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Town and village leaf collections begin soon

15 Oct

There are so many things to love about living in Webster. Two years ago, just months after moving into our new house in the village, I wrote an entire blog about one of the best of those things: I DON’T HAVE TO BAG ANY LEAVES.

You see, I moved into Webster from Penfield, where they still require residents to bag their leaves and leave them for the waste haulers. Given that there were a LOT of trees on my property, that meant hours and hours with a rake every weekend during the fall. So I love that the Village will pick up our leaves, and I just have to rake them to the curtb. It’s so much easier!

Here are the details about both Village and Town leaf collection services, taken from their websites:

Webster Village

This service begins when the autumn leaves begin to accumulate on the ground and will be on a daily basis until the beginning of December, or until the first heavy snowfall, whichever comes first. The Public Works Department will traverse each Village street once a week to remove leaves from the curb. To help make leaf pickup easier for yourself and our DPW staff, we request you follow some simple guidelines:

-Do not place brush, rocks, pumpkins, wood, plastic, or other foreign material with your leaves
-Do not bag your leaves for Village curbside pickup
-Do not place leaves in roadway, or on top of drainage structures, concrete, in gutters, or drainage ditches

The village also provides brush removal every month. For more details about that, visit the Village of Webster website.

Town of Webster

We start on the west side of town heading east and will make as many passes through town as possible during the leaf pick-up operation, weather permitting. There is no set schedule for particular streets throughout the town. Leaf season typically runs six weeks and start and finish dates vary based on actual leaf drop.

Please be patient with us during this process, as leaves do not all fall at once, and we never know what to expect for our weather conditions.
– Make sure leaves are on the edge of the road and not in the road or gutter
– Rake only leaves (and not twigs or branches) to the road’s edge
– Placing leaves in the road or gutter significantly slows down the entire operation. It is against the law to place leaves or any debris in the road.

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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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In memoriam

11 Sep

I just came across this beutiful posting from the West Webster Fire Department on Facebook, and thought it was a perfect way to commemorate the lives lost on 9/11.

Taken directly from the WWFD Facebook page:

In honor of 20 years since the 9/11 attacks, West Webster is remembering the firefighters lost on that day.

On the front lawn of Station One, 1051 Gravel Rd., are 343 American Flags, representing each of the firefighters lost. Upon each flag is an ID tag with name and station of each member who gave the ultimate sacrifice that day. Let us never forget the Fire, EMS, Police, and all those, that without a thought, gave their lives to save others. Please feel free to come up and visit the memorial. It will be up till Sunday the 12th.

The following photos were taken by D. Crouch:

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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.

Local news is fading away

4 Sep

In yesterday’s hard-copy Democrat and Chronicle, the editors announced that publication of the weekly Post newspapers — including the Irondequoit/Penfield/Webster edition we get here in town — will be discontinued after Oct. 24.

The D&C merged with Gatehouse Media — which publishes the Post newspapers — about two years ago. I must admit that after the merger, the quality of our local Post edition greatly improved. Before the merger, the Webster Post was really a waste of subscription money (and I say that tongue-in-cheek because the subscription was free). It offered very little interesting and useful local news aside from school district press releases. But when the D&C came on board, several reporters were assigned to provide content. Yes, it was still mostly filled with press releases, but finally there were also some interesting feature stories. It was more than worth what I paid for it.

But now the Post is folding, and with it one more source for local Webster news.

But we here in Webster are in a better place than many communities when it comes to local, journalistic news (that is, not Facebook groups). We have three distinct outlets we can turn to for information about events, town and village government news, feature stories and lots more.

The first, of course, is this Webster on the Web blog. But you already know about that. I’m actually working on making this an even more useful stop by adding pages with links to community organizations, and maps pinpointing local services. But I’ll tell you more about that in a few days.

There’s also our very own weekly newspaper, the Webster Herald. New editor Colin Minster is still getting his legs under him, but is clearly learning more and more about our town and village every day, and is providing a great mix of news and features.

Thirdly, there’s Webster Online News, a website run by former Herald editor Anna Hubbell, which posts local news and events stories, plus other interesting tidbits like a Cook Nook and Health Corner.

Not only are these three news outlets at your service, we’re collaborating to make our products even more accessible. When you log onto Webster Online News, for example, you’ll see one of my blogs re-posted there every week. You’ll also see a link to the website on the right side of this page. Plus, starting this coming week, the Herald will also be cross-publishing a Webster on the Web blog every two weeks, focusing specifically on Village happenings.

So log on, subscribe, spread the word, and keep reading. We’ll keep you up to date on Webster as well as we can.

And rest assured, we’re not going anywhere anytime soon.

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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.

Some quick mailbag items

13 Aug

Tomrrow’s going to be a fantastic day for a garage sale. Or better yet, a GIVEAWAY.

St Martin Lutheran Church 813 Bay Road, is holding a used furniture giveaway on Saturday, August 14 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. They’ll have several items from displayed in the parking lot, free for the taking. Items will include chairs, a leather sofa and love seat, lamps, end tables, coffee tables, wall shelves, and a dining room hutch. Come explore and take away.

Get there early because you know they won’t last long.


Spooky & the Truth

Tonight’s (Friday night’s) concert at the gazebo has been rescheduled for tomorrow night (Saturday Aug. 14) due to the threat of rain.

The concert will feature Spooky & the Truth, and will begin at 7 p.m. at the gazebo on North Ave. Bring your quad chairs, blankets and coolers and enjoy the beautiful evening of free music.


Looking ahead, the Village Quilt Shoppe is marking its second anniversary. Plans are to hold their celebration on Friday and Saturday, September 10 and 11. Among other events those days, Ruthann Stillwell will be doing a trunk show of some of her and Susan Rooney’s patterns. There will be a demo on a curved table runner, refreshments, and specials.

Visit the Village Quilt Shoppe website for more inormation.

The Village Quilt Shoppe is located at 21 E. Main St. in the Village of Webster.

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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

Please join me tonight as I accept an award

5 Aug

Just a short little announcement that many have already read on my Facebook page. But in case anyone else would be interested …

I am honored and humbled to announce that tonight, Thursday evening Aug. 5, at the Webster Town Board meeting, I will be receiving a proclamation for outstanding community service for my work with my Webster on the Web blog.

The meeting begins at 7 p.m., but my presentation should be closer to 7:30. Please feel free to stop by and say hi; the whole thing should only take a few minutes. I would love to see anyone and everyone, because YOU are the people — the ones reading my blog — for whom I have been writing Webster on the Web for 13 years.

Town Hall is located at 1000 Ridge Road. The meeting room is toward the back of the parking lot.

(P.S. There’s a pretty good chance … ok, a certainty .. that we’ll be heading back to Barry’s afterwards.)

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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.

Local Girl Scouts hunt for experiences in annual “QuestFest”

28 Jul
Team Sarski: (Front row) Karolynn Shaw, Samantha Byerts, Harleigh Simmons, Isabella Coradaro
(Back Row) Jennifer Shaw, Madison Fisher, Reagan Provo, Savannah Riggs, Kaelan Campbell, Addison Terrana, Abigale Terrana

Webster Girl Scout Troop 63113 joined troops from all over the world last weekend for an epic scavenger hunt.

The virtual Girl Scout QuestFest is an annual two-day event hosted by the Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia, held this year on July 24 and 25. Webster’s “Team Sarski” was one of 47 Girl Scout teams participating in the event from all over the U.S. and as far away as Alaska, Canada, Venezuela and Tokyo.

(L-R) Reagan Provo and Isabella Cordaro present flowers to Chris Rauber-Wasson at BC’s Chicken Coop for the “Drive-thru Kindness Challenge,” to thank the owners for their continuous support of Webster Girl Scouts.

The weekend’s adventures began with an official opening ceremony on Saturday, when the girls found out what this year’s challenges would be. To complete each one, they used smartphones or other devices to submit either a photo or video. Some challenges they could accomplish from their own homes, but others required going out into the community.

Unlike other scavenger hunts, however, the girls didn’t have to find THINGS. They had to search for EXPERIENCES. The challenges were designed with Girl Scout values in mind, so while they were having fun, the girls were also making the world a better place (as evidenced by the kindness challenge pictured to the left).

Team Sarski, comprised of seven Webster girls and two former troop members now living in Virginia and Maine, did a great job. The team was co-captained by troop leaders Abigale Terrana and Jennifer Shaw, who report that the girls successfully completed every single challenge and came in fifth overall. While that wasn’t better than their second place finish in 2020, they did almost double last year’s score.

Karolynn Shaw completing the “Take the Time to Smell the Roses” challenge.

“We are so proud of how they did!” Shaw added.

The troop is already looking forward to participating in QuestFest 2022 next summer. In the meantime, however, they hope to visit Savannah, Georgia in February, which Shaw called their “dream trip.” They’ve been fundraising for several years in anticipation, and hope to cover the entire cost of the trip for the girls.

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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.

Remember to tell me about some great teachers

14 Jun

As this weird and very challenging school year draws to a close, I would really like to send some shout-outs to some of the teachers who made the best of a really stinky situation.

As I wrote in my blog a little more than a week ago,

Tell me about a teacher who has made a difference in your child’s life. Someone who has gone above and beyond to make sure this unusual school year was the best it could be. Perhaps it’s the science teacher who spent an extra hour after school to help your daughter finish a tough lab. Or the fourth grade teacher who has a knack for getting to know each student in his class on a personal level. How about that remote teacher who somehow made virtual learning FUN?

Ask your kids who they think their best teachers are, and why. Or better yet, have your kids write to me themselves. It doesn’t even have to be a teacher they had this year. I’d love to hear from seniors who remember their favorite elementary school teachers.

Email me your thoughts and I’ll post them sometime next week. I haven’t heard from many people yet, which is a little disappointing. This year more than any other, I think we need to show our teachers how much we appreciate and respect the job they’re doing.

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

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.

Learning about the birds and the bees

9 Jun

Our friendly neighborhood pollinators are getting some respect and attention these days thanks to the efforts of Daisy Girl Scout Troop 60344.

Earlier this spring, the Scouts, all kindergarten or first graders, made posters about why pollinators are important to our ecosystem. It was the “Take Action Project” part of their year-long “Welcome to the Flower Garden” journey badge.

The young artists shared their posters with each other at their meeting on May 17. Each girl then had to find a place in the community to display her poster, and take a photo of the final location.

Keep an eye out for these posters, because they’re all around town (or soon will be). The Scouts, and where they’ve hung their posters (if decided), are:

  • Alayna Henrichs
  • Alexa Weber: her father’s office
  • Claire Frisk: Gosnell Big Woods trailhead (TBD)
  • Harper Bozzelli: Four Mile Creek trailhead (TBD)
  • Julia Meyers: Maplewood Senior Living Community
  • Kennedy Kleps: Whiting Nature Preserve trailhead (TBD)
  • Natalie Wigton: her father’s office
  • Penelope Patterson: her grandfather’s office
  • Sophia Elias

The girls’ troop leaders are Linda Meyers and Daniela Viavattine.

  

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

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.

Dancing for fun, and a cause

6 Jun
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The weather was gorgeous yesterday — albeit a little warm — for the 36th annual Dancing With Denise recital, held this year in the large grassy yard behind the school’s Gravel Rd. studio.

All day, young ballerinas strutted their stuff for an adoring audience who watched from quad chairs spread across the lawn, braving the hot sun for hours. At the end of the day the dancers extended their love even further when they made a donation to Webster-based Bella’s Bumbas, a nonprofit grassroots organization which builds pint-sized “Bumba” wheelchairs for children with mobility issues.

The generous donation was enough to cover the cost of building several of the pint-sized Bumbas.

Kudos to Denise Baller for taking her lessons beyond just dance, and teaching her students to think about others. Or, as she wrote on the Dancing With Denise Facebook page, teaching them “how spreading compassion and love can make little ones who aren’t as mobile ‘feel better when they are dancing’!”

Thank you to Rebecca Orr for providing me with a lot of photos for this gallery from the event:

Read more about Bella’s Bumbas and the great work they do on their Facebook page and webpage.

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

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.

More live theater in store this weekend

20 May

The Schroeder Theater Company is gearing up to bring a live-streamed theatrical performance to the Webster community this Thursday and Friday night, May 21 and 22.

Here’s a run-down of what’s happening, taken directly from the press release I received:

The challenging year we have all endured has led to many innovative and creative solutions. From contactless delivery to holidays spent over FaceTime with loved ones, we have found ways to connect and celebrate.

As humans, that’s just what we do. Adapt. Overcome. Rise above.

Last May, we played into the novelty of Zoom and gave you an experience like you have never seen before with “Clue: On Zoom.”

This year we wanted to push the boundaries of theater, the performing arts, and storytelling even further. That is why we elected to take the cast off stage, off Zoom, and into the real world. That’s right. For the first time ever, The Schroeder Theater Company is proud to present “Our Place”: an entirely filmed, on-location production.

The show will be available via live stream on Friday, May 21 and Saturday, May 22 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 each. Click here to reserve yours.

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

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.