the list, email jennifer.paxson@libraryweb.org.
The very popular Volunteer Fair returns to the Webster Public Library on May 11 from 4 to 6 p.m. This great event is especially for teens and adults looking for volunteer opportunities across the Webster area.
Plenty of community groups have already signed on, but more are welcome. If your business or organization has volunteer opportunities you’d like to share, email Jennifer.paxson@libraryweb.org for more information.
The Webster Public Library is located at 980 Ridge Rd., at the back of Webster Plaza.
I’ve heard about a couple of R.L. Thomas High School reunions coming up I want to start off with. Well, one’s a reunion, and the other is kind of a … birthday party.
The R.L. Thomas Class of ’71 will be holding a 70th Birthday Bash on Saturday June 24 at Schutt’s Apple Mill from 5 to 7 p.m. Thanks to COVID, the class was unable to hold its 50th reunion, so they’ve decided to celebrate their 70 birthdays together instead.
The festivities will begin at 4 p.m. and will include a cornhole tournament, door prizes, a 50/50 raffle, hay rides and more. Dinner will be provided by Wraps on Wheels. There’ll be a cash bar with beer and wine, and live entertainment. Admission is free.
Organizers are asking for everyone to register by May 15, by emailing RLThomas1971@gmail.com.
The R.L. Thomas Class of 1973 will be holding their 50th reunion on the weekend of September 15 to 17. There will be a dinner on Friday and a casual picnic on Saturday. I don’t have a lot of information about this one, so to find out more, ask to join the “RLT73WebsterNY”private Facebook group or email RLT73reunion@gmail.com.
The Webster Public Library is hosting a Cat Food Drive to benefit Habitat for Cats. Any donations of dry food, canned food, litter and cat treats would be greatly appreciated. Donations can be dropped off during the library’s regular open hours. You’ll see the drop-off area across from the circulation desk.
The Webster Public Library is located at 980 Ridge Rd., at the back of Webster Plaza.
Here’s another reminder about the free Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper, hosted by St. Martin Lutheran Church on Tuesday Feb. 21 from 5 to 7 p.m.
The dinner is being served to thank the community for supporting the church’s missions throughout the year. The menu will include sausage and applesauce, unlimited pancakes and syrup. Beads will be handed out, and you can even make your own masks. You’re invited to come dressed in Mardi Gras style, too.
This is an event for the whole family, and while the dinner is free to all, a free-will offering to support the church’s Little Free Pantry can be made, or bring boxed and canned goods.
St. Martin Lutheran Church is located at 813 Bay Rd.
Got hazardous waste? The Town of Webster will be holding a Household Hazardous Waste recycling event on Saturday Sept. 16 from 7:45 a.m. to noon at the Webster Highway Garage, 1005 Picture Parkway.
Items that can be accepted are listed on the poster below. The event is open to Webster and Penfield residents, and appointments are required. Sign up online now to guarantee your spot.
Finally, the Webster Comfort Care Home has published their most recent wish list, which you can also see below. This amazing organization relies entirely on donations to keep the home running, so let’s help them out!
I’m going to lead today’s mailbag with some good food.
To thank the community for supporting their missions throughout the year, St. Martin Lutheran Church, 813 Bay Rd., will host a free Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper on Tuesday Feb. 21 from 5 to 7 p.m.
The menu will include sausage and applesauce, unlimited pancakes and syrup. Beads will be handed out, and you can even make your own masks. You’re invited to come dressed in Mardi Gras style, too.
This is an event for the whole family, and while the dinner is free to all, a free-will offering to support the church’s Little Free Pantry can be made, or bring boxed and canned goods.
The Village of Webster Historic Preservation Commission needs you
The Village of Webster Historic Preservation Commission is looking for new members to help further their mission to identify, register and protect the historic resources in the Village of Webster.
Among their responsibilities, commission members
highlight homes, business and sites by recognizing them as a Site of the Month
protect buildings
conduct historic-related programs
oversee the Edna Struck Memorial on Lapham Park and the Pioneer Cemetery on East Main
Meetings are held once a month, so the time commitment isn’t even that onerous.
If you’re a Village of Webster resident and are interested in joining the Historic Preservation Commission or would like to find out more, call 585-265-0671 or email VWHPC1905@gmail.com .
Kindergarten Registration is open
Webster CSD kindergarten registration for the 2023-24 school year is open.
Families that currently have other children attending Webster CSD are asked to register via the Infinite Campus Parent & Student Portal by selecting More, then Student Registration and completing the 2023-24 registration completely online. All registrations completed via the portal are streamlined by accessing the current information on file.
Families registering their first child with Webster CSD are asked to go to the Student Registration web page to fill out an online registration form. Families that do not have access to a computer may call Student Registration at (585) 216-0029.
It’s important to register kindergartners as soon as possible to help the district properly plan for the incoming students. It will also help assure that your child can attend your neighborhood school. If there’s not enough space for a child to enroll at their home elementary school, registrations will be processed in the order in which they are received.
For more information and to register online, click here.
Learn more about the Webster Highway Facility Project
If you’d like to hear more about the plans to renovate the Webster Highway Facility, here’s a great opportunity:
On Thursday, February 9 at 7 p.m., Highway Superintendent Pat Stephens will give a presentation on the estimated costs and timeline for the proposed new highway facility. You can attend the presentation in person at the Town Board Meeting Room, 1002 Ridge Rd., or watch the event live on Spectrum Channel 1303, the town website or the town Facebook page.
This is not a public hearing. Residents will be able to offer comments at future meetings, as well as use the online comment form at any time. You can also learn more about the project, sign up for an in-person tour, view a virtual tour and view meeting presentations on the website here.
I took the tour a few weeks ago. You can read about my experience here.
Healthy Eating on a Budget, Thursday Feb. 9, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. (via ZOOM) for adults. Learn how to make good choices and plan for your trip to the grocery store so you can get organized, save money and choose healthy options. Registration is required.
Scrapbooking Fun, Friday Feb. 10, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Paper and tools will be provided and as much inspiration as you want. Bring something you’re working on, and spend an afternoon crafting and sharing ideas. Registration is required.
“Pal”entine’s Day Celebration, Tuesday February 14, 6 to 7 p.m. celebrating Valentine’s Day and the love you have for all your friends. For grades 4 through 12. Registration is required.
Picturing Loss: Art and Bereavement, Wednesday Feb. 15, 3 to 4 p.m. (via ZOOM) for adults. Joyce Raimondo presents how she and famous artists express grief through painting. Registration is required.
String Pull Painting Art, Friday Feb. 24, 11 a.m. to noon, for grades 4 to 12. Make some beautiful string pull painting art. Registration is required.
And make sure to check out the Webster Public Library website for information about all of their outstanding February Break programs and events designed to keep your kids busy and their minds active.
I’d like to start off today’s mailbag with news of a neat little fundraiser sponsored by Webster Comfort Care. They’re calling it their “Souper Bowl,” and it’s a great way to supplement your Super Bowl party in a few weeks, while supporting an incredibly worthy organization.
For just $15, you can place an order for a quart of delicious soup, prepared by one of a half dozen local restaurants. Your choices are:
Jambalaya, provided by the Filling Station
White Chicken Chili, provided by the Chicken Coop
Chicken, Cheddar, Broccoli Jalapeno, provided by Temple Bar and Grill
Italian Wedding Soup, provided by Mama Lor’s
Tomato Bisque, provided by La Bella Vita
Clam Chowder, provided by Pub 235
For another $5, you can even add four breadsticks to your order.
Orders need to be made online by Feb. 5, and pick-up will be on Saturday Feb. 11 from 10 a.m. to noon at Webster Presbyterian Church, 550 Webster Rd. Click here for more information and to order.
Our Town of Webster Highway Department is creating some additional parking at the Whiting Rd. Nature Preserve. The project should be completed by spring and will go a long way to relieve some of the crowding up there, which has required some hikers to park on busy Whiting Rd.
The Webster Recreation Center has a way to keep your kids busy during February Break. Their February Break Fun Camp will run from Tuesday through Friday Feb. 21-24, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, and feature games, crafts, games in the gym and more. Cost is $185. To sign up, visit the Webster Parks and Recreation website and register for program #121006-A.
The Webster Association of Senior Program Supporters (WASPS) will be holding a Volunteer Training Class for anyone interested in helping provide transportation for residents to their medical appointments, salons, barbers and banks. The commitment is only about two hours a week. The first class will be held on Wednesday Feb. 1 at LifeSpan of Rochester. To learn more, visit the WASPS website.
The National Puzzle Day Puzzle Exchange takes place on Monday, Jan. 30 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. This is a great time to trade in some of your gently-used puzzles for something new to you. Bring as many as you want.
The annual Preschool Drive-in is happening this year on Tuesday Jan. 31 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. The morning will begin with decorating the kids’ box cars, followed by a drive over to the community room to watch a short movie. You can even bring the car home. The program is open to children ages 2 to 5. Registration is required, and boxes (I mean, cars) are limited.
Also happening at the library on Tuesday Jan. 31, a showing of Top Gun: Maverick,playing on the big screen in the community room beginning at 1 p.m. Running time is about 130 minutes. All ages are welcome and no registration is required.
The Webster Public Library is lpocated at 980 Ridge Rd., at the back of Webster Plaza.
There are so many great causes and community agencies in our area that desperately need community support to continue doing the great things they do. For folks who really want to help out by making some kind of donation, sometimes it’s hard to sift through all the opportunities out there.
They’ve recently created what they’re calling a “Donation Station” right next to the circulation desk, with information about three local organizations, including a list of what they need, and a box for each where you can deposit your donations.
Currently, the Donation Station is collecting items for:
Bella’s Bumbas: packing material (bubble wrap, air pillows, packing paper) that Bella’s uses to ship their chairs to recipients around the world
Hope House: non-perishable foods, toiletry items, cleaning supplies, new underwear and socks for all ages, gently used clothing
The station is also collecting used cell phones, ink cartridges and eyeglasses.
If you’d like to ask the library to include your non-profit organization to be featured at their Donation Station, click here to fill out a form. Space will be considered on a case-by-case, first-come, first-served basis.
To learn more about the Webster Public Library’s new Donation Station, click here.
In a program that brings the Webster community and the Webster Public Library (WPL) together, our school district’s third graders are getting a jump-start on their love for reading by getting a close-up look at the library and all the services it offers.
All of Webster’s third grade students will be taking field trips to the Webster Public Library (WPL) this school year as part of a get-to-know-the-library program that will run through June. The idea came from discussions WPL Outreach Coordinator Jason Poole and Schlegel Elementary School librarian Jamie Palmer were having last year about school visits. At the time, due to the pandemic, schools were not allowing visitors, but students could go on field trips. Classes were already visiting the downtown library; giving them the chance to see their local library as well seemed like a natural next step.
Earlier this year, Schlegel Rd. Elementary students were the first to make the trip, in a trial run of the new program. It “went pretty well but was a little chaotic,” Poole said. He added,
After discussion with the youth department, we changed our approach to the current system, adapting and combining elements of existing in-house programming (staff area tours, storytimes, crafts, etc.) to create four stations that offer students a little taste of all WPL has to offer them. A charcuterie board of library experiences, if you will.
It’s one of the few programs that touches all areas of the library.
In December, Plank North Elementary third graders visited and experienced the newly-tweaked program. During their tour, the students made a craft in the teen area, explored the Children’s Room, and sat for storytime. They even got a close-up, behind-the-scenes look at places usually hidden from the public, including the back offices and the receiving end of the outdoor book drop.
But teaching students how to use the library really wouldn’t mean much if they couldn’t actually check out books. So, working closely with the library’s circulation department, Palmer and Poole came up with an ambitious plan to also make sure every one of the visiting third graders could sign up for a library card, if they didn’t have one already. Allowing them to do so without a parent or guardian present meant adjusting the library’s standard policy, but it was definitely well worth the effort, Poole said. Using their brand new library cards, each student could actually check out a book before they left the library. For a child who’s never been able to do that before, it’s a pretty exciting experience.
“Third graders are pretty much at the perfect developmental stage to really begin to appreciate the value of having their own library card,” Poole said.
As an added bonus, each student also received a coupon, redeemable on their next library visit for a goodie bag with lots of little gifts including a card holder, an activity booklet, a WPL pin, and several other fun items.
So far, Schlegel and Plank North are the only two schools to have made the WPL trip, but the rest of the schools will be visiting in the next several months. Still, the Webster Public Library has already touched the lives of 146 students. In the process, 90 new library cards were issued, 26 cards were replaced, and four account problems were resolved. A whopping 80% of these third graders did not have access to the library before the trip, and now they do.
It’s a proud feeling to be trusted with the responsibility of having a library card, and a thrill to be able to walk into the library and leave with your favorite book.
What an awesome way to reinforce the joy of reading, and start these young people on their journey to lifelong learning.
I don’t know about you, but I can’t imagine living in a town that does not have a public library. A public library is a vital part of any community, for all ages and for so many reasons. In particular, the services our Webster Public Library provides for our town can’t be overstated.
So it’s difficult to imagine a time when there wasn’t enough interest among the residents of our young town to support a public library. That fact alone led me to dig deeper into the history of our very own Webster Public Library for my January Webster History Bit. With significant assistance from Esther Dunn’s authoritative Webster Through the Years volume, this is what I found out:
The first Webster library was established in 1881 by a group called the Literary Society. Mary Jane Phillips kept the books in her home on Main St. in the village, just west of what is now the Cobblestone on Main restaurant. Society members, who paid $1.20 annual dues, were the only ones who could check out books.
The second town librarian was Mary Jane Andrews, who moved the books to her store on the south side of Main Street, just west of the four corners. In 1889, the library moved again, to 11 South Ave., in the building now occupied by B3 Beauty and Carl’s Pizza Kitchen.
Soon afterwards, community support for a town library waned. In 1894, the library was disbanded, and the 1000 books were distributed among the board members. and for almost the next 30 years, Webster had no library at all
For almost the next 30 years the town of Webster had no library at all, until 1923, when the Monroe County Traveling Library was established. It traveled to 222 stops about every six weeks, mostly at schools but also crossroads or well-known shops. In Webster, the principal stations were at Dewitt and Bay roads, Vosburg and Lake roads, Forest Lawn, Nine Mile Point, Union Hill, Hard and Ridge roads, and West Webster.
Finally, in 1929 the first Webster public library was officially established at the new Webster High School (now Spry Middle School). It had 657 books, 265 borrowers and a circulation of 6,246.
The library has moved several times since those early days, first to the Reitz Building on West Main (now Yesterday’s Muse Books), then to Webster Town Hall, to what is now the Town Court building at 1 Van Ingen Drive, and finally to its current location in Webster Plaza. It’s also grown – a lot. Today, the Webster Public Library has more than 260,000 items in its collection, 34,000 borrowers, and circulates about 334,000 items a year.
So next time you have a chance — especially if you’ve never been there — stop by the Webster Public Library and show it some love. It’s come a long way.
The Webster Public Library is located at 980 Ridge Rd., in the back of Webster Plaza.
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
webster on the web 