The Bills are back in town, the Bills are back in town!
The Buffalo Bills training camp is underway for the next few weeks at St. John Fisher College, and here in Webster, Whimsies gift shop on East Main Street is welcoming them back to town — and revving up the excitement for the upcoming season — with a Let’s Go Buffalo! Family Nighton Thursday Aug. 4.
From 5 to 7 p.m. Whimsies will have the entire shop set up with Buffalo-themed games, including ping pong, Connect 4, washer toss, cornhole, and more. Carl’s Pizza will be selling pizza, wings, drinks and desserts, and Cassano Studios will provide music, so get ready to sing your favorite stadium songs, ’cause you you know that the Bills make you wanna SHOUT! (Sorry, no table-smashing this time around.)
This is a great family event, so get out all your Bills gear, bring your appetite, and come on down to the village Thursday night to cheer on our “hometown” team! Let’s get this season started!
Whimsies is located at 32 E. Main St. in Webster village.
(The Bills are practicing that day at Fisher … maybe one of them will hear about all the fun and pay us a visit? C’mon JOSH!!)
You can find yoga classes pretty much anywhere. I’ve seen classes held outdoors in parks, at breweries, in a greenhouse, even accompanied by dogs. But The Bowen Family Farm has come up with a twist that I’d never seen before.
It’s called Goat Yoga. Basically, it’s your normal yoga class, complete with all of the yoga poses we know and love. But while you’re moving through your cat/cow, there’s a good chance that a goat or two might wander by to see what you’re up to.
For a typical Goat Yoga class at the farm, owner Linda Bowen coaxes two of her six goats onto the floor to wander among the students (and sometimes adds rabbits and kittens to the mix). She’ll choose two of the smaller goats, since lying on a yoga mat just inches from the horned animals might be intimidating for someone who’s not familiar with them.
A frequent question Linda gets is if the goats will jump on the students’ backs. That actually doesn’t happen. At least not anymore.
“When the goats were babies, they did jump on our backs,” Linda said. “Now they’re just sort of a distraction.” But that’s actually a good thing, she added. Learning how to center yourself and tune out life’s distractions is a big part of the practice of yoga. She does have to remind everyone at the beginning of every class, however, that sometimes the goats think students are fellow goats and might greet them with a friendly, albeit unexpected, head butt.
The Goat Yoga classes accommodate kids and adults in an 1860s-era barnEllis and Myles Bruce get a visit from Venus the goat before class
That not-getting-distracted part was rather difficult for some of the students in last Saturday morning’s class, which was made up mostly of (human) kids, many of whom had never done yoga before. The adorable bunnies hopping around and goats meandering in between the mats proved too cute to ignore for some of the students, who, as the class began, seemed as interested in petting the friendly animals as they were downward dog … ing.
The yoga “studio” itself is actually in an old 1860’s barn, where Linda has cleared out enough floor space to accommodate up to 18 yoga mats. Once all of the mats are in place, she makes sure to fence off the doorway so the goats can’t escape, then spreads treats around the room so the goats will visit everyone. Once the class begins, it doesn’t take long for both students and animal helpers to get into the flow of things.
“The goats are a little ‘off’ in the beginning,” Linda said, “(but) by the end they start sleeping on somebody’s mat. They’re relaxed and chill out and are very happy.”
And after all, that’s what the whole yoga experience is about.
One good thing about COVID, Linda said, “was that it slowed life down and it brought us back to basics, and that’s what I think this is to me. The yoga practice is trying to bring you back, slow your pace and focus within, and not so much on the external stuff.”
Goat Yoga is held at the Bowen Family Farm, 833 Lake Rd., every Saturday morning through August at 9 a.m. Space is limited, so visit their Facebook page for more information and to register.
Those great folks at the Webster Business Improvement District (BID) have just in the last two weeks started to pull together a new summer event, and they want to spread to the word to get everyone involved.
It’s basically going to be a street fair, featuring businesses, vendors, snacks, crafts and perhaps a few games, very reminiscent of the old Village Days of yore.
The fair will be held on Friday August 19, on the first night of the Webster Jazz Fest. That evening is “Jazz in the Pubs,” when six different bands will be performing at six different bars and restaurants in town (more details about that in a future blog). West Main Street will already be closed for the evening, so it’s a perfect time to hold a Village-Days-type street fair.
Now, however, the BID needs vendors and contributors. They’re pretty much open to any ideas, so if you’ve got a village business and would like to participate, email the Webster BID at info@websterbid.com and get on board!
A few weeks ago, I attended a check-presentation event at Heritage Christian Stables on Salt Rd. It was the first time I’d visited the facility in more than 10 years, since I wrote a piece about them when I was still blogging for the Democrat and Chronicle.
I was pleased for the chance to get reacquainted with the stables, and to be reminded of the great service they provide for our community.
Heritage Christian Stables, a community impact program of Heritage Christian Services, is an inclusive, therapeutic riding facility for children and adults with physical, social or developmental disabilities such as cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, spina bifida and many more.
“We serve a little bit of everything,” said Heritage Christian Stables director Tara Kuba. “From individuals with emotional and mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, self-harm, (to) participants on the autism spectrum.” Some of their students are in wheelchairs, and others are nonverbal, so staff members teach them some signs to communicate what they’d like a horse to do.
“We never have two lessons that look the same,” she added.
It turns out that horseback riding is great therapy for all of these conditions, as explained on the Heritage Christian Stables website:
Therapeutic horsemanship impacts a person’s physical, cognitive, emotional, social, and spiritual well being. The horse’s walk mimics the three dimensional movement of the human walk, offering riders the rhythmic movement and opportunities for improvement in balance, symmetry, and muscle strengthening. Participants are provided with cognitive tasks to improve following directions, sequencing, and meeting educational goals. Psychologically, it’s empowering for the rider to be able to control a 1,000-pound animal and develop a bond with a horse that positively affects the participant’s self-esteem and confidence. Therapeutic horsemanship allows people to strengthen their bodies and minds, freeing their spirit to do the things they never thought possible.
Of course, it’s also just plain FUN.
Heritage Christian Stables operates on 13 beautiful acres at 1103 Salt Rd., just south of State. They currently have 12 full-size horses and two miniature horses. The smaller ones are used for students who might be intimidated by the larger horses; they can sit in a small cart pulled by a mini and drive it around the ring.
As with most businesses, the pandemic presented some real challenges for the stables; they’re only just now getting back to being fully staffed, for example. But they came through stronger than ever, even recently introducing a new program for veterans in partnership with CompeerCorp.
Tara said,
We have approximately 10 veterans who come out and ride or groom and care for the horses on a weekly basis. … They thoroughly enjoy the horses and interacting with them. They are becoming more engaged in our activities and are building relationships here with the horses and other people.
During the pandemic, the stables also expanded their program for community riders. “People didn’t have a lot they could do,” Tara said, so we had them start riding horses.” Still, by far most of the 100 or so students who take lessons at Heritage Christian Stables do so for therapeutic reasons. The facility offers a safe, non-judgmental place to learn new skills, make new friends, and achieve to the best of their abilities. The social, emotional and physical benefits students get from the simple joy of riding a horse are changing their lives.
Garrett helps with a therapeutic riding lessonMary Claire is a student and a volunteer
To do this great work, Heritage Christian Stables relies on community support. Tara explained, “We’re a little different from other commercial stables (which) also do horse boarding, horse training, maybe tack sales or some other revenue streams. Here our only revenue stream is our lessons.” They charge students less than half of the actual cost for every lesson, subsidizing the balance through donations.
The continued success of their therapeutic horsemanship program also depends on volunteers, who help coordinate special projects and run lessons. Riders may require as many as three people to assist them – one “side walker” on each side of the horse and one “horse leader” responsible for guiding the equine.
To find out more about Heritage Christian Stables, call (585) 872-2540, see their website here or check out their Facebook page. Also, click here to learn more about becoming a volunteer. Experience is not required, and all training is provided.
Believe it or not, it’s that time again. School supplies are filling the shelves at all the stores, and in just a few short weeks, supply-shopping will begin in earnest.
As you stock up on notebooks and folders, pencils and pens, consider dropping a few extra bucks on some EXTRA supplies for those students in our district who can’t easily afford them.
Gleason Orthodontics on South Ave. in the Village of Webster is hosting a school supply drive this summer, and wants to help as many kids as possible have a successful start to their school year by providing those in need with critical supplies.
They’re especially looking for pencils, pens, paper, folders, binders, backpacks, highlighters, crayons, markers, glue, tape calculators, notebooks, erasers, rulers, Sharpies and composition books. Basically, if you’re throwing something in the cart for your kids, consider picking up an extra for the donation drive. The prices are rock-bottom this time of year, so it’s the best time to find some bargains.
Donations are being accepted through Aug. 22, and can be dropped off at Gleason Orthodontics, 246 South Ave., Webster. For more information, call 585-872-3355 or email community@gleasonorthodontics.com.
The Village of Webster’s regular Wine Walks are not only a great social occasion and chance to try some terrific new wines; the events also benefit local organizations.
The very popular Wine Walks are sponsored by the village’s Business Improvement District (BID), which donates the proceeds from each one to local nonprofit agencies. The most recent Wine Walk, held May 21, attracted almost 200 participants, and raised $750 for that month’s designated charity, Heritage Christian Stables, located on Salt Rd.
A community impact program of Heritage Christan Services, Heritage Christian Stables specializes in therapeutic riding programs for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Presenting the check to Heritage Christian Stables Director Tara Defendorf-Kuba (center, with Harry Potter the horse) are BID representatives Kevin Finn (left) and Janice Raffaele-Addamo, from Finn’s Garage.
The next Webster Wine Walk is scheduled for Friday, July 15. Visit www.websterbid.com for more information.
The Joe Obbie Farmers’ Market, which for years has set up every summer Saturday in Webster Towne Center, has just gotten better.
On Wednesday the market introduced its brand new “Evening in the Park” market at Charles Sexton Park (formerly North Ponds Park).
The new market, held from 4 to 8 p.m., is an offshoot of the regular Saturday Joe Obbie Market we’ve come to know and love. It doesn’t replace the Saturday market at the plaza, but is like a bonus market, held during the week.
Ten vendors had set up Wednesday night, selling a variety of wares from fresh vegetables and maple syrup to honey and crafts. The Webster Recreation Center had an information table, and four food trucks catered to hungry visitors. The vendor turnout was a little light compared to the regular Saturday market, but it’s still early in the season and I expect the Evening in the Park will grow through the summer.
There was also live music, provided by Steve Lyons and his band.
Judging from the attendance at this first-ever event, it appears that the new market will be quite successful. An hour into the event, the parking lot was mostly full, and people were still streaming in, quad chairs in hand, planning to grab some dinner at the food trucks and listen to the music.
The Evening in the Park will be held every Wednesday in July and August from 4 to 8 p.m. at Charles Sexton Park (North Ponds Park), which can be reached by taking the Rt. 104 access road off of Rt. 250/North Ave.
And don’t forget about the original Joe Obbie Farmers’ Market, held every Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Webster Towne Center (Kohl’s/Target Plaza) by the Old Navy store.
Serenity Life is at 98 North Ave. in WebsterMattye McKibben next to a painting she did when she was younger
In this day and age when we too often hear about businesses having to close up shop, it’s nice to hear about one which is actually expanding.
Serenity Life Creative Arts Therapy, located at 98 North Ave. in the Village of Webster, has recently added two new counseling rooms/offices, doubling the practice’s original space, just as the business celebrates its first anniversary.
Serenity Life specializes in counseling services and creative arts therapy for anxiety, life stressors, addiction, healing trauma and more. The office’s 13 service providers are trained in traditional talk therapy AND art therapy. What that means is you don’t have to be artistic to seek out their help, but art, music and even dance can be incorporated into sessions when appropriate.
Serenity Life is directed by Webster Schroeder graduate Mattye McKibben, herself an experienced art therapy clinician. Mattye first learned about the discipline in her Advanced Placement art class, and after graduation pursued degrees in art therapy and creative arts therapy. She worked in the local hospital system for 11 years before opening her own counseling office — Serenity Life — last July.
“We take a person-centered, solution-focused approach to counseling where clients feel partnered with, heard, like they have choices in the services they receive,” Mattye said. “Our goal is for folks to feel they are making progress right away. We pride ourselves on finding a great therapeutic match with the counselor because this is one of the biggest indicators that therapy will be successful.”
Mattye says she’s still working on decorating the new offices, striving to furnish them “in a fun way,” with a “mid-century vibe,” using lots of vintage furniture. The walls are filled with artwork painted by Mattye herself, or one of her very talented family members.
The results are immediately obvious when you step through the door. The rooms are bright, welcoming, calming and comforting … just as they should be in a counseling office.
Even though Serenity Life only joined the Village of Webster business scene a short time ago, it’s already become a strong community supporter. During the Fall in Love With Webster event last February, for example, they hosted a free “Love Yourself” virtual group therapy class. In April they stuffed 100 plastic eggs for the Village of Webster’s Easter Egg Hunt, and coming up next month, keep an eye out for them in the Firemen’s Parade.
Community involvement is an important part of their mission, Mattye said.
“We’re part of the community. We want to be your friendly neighborhood counselor that’s trustworthy, relatable and inclusive, creating a safe environment for everyone.”
Click here to find out more about Serenity Life Creative Arts Therapy. Here’s a peek at the offices:
One of the newest rooms is a dedicated children’s roomA small patio area invites more informal discussions
One of East Main Street’s most charming shops will soon be closing its doors.
Village HandWorks opened last September at 19 E. Main, right next door to the Village Quilt Shoppe. Owner Jenn Ratcliffe, an avid spinner, weaver and knitter herself, was hoping it would become a favorite stop for anyone interested in practicing and learning more about those and other handicrafts. She began by offering classes and in-store demonstrations, but before long branched out into retail, selling yarns and other locally-produced handcrafted items.
But interest and sales never quite got very robust.
“I saved money for a long time to be able to pay rent in a shop for a year,” Jenn said. “Hopefully in that year I’d be able to get the sales to where they needed to be to at least make a decent dent in the rent and utilities. But it’s just not doing it.”
As a result of the slow sales and other rental property issues, Jenn has given up on her dream … but don’t count her out completely just yet.
“The people are fantastic here in the village,” she said. “I love them. I’m considering keeping the shop in the village, but right now there’s no place available with decent rent.”
So for now, Jenn said, she’s going to “bring her business home.” Much of her inventory will go into a storage unit, and her 15 local artisans will retrieve their products. Then, she says, she’ll take her yarns and her looms and teach weaving and knitting out of her house for now.
“And then kind of figure out where I want to be. Where I need to be.”
Village HandWorks is located at 19 E. Main Street in the Village of Webster. The shop will be open through Thursday June 30.
You’re going to want to make some time to do some shopping this weekend, as more than a dozen Village merchants move their business outside for the Village of Webster Sidewalk Sale.
All day Friday and Saturday June 17 and 18, you’ll find tables set up along East and West Main St. and North Ave., offering super deals on super products, perhaps some handouts and maybe even some valuable store coupons. Details are still coming together, but so far at least 13 shops are participating, and the list keeps growing every day. Here’s who’s signed up so far:
Crafy Christy’s Boutique, 7 West Main (lower level)
Curated by JUSTINteriors, 44 E. Main (next to Village Bakery)
Lala’s, 36-38 East Main
Nest Things, 11 East Main
Ohhh, Lordee! Everything Sauce, 5 West Main (lower level)
Orville’s Home Appliances, 185 West Main
Performance Hobbies, 15 West Main
rSalon, 28 East Main
The Modified Collective, 5 West Main (upper level)
The North Bee, 27 North Ave.
The Village Quilt Shoppe, 21 East Main
Village Handworks, 19 East Main
Whimsies, 32 East Main
This is going to be a great chance to get to know a lot of our village merchants better, have some fun shopping and get some great deals!
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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