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Webster Marching Band welcomes autumn with music

28 Sep

The Webster Marching Band’s annual celebration of autumn will feature a touch of winter this year.

Autumn Fanfare flyerFINALThe band’s 32nd annual Autumn Fanfare is scheduled for Saturday, October 7 at the Webster Schroeder High School stadium.

This terrific community event is a premier field show and competition, hosted by the The Pride of Webster marching band, but also featuring performances by six Greater Rochester area bands.

The Webster Marching Band — comprised of 64 middle and high school musicians and color guard performers — will perform their 2017-18 program, “froZEN.” It features the music of Mark Ford and Madonna, and takes a unique approach to the sounds and imagery of a Chinese winter.

It sounds amazing.

The show will begin at 7 p.m., and gates open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $6 in advance at Hegedorns and $8 at the gate. Webster CSD student and staff tickets are just $2 with a Webster student or staff ID. Children under 5 are free. A few food trucks will also be on hand if you get hungry.

Webster Schroeder High School is located at 875 Ridge Road.

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Tuesday Webster mailbag

19 Sep

mailbagI’d like to begin today’s mailbag by welcoming one of the village’s newest businesses, MJ Gabel Advisors & Trustees of Fine Jewelry.

MJ Gabel is in the process of moving to the village from their location in Ontario, where they’ve been for six years.  As they have grown, they realized the need for more space, and Webster fit the bill.

Right now they’re renovating their new space, which they tell me is “in the heart of the village.”

They added, “Our new location will allow our staff the ability to work more efficiently, and allow our local clients more space to meet with their dedicated diamond specialist.”

Stay tuned for word about their official opening.

Chicken Till it’s Gone

The First Baptist Church of Penfield’s Chicken Barbecue is Saturday, September 30 from 2 till 6 pm (or sold out). Chickens will be prepared on site by Gale-Wyn Catering. Dinners are $10.50 and include a half barbecued chicken, coleslaw or macaroni salad, salt potatoes, roll and butter, plus a dessert. Guests can eat in or take out, and the facility is handicapped accessible.

The First Baptist Church of Penfield is located at 1862 Penfield Rd.

Double Down

 

The Webster Lions Club will hold its semi-annual Texas Hold’Em charity poker event on Friday October 6 at the Elks Club, 7 Barrett Drive in Webster.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the event begins at 7 p.m. Cost is $40 ($45 at the door) for buy-in and $20 re-buy. First-place winner will take home $500, $150 for second-place and $50 for third.

All proceeds will benefit Webster Lions Club charities. For information call 585-234-5480 or email websterlionsclub@gmail.com.

Miracle Field Fund-Raisers

Two great events coming up in the next few weeks will benefit Miracle Field.

The first is the 3rd Annual Run Walk & Roll 5k and 1 mile stroll on October 8. This is an all-inclusive family-friendly event in which wheelchairs, gait trainers, adaptive bicycles and tricycles and other assistive devices are welcome.

The courses start and end at Webster Thomas High School 800 Five Mile Line Road.

Registration begins at 8 a.m., the 5K kicks off at 9:30 and the one-mile stroll at 9:35. To register online, click here.

The second event is an artisan dinner scheduled for October 12.

The exclusive dinner will be held at the Webster Arboretum and feature Jim Markeas, Winemaker, Mallee Estate Winery, Australia and Noé Perez, US Brand Ambassador, Bodegas Iliana & Bodegas Lambuena, Spain. They’ll be introducing guests to fine wines from across the globe.

The dinner begins at 6:30 and tickets are $40 per person. Click here for tickets

Oktoberfest at the UCC

OKTOBERFEST CELEBRATION 2017 at Webster UCC!
The Webster United Church of Christ’s annual Oktoberfest is almost here.

Oktoberfest is a German celebration that takes place when the late summer/early fall crops are harvested, it is also a time to tap barrels of wine and brew that had been sealed the year before. Communities gather to give thanks for blessings received. There is music for singing and dancing, tables are laden with food and drink – and a feeling of “gemutlichket” rules the day.

The members of the United Church of Christ, Congregational of Webster will honor those traditions as they celebrate Oktoberfest on Saturday, October 14 from 6 – 9 p.m. in the church’s Congregational Hall. There will be music for singing and dancing – plus a performance by members of a local German dance troupe.

Tickets are $5.00 per person, and German specialties like schnitzel, sauerkraut, potato salad, bratwurst, and desserts like apple strudel and black forest cake will be available for purchase.

Call the church office at 585-671-3757 to reserve your ticket or to get more information.

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Webster remembers

12 Sep

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The Village of Webster gathered Monday night to pay honor to the men and women who lost their lives during the horrific events of September 11, 2001. About 100 residents convened in Veterans Memorial Park for the 50-minute ceremony, joined by more than 30 Webster fire fighters and first responders, Village Mayor Darrell Byerts, a handful of other state, town and village representatives, and the Chorus of the Genesee.

Mayor Byerts acted as emcee, sharing the podium with many of those representatives who added their thoughts and personal recollections from the day.  Many of those comments were directed at the ranks of first responders who stood proudly near the edge of the park. And those were the comments I considered most meaningful.

We must never forget what happened that day and the brave people who lost their lives. But it’s also important to appreciate those who still keep up safe every day.

Mayor Byerts was the first to sound that call. He asked us to remember what it was like in the hours and days after 9/11. We were a country united, helping strangers in the street, showing our patriotism by flying flags from every pole we could find. We mourned the loss of 2,977 innocent lives. Among them were 412 emergency workers, including 343 FDNY firefighters.  We publicly thanked them for their efforts.

The same thing happened when Webster suffered the loss of two of our own firefighters at the hand of a madman on December 24, 2012. We came together again as one, and showed how much we love and respect our local firefighters.

But, as Byerts noted, that public outpouring of emotion didn’t last.

“As time passes, memories fade and those appointed to protect us are forgotten,” he said. “The words ‘thank you’ are rarely spoken.”

Syed Ahmed Mustafa, president of Northeast Quadrant Advanced Life Support, further reminded us that “People don’t become heroes because of what they do one day, but because of what they do every day.”

Those are powerful thoughts. What I took from them was this:

We must never forget September 11 and keep those who lost their lives close to our hearts. But one of the best way to honor them is to appreciate those who continue to race to the scene of a horrific accident or run into burning buildings, not knowing what exactly they’re going to find.

Or, by the way, WHO they’re going to find. Because, as Ahmed said, what 9/11 taught us is that “no matter where we work, pray or play, we are all American.”

Here are several more photos from the evening:

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Calling all runners (and walkers)

9 Sep
Runners brick

A trio of Barry’s Runners visits the group’s brick at Jack’s Place on the day of the playground’s grand opening.

I have blogged and column-ed several times in the past about Barry’s Runners. We are a bunch of men, women, children — and occasionally dogs — who gather every Tuesday evening at Barry’s Old School Irish Pub in Webster to go for a walk or run. After completing a pre-mapped two, three or four-mile route, we reconvene at the pub for a pint, pretzels and good conversation.

We’ve met every week now for almost a year and a half, running (and walking) through snow, cold, sleet and heat, and always at Barry’s. This week, however, we’re changing things up a bit and going on our first ever road trip.

This Tuesday evening September 12 at 6:30 p.m., Barry’s Runners will be meeting at the brand new Jack’s Place playground in Penfield’s Rothfuss Park on Five Mile Line Road.

Jack’s Place, which officially opened only a few weeks ago, is a blue, dinosaur-themed playground built by the Jack Foundation, to honor the memory of 3-year old Jack Heiligman, who lost his life tragically last October. The foundation’s primary focus is to keep Jack’s happy spirit alive by encouraging others to spread random acts of kindness.

Barry’s Runners have taken that challenge to heart. Twice the group has collected gift cards from retailers all over the area and delivered them randomly — and often anonymously — to village people and houses.  (Read the column I wrote about the first of those efforts here.)

Most recently, the group purchased an engraved brick for Jack’s Place, one of many which were installed along the playground’s entrance walkway.

Tuesday’s plan is simple: meet at Jack’s Place (Rothfuss Park, 1648 Five Mile Line Road) at 6:30 p.m. Running/walking routes will be determined ahead of time so people can choose whichever length they’d like. There’s a mile-mile long path around the perimeter of the park, so that’s probably what I’ll be doing. After the run, we can play on the playground, and/or re-convene at Barry’s for some pints and friendship.

We’ll also be starting a new collection of gift cards on Tuesday (any amount, any place) that we can pass out on a future run.

We would love to see some new faces on Tuesday evening. There will be plenty of company for anyone who wants to do a short run, a long run, or just walk.

New friends await, so please join us.

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Webster Museum hosts cemetery tour

7 Sep

 

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Just in time for the spooky season, the Webster Museum has put together a Webster Rural Cemetery tour for children and adults later this month.

(Actually, it’s not going to be the least bit scary, because it’s happening in the middle of the day, AND there’s a scavenger hunt involved. So basically, it sounds like it’s going to be a fun way to learn a little history.)

The tour will take place on Saturday September 23 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Webster Rural Cemetery, located at 1087 Ridge Road. Participants will begin in the chapel, tackle the scavenger hunt, and then walk around the cemetery, stopping at different graves to hear stories about some of Webster’s residents and the parts they played in the development of our community.

Cost is $5 for adults, with children 16 and under free. All proceeds will benefit the Webster Museum.  There’s no pre-registration; you can pay when you get there, so bring the whole family!

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Webster Garlic Festival returns this weekend

4 Sep
garlic banner

This year’s Webster Garlic Festival will be held on September 9 and 10. 

One of our town’s newest — and most aromatic — festivals returns this weekend.

The Webster Garlic Festival will return to the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Drive, this Saturday and Sunday September 9 and 10.

This festival is basically a garlic-lover’s paradise. You can check out garlic-infused foods, garlic seed and garlic gadgets, and demonstrations about garlic foods and garlic gardens. There will be a dozen garlic vendors, and more than 50 other community agencies and craft and general vendors selling everything from cheese, honey and jams to hand-made jewelry and greeting cards. There are so many vendors that they’ll fill the gymnasium and spill out onto the Rec Center grounds.

There’s live entertainment all afternoon, and if it’s anything like last year, there will also be a handful of food trucks where you can get a great lunch.

Admission is just $5 for adults, with kids under 16 free. Hours are Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This annual event is sponsored by the Kiwanis, Lions and Rotary clubs. All proceeds will benefit Challenger Miracle Field, Hope House, Webster Community Chest, three outstanding local causes. So even if you’re not a big fan of garlic, come on out for some good eats, good entertainment, and great shopping.

For lots more details, and a list of all the vendors, entertainers and events, visit the garlic festival website at www.webstergarlicfestival.com.

Here are a a few photos from last year’s event , which benefited from awesome weather. Right now it looks like the sun might shine on the event again.

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Another mailbag!

2 Sep

mailbagI know I cleaned out my email box not long ago, but several other items have popped up in recent days, so here’s another mailbag!

Free Rabies Clinic

On Thursday, September 14, the Town of Webster and the Monroe County Health Department will combine effort to host a FREE Rabies Clinic at a NEW location this time. It will be held at the Webster Volunteer Fire Department firehouse at 35 South Avenue in the village, from 5 to 7 p.m.

If your dog/cat has had a rabies vaccine in the past, bring that current rabies certificate with you for your pet to receive a three-year vaccination, without the certificate the dog/cat will be issued a one-year vaccine certificate.

If you can’t attend the clinic, contact the Monroe County Health Department at 753-5171 or visit the Town of Webster website for information on future Rabies Clinics in Monroe County.

Flapjack Breakfast

The monthly Community Flapjack Breakfasts are back at the First Baptist Church of Penfield, after a summer break.

The first breakfast of the season is Saturday September 16, with proceeds to benefit Willow Domestic Violence Center.

The breakfast will run from 8 to 10 a.m. at the church, 1862 Penfield Road. It includes pancakes, pure maple syrup, scrambled eggs, sausage, and more, all for just $5.00 per person.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection

The Monroe County Department of Environmental Services (DES), the Town of Webster and the Town of Penfield have joined forces to hold an appointment-only Household Hazardous Waste collection on Saturday, September 16.  The collection will take place at the Webster Highway Department, 1005 Picture Parkway, from 7:45 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Most household hazardous waste products (paint, flammables and other chemicals from home-use) are safe when used and stored properly. When they become unwanted and are disposed of improperly, these household wastes can become environmental hazards.

To ensure safety and reduce waiting times, appointments are required. Appointments for this collection will be accepted until September 15. To schedule an appointment, Webster residents should call 872-1443 (Monday thru Thursday, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.); Penfield residents can call 340-8710, or go on-line to http://www.monroecounty.gov/hhw to schedule your appointment. This Household Hazardous Waste collection is open to all Monroe County residents. Waste from businesses will not be accepted.

Food Truck Rodeo

On Thursday September 21, our local paramedic service, the NEQ ALS, will be hosting the organization’s third food truck rodeo and vendor fair at the Firemen’s Field on Main Street, from 5 to 8 pm.

Details are still coming together as to which food trucks and vendors will be attending this time around, but in August the trucks included: Netsins Ice Cream, Effortlessly Healthy, Macarollin and Heiztelamns, and the vendors included Young Living, LuLaRoe, Honey and Lace, Pampered Chef, Usborne Books, Tupperware, Perfectly Posh, Tastefully Simple, Lip Sense, XS Energy, and Park Lane Paparazzi.

For updates, visit the event page here.

Fall Chicken BBQ 

St. Martin Lutheran Church’s bi-annual Chicken BBQ will be held Saturday, September 23 from 4:30-6:30 at the church, 813 Bay Road, Webster.

Dinners of ½ chicken, salt potatoes, cole slaw, roll, butter and beverage are available for $10.  Luscious pie slices and other desserts will also be available for purchase.  A hot dog dinner for kids is $2.

Dinners are eat-in or take-out. Tickets can be reserved by calling the church office at 671-1899, or purchased at the event while supplies last. Proceeds will support the church’s Christmas Stocking Project, which reaches more than 500 youths in Monroe and Wayne counties.

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Tuesday Webster mailbag

28 Aug

blood dropI’m going to begin today’s mailbag with a nugget from Penfield, our neighbors to the south, in part because 1) I actually live in Penfield, and 2) I’m a big supporter of Red Cross blood drives.

Right now the Red Cross is experiencing a critical blood shortage, which I expect will grow even more dire thanks to Hurricane Harvey.

Right now, blood is being distributed to hospitals as fast as it’s being donated. We really need everybody who is eligible — even if you’ve never donated before — to step up and help save lives by donating.

The Penfield Community Center, at 1985 Baird Road, will host a blood drive this Wednesday August 30 from from 1 to 6 p.m. in the community room. Appointments are encouraged to help reduce your wait, but walk-ins will also be welcomed with open arms. CLICK HERE to schedule an appointment.

All presenting donors will receive a $5 Target e-card.

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village band

Your last chance to see our Webster Village Band this summer is Thursday night, August 31, at the band shell on Phillips Road.

This is the last of the band’s summer concerts, in this their 50th anniversary season. The concert begins at 7 p.m. Bring a blanket and lawn chairs, and a cooler with snacks and drinks, and make it a family event.

In case of rain, the concert will be held at the Cherry Ridge Senior Center, 900 Cherry Ridge Blvd., across from Webster Schroeder High School.

And stay tuned for more details about the band’s annual Christmas Concert, held every holiday season at Schroeder, usually in early December.

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Here are some notes from the Webster Public Library:

Thursdays are extra special every week at the library. For starters, every Thursday night is Family Night, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. These events feature new crafts and activities every week. Plans for September include a family LEGO night, making clothespin airplanes, galaxy bottles, and dragon eggs. All ages are welcome and no registration is required.

The first and third Thursdays every month are also “Tween Thursdays,” especially for students in grades 4 through 7. Meet in the Teen Lounge (or Meeting Room) from 4 to 5 p.m. for fun events and snacks.  On Thursday September 7, you’ll be creating miniature circuits with Little Bits. Registration is requested.

Check out the library’s website or Facebook page for more information.

If you’ve ever wanted to become more involved in the library, here’s a great opportunity:

On Saturday, September 30 from 10 a.m. to noon, the Friends of the Webster Public Library will host a free workshop for members of Friends of Libraries groups, interested community volunteers, library administrators and staff, and library trustees.

The presentation will offer ways that participants can develop their library’s Friends group, working to sustain the organization long-term. Discussion will center on continuous membership recruitment, engaging volunteers, and revitalizing the core members of the group to carry on their crucial advocacy work for their community libraries.

There will be opportunities to network with members of other Friends organizations after the presentation concludes at noon.

Please feel free to bring a lunch. Get more information and register here.

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This also from Penfield:

Penfield’s annual Tastin’ the Blues will be held on Saturday, September 16 at Penfield Amphitheater and Kiwanis Stage, from 12 – 4 p.m. This free event will include chili judging, beer sampling, and blues music.

Anyone who has a favorite chili recipe is invited to enter the chili contest. Chili entries will be judged by a panel. Prize packages will be awarded to the top three winners, and the first place package will include a $100 cash prize. Registration forms and rules for the chili contest can be found at the Penfield Recreation office, 1985 Baird Rd., Penfield, or at www.penfieldrec.org.

The Genesee Brew House will be on hand to provide samples of its top micro brews, and Steve Grills and the Roadmasters, with special guest Joe Beard, will provide entertainment.

Penfield Amphitheater and Kiwanis Stage is located in Veterans’ Memorial Park, behind Penfield Town Hall at 3100 Atlantic Avenue. This event is free and open to the public.

For more information, please visit www.penfieldrec.org.

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Play ball!

27 Aug
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A nice photo of Challenger Miracle Field snapped by Mary Holleran

I was honored to be on hand yesterday for the official opening ceremonies for Challenger Miracle Field, a beautiful new sports facility for young athletes with developmental, physical or intellectual disabilities.

It’s located in Ridge Park, 1000 Ridge Road, behind Town Hall. It looks a lot like the Little League fields you’re familiar with, but it’s actually different in a lot of important ways.

It’s totally flat, for starters. There’s no dirt, and no grass. The pitcher’s mound and bases are not raised at all, but instead are painted into the brightly-colored rubberized artificial surface, which allows for all players to round the bases without fear of tripping, whether they’re walking, running, using a wheelchair or walker. The outfield fence is much closer to home than normally, allowing these children a real chance to hit a home run. And the fence is removable so the field can be adapted for other sports.

The field was built especially for the Challenger teams, who are typically given the lowest priority for field availability and only get to play if fields are not in use by other Little League, school or town teams. But the developers also made it clear that the field is available for use by the community; it’s for children and adults of all abilities.

There were a lot of accolades handed out at the almost one-hour long ribbon cutting ceremony yesterday, but one of the comments especially stood out.

At least one speaker called the new Miracle Field a “field of dreams.” That’s a phrase that’s tossed about a lot these days for lesser accomplishments, but I think it fits here.

In Challenger Miracle Field, these kids now have the chance to experience the thrill of playing on a baseball field that looks and feels like the stadiums they see on TV. Every weekend, they can put on a jersey and a baseball cap, step (or roll) up to the plate, raise a bat and be just like any other kid who loves sports.

Thank you to everyone who made this field a reality. Your efforts and dedication have been well rewarded and you are right to be proud.

The work is not done, however. Completely handicapped-accessible restrooms and playground, and a pavilion are still being planned for construction early next year. Fundraising continues to accomplish these goals.

Your next opportunities to help out are at the

Webster Garlic Festival, September 9 and 10 at the Webster Parks and Recreation complex on Chiyoda Drive. Food, fun, and lots of garlic. Hours are 10 a.m to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

3rd Annual Run, Walk & Roll, October 8 at Webster Thomas High School, 800 Five Mile Line Road. I’ll be running this one, so please come out and join me and my friends.

You can read more about Challenger Miracle Field — and donate directly through the website — by clicking here.

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Great weekend for two great events

25 Aug

ribbon cutting

Hey all my Webster and Webfield peeps, there are two important events this weekend that you don’t want to miss, if you can make the time, especially if you have children with challenges … or children at all.

The first is the grand opening of Challenger Miracle Field, which has been built in Ridge Park, just behind the Town Hall.

Webster is honored to have been chosen to be the home for this wonderful facility, which is basically a smaller version of a Little League field, where differently-challenged athletes from around the city will have a chance to hit a home run, and play other sports, just like everyone else.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for Saturday August 26 at 11 a.m., followed by an exhibition game with local celebrities and Challenger athletes. Lunch will be provided by Wegmans.

Read more about Miracle Field in this blog I wrote a few weeks ago. Then see you Saturday!

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Wait! There’s more!

On Sunday August 27, another terrific facility dedicated to helping children have fun will have its grand opening ceremonies.

It’s called Jack’s Place, a blue, dinosaur-themed playground at Penfield’s Rothfuss Park on Five Mile Line Road. It’s been built by a the Jack Foundation, in honor of 3-year old Jack Heiligman, who lost his life tragically last October. (You can read more about Jack here.)

Jack’s parents, Anne and AJ, have worked hard to keep their son’s happy spirit alive by spreading laughter, happiness and love to other families. One of the ways they’re doing that is by building these playgrounds.

Since Jack loved dinosaurs, the new playground is filled with dinosaur-themed climbing and crawling apparatus, in addition to the swings and slides and towers. Its color is predominantly blue, which was Jack’s favorite color.

Grand opening ceremonies will be held Sunday August 27, from noon to 3 pm at Rothfuss Park, 1648 Five Mile Line Road in Penfield. There’ll be music and food, and lots of time to explore the new playground.

I’ll be at both events, so please say hi if you see me and my camera!

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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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