Thank you to everyone who was able to make it to my presentation Tuesday morning at the Webster Recreation Center. We had a good crowd, and a nice mix of people, some who were familiar with my blog, others who weren’t. Regardless, I think everyone learned something about me and my blog that they didn’t know before. I’m hoping that at least I didn’t bore anyone.
If you weren’t able to make it Tuesday, there’s still one more chance to hopefully not be bored by my talk. I’ll be presenting the same talk at the Webster Public Library on Thursday June 8 at 6:30 p.m.
There’s no charge, but it would be helpful if you could register so we kind of know how many people to expect. It’s easy to sign up. You can click here to do that.
I look forward to meeting more of my readers and hearing firsthand what you think about the blog. Bring along your questions, and any blog ideas.
Hey all you loyal readers out there, there’s still time to sign up for my all-about-me-and-my-blog talk at the Webster Recreation Center this coming Tuesday May 16.
The talk is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. and I’ve got a full hour to do my thing, but I don’t expect it to take more than 45 minutes, so there will be plenty of time for questions. You’ll hear all about my background, how Webster on the Web began, how I find blog topics, stuff like that.
The program is part of the Rec Center’s Talks on Tuesday series, for community members aged 55+. There’s no cost, but PLEASE register so the Rec Center knows how many people to expect. Click here to register. The Webster Recreation Center is located at 1350 Chiyoda Dr., just off of Phillips Rd.
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If you can’t make it to the Rec Center on the 16th (or you’re not 55+), don’t fret! I’ll be presenting the same talk at the Webster Public Library on Thursday June 8 at 6:30 p.m.
As with the Rec Center, there’s no charge, but registration is requested. You can click here to do that.
I look forward to meeting a lot of my readers and hearing firsthand what you think about the blog. Please bring your questions, and feel free to email some to me ahead of time so I’m certain to address them. And if you have any story ideas, bring them along too!
Several interesting events are coming down the pike, a few which I’ve already told you about, and a few more that I want to remind you about.
For starters, here’s a reminder about the very popular Volunteer Fair, which returns to the Webster Public Library on May 11 from 4 to 6 p.m. This great event is especially for teens and adults looking for volunteer opportunities across the Webster area.
It’s a great opportunity to find out about all the ways you can give back to your community, and there’s going to be a LOT of tables set up, so you’re sure to find something that fits your talents and passion. Registration is recommended if you’d like to be reminded about the fair but not required.
The Webster Arboretum Association, together with local growers and local garden clubs, will host the 2023 Webster Arboretum Plant Sale on Saturday May 13 from 8 a.m. to noon.
A tremendous variety of beautiful, healthy plants from standard to uncommon will be available including annuals, dwarf conifers, hostas, geraniums, tomatoes, and more. It’s a great way to celebrate spring and get some live plants perfectly suited for your garden. And don’t forget Mother’s Day!
The sale will be held at the Webster Arboretum, 1700 Schlegel Rd. Webster.
Good food to support great music
The Webster Marching Band will host a BBQ dinner fundraiser on Tuesday May 16 from 4 to 8 p.m. at Webster Schroeder High School, 875 Ridge Rd.
Dinners will be cooked on-site by Bad to the Bone BBQ, and will include a half chicken, salt potatoes, cole slaw, cornbread and drink for just $17. Click here to purchase pre-sale tickets. You might want to get them ahead of time and reserve your dinner, because these events usually sell out.
Proceeds will benefit our very own award-winning Webster Marching Band.
Webster musical groups make beautiful music together
Two of Rochester’s premier a cappella choruses (which both hail from little ol’ Webster), the Chorus of the Genesee and Rochester Rhapsody will join forces (and voices) on Saturday May 20 for “Harmony in the House,” a musical treat featuring both choruses and several a cappella quartets. The choruses will perform together and separately, and quartets from both groups will fill your heart with a variety of musical favorites. Plus, there’ll be door prizes, raffles, a bar, snacks, and plenty of free parking.
Tickets are $18 for the 3 p.m. matinee, and $20 for the 7 p.m. show. Following the evening performance, everyone is invited to hang around for the annual “Afterglow,” a fun party with food, drinks, more singing and socializing. Click here to get your tickets, or call 315-391-4911.
“Harmony in the House” is a fundraiser for the Harmony House, a beautiful historic building constructed in 1899, which both groups call home. To that end, the groups are also looking for individual and business sponsors to support the event by purchasing an ad in the program, donating a door prize, and helping spread the word by hanging posters or even putting out a donation bucket.
Town of Webster, New York to Offer Tours of Water Pollution Control Facility
The Town of Webster has announced a new opportunity for residents to take an in-person tour of the Walter W. Bradley Water Pollution Control Facility, located at 226 Phillips Road. Visitors will learn about the state of the current facility, along with planned upgrades, and transformation to a Water Resource Recovery Facility.
This facility was originally constructed in 1968. Three of the secondary clarifiers were updated in 2020. However, the majority of this facility remains unchanged from the last major upgrade completed in 1980. The next phase of the facility upgrade project is slated to begin this summer and will encompass improvements to buildings, equipment, and employee working conditions. Currently the Sewer Department has 15 employees who oversee management of the facility, along with 22 pump stations, 3,000 manholes and 400 miles of sewer mains across the Town of Webster.
One of the main components to this upgrade project will be the installation of new sludge drying equipment. The Town will be creating a fertilizer from biosolids, to be utilized by local agriculture. This in turn will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as the Town will be diverting biosolids from landfills, thus reducing use of diesel fuel for hauling of sludge to a landfill. These equipment upgrades will also create biogas for reuse, which will reduce both methane emissions and natural gas usage at the facility.
Starting in May, the Town will be offering in-person tours of the facility, to educate visitors about our treatment process, and the environmental benefits of the upgrade project. Residents can also view a virtual facility tour and learn more about the facility upgrades on the Town website.
Need something fun for the whole family to do this Saturday May 6? The Webster Recreation Center has got you covered.
In honor of National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, the Rec Center has planned a whole morning of FREE 45-minute fitness classes on Saturday, with something for everyone.
The classes start at 7:35 a.m. with a Rhythm Ride, followed by Yoga, Total Body Tone, Upbeat Barre, Fusion Ride, Focus 40 and HIGH Fitness. And plan to bring the kids, because the Rec Center’s free Stay & Play child watch program will be available from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. which will include an all-ages musical story time (featuring Jason from the Webster Public Library) and a craft.
Free coffee will also be available for parents/caregivers on the patio (weather permitting) from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Basically, this is a great opportunity to sample some fitness classes, relax with friends, and give the kids something fun to do at the same time.
The morning’s activities are open to Rec Center members and nonmembers, and no registration is required. Just show up!
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But wait! There’s more family fun afoot on Friday May 19 when Webster Parks and Recreation hosts a Family Fun Night at Challenger Miracle Field, 1000 Ridge Rd.
The entire family will enjoy lawn games, face painting, a balloon artist, food trucks, first responder vehicles, community group displays, and a concession stand. It all happens from 6 to 8 p.m.
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And this one is especially for seniors: The Rec Center will host a National Senior Health and Fitness Day on Wednesday May 31 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Participants can sample a variety of classes developed just for seniors including Zumba, cycling, strength training, chair yoga, Swedish fitness, Tai Chi and more.
There’s no cost, and registration is not necessary.
Looking ahead to summer, the Rec Center will host the annual Summer Celebration on June 10 from 4 to 10 p.m., with family activities, live music and fireworks. The event is free for all ages and is always a great time.
On July 22, mark your calendars for the Summer Splash Family Event from 3 to 5 p.m. at First Responders Splash Park, on Chiyoda Drive next door to the Rec Center. If you’ve never been to this spray park before, you owe your children a chance to check it out because it’s good for hours of water fun. The event will include a bubble foam machine and Rich the Magic Man, plus FREE snowie ice sponsored by Gleason Orthodontics.
If you’ve ever wondered how Webster on the Web got started, how I come up with my stories, what my favorite blogs have been, and stuff like that, then you might be interested in two special events coming up in the next few weeks.
On Tuesday, May 16from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Webster Recreation Center, I’ll be presenting a talk all about me and my blog. In it, I’ll address all of those wonders and many more, plus tell you more about me and my background than you probably ever wanted to know. (For example, can you guess how long I’ve lived in Webster? The answer might surprise you.)
The program is part of the Rec Center’s Talks on Tuesday series, for community members aged 55+. There’s no cost, but PLEASE register so the Rec Center knows how many people to expect. Click here to register. The Webster Recreation Center is located at 1350 Chiyoda Dr., just off of Phillips Rd.
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If you can’t make it to the Rec Center on the 16th (or you’re not 55+), don’t fret! I’ll be presenting the same talk at the Webster Public Library on Thursday June 8 at 6:30 p.m.
As with the Rec Center, there’s no charge, but registration is requested. You can click here to do that.
I look forward to meeting a lot of my readers and hearing firsthand what you think about the blog. Please bring your questions, and feel free to email some to me ahead of time so I’m certain to address them. And if you have any story ideas, bring them along too!
If you attended the Greater Rochester Peep Show last weekend at the Webster Recreation Center, you not only enjoyed a tremendous display of whimsical and creative Peep sculptures, you also helped make the event the most successful ever.
“Head PEEP” Michael Grenier reports that more than 2500 people attended the Peep Show this year, coming from Webster, many surrounding towns and even as far as Buffalo. The show raised nearly $8,000 before expenses — a record amount. And that was despite the fact that the attendance, albeit strong, was still slightly less than pre-pandemic levels. That means that the people who attended didn’t just wander around and look at the displays; they bought a lot of voting tickets and snacks and entered the raffles, all raising big bucks to benefit the Webster Community Chest and 12 other charities. (Visit the Peep Show website for a whole list.)
Also helping make the show a success were the scores of volunteers who managed a thousand little details, and the more than two dozen businesses and agencies who sponsored tables and rooms and provided door prizes. (See the list here.)
The Village at UnitySgt. PeeperMarch of the Peepguins
The stars of the show, of course, were the displays, and they were spectacular this year.
Entries were separated into two categories, youth and adult. Community members were invited to vote for their favorite displays to determine the “Peeples Choice Winners.” The top winners in the adult category were:
First place: “The Village at Unity,” created by Lindsay Lown
Second place: “The Nutcracker, Sgt. Peeper,” created by Dancing With Denise
Third Place: “March of the Peepguins,” created by Rita Menaldino
The top youth winners were:
First place: “Advice from the Coral Reef,” created by GS Troop 60617
Second place: “Hopping with the Peepos,” created by Lilly B and Grammy
Thurs place: “Red Wings Stadium,” created by Rylynn C
Advice From the Coral ReefHopping With the PeepsRed Wings Stadium
This year, for the first time, the Grand Prize winner was a real surprise.
Michael wrote,
The Grand Prize winner has always been an adult. We separate our entries into two groups–one for adults (16 years of age or over) and one for children–since it would be unfair to have little kids compete with grown-ups.
But there is strength in numbers, apparently. This year’s Grand Prize winner was (the entry) made by Girl Scout Troop 60617, which is made up of 11- to 13-year-old girls. Although they had advisement and assistance from adults, the girls made all of the components of this display themselves. Each chose a sea creature to make (or two or three) and they assembled the components to make up the coral reef. Transporting the enclosure and putting it all together on site was the biggest challenge.
Troop leader Megan Thompson added, “We had such a fun time building this as a troop, creating the different sea creatures and then all of us working together to build the coral at the end of our meeting.”
Girl Scout Cadette Troop 60617 includes eight girls, ages 11 to 13. Their winning entry, “Advice From the Coral Reef,” is now on tour with 12 other displays. Their first stop is the Maplewood nursing home, where the residents are going to have their own Peep Show and vote for their favorites. After that, the displays will continue their tour at the Kirkhaven Nursing Home.
Megan Thompson From left to right is my daughter Amelia, who helps out with our troop and helped out with this project but is part of another troop, my youngest daughter Clara (she created the octopus!), and me.
After a three-year hiatus, one of Webster’s most popular family-friendly festivals, the Webster Garlic Fest, will be returning to the Webster Recreation Center in September.
The Webster Garlic Fest was last held in 2019. In just a few short years, the event had grown so popular that the garlic growers and craft vendors filled the Rec Center’s gymnasium and spilled out onto the grassy areas outside. Plans were well under way for an even larger event in 2020, but then COVID hit, which put pretty much everything about normal life on hold indefinitely.
This year, however, an enthusiastic new group of volunteers has teamed up to bring the Garlic Fest back later this summer. Even at this very early planning stage, they’ve already got a lot of interest from garlic growers and other vendors. They’re also planning to bring back all kinds of demonstrations, information tables from community groups, raffles, crafters, and food trucks.
Basically, the Webster Garlic Fest is a garlic-lover’s paradise. And even if you’re not a huge fan of garlic, rest assured you’ll find plenty of vendors and activities for you and your kids to enjoy. Or, as committee co-chairperson Cherie Wood said, “We know everyone will have a stinkin’ good time, and have garlicious fun!”
One of the fun new twists this year will be the young “Cloves,” which Wood said are “vital to any serious garlic festival.” These are wee little garlic cloves scurrying around the grounds trying to keep “Vamp,” the friendly, garlic-fearing vampire at bay. Everyone is definitely going to want to meet these adorable little vegetables.
Wreaths Across America is dedicated to placing a wreath on the grave of every one of the 3,000 veterans who rest in Webster’s seven cemeteries. Proceeds will go toward sponsoring the wreaths, with a portion going back to the Blue Star Mothers to build care packages for our locally deployed servicemen and women.
Right now, organizers are looking for vendors to participate in the festival. If you’re a garlic grower, craft vendor, demonstrator or community group, they want to hear from you. Visit the website for more information and to apply.
The Webster Garlic Fest will be held Saturday and Sunday September 9 and 10, at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr. Find out more here on the Facebook page and here on the website. Both will be updated regularly as details are finalized. You can also emailWebsterGarlicFest@gmail.com if you have any questions.
I’ve heard about a couple of R.L. Thomas High School reunions coming up I want to start off with. Well, one’s a reunion, and the other is kind of a … birthday party.
The R.L. Thomas Class of ’71 will be holding a 70th Birthday Bash on Saturday June 24 at Schutt’s Apple Mill from 5 to 7 p.m. Thanks to COVID, the class was unable to hold its 50th reunion, so they’ve decided to celebrate their 70 birthdays together instead.
The festivities will begin at 4 p.m. and will include a cornhole tournament, door prizes, a 50/50 raffle, hay rides and more. Dinner will be provided by Wraps on Wheels. There’ll be a cash bar with beer and wine, and live entertainment. Admission is free.
Organizers are asking for everyone to register by May 15, by emailing RLThomas1971@gmail.com.
The R.L. Thomas Class of 1973 will be holding their 50th reunion on the weekend of September 15 to 17. There will be a dinner on Friday and a casual picnic on Saturday. I don’t have a lot of information about this one, so to find out more, ask to join the “RLT73WebsterNY”private Facebook group or email RLT73reunion@gmail.com.
The Webster Public Library is hosting a Cat Food Drive to benefit Habitat for Cats. Any donations of dry food, canned food, litter and cat treats would be greatly appreciated. Donations can be dropped off during the library’s regular open hours. You’ll see the drop-off area across from the circulation desk.
The Webster Public Library is located at 980 Ridge Rd., at the back of Webster Plaza.
Here’s another reminder about the free Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper, hosted by St. Martin Lutheran Church on Tuesday Feb. 21 from 5 to 7 p.m.
The dinner is being served to thank the community for supporting the church’s missions throughout the year. The menu will include sausage and applesauce, unlimited pancakes and syrup. Beads will be handed out, and you can even make your own masks. You’re invited to come dressed in Mardi Gras style, too.
This is an event for the whole family, and while the dinner is free to all, a free-will offering to support the church’s Little Free Pantry can be made, or bring boxed and canned goods.
St. Martin Lutheran Church is located at 813 Bay Rd.
Got hazardous waste? The Town of Webster will be holding a Household Hazardous Waste recycling event on Saturday Sept. 16 from 7:45 a.m. to noon at the Webster Highway Garage, 1005 Picture Parkway.
Items that can be accepted are listed on the poster below. The event is open to Webster and Penfield residents, and appointments are required. Sign up online now to guarantee your spot.
Finally, the Webster Comfort Care Home has published their most recent wish list, which you can also see below. This amazing organization relies entirely on donations to keep the home running, so let’s help them out!
Just two weeks ago, I had so many blog ideas piling up that once, maybe twice, I actually published two blogs on one day to get them all posted in a timely manner.
Fast forward to this week, and I got nuthin’.
Oh, I’m working on a few things. Later this week, or example, I’ll be telling you about the new MBody fitness studio in the village, and I want to stop by the new Mexican restaurant on Ridge Rd. Plus, of course, I’m waiting for news about when the Wreaths Across America truck is scheduled to come through town.
But in the meantime, I got thinking about two years ago, when we were deep in the throes of the pandemic, and we were all looking forward to a rather untraditional holiday season. I was reading through the blogs I wrote that month, and came across a few which I thought you might like to see again (or never saw the first time).
This first one just made me giggle…again. I posted in on Dec. 15, 2020:
Some holiday giggles
We all could use a little laugh right about now as Christmas-time stress compounds the stress we already have thanks to COVID.
So I thought I’d share these images with you, of a scene I came across in Irondequoit last weekend. All I could think of was, “Arlo Guthrie told us all about the ‘Thanksgiving Day Massacree.’ How come we haven’t heard anything about this obvious Christmas Day Massacree?”
It got worse when I got to the Rec Center, where I saw clear evidence of a hit-and-run.
Webster’s “Reverse” Parade of Lights
Do you remember how, since the Village of Webster couldn’t hold its annual Parade of Lights, we held a “reverse” parade instead? It was a very ambitious idea where participating businesses and first responders would set up in a big Xerox parking lot, and community members would drive through the line-up to enjoy the lights and music.
It worked very well, but was so popular that traffic backed up for hours, even onto the highway.
I was there most of the day, and took several videos of the event. I won’t repost them all here, but you can click here to see them and read the original blog from this week two years ago, Dec. 6, 2020.
Back row (L-R): Jonathan Duque (Jersey Mike’s Director of Operations); George Baker (President, Webster Union Cemetery); Joseph Bozzone (Pittsford GM).Front row (L-R): Frederick Bloss, Kayla Sexton (Director of Operations); Marlon Duque (Webster GM); Will Sullivan (Victor GM), Cherie Wood (Wreaths Across America Location Coordinator and member of the Daughters of American Revolution, Candandaigua Chapter).
In this season when we’re especially thankful for the people in our lives, I want to send a huge thank you out today to Jersey Mike’s Subs for their unwavering support of Wreaths Across America.
On Monday afternoon, several Jersey Mike’s representatives gathered at the Webster location on Monday afternoon to present a big check to Wreaths Across America. In a month-long promotion during which the Webster and Victor stores gave out coupons for free subs, chips and drinks in return for donations, Jersey Mike’s raised $615.
The funds are enough to sponsor 41 wreaths, but also, $205 will be used by the Gold Star mothers to purchase Christmas toys for military families in need.
Cherie Wood, our local Wreaths Across America Location Coordinator, expressed her gratitude to Jersey Mikes not just for this donation, but also for being one of the top corporate donors to Wreaths Across America in the nation, having donated at least $100,000 to the cause.
Jersey Mike’s Director of Operations Jonathan Duque explained that commitment in part when he said, “Even though we’re a franchise, we try to be mom-and-pop, and give back to the customers that come in.”
Wreaths Across America is a nonprofit organization which began 31 years ago, its mission to place a wreath on the grave of every veteran in the country. Last year, 2.4 million wreaths were placed in more than 3,100 cemeteries in the U.S. and abroad. This year, Webster Union Cemetery, at the corner of Rt. 250 and Woodhull, will join that list.
Webster Union is the resting place for about 650 veterans, so decorating every one of the their graves will require that many wreaths. Sponsorships are still available. Each wreath costs just $15, and $5 from each sponsorship will go directly to the Blue Star Mothers, who will use the funds to prepare and ship care packages to deployed servicemen and women. Click here for more information and to sponsor a wreath.
Sometime in early December the wreaths will be delivered to the cemetery by a Wreaths Across America 18-wheeler, which will make its way through the village to the cemetery. Keep tabs on this blog and my Facebook page to see when we can expect the truck, so we can all cheer it on.
Then on Wreath Day, December 17, the community will be invited to the cemetery to view a short ceremony at noon, then help lay the 650 wreaths to honor our fallen heroes. More details to come about that.
Several Jersey Mike’s staff members and managers have already signed on to help out.
I feature the people and places and events that make Webster the wonderful community it is — and throw in some totally-not-Webster-related personal ramblings every once in a while as well.
I love it when readers send me news about the great things happening in their schools or the community, so please email me anytime at missyblog@gmail.com
webster on the web 