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Webster community mailbag

2 Aug

mailbag

How about going out for dinner tonight?

The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, 1130 Webster Road (at the corner of State Road), is holding a drive-thru takeout chicken dinner sale today from 4 to 6 p.m. (or until sold out).

Proceeds will benefit the church’s Outreach Committee which supports local charities in the greater Rochester area. Each meal (from Heintzelman’s BBQ Pit of Ontario) is $12, consisting of a half-side of chicken, salt potatoes, cole slaw and cornbread.

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The Webster Marching Band’s next Bottle and Can Drive takes place this Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

This is a very easy way for you to help out this talented group of young people. Simply put all your empty bottles and cans in a big bag, tie it up, and place it somewhere outside your house where it’s visible from the street. They’ll swing by and pick it up.

Don’t leave the bag outside overnight, by the way. People have been known to come by and take them before the band makes its rounds.

If they happen to miss you, you can drop the bag off at Webster Schroeder High School, 875 Ridge Road, anytime before 4 p.m. Or you can always call their hotline number at 234-8684 and leave a message. OR, you can drop them off at Can Kings, 1183 Ridge Road, and tell them you want to donate them to the Marching Band.

For event updates, follow Friends of the Webster Marching Band on Facebook.

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I’ve been a bit negligent this summer in not yet having promoted the Caring Community Concert series held by the Webster United Church of Christ every Wednesday night.

The concerts are held from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on the front lawn of the church, 570 Klem Road, and feature some great local entertainers. Here’s who’s in tap:

August 8: Ruby Shooz
August 15: Mr. Mustard

Concessions and a free-will offering will benefit our Webster community.

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If you’re a fan of LuLaRoe, make your way over to the Webster Public Library on Wednesday August 15 for their LuLaRoe Pop Up Boutique from 3 to 6 p.m. You’ll find it in the Community Room.

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I’m pleased to pass on the names of the some of the top golfers from the recent charity golf tournament hosted by the Webster Golf Club’s Ladies’ Association.

The tournament, held July 26, raised $11,900 to benefit the Webster Comfort Care Home.

Winners of the member/guest tournament were:

  • 1st Place: Holley Rock, Kim Pavlock, Debbie Hibbard, Sue Knapp
  • 2nd Place: Laurie Farrell, Kathy Hutteman, Marlene Friberg, Mary Signor
  • 3rd Place: Janet Brower, Kris Taylor, Ellie Pensgen, Liz Hill

Karen Morreali won “Closest to the Pin,” and Janet Brower won “Longest Drive.”

Here are a few photos from the tournament, courtesy Doug Dorsey:


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WCSD invites kindergartners to Strive for Five

31 Jul
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New kindergartners practice the proper way to line up for the bus at a previous Strive for Five program. 

August — and the start of the new school year — are just around the corner, so it’s time to start thinking about buying supplies and getting up early again.

For our youngest students, getting on a big school bus on that first day of school can be a little bit scary. A great program called Strive for Five for School Bus Safety helps allay some of those fears.

The program, designed for 2018/19 incoming kindergarteners, provides children the chance to travel a short distance on a school bus with their parent(s) and to learn important safety procedures for riding the school bus.

The program will start at Willink Middle School, where the bus will pick up participants and bring them to (and from) the transportation department. The buses leave Willink at 6:00 p.m. and returns about an hour later.

While at the transportation department, students will rotate through five stations teaching them the following safety elements:

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

Incoming kindergarteners and their parents (no additional children, please) should attend as follows, if at all possible. IF you can’t make your assigned evening, you can come on another, but they district really likes to spread everyone out as much as possible.

August 6 – Plank South
August 7 – Klem North and Schlegel Road
August 8 – Dewitt Road and State Road
August 9 – Klem South and Plank North

Private and parochial schools can attend any one of the four dates.

For more information on the program, please contact the transportation department at 265-3840.

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Work means play at the elementary schools

20 Jul
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A view of the work happening at Plank North Elementary (photo courtesy H. Balsamo) 

School’s out, the teachers are taking a much-needed break, and students are spending their days riding bikes, traveling and hitting the pool.

Nevertheless, there’s exciting stuff happening at the elementary schools.

If you drive by your school in the next few weeks, chances are you’ll see a lot of work going on near one of the playgrounds. Each one of the district’s seven elementary schools is getting new equipment this summer.

At Plank North, principal Craig Bodensteiner said the installation should take only about two weeks. “It’s been so long since we provided our ‘wish list’ of the additional equipment, I’m not sure of all the details,” he said, but he thinks the project includes some additional swings and “green/gold fun stations for our kiddos.”

Bodensteiner added that each of the seven buildings asked for different equipment to add some variety throughout the community.

Click here to see several more photos from the Plank North and Plank South work.

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

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Plank North students in the news

6 Jul

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Just a quick shout-out to two young Plank North Elementary School students who were recently featured on WROC-TV news.

Gabby and Mia Fallone were interviewed on the July 4th, 5:30 p.m. newscast about the school’s recent Jar Wars competition, which was held in anticipation of the end-of-year Field Day.

There’s a dunk tank at the Field Day every year, and every year a handful of teachers vie for the honor of being the one to get dunked. Their photos are plastered to a series of jars set up in the school’s front hallway, and students drop their coins and dollars into the jar of the teacher they’d like to see in the tank. All the proceeds are donated to Golisano Children’s Hospital.

Jar Wars raised $246.38 this year for the hospital. Gabby and Mia presented the check in person last week, and the event was covered by WROC.

Click here for a link to the video.

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

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Webster mini mailbag

26 Jun

Just two quick events I want to highlight today which came across my email box recently.

art-festThe first is the third annual Webster Waterfront Art Festival, which will return to North Ponds Park on July 28 and 29.

The event features artists from all over Monroe County, food trucks, entertainment, a wine tasting booth and more.

I’ve enjoyed walking the paths these last two years, checking out the artisans, listening to music, and actually picking up a few Christmas presents along the way. It was a great day when Webster landed this event, and it has been an outstanding addition to the town’s summer events calendar. Don’t miss it if at all possible.

I’ll be posting more details in my blog in the weeks ahead, but in the meantime, you can check out the website here.

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CaptureSummer is also reunion time, and just yesterday I was informed that plans for the R.L. Thomas Class of 1978 40th reunion are under way.

You can check out the flyer to the left for the details, but here they are anyway:

  • Date: Saturday September 8
  • Time: 4 p.m.
  • Location: Ukranian Cultural Center, Jackson Road, Penfield
  • Includes: Buffet dinner, cash bar, laughs, fun times, embarrassing memories and photos.
  • Cost $28 per person.

Registration deadline is August 31. You can download the form and mail it in, but if you do that and it’s hard to read…. well, we Webster kids are smart; I’m sure you’ll figure out another way to register.

Keep up on all the latest details at the RL Thomas Class of 1978 Facebook page and make sure to spread the word!

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Tuesday Community Mailbag

12 Jun

wine glassSummer’s beginning to heat up in the village of Webster, marked by the first Wine Walk of the season, this Saturday June 16.

Local merchants participating this time around include Metro Sport Brokers, The Coach Sports Bar, Roc and Soul Fitness, Webster Hots, Sweetwood BBQ, Holistic Health Center, Furnari Jewelry, The Garage Sale Store, MJ Gabel Jewelers, Reggio’s Engraving and Artecho.

Glass pickup will begin at 3:30 p.m. at Kittelberger Florist, 263 North Ave., and ends at 5:30 p.m.. Please make sure to have your ID; each participant must pick up his or her own glass.

Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at the Webster BID website here. Organizers report there might be a glitch on the site indicating that the event is sold out, but that’s not the case. Just keep clicking through, because there are lots of tickets left.

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St. Martin Lutheran Church will host its annual HUGE Garage Sale Thursday through Saturday, June 14 to 16. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, 9 to 2 on Saturday.

St. Martin is located at 813 Bay Road, Webster

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Schichtel-Mark-webCongratulations to Mark Schichtel, the new principal at DeWitt Road Elementary School.

Schichtel is currently DeWitt’s assistant principal, and will officially begin his new position on July 1. He’ll be taking over for Debra Reed, who is retiring at the end of this school year after more than 23 years of outstanding service to WCSD.

Before coming to DeWitt Elementary, Schichtel served as WCSD’s director of science and technology from 2010-2013, was assistant principal at Williamson High School, and taught science in the East Irondequoit School District.

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The NEQ ALS, our local paramedic service, will host its first Food Truck Rodeo and Craft Fair of the season on Thursday June 21 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Firemen’s Field on Main Street.

There aren’t a whole lot of details yet about what trucks of crafty people will be there, but in the past the trucks have included Netsins Ice Cream, Effortlessly Healthy, Macarollin and Heiztelmans. Some vendors who have shown up before include Young Living, LuLaRoe, Honey and Lace, Pampered Chef, Usborne Books, Tupperware, Perfectly Posh, Tastefully Simple, Lip Sense, XS Energy, and Park Lane Paparazzi.

Proceeds from the event will help the NEQ ALS build a new headquarters building.

Updates can be found on the NEQ ALS Facebook page here.

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Peter Kaulback remembered, 50 years after his death

3 Jun

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If you were driving along Ridge Road last Thursday evening around 6:00, you might have noticed a number of Patriot Guard riders leading a small convoy of cars to Webster Rural Cemetery.

The occasion was a remembrance ceremony in honor of former Village of Webster resident Peter Jon Kaulback.

Kaulback, a lance corporal in the Marines, was killed in Vietnam on May 31, 1968, and is buried at Webster Rural.

Peter lived on Fuller Ave. in the village, a short walk to the Spry building, which at that time was the town’s high school. He graduated there in 1962, a year before the Webster Thomas building was finished. 

To honor Kaulback’s memory on the 50th anniversary of his death, several friends and local officials gathered at Spry and processed to Webster Rural Cemetery, led by the Patriot Guard riders.

Quartermaster Sean Miller represented the Webster VFW, and Councilman Barry Deane was there for the Town of Webster. In his remarks, Dean remembered that he and Kaulback had gone deer hunting the day before he left for Vietnam. 

A member of Buglers Across America played a beautiful rendition of Taps, which made the ceremony even more meaningful.

There’s currently a display at the Webster Public Library in honor of Peter Kaulback with lots more information, including a copy of the letter he sent to his girlfriend after learning he was going to Vietnam. The display also features information about Don Holleder, another of the five young Webster men who died in Vietnam.

Thank you to Jim Lanson for coordinating the simple, yet beautiful ceremony.

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Thank you, Webster Thomas GeoTech team!

2 Jun
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GeoTech teachers Kurt Mangos and Mike Tuchrello with the new bookshelf.

I’d like to give a shout-out today to the GeoTech team at Webster Thomas High School. The students in this project-based class did an amazing job building a rolling book shelf for the Schlegel Elementary library, where I work.

Librarian Jamie Palmer and I had heard about some of the projects the GeoTech students had completed, including a shed and raised gardening beds for the Schlegel courtyard. So a few months ago, when we started dreaming about a new bookshelf, we approached them with our idea.

I made a pseudo-architectural drawing of our idea, handed it off to GeoTech teachers Mike Tuchrello and Kurt Mangos, and they ran with it. Last week,  much to our surprise,  they wheeled the brand new bookshelf into the library.

The GeoTech team has been busy this year. Mangos said,

We’ve built sheds, raised accessible planter beds, ADA compliant ramps, cornhole game boards, ladder golf games, WTI Chromebook charging stations, many shelving units, walls for sets, etc….

That includes new planter beds at Plank North Elementary, the OTHER school I work at.

GeoTech students receive a technology, local math, and English credit through the project-based learning class.

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Plank North students are published

23 May
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Pictured are (left to right) Lucas Hill, Adrianna Fitzharris, Aubrey Hoagland, Colin Raspudic, Max Bolzner, Gabby Fallone, Jimmaly Ortega, Chase Failing, Sabrina Cady, Oktober Haak

Many people dream of becoming published authors. Several students at Plank Road North Elementary School are already there.

Earlier this year, about 15 students in Marcia Napolitano’s fourth grade class entered a creative writing contest sponsored by the Boston-based Young Writers publishing company. The company hosts such contests regularly to boost students’ confidence and showcase talent.

IMG_20180522_111647827Napolitano’s students participated in Young Writers’ “Crazy Creatures” competition, in which they were asked to create a creature of their own invention and then write a story about it using just 100 words.

Ten of the entries were chosen for publication and are now part of a very handsome “Crazy Creatures” book. The published authors all autographed the book, and it’s now on the shelf of the school library for all Plank North staff students and staff members to enjoy.

 

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Back on the blogwagon and heading to a FIESTA!

17 May

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I knew that being Internet-less would not be easy. But being unable to log onto my home computer for five straight days (thank you Frontier) really messed with my mojo a whole lot more than I expected.

I was able to hobble through though, in large part by using my phone’s 4G and friendly Internet hotspots in the village, but it was hard keeping up on my email and blogging.

But I’m back, thanks to a sparkling new Spectrum modem and a higher-speed Internet cable feed. Good thing, because now that summer is approaching, the events are going to come fast and furious.

Let’s start today with a preview of the 64th annual St. Rita Festival, which hits town again Friday and Saturday June 1 and 2.

I love this festival. It’s like a harbinger of summer, and a great inexpensive night out, with the added benefit of supporting a good cause.

Festival highlights include live music by Ruby Shooz and the Breakfast Club, inflatable and adventure rides for the kids, carnival games, a food truck rodeo, gift basket raffles, a book sale, plant sale, and more. And of course you can get into the raffle for $10,000 cash or a one-year lease on a car from Vision Automotive.  Five second chance winners will also go home with Wegmans gift certificates.

Here are some details:

  • Ruby Shooz will play on Friday night from 7 to 10 p.m. and the Breakfast Club on Saturday from 6 to 10 p.m. Blankets and chairs are welcome.
  • The festival will introduce a new Car Show and Shine classic car show this year, from 3 to 6 p.m. There’s no charge to register a car or to attend the event.
  • In addition to the food truck rodeo, St. Rita’s famous Friday fish fry and Saturday chicken barbecue dinners will be back. They sell out every year, so get there early.

Admission to the Fiesta is free and parking is onsite, with handicap and shuttle options. For more information about the Fiesta, or to pre-order your discounted passes for unlimited access to the bounce houses, zip lines, and bungee trampoline, click here.

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

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