Archive | Town events RSS feed for this section

Tuesday Webster Mailbag

15 Oct

There are so many things happening in the next week or two, I’m afraid they’re going to start falling through the cracks. So here’s an unusually early mailbag.

The Webster Town Board will hold a public hearing on the 2013 budget this Thursday night October 18.  Residents are encouraged to attend to ask questions about the budget, published in its entirety last week in the Webster Herald.  There will be time to comment on any line item and department. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Webster Town Hall, 1000 Ridge Road.

* * *

Check out Operation BLUE this Saturday October 20, a full day of events sponsored by the Webster Marching Band at Webster Schroeder High School.  Operation BLUE 2012 is an open house and clinic held in the stadium from 2-4 pm. This clinic is free of charge and is offered to any Webster School District student in grades 4-12 interested in color guard, dance, percussion, woodwinds or brass. Interested musicians should bring their own instruments. A parent information session will also be held.

That evening is the band’s annual Autumn Fanfare, a field band competition featuring eight bands from across New York State. The event starts at 6 pm and tickets are available at the door for $6. Students participating in events earlier in the day will receive one free ticket.

* * *

Webster’s second Cash Mob also takes place Saturday, from 1-3 pm. This month’s target is the Art Stop, 10 North Avenue, just steps from the village’s four corners.  Stop by, drop a few bucks, and help give a small business an economic jolt.  Cash mobbers will meet afterwards at Barry’s Old School Irish for a pint and a scone.

* * *

Weather permitting, the Webster Highway Department will begin its autumn leaf collection on Monday October 22. Trucks will pass through town every week through Monday November 26, when they make one final west-side-to-east-side sweep. If you have any specific questions, contact the Highway Department at 872-1443, Monday through Friday between 7 am and 3:30 pm.

* * *

The Music at Immanuel Concert Series will feature Warner Iverson performing on Baroque Guitar on Friday October 26, beginning at 7 pm.

Warner Iversen is a multi-instrumentalist currently pursuing a doctoral degree with a double major in classical guitar and early music from the Eastman School of Music. Mr. Iversen has performed as a guest artist at the Juilliard School of Music, NYC and at DePauw University, Greencastle, Indiana. He recently made his debut as a musical director in a production of John Blow’s Venus and Adonis.

The concert is free and open to the public, and a reception will follow. A free will offering to benefit the Music at Immanuel Concert Series will be received.  Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church is located at 131 West Main Street, Webster, at the corner of Daniel Drive. Parking is available behind the church. For more information, go to http://www.immanuelwebster.org.

* * *

Make sure to make time a Saturday, October 27 to celebrate Halloween in the Village and Trick or Treat Trail.  You can click here for details, but briefly, you can look forward to donuts & cider, the annual costume contest, the scarecrow contest, a pet costume contest and parade, pumpkin painting, and of course trick-or treating all through the village.

The Webster Museum will also have some special events that day, from 11:30 am -4 pm. You can solve some mysteries and get some candy.  So make sure you stop by — 18 Lapham Park. More information at http://www.webstermuseum.org.

If you’re planning to make a scarecrow for the contest, time is running out. Check out the details here and get working!

* * *

That evening, Webster’s favorite little Irish Pub, Barry’s Old School Irish, will celebrate its one-year anniversary.  Everybody who’s anybody in the village will be there.  Actually, I think they’re planning special events all week to celebrate, but make sure you’re there on Saturday night to celebrate with an entire village.

Explore Webster, win prizes!

24 Sep

I love a good challenge. So when I heard about this upcoming event sponsored by the Webster Health and Education Network, I immediately jumped on board.

It’s called the  All-Around Webster Scavenger Hunt. As the name implies, the hunt will guide participants to locations all around our fair town, where they collect clues, and possibly win prizes.  The idea is to give people a fresh look at the many parks and recreational sites in our community, and in some cases, help them discover places they’d never been to before.  And if you have a good time with your family while you’re doing it, all the better.

Clues will be found at the following locations:

* Bay View Family YMCA
* Abraham Lincoln Park
* The Big Woods
* Veterans Park, Webster
* Webster Skate Park
* Bird Sanctuary
* North Ponds Park
* The Webster Arboretum
* Kent Park
* Webster Parks and Recreation Center

This three-day event kicks off on October 6 and will run through October 8.  The cost is $5 for each team (up to 6 people on a team, including at least one adult). You can register and pick up your Scavenger Map at the Bay View Family YMCA on Saturday October 6 from 7 am to 7 pm, Sunday from 9 am to 9 pm, or Monday from 5:30 am to 10 pm.  Return you completed registration form to the Y, the Webster Parks and Rec Center, or the health office at any of the school buildings.  Correctly completed forms will be entered into a prize drawing.

Click here for  more information.

 

 


 

Food Truck Rodeo will help Bay View Family YMCA rebuild the climbing tower

8 Sep

Have you heard yet about the Trucks for the Tower Food Truck Rodeo planned for this coming Friday evening? If not, you haven’t been reading my blog lately.  This is an event that is near and dear to my heart, and I’m on the committee that’s pulling it together. So basically, today’s blog is an ad for the rodeo. You can stop reading here and check out all the cute photos of kittens on Facebook, or read on and find out more about this great family event that benefits a great cause — rebuilding the Bay View YMCA climbing wall.

Here’s the background:

On June 24, the day before summer camp began, the 45-foot climbing tower at the Bay View Family YMCA was set on fire by arsonists. The entire tower was destroyed, including much of the climbing equipment and zip line. It was a devastating blow to the YMCA community. (If you’d like more information, check out my previous blog here.)

The YMCA has pledged to replace the tower before summer camp begins next year, which is pretty exciting. But even more exciting is that the new “climbing complex” will include two zip lines (so a parent and child could zip at the same time, for example), a bouldering wall, and I think they mentioned a high-ropes component as well. And even MORE exciting? Everything will be handicap-accessible.

The YMCA has taken a two-pronged approach to raising the $100,000 necessary to fund this ambitious plan. The first is to solicit larger businesses for corporate donations. This has been pretty successful so far; a recent email from Bay View YMCA Executive Director Mike Stevens announced that those efforts have already raised almost $25,000.

But there are a lot of Bay View YMCA friends out there who would like to help out on a smaller scale.  That’s where the Trucks for the Tower Food Truck Rodeo comes in. If you’ve never heard about these things (I hadn’t), a Food Truck Rodeo is when a whole bunch of food trucks descend on one place at one time. It’s kind of like a mini State Fair, with all kinds of great dinner and dessert items at your fingertips.

But we’ll also have live music, kids’ activities (like a bounce house, gaga court, dunk tank and face painting), and lots of raffle prizes (scroll down for photos of a few of them).

These are the trucks who have confirmed their participation so far (more to come):

The Dough Boys * Tuscan Pizza * Frozen Delights * Marty’s Meat * Chowder UP Seafood * Wraps on Wheels * Caspers Street Dogs * Cheesed & Confused * Fett Svin BBQ * Snow Daze

Plus, we’ve got more than 50 raffle prizes donated from about 30 Webster and Greater Rochester merchants, including wine, two Kodak pocket video cameras, a Sabres jersey, a Thirty-one tote bag, and lots and lots of restaurant and retail store gift certificates. (We’re still collecting raffle prizes if your business would like to donate. Email me!)

Here are the details:

Trucks for the Tower Food Truck Rodeo and Family Festival

Friday, September 14, 5-9 pm
Damascus Shrine Center, 979 Bay Road, Webster, NY
Lots of food, desserts and beverages; live music by Webster-based Irish duo Barry’s Crossing; kids’ activities; raffles

Check out the event’s Facebook page for more details and updates as the event approaches.

Bay Bridge is closed — and other news of note

7 Sep

For the third time this summer, half of the Bay Bridge will be closed to traffic this weekend.

Beginning tonight (Friday) at 8 pm, all EASTBOUND lanes over the bridge will be closed, and will not reopen until Sunday around noon.

Detour signs will be posted, directing eastbound traffic south on 590, onto Empire Blvd. to Bay, then north on Bay Rd. back to Rt.104 east.  It will probably be a really good idea to avoid Empire Blvd. entirely this weekend and try to get around via Browncroft/Atlantic  or Blossom Road. Even these routes will probably be busy, so plan ahead.

Going westbound over the bridge won’t be much easier; that will also be reduced to two lanes during the same period.

* * *

As I was driving through the village recently, I noticed with some sadness that Barker’s Dozen Gourmet Dog Treats has closed up its North Avenue shop. The little bakery only opened up a year ago April.  I always thought it was a clever idea and knew a lot of people who were big fans (including 499 of them who “like” the Facebook page).  But perhaps store owner Gabriella Martinez … ummm … bit off more than she could chew when she tried to move her home-based business to a storefront.

On her Facebook page, Gabriella does explain to her fans that, “We are just switching it back to an online storefront so I can focus more of my time on Pup Culture.”  This, apparently, is a digital magazine about dogs, “focused on furthering our human-dog relationship.”  Check out the Pup Culture website here.

* * *

You may have seen a mention in my blog a little while ago that a local “cash mob” was in the works. In a cash mob, a large group of people gather at a local business at a specified time and spend money — generally around $10-$20 —  giving that business an economic jolt. What a great way to support small businesses.

Well, the details have been finalized. The very first Webster cash mob will take this coming Tuesday September 11, from 5-7 pm at Yesterday’s Muse Books on Main Street in the village.  To participate, just show up and buy some books! Afterwards, the mob will be meeting across the street at Hatter’s Pub (another local business worth supporting) for a post-mob celebration.

The Webster Cash Mob folks plan to pick a new local business each month to mob. So this is just the beginning. You can follow the group’s Facebook page to stay updated.

* * *

You might also consider stopping by Veteran’s Park after the mob, where the Village will hold its annual 9/11 Memorial Service, beginning at 7 pm.  The gathering pays tribute to the thousands of fire fighters, policemen, EMT’s, and airline personnel, and private citizens who were killed in the line of duty on that awful day.

Last year’s ceremony was very moving and very meaningful. Definitely worth taking the time to attend.

 

 

Attention Bug owners!

31 Jul

This note will be of interest to anyone who owns one of those classic Volkswagen Beetles, or would just love to own one.

Bug Bust 22, sponsored by the Finger Lakes Region Volkswagen Club, will motor into town this Sunday August 5 from 8 am to 3 pm at Webster Schroeder High School, 875 Ridge Road.

It’s a car show and swap meet specifically featuring one of America’s favorite cars, the classic Volkswagen Beetle.  If you’d like to show your car and vie for some prizes, registration begins at 8 am, and the show itself begins at 9. Awards will be handed out at 2:45, including 1st, 2nd and 3rd places for custom-made cars, a longest distance traveled award and Best of Show. There will also be door prizes, raffles, games, food and refreshments.

Pre-registration is $5 per car, or $8 on the day of the show.  Free admission for spectators.

Click here for more information. But remember, if you’re traveling from the west side, don’t plan to take Rt. 104, because it will be closed to traffic from Friday night through Monday morning.

Holt Road construction news

18 Jul

I’ve had a couple of people ask me recently if I knew anything about the huge construction project in progress on Holt Road just north of 104.  After a little bit of digging through Planning Board minutes (thank you Dave) I found out what it’s all about.

What’s going on there is a project called North Ponds Village. According to the Planning Board minutes, it’s a senior housing complex that will include one 66-unit, three-story building and two 24-unit, three-story buildings. Plus offices in a smaller building at the front of the property.

No word on a completion date.

And since we’re on the subject of Holt Road, a few of my readers also mentioned the construction going on right now at the Holt Road Wegmans store.  I popped inside yesterday to get the skinny. The lady at the service desk told me they were simply enclosing the vestibule,  but couldn’t provide any more details.  Sounds like when they’re done they’ll have an entrance-way resembling the one at the Eastway Wegmans. I hope they relocate the bottle return out there when they’re done.

 

Stories in the Park to honor children’s librarian

30 Jun

I love my readers.

When I mentioned in my blog yesterday that I felt swamped by the grad party I’m having Sunday, I got two separate messages from people wanting to help out.  One was from Amy Weetman, a name you might recognize from a previous blog. Amy was kind enough to teach me how to hula hoop a few months ago.

Turns out that Amy is involved in a project which she’s trying to publicize. She sent me the following write-up, which I am pleased to repost here:

Jason Poole and Adrienne Furness

Stories in the Park, put on by the Webster Public Library, will begin again this summer on Tuesday, July 3 at 10:30 am.  It takes place at Ridge Park under the pavilion on every Tuesday of July, weather permitting. (Ridge Park is the one on Ridge Road behind the Town Hall.)

At the first Stories in the Park we will be celebrating our beloved Children’s Librarian, Miss Adrienne Furness’ last day in Webster.  She has accepted a new position as the Director of the Henrietta Public Library.  Jason and Miss A. have been together at the Webster Public Library for more than eight years and when they do a storytime together, something amazing happens.  We will all miss Miss Adrienne’s stories and finger plays, but are glad we got to have her for so long.

Jason Poole will continue along with a new Children’s Librarian.  Webster is very lucky to have such talented people in our midst entertaining our children and sharing a love of reading.

I am organizing snacks to follow the July 3 Stories in the Park.  Please contact me if you would like to contribute:  amyweetman@gmail.com  If you have any photographs of Story Times that you would like to share, I will be putting together a disc for Adrienne.  Thank you!

And thank you, Amy for being my guest blogger today!

 

Shriners and artisans team up to help kids

14 Jun

I got three emails about an event that’s happening tomorrow, so you know it’s gotta be pretty good.

It’s the second annual Help Shriners Help Kids Arts and Crafts Sale, tomorrow at Webster’s Damascus Shrine Center from 10 am to 4 pm, held in conjunction with Rochester Artisans.

In addition to 65 local artisans, there’ll be food provided by the Shriners, the Daughters of the Nile and numerous food vendors. This year, the show includes an emerging artist area, live music and local charities supporting the local Webster & Penfield communities. There will also be face painting, clowns, balloons and a Chinese auction with fabulous baskets of gifts donated by the participants in the show.

All proceeds will benefit the great things the Shriners do for children. Shriners International supports Shriners Hospitals for Children, an international health care system of 22 hospitals dedicated to improving the lives of children by providing specialty pediatric care, innovative research and outstanding teaching programs. Children up to age 18 with orthopedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate are eligible for care at Shriners Hospitals for Children and receive all services at no financial obligation to families.

The Damascus Shrine Center is located at 979 Bay Road in Webster.

A tale of two farm markets

9 Jun

Vendors at the village market tucked their tents amid the parked cars.

Webster’s two farm markets officially opened for the summer this morning, despite the rain. Being that this is the first time (in my memory, anyway) that Webster has had TWO markets, I was curious about how they’d be set up and what the crowds would be like.

This was one of the nicer stands, real farm-market-ish.

For those not in the loop, this summer the Joe Obbie Farm market, which had been in the village for years, most recently in the community parking lot behind the fire station on South Ave., decided to move to the Towne Center parking lot, near the gazebo.  The village, in turn, has organized a second farm market, with vendors setting up in parking spaces along both West and East Main.

The Joe Obbie set up at Towne Center was much more organized.

I swung by the village first this morning. The rains had stopped by the time I got there, and the sun was out, but still there weren’t many people on the street.  Part of the problem was there weren’t many vendors on the street.  I visited briefly with Mayor Peter Elder, who was out and about, who told me that the morning rains prohibited many vendors from setting up shop. So there were only ten vendors situated sporadically along Main Street, making them a little difficult to pick out among the parked cars. Some of them really didn’t have a great selection of products, either, so the whole thing seemed a bit anemic.  But I think we can chalk that up in part to its being a brand new event, still finding its legs.

The Joe Obbie Farmer’s Market in contrast, was big and bountiful and crowded. There were more than two dozen vendors, all gathered together with their large tents, drawing nearby shoppers with a carnival-like atmosphere. As I walked around I heard the vendors talking about the morning’s rainstorms, but they didn’t seem to have permanently dampened the event. It was clear the market was thoroughly enjoying its new roomier location, which allows more vendors than I’ve ever seen before (especially this early in the year) and gives everyone more room to spread out. Plus the Girl Scouts had set up a kids’ area in the gazebo.

Girl Scout troop 60367 created this fun area for kids, where they coul dmake crafts while their parents shopped.

The Joe Obbie market has years of organization behind it, so no surprise it’s bigger and better right now.  I look forward to seeing how the new village market grows and matures. We’ll check back in a few more weeks…perhaps when the weather is better.

Webster mailbag

6 Jun

Lots of neat stuff coming across my computer screen these days, starting with these three don’t-miss events this weekend:

Webster Museum’s Annual Barn Sale takes place today through Saturday from 9 am to 4 pm. This sale is so big the museum can’t fit everything, so it will be held at 394 Phillips Road, one of Webster’s most beautiful and historic properties.

The sale features art work, books, fancy dishes, dolls, tools, comics, and pottery. There will be items for collectors, and kids of all ages. Garage sale patrons can also take a tour of the Victorian home (built in 1856) for a $5 donation.  All money raised from the sale and tours raised supports the museum’s education programs, speakers’ programs, and the Historic Homes Project.

* * *

Webster’s TWO farm markets open for business this Saturday June 9. The Joe Obbie Market will be moving to Webster Towne Plaza (where Target is) and set up near the gazebo. Plus, Main Street in the village will host a brand new market on the same day, stretching down both East and West Main. I think they’ll be setting up in the parking spaces, so please drive carefully when you make your way through the village this Saturday.

Both markets open at 8 am.

* * *

The Webster Marching Band holds its semi-annual Bottle and Can Drive this Saturday from 9:30 am to 4 pm. Simply collect all your returnables, stick them in a garbage bag and put them out by the curb. If they happen to miss you, you can call to arrange a pickup. Click on the flyer to the right for more details.

* * *

Now, in true mailbag fashion, here are some odds and ends that people have emailed me recently:

My friend Jamie Buss sends me this shout-out to the students at Klem South Elementary:

Just wanted to brag about the kids at Klem South a little.  I ran a fundraiser at school for the Dream Factory, called Dollars for Dreams, in which kids donated their spare change for a two-week period.  Each class had their own milk jug to fill and we made a friendly contest out of it.  The top fundraising class from each grade would get to pick a theme-day of their choice (hat day, toy day, silly clothes day, etc.).  The fundraiser ran the last two weeks in May and the kids raised a grand total of $862.83 (one 3rd grade class raised over $120 alone)!  This is enough money for a dream recipient’s family (of five) to stay at a resort in Orlando, FL for an entire week, which would include mini golf, horseback riding, swimming, all the ice cream they can eat, PLUS tickets to the Disney theme parks, Sea World and Universal Studios AND spending money for their trip.  A little effort goes a LONG way in this case!

Great job, kids!!!

Congratulations to Rising Earth Massage Therapy as the Webster Chamber’s Business of the Month for June 2012. The Chamber recognizes Webster businesses that demonstrate outstanding community service as well as their exemplary business character and reputation. Rising Earth Massage Therapy is located at 1130 Crosspointe Lane Suite 2B in the Ridgewood Office Park.

And by the way, today’s the second day of Webster’s Community Blood drive, the one where they give you coupons from local businesses just for showing up. I got denied today because of low iron, but I got my coupons anyway (I love these people), and sure enough, there are three coupons for free ice cream alone  (and the Bruster’s coupon is for  FREE PINT).

Today’s drive is at the West Webster Fire Hall from noon to 7 pm. Please donate and help save lives.

email me at missyblog@gmail.com

“Like” this blog on Facebook

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →