Here’s a special Valentine’s Day treat from the Chorus of the Genesee, courtesy Laureen and Doreen of the Webster Public Library.
These two lovely ladies are hostesses of the library’s very informative “Let’s Explore Webster!” video series, in which they highlight local places of interest. In their most recent video, they take us inside the Harmony House, located at 58 East Main St. in the village.
In the video, Harmony House manager Brian Moore gives us a tour of this gorgeous historic building. It’s now used mostly as home to the Chorus of the Genesee and its barbershop quartets, but is often rented out by musical and dance groups for performances and other special events.
The Valentine’s treat is offered in the middle of the video, when one of the Chorus’ quartets regails us with two beautiful love songs in flawless four-part harmony. Those performances, and the entire Harmony House tour, should not be missed.
Click here to see the video on the Webster Public Library’s YouTube channel. Then spend some time taking a look at some of the other videos Laureen and Doreen have posted. (I’m even featured in one of them.) You might learn something about our town you never knew before.
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February Break, eagerly awaited by kids, can be a stressful time for parents who have to figure out how to keep them all entertained for a whole week, without relying too much on TV and computer screens.
The Webster Public Library is here to help, with activities that promise to provide hours of fun for everyone in the family. Herewhat’s in store:
Monday Feb. 15, 3 to 4 p.m.: I Spy at Home Valentine’s Day edition
All ages are invited to join a virtual I Spy game! A series of I Spy challenges will have kids racing throughout the house to find an object, any object, that matches the description, and then show the group what you came up with. There will be other I Spy puzzles as well. Register here and you’ll be sent the Zoom link before the challenge.
Tuesday Feb. 16, 7 to 8 p.m.: Family Disney Trivia
Think you know your Disney? Join this virtual trivia game to find out! All ages are welcome, and registration is required. (One registration per family/device please!) Instructions on joining will be e-mailed to participants prior to the event. Click here to register.
On Saturday Feb. 20 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., log on to watch the Egg Drop Challenge livestream. Which eggs will survive the fall without getting scrambled? Log onto the Webster Library’s Facebook pageat 10:30 to catch all the action.
Plus, remember that the library’s Snow Building Contest is still going on, through the end of February. We certainly have plenty of snow to work with, so bundle up and get out there, build something spectacular and send a picture to sarah.brown@libraryweb.org. All masterpieces will be posted to Facebook for patrons to vote on.
If you just want to have some fun indoors, download the library’s Winter Fun Activity Pack. It’s a booklet packed with tons of fun activities for adults and kids to try at home. You can print it out or work on it right on your phone or tablet.
If you haven’t popped by the Webster Public Library’s Facebook page recently, you’re missing out on a lot of fun events. Here are just a few of the ones I found when I visited recently:
Snow Building Contest
We got measureable snow just in time for the library’s latest celebration of winter, a Snow Building Contest.
From now until the end of February, everyone is invited to get bundled up, get out in the snow and build something spectacular! It can be a person, an animal, a castle, a Baby Yoda, a Pikachu, whatever. When your masterpiece is finished, take a photo and email it to sarah.brown@libraryweb.org. All of the creations will be posted on Facebook so people can vote on which is the best.
How to Recycle
If you’ve ever been even a little bit confused about what materials can be put in the recycle bin — like plastic mailing envelopes and packing materials, for example — this Zoom-based program is for you.
On January 26 the library will host Tina Stevens, Monroe County’s Waste Diversion and Education Coordinator, for an informative program via Zoom where you can learn the dos and don’ts of recycling and ask your questions.
Register here to be sure that you receive the Zoom invitation.
The Egg Drop Challenge
You’ve heard about these challenges before. Here’s your chance to try it out for yourself and impress everyone with your engineering skills.
The challenge is to build a structure to protect an egg as it’s dropped from a very great height and plummets to the ground. Each group will pick up their mystery supplies from the library and build their contraption using only those mystery supplies (plus tape).
Once your contraption is finished, return it to the library. They’re going to live-stream the challenge on Facebook, when everyone can see which groups built the best structures, and which ones failed miserably (or at least messily).
Adults and children are invited to participate. Click here to register. Only 10 spots are available. Groups can pick up their mystery supplies between Feb. 1 and 12, and return their finished structure to the library by Feb. 19. The climactic event will be live streamed on Feb. 20 at 10:30 a.m. (weather permitting).
Let’s Explore Webster
Finally, here’s a link to Doreen and Laureen’s most recent addition to their excellent Let’s Explore Webster video series. This month they return to the Webster Arboretum to highlight its extraordinary winter beauty.
There’s so much going on all the time at the Webster Public Library. You definitely want to make the time to stop by in person or online.
The Webster Public Library is located at 980 Ridge Rd.
Here’s a great socially-distanced, outdoor activity that everyone in the family will love.
It’s a Scavenger Hunt hosted by the Webster Recreation Center on Saturday Jan. 23. Children and their adults are invited to participate in a fun morning of searching, exploring and discovering one of our local parks.
The event, held at the Rec Center at 1350 Chiyoda Dr., is designed for children of all ages, with three different levels of scavenger hunts (under 5 yrs old, 5-8 yr olds, and 8-12 yr olds). You can sign in anytime between 9 and 11 a.m., work together to find the clues around the park, and record your answers in the special scavenger hunt answer key. When you’re all done, return your answers to earn a fun prize.
Cost is $5 per child or $20 per family. Pre-registration is requested (register the children only), but payment will be taken at the event. To register, visit the Webster Parks and Recreation website and search for program #101205-A. All proceeds will be donated to the Friends of Webster Trailsfor maintenance and improvements of trails in Webster.
So bundle up and have some fun!
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The Webster Public Library will host a Webster Area Preschools “Open House” from January 25 to 29.
During that entire week, during their regular hours, the library will have a special display set up in front of the community room with information about Webster area preschools, including brochures, registration information, and virtual events. If you have any questions, contact Jason at (585) 872-7075 x6119 or jason.poole@libraryweb.org.
The library is also offering several adult programs via Zoom this month. Still coming up are Meditation and Self Love on Jan. 20 and Recycling 101 on Jan 26. Registration is required. For class descriptions and registration links, visit the library’s website, choose Events and Classes and find the class you’re interested in on the calendar.
February will also be a busy month at the library. Here’s a visual gallery of some the programs that are coming down the pike:
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Finally, here’s an opportunity to show off your inner photographer.
The Webster Museum is putting together a gallery of “favorite spots in Webster.” This is a follow-up to the museum’s popular holiday photo gallery last month.
This time, they’d like you to take a photo of your favorite Webster spot, then email it to photos@webstermuseum.org to be included in the gallery.
Check back at the website often, because they’ll be updating the gallery as submissions come in.
HOPE Ministry Director Margery Morgan with a carload of donations. (Photo provided)
The Webster Public Library and HOPE Ministry joined forces recently to bring a little bit of happiness and warmth to local families during the holidays.
The organizations teamed up to host a two-month long winter clothing drive to benefit the families who rely on Hope House, located at Holy Trinity Church, for food and clothing.
The library hosts this giving event every year, and library patrons and staff members always come through in a big way. This year, enough hats, mittens, scarves, coats and socks were collected to fill a large SUV floor to ceiling.
“There was just SO much,” said Margery Morgan, Director of HOPE Ministry. “A lot of it was hand-knitted and hand-crocheted,” she added, and seemed especially pleased with all of the socks and brand new items they received, items they can’t always offer to their clients. All of the donations will be distributed to low-income Webster families during the Hope House’s regular food distribution hours.
This year’s clothing drive has ended, but the Hope House continues to accept donations of personal hygiene items, cleaning items and food. The need is especially great as the pandemic continues to devastate families’ lives. Illness and unemployment have driven many people into a place they never dreamed they’d be: needing assistance just to put enough food on the table.
If you’d like to help out, visit the Hope House website or Facebook page to see a wish list of items the ministry especially needs. Contact-less drop-off for donations is available. And if your family needs the kind of support the Hope House provides, give them a call at 585-265-6694 to discuss your situation, or stop by during their normal hours of operation.
“We’re here because we want to help people,” Morgan said. “Nobody should be hungry.”
Hope House is located at Holy Trinity Church, 1450 Ridge Rd., Webster. Hours are Monday 4 to 7 p.m, Tuesday 9 a.m. to noon and Wednesday 2 to 5 p.m.
It was a beautiful night for a walk last night, so in between football games, my husband and I extracted ourselves from the couch and wandered down into the village to check out the sights.
I love how Webster looks at holiday time. It just sparkles from end to end, making an already charming village look even more so. If you haven’t walked along Main Street after dark recently, you owe it to yourself to do so; it will help brighten what for most of us is a pretty bleak holiday season.
But there’s also another reason to make the trip: many of the local merchants are participating in a Christmas Decorating Contest. Community members are invited to drive or walk through the village to check out all the decorations, then go online to the BID website to vote for the most colorful, the most creative and the one which most embraces the spirit of the season. You can also see photos of the entries on the BID website.
Here are several photos I took on our walk.
And here’s a quick note about a Webster Public Library program which the whole family will enjoy.
It’s a “Holiday Storytime Extravaganza,” a staff-wide holiday storytime special. It premieres Monday night at 7 p.m. on YouTube. Click here to join the fun.
This is the first time the library has done anything like this, so it should be filled with a lot of surprises. Get your kids in their PJs, boot up the laptop, and tune in.
We can’t go to the schools to enjoy holiday concerts this year, but no worries. Next week, the Webster Thomas High School Select Choir is bringing the concert to us!
On Thursday Dec. 10, the Webster Thomas Select Choirwill present a holiday concertvia Facebook Live from 3:30 to 4 p.m. The event is hosted by the Webster Public Library and can be found via their Facebook page.
These kids’ beautiful voices will just blow you away. It’s a perfect way to kick-start your holiday season.
You do not have to have a Facebook account to see this concert, so put it on your calendar now and log in next Thursday. Questions? Email the Webster Public Library at webster.reference@libraryweb.org.
And while you’re on the library’s Facebook page, poke around a bit for information about some other fun activities the library has coming up.
Like their Gingerbread House Contest, for example. Starting Dec. 7, you can vote for your favorite, and help crown the Best Gingerbread House in Webster.
And theVirtual I Spy Game, which is designed for kids of all ages. On Monday Dec. 14 from 4 to 4:30 p.m., a series of I Spy challenges will have your kids racing throughout the house to find an object that matches the game’s description. Participants will also enjoy some I Spy puzzles. Click here to register for this online event.
Finally, just for fun, check out this video of library staff members showing their silly side:
This year it’s more important than ever to get a flu shot. It’s one less disease we have to worry about as the pandemic worsens.
If you haven’t had yours yet, you can get one at the Webster Public Library this Wednesday Nov. 18, from 11 to 12:30 p.m.
There’s no cost, but you’ll probably want to bring your insurance card.
Picture the Holidays with the Webster Museum
Pooh on the pandemic. The Webster Museumis determined to continue its 20-year tradition of celebrating the holidays with our community.
This year they’re inviting everyone to share photos of what makes you happy during the holidays. Their website explains,
What brings you joy? Do you dress up your pets? Make your own ornaments or special treats? Decorate your house or yard? Have family traditions? If it makes you happy, it will make others happy too!
Take a photo, then share it with all of Webster in one of two ways. You can email your photo to photos@webstermuseum.org or upload them (on the website).
They’ll be updating their gallery regularly. I’m going to be adding one of my own, from one of our favorite family traditions. You’ll want to check it out.
I know, I know, it’s going to feel like summer again for the next few days. BUT, rest assured, Monday’s cold and snow-showery weather will be back again very soon. So now is a good time to stock up on some good reads for the winter months.
The Friends of the Webster Library are ready to help.
Beginning this week, the Friends are hosting their Bundle ‘n Bag Sale. Just like it sounds, bundles and bags of gently used books will be for sale during regular library hours, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. There will be a wide variety of fun and unique Bundles ‘n Bags of fiction and nonfiction books for children and adults, starting at just $1.
The Webster Public Library is located at 980 Ridge Rd. All proceeds from the sale will benefit library programs.
Looks like it’s going to be a nice evening for the Friends of Webster Trails’ autumn Hot Cocoa Hike, this Saturday at Whiting Road Nature Preserve.
This has been an annual tradition for as long as I can remember, and thankfully the pandemic has not cancelled it entirely. There will, however, be a few changes.
As always, the event will be at night and your path will be guided by candle light. But there will be no gathering in the woods at the end of the trail while you enjoy your hot cocoa. Instead, you’ll pick up your hot cocoa packet which you can then enjoy at home with your family.
This year’s event will be Saturday Nov. 7 at Whiting Road Nature Preserve (on Whiting Rd. north of Shoemaker) and will be a loop of approximately two miles. Participants are asked to walk the trail between 7 and 9 p.m. Also, please click here to registerso they have enough supplies.
Remember to social distance, bring a mask, dress for the weather and bring a flashlight.
Immanuel Lutheran Church in the Village of Webster will hold a Bring a Can or a Case Food Collection and Hat, Mitten and Scarf Collection on Saturday Nov. 14 from 10 a.m. to noon.
One of Immanuel’s biggest social ministries is the Backpack Program, which provides food to more than 50 children in five Webster elementary school buildings. This drive will support the Backpack Program and the church’s Little Free Pantry.
Immanuel Lutheran Church is located at 131 W. Main St., at the corner of Daniel Drive.
The Webster Museum is presently closed to the public, but there has been a buzz of activity within. Volunteers Deb Oakley, Bill Schoff, Carol Yahoodik and Diana Strassman have been inventorying the attic and found a number of duplicate items not related to Webster’s history. In September, a “Vintage Sale” of some of those items was held in the museum parking lot and sales totaled $677.
The annual Barn Sale was held in September on Jan and Andy Naujokas’ historic property, which earned another $2,900.
Now would also be a great time to become a member of the Webster Museum or renew your membership. In honor of Susan B. Anthony’s visit to Webster, the museum will be giving away a limited edition Susan B. Anthony Barbie doll, unopened and in its original box.
To enter, simply join or renew your Webster Museum membership by December 14. On December 15, one entry will be selected at random with the hope of Susan arriving at the winner’s home before Christmas.
Stay tuned for details about the museum’s online Christmas program. If you make your own ornaments, dress up your pets or decorate your yard, they’ll be looking for your photos. More details about that, and about the Susan B. Anthony doll giveaway can be found on the museum’s website.
Do you know a great teacher who deserves to get some extra special recognition? How about nominating him or her for an Oak Tree Award?
Co-Sponsored by the Webster Teachers’ Association (WTA) and the Webster Central PTSA, the Oak Tree Award recognition program is an annual award that is designed to recognize teacher excellence in Webster Central Schools.
Any Webster resident or district employee, current or former student, parent, teacher, or administrative colleague may nominate a teacher for the Elementary or Secondary Teacher of the Year Oak Tree Award.
Award nominees must meet the following criteria:
Currently teaching in a full-time position in Webster Central School
Have a minimum of 5 years teaching experience in Webster Central Schools
Plan to continue to teach the next school year in, or retire from Webster Central Schools
Be a member of both the Webster Central PTSA and the Webster Teachers’ Association
If you haven’t done so yet, you HAVE to check out the Webster Library’s YouTube channel. It’s absolutely PACKED with informative and fun videos for everyone. There’s Storytime with Jason, book reviews, music, crafts, experiments, puppets, library program information and lots, lots more.
But one of the best features of the channel is the library’s “Let’s Explore Webster” video series. These are entertaining and informative video tours of some of Webster’s best features. Some of the more recent videos have explored the John Unger Nature Trail (part of their trails series), the Arboretum, Webster Park and the Hope Ministry.
I joined Laureen and Doreen from the Webster Public Library for the Explore Village Parks video.
As a member of the Village of Webster’s Parks and Recreation Committee, I was very happy to help Loreen and Doreen put together this video. One of the things I’ve learned in my tenure with the committee is that many people, even village residents, don’t realize that our village actually boats six parks. One of them even has a half mile of nature trails.
This video is a great opportunity to learn more about our village parks, even if you already thought you knew everything about them.
Here’s a direct link to the Explore Village of Webster Parks video. Enjoy! And while you’re there, make sure to check out all the other videos on the channel as well.
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
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