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Schroeder students roll out kindness with shopping cart parade

25 Aug

Here’s an inspiring story from Webster Schroeder High School about a clever charitable event which brought the school community together to benefit local food cupboards.

It was called a “shopping cart parade,” and even though it happened last March, I thought that since the new school year is rapidly approaching, it would be timely reminder of the great things our students are doing for the Webster community.

As part of the Schroeder’s “One Warrior Week,” members of the school’s National Honor Society wanted to come up with some kind of donation event. But just putting collection boxes all around the school, or even something like making a canned food pyramid didn’t make the cut. They wanted to do something different, to really get their fellow students excited and involved.

What they came up with was a decorated shopping cart parade.

The first step was to secure 20 shopping carts, and Wegmans was more than happy to help. Then they spread the word through social media and encouraged the school’s clubs and athletic teams to decorate the carts as creatively as they could. The results were whimsical, original, artistic, and definitely fun.

Then, of course, they were all paraded down the hall to the cheers of their fellow students, who stepped up to the challenge and filled them with donations for Webster NY Hope and the Warrior Care Cupboard.

WROC Channel 8 posted a story about the event (the photos here are from that video). Click here or on any of the photos to see it.

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(posted 8/25/2025)

RL Thomas Class of ’65 reunion honors classmate’s legacy

12 Aug

Last Friday evening, 82 graduates from the Webster Thomas High School Class of 1965 gathered at the White House in Webster Park for their 60th reunion. As with most reunions, there was plenty of food, along with photo boards, yearbooks, and newspaper clippings spread across several tables. Inside and out, old friends and new mingled in small groups, drinks in hand, reconnecting, reminiscing, and laughing over shared memories.

But this year’s celebration was more than just a stroll down memory lane. The Class of 1965 decided to turn their 60th reunion into a celebration with a purpose.

Instead of charging admission, organizers chose to honor the legacy and passion of their late classmate, Bill O’Rourke, Jr. In place of a ticket fee, members of the Class of ’65 were invited to contribute to the O’Rourke Scholarship Fund.

Bill’s classmates responded enthusiastically, raising an amazing $6,500 to the fund, proving that even after six decades, their school spirit is stronger than ever.

Reunion organizer Bob (“BG”) Guerra observed that the amount surpassed what they would have raised through normal ticket sales. “What happens is, people just feel like my money’s not going to somebody to pay Proietti’s,” he said.

As he presented the check to Bill’s first wife Dottie, Bob noted that, “What we’re going to donate tonight will allow them to fund that program for the next six years without any additional donations. The money is going to make sure kids continue to get educated.”

“We’re making a difference in some kids’ lives.”

Bill, Jr., with wholehearted support from the Webster Central School District (WCSD), established the O’Rourke Scholarship Fund after his father, Bill O’Rourke, Sr., passed in 2006. Its original objective was to present a monetary award to a senior male varsity player each year, chosen by the athletic secretary and basketball coach; someone who reflected O’Rourke’s own passion for academic excellence and sportsmanship.

Bill, Jr. passed away in 2020, but the memorial fund remains strong. With support from the O’Rourke family, the scholarship’s criteria and amount have grown. It now awards $1,000 to a senior boy and a senior girl varsity basketball player every year.

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(posted 8/12/2025)

Webster community mailbag

7 Aug

Today’s mailbag is stuffed with reminders about many events I’ve already mentioned in the blog, but which might have slipped under your radar the first time.

This first one is coming up this Saturday Aug. 9, a “Hike Through History” at Webster Union Cemetery. This is a self-guided tour in which participants can step back in time and “meet” the some of our town’s earliest settlers. Historical re-enactors will be sprinkled throughout the cemetery to tell their stories from Webster’s earliest days. 

Hike Through History will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the cemetery, 345 Webster Rd. (corner of Rt 250 and Woodhull Road). Requested donation for the experience is $10, and all proceeds will be used to help repair the headstones of our earliest settlers. Read more about the event in this blog.

Take a test drive, win cool stuff

Also this Saturday, Aug. 9, West Herr Ford at 810 Ridge Rd. (corner of Five Mile Line) is hosting a Test Drive Fundraising Event from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., to benefit the Webster Community Chest.

For every person who registers and takes a quick test drive, West Herr will donate $40 to Webster Community Chest. If 50 people sign up and drive, that means a cool $2,000 for one of Webster’s coolest agencies. Every person who test drives will get a raffle ticket for a chance to win Buffalo Bills merchandise and other prizes. Plus, lunch (or coffee and donuts) will be provided.

No appointment is necessary. Just walk in, and choose from a whole line-up of cars and trucks (or they’ll bring out something else off the lot if you want). Just hop in, take a short drive, return and hop out. No hard sales, no obligation. Takes about 15 minutes.

Marching Band Food Truck Rodeo

The Webster Marching Band Boosters will host their 9th Annual Food Truck Rodeo on Thursday, Aug. 14 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Fireman’s Field on Sanford St.

Participating trucks include Bruster’s, Eat Greek, Macarollin, Mr. Squeeze, Rob’s Kabobs, Roc City Sammich and Tuscan Wood Fired Pizza. The event will also feature artisan vendors, a kids’ play place, face painting, plus a 50/50 and vendor raffles. Guests will also get a preview of this year’s Webster Marching Band show, “In Times Of” at 6 and 7 p.m.

Strike up the band

Our very own Webster Village Band will perform their final concert of the summer on Thursday Aug. 28 at the Harmony Park band shell on Phillips Rd. Titled “The Band Concert,” the selections will be traditional band standards, plus music from Billy Joel and Jim Brickman.

The concert begins at 7 p.m. and are free and open to the public. Bring a blanket, lawn chairs and a cooler, and stretch out on the spacious lawn area in front of the band shell.

Donate school supplies

Webster NY Hope is collecting NEW supplies from now through Aug. 19 to stuff in backpacks for children in our community who are in need. You can see the entire wish list on the Webster NY Hope Facebook page.

Supplies can be dropped off at the Webster Public Library, or at Webster Hope during the agency’s open hours, Monday-Thursday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Music at the Arb

This summer’s final Music at the Arb concert at the Webster Arboretum is scheduled for Thursday Aug. 14, featuring the String Brothers from 6:30 to 8 p.m. These concerts are held at the gazebo, and are free and open to the public. No registration is necessary. The Arboretum is located at 1700 Schlegel Rd.

More from the Arboretum

The Webster Arboretum will present their next educational program, all about Dahlias, on Tuesday Sept. 9 from 7 to 8 p.m.

The program will be presented by Patty Pirz, a local expert on the subject. Discover the culture, type, variety and care of the beloved dahlia. Learn how to grow and nurture these plants to their best advantage. It will be held in the Curry Building at the Arboretum, and is free and open to the public, but registration is requested.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com“Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

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(posted 8/7/2025)

My own personal band concert

31 Jul

Every summer, music seems to be everywhere in the Village of Webster — at the gazebo, at Harmony Park, in the pubs and on the street. This summer, though, it’s appeared in an unexpected place: the grassy lawn outside Spry Middle School.

For the last few weeks, sections of our very own Webster Marching Band have been rehearsing outside of Spry Middle School. Perhaps temperatures inside the building are worse than outside, or maybe it’s their “band camp,” so setting up outdoors just seems appropriate. But whatever the reason, I and my neighbors have been enjoying beautiful music, sometimes for hours on end.

For a long time it was only the drummers rehearsing in the parking lot and adjacent to the southeast corner of the school. Many of them show up early for their session and just start noodling around while they wait for everyone else to arrive. (I’ve never known a musician who can stand by an instrument without playing it. Musicians just gotta make music. At all times.) When everyone is assembled and the rehearsal begins in earnest, it’s like listening to a coordinated drum line, telling a story through rhythm, tempo and thunderous drumbeats.

But more recently, the brass section has also set up their music stands, rehearsing closer to the school’s front door, basically at the end of my street. When their trumpets are combined with sousaphones and mellophones, the strong, clear notes can be heard two blocks away, resonating throughout the neighborhood. The power of their music, the beauty of their harmonies, just blow me away. (Which is not surprising given that the band took first place in last year’s state championships.)

Unfortunately, we’re not being serenaded with entire compositions, but are only getting snippets. It seems like every day the focus is on a different, perhaps particularly difficult movement, so we’re only hearing bits and pieces of a much larger work. I suspect that much of what I’m hearing are parts of this year’s competition program, “In Times Of.” I look forward to attending the 2025 Autumn Fanfare field band competition on Saturday Oct. 4 to see and hear the whole show.

But even before that, there actually IS a way to get a preview of the program, when the Webster Marching Band offers two sneak-peek performances of In Times Of at their 9th Annual Food Truck Rodeo on Thursday, Aug. 14 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Fireman’s Field on Sanford St. The event will feature great food (participating trucks include Bruster’s, Eat Greek, Macarollin, Mr. Squeeze, Rob’s Kabobs, Roc City Sammich and Tuscan Wood Fired Pizza), vendors, a kids’ play place, face painting, raffles…and some great music. The mini-shows will take place at 6 and 7 p.m.

So thank you for the free concerts, Webster Marching Band, and I can’t wait to see the whole show!

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com“Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

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(posted 7/31/2025)

Webster community mailbag

27 Jul

Lots of new and different stuff in today’s mailbag, plus a few reminders at the end of some musical events.

Your opinions are important

The Town of Webster is still looking for more community input as they plan to update the town’s Comprehensive Plan. The plan guides zoning, the actions of the Planning Board, informs what greenspace protections are implemented at a town level and what code changes the Town Board can implement to protect greenspace within developments…or not.

A successful Comprehensive Plan requires substantial public input and community engagement, and so far, not a whole lot of people have clicked through to the survey to voice their opinions. There’s still time to do so; the survey deadline has been extended through July 30. If you tried to take it before and found it a bit intimidating, try this much faster and easier three-question alternative. The Town will accept responses from both surveys.

If you’d like to learn more about the Comprehensive Plan and why it’s important, the Webster Open Space Committee will be holding an information session on Monday Aug. 4 at 6 p.m. at the Webster Public Library.

Euchre at the library

The Webster Public Library is starting up a Euchre Club, which will meet every Wednesday at 5:30 p.m., beginning on Aug. 6. Experienced and brand new euchre players are welcome; if you don’t know how to play, show up at 5:15 for a quick review of the rules. Light refreshments will be provided, and you can also bring your own snacks.

Please register for each session you’d like to attend. Interest is expected to be high, so if you find that a session is full, place your name on the wait list, and as soon as four people are on the list, the library will open up another table. If you’ve registered and find you cannot attend, please cancel your registration.

Each session will be held from 5:30 to 7:30, and there’s no charge. For more information and to register, click here.

Take a test drive, win Buffalo Bills swag

West Herr Ford at 810 Ridge Rd. (corner of Five Mile Line) is hosting a Test Drive Fundraising Event on Saturday Aug. 9 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., to benefit the Webster Community Chest.

For every person who registers and takes a quick test drive, West Herr will donate $40 to Webster Community Chest. If 50 people sign up and drive, that means a cool $2,000 for one of Webster’s coolest agencies.

BUT NOT ONLY THAT! Every person who test drives will get a raffle ticket for a chance to win Buffalo Bills merchandise and other prizes, including a life-sized Josh Allen stand out and an autographed football.

BUT THERE’S MORE! West Herr will also have free DiBella’s subs and soft drinks, so you can grab lunch while you’re there. If you come in the morning, you’ll enjoy coffee and donuts.

No appointment is necessary. Just walk in, and choose from a whole line-up of cars and trucks (or they’ll bring out something else off the lot if you want). Just hop in, take a short drive, return and hop out. No hard sales, no obligation. Takes about 15 minutes.

Good food to support great music

The Webster Marching Band Boosters will host their 9th Annual Food Truck Rodeo on Thursday, Aug. 14 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Fireman’s Field on Sanford St.

Participating trucks include Bruster’s, Eat Greek, Macarollin, Mr. Squeeze, Rob’s Kabobs, Roc City Sammich and Tuscan Wood Fired Pizza. The event will also feature artisan vendors, a kids’ play place, face painting, plus a 50/50 and vendor raffles.

Guests will also get a preview of this year’s Webster Marching Band show, “In Times Of” at 6 and 7 p.m.

The boosters are still looking for more artisans, crafters, and restaurants to showcase and sell their products during the event. If you’re interested in becoming a vendor, click here for the application.

Help Webster Hope help our neighbors go back to school

One good thing about school supplies hitting the store shelves already is that you can get some really good deals. While you’re out there stocking up on supplies for your kids, please pick up a few extra items for the annual Webster NY Hope community collection.

Webster Hope is collecting NEW supplies from now through Aug. 19 to stuff in backpacks for children in our community who are in need. The entire wish list is on the flyer here, but you can also see the list on the Webster NY Hope Facebook page.

Supplies can be dropped off at the Webster Public Library, or at Webster Hope during the agency’s open hours, Monday-Thursday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The new backpacks filled with brand new school supplies will be handed out to pre-registered families in about a month. I’ve been at one of these distribution events, and the excitement I have seen in these kids’ eyes is heartwarming.

Music, music and more music

Now here come some musical reminders:

  • The next free Music at the Arb concert at the Webster Arboretum is scheduled for Thursday Aug. 14, featuring the String Brothers from 6:30 to 8 p.m. These concerts are held at the gazebo, and are free and open to the public. No registration is necessary. The Arboretum is located at 1700 Schlegel Rd.
  • The Village of Webster’s Friday Night Concert series returns Aug. 1 with a performance by It’s My Party. Concerts are held at the Village’s Gazebo Park, located at 28 North Avenue. All concerts start at 7 p.m. They’re free and no registration is needed.
  • The United Church of Christ‘s next outdoor Caring Community Concert is scheduled for Wednesday July 30, featuring Ruby Shooz. It will benefit the Webster Community Chest. The concert begins at 6:30 p.m., and food concessions begin at 6. Bring lawn chairs or blankets and a picnic if you’d like. United Church of Christ is located at 570 Klem Rd. (In case of rain it’s moved indoors.)
  • The Webster Village Band‘s next community concert is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 7 beginning at 7 p.m. at the Village Band Shell at Harmony Park on Phillips Rd. The theme is “At The Movies,” highlighting movie soundtracks from many well-known composers. These conc erts are also free and open to the public.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com“Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 7/27/2025)

New kindergartners invited to Strive for Five

15 Jul

The 2024/25 school year is barely over, but the Webster Central School District is already thinking about next year, and how to make the first days of school a little less scary for our youngest students.

Getting on a big school bus on that first day can be especially intimidating. The district’s annual Strive for Five for School Bus Safety program hopes to make that experience easier.

This year’s program will be held from Aug. 4 to 7 at Willink Middle School. Now in its 18th year, it’s designed for 2025/26 incoming kindergartners giving our youngest One Webster students a chance to become familiar with school buses and learn important safety procedures.

New kindergartners (no additional children please) and their parents/guardians will board buses at Willink (900 Publisher’s Parkway) at 5:50 p.m. Buses will depart promptly at 6 p.m. and children and their parents will be transported to the bus garage at 1000 Document Drive for a fun and informative safety program, then ride the buses again back to Willink.

While at the bus garage, students will rotate through stations teaching them important safety elements, including:

  • Loading and unloading the bus
  • Proper crossing procedures
  • Danger zones surrounding the bus
  • Appropriate behavior on the bus
  • Emergency equipment/evacuation

Families are asked to attend the evening assigned to their particular school as indicated below, if at all possible. If you can’t make your assigned evening, you can come on another, but the district really likes to spread everyone out as much as possible.

August 4 – Plank South
August 5 – Klem South and Schlegel Rd.
August 6 – Klem North and Plank North
August 7 – Dewitt Rd. and State Rd.

Private and parochial students residing in the Webster Central School District can attend any one of the four dates. Families will receive a letter detailing the Strive for Five program prior to the event.

The program will be held outside and will take place rain or shine.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com“Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 7/15/2025)

Thank you, educators, from the Mary Wee!

24 Jun

It’s been a long school year, and these last few days, with the extreme heat, have been especially difficult. As we celebrate this last week of school, our district administrators, teachers and support staff deserve a huge round of applause, and our heartfelt thanks.

But the folks at the Mary Wee Pub, 2 West Main St. in the Village of Webster, believe they all deserve even more than that. That’s why, through this Friday June 26, if you’re a staff member at any school in any district, show your ID at the Mary Wee and your first drink is on them — and we’re talking beer, wine or well drink.

And “staff member,” by the way, includes everyone: teachers, teaching assistants, aides, bus drivers, PTs, OTs, food service, speech therapists, social workers, secretaries, psychologists, security, counselors, coaches, librarians, custodians, nurses, and administrators.

So enjoy a drink to celebrate the last days of school, with thanks from the Mary Wee Pub for a fantastic school year.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com“Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

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(posted 6/24/2025)

Elephant and Piggie in “We Are in a Book!” starring …

21 Jun

Here’s a quick little story that’s just too cute not to share.

On Friday I was substituting in the library at State Rd. Elementary School. As part of the day’s lessons, the library teaching assistant and I were acting out We Are in a Book!, one of a series of beloved children’s books by Mo Willems, starring Elephant and Piggie.

As we prepared to do so for one class, Officer David Herrle, Webster’s School Resource Officer, popped his head into the library to say hi. I immediately had an idea, and asked him if he had ten minutes to spare. To his credit, without knowing what I had in mind, he said yes. I quickly finished my lesson, then sprung my idea on him:

HE would play the part of Piggie.

With book in one hand and a stuffed Piggie in the other, Officer Herrle presented a polished cold-read performance of We Are in a Book! to the delight of the second graders who sat before us. It was a great way to show these kids that police officers are pretty cool, fun-loving people, too.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com“Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 6/21/2025)

Grad parades celebrated the Class of 2025

17 Jun

How many of us (especially those of us who grew up far from Webster) have longed to walk the halls of our old elementary schools and remember what it was like “back then”?

This year’s senior class got a chance to do that Monday when the graduate parades — one of our district’s most fun and meaningful traditions — returned to the elementary schools. It’s a day when our Webster Thomas and Schroeder seniors hop on buses and go revisit the elementary schools where they began their Webster School careers.

I had the good luck to be substituting in the library at State Rd. Elementary on Monday, so I was able to see this year’s parade. It was June of 2018 when most of the seniors last walked the State Rd. halls. But this week, as the class of 2025, they walked proudly through them again, and judging from the reaction of the young students who lined the halls in welcome, you’d think they were conquering heroes.

Nodding to the fact that it’s sometimes difficult to recognize these tall, mature adults for the freckle-faced young people they once were, each senior wore a sign with his or her name and post-graduation plans. As they paraded down one hall, then another, they passed hundreds of cheering and applauding preK through fifth grade students. Every so often the parade was slowed when a graduate stopped to take a photo or get a long hug from a favorite teacher.

What a wonderful way to celebrate our seniors, congratulate them on their success, and remind them how much they’ve accomplished.

Here are some more photos from the State Rd. parade:

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com“Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

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(posted 6/17/2025)

Book performance brought the joy of reading to our district’s preschoolers

7 Jun

Several beloved children’s books came to life on Thursday morning when Webster Schroeder preschool teacher Jamie Palmer hosted a very special live book performance for Webster’s youngest students.

More than 250 preschool students, teachers and aides — from the district’s seven Webster’s elementary schools and Schroeder and Thomas high schools — attended the performance in the Schroeder auditorium. As the audience members filed in and settled with great excitement into their seats, behind the curtain, an assortment of characters (including a toad, bear, crocodile, donkey, duck, sheep, Elephant and Piggie, Ballet Cat and more) got into their costumes and arranged their props.

Ballet Cat herself (Jamie Palmer in her bright pink tutu) introduced the performance, which featured several of the preschoolers’ favorite children’s books and authors:

  • Toad in the Road by Stephen Shaskan
  • Ballet Cat: the Totally Secret Secret by Bob Shea
  • What’s Your Favorite Favorite? by Bob Shea
  • Oh! Are You Awake? by Bob Shea
  • Elephant and Piggie: Let’s Go for a Drive! by Mo Willems
  • My Friends Make Me Happy by Jan Thomas
  • My Toothbrush is Missing! by Jan Thomas

In between books, as cast members prepared behind the curtain, the young audience members danced and clapped to songs performed by Webster Public Library (WPL) Outreach Cooordinator Jason Poole, and laughed at some pretty bad knock-knock jokes.

Palmer was supported by a talented cast of WPL staff members, Webster School District (WCSD) teachers and Schroeder students. I even got to play the supporting role of Grandma in What’s Your Favorite Favorite? Other performers included:

  • WPL Teen and Family Experiences Librarian Colleen Hernandez
  • WPL Assistant Director Shana Lynott
  • WCSD Special Education Consultant Teacher Bill Ambler
  • Webster Schroeder Librarian Jennifer Strege
  • Webster Schroeder students Brody Walrath, Maura Ugine and Sarah Painton (on the drum set)

Thursday’s show was Palmer’s second annual preK book performance. The idea came to her a few years ago when she and Jason Poole were planning Webster Public Library visits for the district’s preschoolers. It was her first year as a preK teacher after working for several years as the Schlegel Elementary School librarian.

She said,

I missed doing book performances. I said, wouldn’t it be cool if we could do a book performance for all of preK on Schroeder’s stage. Since I’m here, it’s a big stage, and we have an auditorium that will fit everybody, that would be a fun field trip. We could celebrate summer reading with the Public Library and also the reading joy that happened while we were in preK.

You could definitely see that joy in the faces of the preschoolers as they danced and sang, laughed and clapped, and watched with delight as their favorite book characters came to life. And since there’s a new crop of preschoolers every year, you can bet this won’t be the last of these shows.

“After everyone came last year,” Palmer remembered, “they said, ‘Oh you need to do that again. And maybe you need to do two.'”

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com“Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 6/7/2025)