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For the first time in three years, Webster’s Memorial Day Parade will once again be winding its way down South and Main streets on Memorial Day, Monday May 30.

The parade is organized every (non-COVID) year by the Cottreall-Warner American Legion Post #942. Charlie Klauck, co-chairman of the Memorial Day Committee (and this year’s parade Grand Marshal) confirmed the details, which have not changed much from years past:

• 9:00 a.m.:  All groups participating in the parade will assemble at Spry Middle School on Sanford Street. All active duty and ex-service men and women are invited to take part in the parade. Any veterans who would like to ride in the bed of an Army truck are asked to be at Spry by 9 a.m.
• 9:30 a.m.:  Parade moves out from Spry, down South Avenue, turning west on Main Street and proceeding to Webster Rural Cemetery.
• 9:50 a.m. (approx.): Parade arrives at Webster Rural Cemetery.
• The Remembrance Ceremony will begin at approx. 10:15, or whenever everyone arrives and gets settled.

The parade is dedicated each year to a deserving group of people. This year, Charlie said, it’s being dedicated to the American people as a whole, “for what we’ve all been through these last two years.”

This is always a very nice parade, and the ceremony that follows it at Webster Rural Cemetery is always moving. I highly recommend bringing your children to see both the parade and the ceremony, so they might begin to understand the huge debt we owe our servicemen and women.

The Legion always dedicates the parade to a deserving group of people. This year, Charlie told me, the Legion has dedicated it to all of the American people, “for what we’ve been through for these last two years.”

This is always a very nice parade, and the ceremony that follows it at Webster Rural Cemetery is always moving. I highly recommend bringing your children to see both the parade and the ceremony, so they might begin to understand the huge debt we owe our servicemen and women. The last two years, the ceremony was necessarily smaller and more subdued due to COVID. This year it’s back to its full significance.

Click here for a gallery of photos from Memorial Day 2019, the last time we had a parade.

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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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(posted 5/17/2022)

As you might know, last Sunday’s much-anticipated talk at the Harmony House by shipwreck explorer Jim Kennard hit an unexpected snag, causing it to be postponed. Apparently that took a lot of people by surprise.

Today, the museum released the following statement:

The Webster Museum regrets the necessary cancellation of its May 1 program at the Harmony House due to the sudden illness of the speaker. We attempted to inform the public by contacting all the publications who had so kindly supported our program and placing signage at the venue.

We apologize for any inconvenience caused by this cancellation and wish Jim well in his recovery.

Stay tuned to my blog for updates, because I’ll let everyone know as soon as it has been rescheduled.

Make sure never to miss any of my blogs by subscribing using the email function along the right side of this page. Every time I post something you’ll be among the first to know.

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 5/2/2022)

Hey all you photographers out there! Here’s your chance to get your work noticed!

The Town of Webster and Webster Recreation Center are hosting a Webster Photo Contest, open to anyone of any age, and you don’t even have to be a resident of Webster.

The goal, according to the Rec Center, is to “capture, in photo, the very best picture that represents the Town of Webster.”

The rules are simple:

• Photos must have been taken in Webster or be a photo showing Webster, NY
• Submissions must have been actually taken by the submitter
• Photos must be emailed by June 3 to jschillaci@ci.webster.ny.us
• Submitted photos may be used by the Town in future marketing or communication materials

There’s no charge to enter, and registration is not necessary. The original photo resolution is preferred via email. The winning photo will be printed and put on display at the Webster Recreation Center with the photographer’s name. So you could be famous!

So get out there and get snapping!

(I’m not going to enter, but I dropped a few of my favorite Webster photos here. If you’d liek to see more of my favorites, check out my “Artist’s Wall” page, where I’ve posted two dozen photos which were displayed last August at the Webster Public Library. Two of them are below.)

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 5/1/2022)

The Genesee Valley Chapter of Heroes on the Water is up and running, and has planned their first event for this coming Saturday May 7 at Mendon Ponds Park.

Heroes on the Water, established in 2007, is a veterans charity which

creates alternative wellness programs to serve veterans, active-duty military personnel, first responders and their families. These experiential programs incorporate structured activities proven to improve the lives of these men and women. Each experience reduces the impact of post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury while providing much-needed camaraderie and support (from the Heroes on the Water website).

The primary therapy utilized by the program is kayak fishing, offered at free events hosted by more than 60 volunteer-led chapters around the country.

Our local chapter (Genesee Valley New York Chapter of Heroes on the Water) was chartered a year ago, the efforts of four Webster friends: Tracy Holley, Gordon Clarke, Ned Stromfeld and Justin Erdley. During its first summer, activities mostly focused on get-to-know-you events and purchasing equipment. This year, though, the group is ready to hit the ground running, with several fishing kayaks, plenty of equipment, and plans for five fishing events, the first of which is this coming Saturday.

There are still participant spots available for the May 7 event, which will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 100 Acre Pond, Mendon Ponds Park. There’ll be plenty of volunteers to help you out if you’ve never kayak fished before, and there’s no charge. Plus, there’ll be food afterwards.

For more information, check out the Genesee Valley Chapter’s Facebook page, or if you just want to jump in and register right away, click here for the eventbrite page.

Spread the word to all of the local heroes you know!

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 4/30/2022)

The Jim Kennard presentation about shipwrecks in the Great Lakes, scheduled for May 1 at the Harmony House, has been postponed. I’m sure they’ll want to reschedule, so stay tuned for the new date.

The Genesee Valley New York Chapter of Heroes on the Water, a local organization chartered just a year ago, will be hosting an informational event for volunteers on Sunday March 27 at the Cottreall-Warner American Legion Post #942 (corner of Ridge and Five Mile Line roads).

Heroes on the Water was established nationally in 2007 as a veterans charity which

creates alternative wellness programs to serve veterans, active-duty military personnel, first responders and their families. These experiential programs incorporate structured activities proven to improve the lives of these men and women. Each experience reduces the impact of post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury while providing much-needed camaraderie and support. (from the Heroes on the Water website)

The primary therapy utilized by the program is kayak fishing, offered at free events hosted by more than 60 volunteer-led chapters around the country. Veterans, active military, first responders and their families are all invited to participate, free of charge.

Volunteers with various skills are needed to fill several support roles, including photography, fishing, administration, marketing and more. (See the poster for more.)

This Sunday’s event is kind of a “get-to-know-you” opportunity, a chance to meet the administrators, ask questions, grab some information and find out about volunteer opportunities.

The meeting will be held Sunday, March 27 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Cottreall-Warner American Legion Post #942 (corner of Ridge and Five Mile Line roads). If you can’t make it and would like to find out more about Heroes on the Water and the Genesee Valley Chapter, check out their Facebook page here. You can also email them at GeneseeValley.NY@heroesonthewater.org.

And if you’re interested in learning more about why a group of Webster friends created this local chapter last year, read this blog which I posted last fall.

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

We’ve enjoyed dozens of special events and merchant discounts this month as part of the Village of Webster’s Fall in Love With Webster event, and there’s more to come this week (check the event’s Facebook page for a list), but this one is worth special mention.

This Thursday Feb. 24 is “Betty White Night” in the village, honoring the memory of our favorite Golden Girl, Betty White.

From 5 to 7 p.m., Lala of Webster, at 38 East Main, will celebrate this amazing lady with birthday treats and champagne. Betty’s special passion for animals will also play a part in the evening. Webster-based author Kate Spreter, who shares Betty’s passion for rescue animals, has donated two signed copies of her book A Home for Benny, which will be raffled off at the end of the evening. Raffle donations will benefit a local pet-assistance organization.

That same evening, Jojo Bistro and Wine Bar (next door to Lala) will host a “Golden Hour” from 4 to 8 p.m., with a Betty White-inspired cocktail menu. Stop in for a “Betty White,” a “Rose Nyland” or a non-alcoholic “Golden Girl.” There’s also live music by the very talented Amanda Ashley from 6 to 8 p.m.

Webster Hots, right across the street at 55 East Main, is also joining the fun. Since Betty also loved hot dogs, fries and Diet Coke, Webster Hots will be offering two speciality combo deals through the end of March. Click here for more information about that.

Wherever you land this Thursday evening, wear your pearls and get ready to make some Golden memories.

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.