webster on the web

On March 6, for the 5th year in a row, the City of Rochester and County of Monroe will declare March Irish American Heritage Month, in recognition of all the contributions by Irish descendants in our community both past and present.

The declaration will be made at a joint press conference with the St. Patrick’s Day Parade committee at City Hall at 10 a.m. on the 6th, officially kicking off a month-long celebration of Irish culture which includes parade — of course — on Saturday March 14, and lots of Irish-themed events all over the county.

The Webster Public Library joins the celebration on Wed. March 11 when they host a Siamsa (pronounced “shEEm-suh”), an evening of Irish culture and entertainment from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The 90-minute program will include traditional music, dancing and historical stories, presented by five local Irish organizations.

The schedule looks like this:

• 7 to to 7:15 p.m.: soda bread-making demonstration by the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians
• 7:15 to 7:45 p.m.: traditional Irish music session by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann
• 7:45 to 8:15 historical presentation by the Irish American Cultural Institute president Michael McCarthy, featuring an overview of Col. Patrick O’Rorke’s life, death and legacy.
• 8:15 to 8:30 p.m.: Irish step dance by Jamieson Irish Dance and Creative Arts
• 8:30 p.m.: conclusion of the program and soda bread tasting 

Registration is not required, but seating is limited and when I went last year, it was pretty crowded, so get there early.

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Also coming up at the library, an Irish Genealogy workshop on Monday March 16, at 7 p.m.

Topics will include U.S.-research tips with emphasis on the immigrant ancestor and how to find their siblings and parents; a process to use the results of your research to mine Irish records, and an overview of all other Irish resources.

Registration is required. For more information and to register call the library at (585) 872-7075 and choose 3 for the Reference Desk.

The Webster Public Library is located at 980 Ridge Rd., at the back of Webster Plaza.

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P.S. If you can’t make it to the Siamsa presentation at the Webster Public Library, the same program will be hosted by the Penfield Public Library on Wednesday March 25 at 7 p.m. Registration for this program is required. Call the Penfield Public Library at (585) 340-8720 for more information.

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I’ve gotten a few questions over the last few weeks about what’s going on at the old Webster Automotive building, at 109 West Main. Renovations have been taking place inside and out and the rumors are flying about what might be going in there. The one I’ve heard most often is that it’s going to be a brewpub.

Several people approached me to see if I knew anything, and I had to admit that I did not. But I have ways of finding out. 

I started asking around, and a few people suggested I email Webster Building Inspector Will Barham. They assured me that, given his position in the village,  he would have all the answers.

He didn’t.

“I don’t know,” he wrote, when I asked what was going into the old automotive shop.

The owner, Greg Chambery (owner of The Maplewood on Daniel Drive), felt the building needed to be updated (new framing, making it accessible, insulation, HVAC, etc.) to make it marketable. So for now, he has a “general remodeling permit.”

So there’s our answer. Right now we don’t know what it’s going to be, and Chambery is being rather tight-lipped about his plans for it, if he has any. Maybe it will be a brewery after all, but maybe not. In any case, it will be a welcome and exciting addition to our village, to be sure.

Stay tuned!

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This is a quick notice about a great program coming up TOMORROW, Tuesday Feb. 18, that’s perfect for the whole family.

It’s a tour of our very own Webster Museum. If you’ve never been here, this is a great chance to immerse yourself in Webster history and see what a terrific resource the museum is for our town and village.

Museum docents will be on hand to guide you through Webster’s past as depicted in exhibits, displays, maps, a schoolroom, signs, and notebooks. Whether you’re a Webster native or not, there will be plenty to see and learn.

The our will take place Tuesday Feb. 18 from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Webster Museum, 18 Lapham Park in the village.

Registration is required and spots are limited, but there are a few left. The program is being offered through the Webster Public Library, so click here to register ASAP.

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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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Here’s a quick notice of a few adult programs at the Webster Public Library coming up this week:

On Tuesday Feb. 11, explore Italy with librarian Colleen Hernandez. She’ll present a travelogue from 2 to 3 p.m. in the community room. Light refreshments will be served, and no registration is necessary.

On Wednesday Feb. 12, find out exactly what CBD is and what it can do for you to help with pain, inflammation and anxiety. The program will he held in the community room from 7 to 8 p.m., and registration is required for this one.

Friday, Feb. 14 is Valentine’s Day! What a great day to learn how to save a heart, with CPR for Seniors, a class designed especially for those 60+. It will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the community room, and registration is required.

To register for programs, call 585-872-7075 and press 3 for the reference desk or log onto the library website and go to Events and Classes.

The Webster Public Library is located at 980 Ridge Rd., at the back of Webster Plaza.

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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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Do you have a special person in your life who would appreciate a singing Valentine this year? Both of our Webster-based a cappella choruses would be happy to provide.

Entropy, one of Rochester Rhapsody’s outstanding quartets

Rochester Rhapsody, the Rochester chapter of Harmony, Incorporated, an international organization of female a cappella singers, will offer Singing Valentines on Friday, February 14 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Vocal ensembles will travel throughout the greater Rochester area to deliver Singing Valentines to sweethearts, co-workers, family members and friends at various locations, including assisted living facilities, workplaces, schools, hospitals and restaurants.

Recipients will be treated to Valentine music in 4-part a cappella harmony delivered by an ensemble in Valentine’s Day attire, along with a rose and card with the sender’s personalized message.

“Ringing Telegrams” (telephone singing valentines) are also available for recipients who live out-of-town.

Please call (585) 820-3062 for pricing information. Special prices for ordering early, or ordering more than one Singing Valentine, will also be offered. All proceeds will benefit women’s vocal and performance education for the non-profit chorus. Arrangements can be made by calling (585) 820-3062 or visiting rhapsodysingingtelegrams@yahoo.com.

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Quartets from our local a capella men’s chorus, the Chorus of the Genesee, will also be traveling the county to offer their singing Valentines this year.

They’ll be delivered on Feb. 14 and 15 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., also complete with a rose and card. Cost is $50, and they can be ordered by calling (585) 734–1328.

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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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A few weeks ago I posted about a benefit hockey game being hosted by the Webster Schroeder hockey team. Today, I’d like to follow that up with another great hockey benefit, this time hosted by the Webster Thomas.

It’s called the Robert J. Smith  Memorial Hockey Showcase, scheduled for this coming Saturday Jan. 11. It’s played in honor of Bob Smith, who was instrumental to bringing youth hockey to Webster.

This annual event features four hockey games, raffles, luminaries and more. The action takes place at the Webster Ice Arena on Publisher’s Parkway. It begins at 1 p.m. with Bockport vs. Fulton, followed by Webster Thomas JV vs. Penfield JV at 3 p.m., Penfield vs. Gates/Wayne/EI and Wheatland at 5 p.m. The evening ends with a primo match-up between Thomas and Schroeder at 7 p.m.

Cost is just $5 per person, and all proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society. It is truly a showcase of local youth hockey talent.

The Thomas Titans also host an annual game to honor our heroes – active military, veterans and first responders. Now in its eighth year, this event will be held on January 31 at Webster Ice Arena, and has raised thousands for CDS Monarch Warrior Salute.

In a recent email,, Debra Vent said this about this event gets bigger and better every year:

Last year the team added a campaign known as Goals for Golisano where fans and families pledged money for each goal the team scored in Sectionals through States. Begun by goalie Cody Rougeux’s family as a way of giving back to the institution that saved Cody’s life, the team was able to raise over $4,000 for the hospital.

Debra also told me about another outstanding community service these young athletes also recently accomplished.

This year the team partnered with Carrie Green’s Happy Birthday Cha Cha Cha, whose motto is “Every child deserves a special day.” The program delivers birthday joy to children in need in the Rochester City School District grades K-2. Through the program each child receives a Cha Cha Cha bag for their birthday, with two small wrapped toys, grocery items, personal care items, and books. This year the program will deliver 1,000 bags to kids in need.

Titans players reached out to their friends, families and neighbors, to collect items for the program. The team were able to collect over 2,000 items for the program. This included over 215 boxes of mac and cheese, 195 pairs of socks, and 465 cereal bars.

On December 30 the team delivered the items to Carrie and helped sort and store them, as well as help pack birthday bags and wrap gifts. Even though the boys did not deliver the gifts to the kids personally, they clearly felt connected and dedicated to the program after working to collect the items and prepare them for delivery. The players were overheard exclaiming things like “I think my guy likes Pokemon” even though they’d never met the recipient.

Thank you to the Thomas Titans hockey team for all that you do for the community.

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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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Come the end of a new year and the beginning of a brand spanking new one, it’s easy to become nostalgic in so many ways. For me, last night, that nostalgia manifested itself in a trip back through all the blogs I wrote in 2019.

I was surprised to see that in 2019 I posted 186 individual blogs. That works out to an average of one every two days, which kind of surprised me, since it didn’t seem that  many to me. So I felt pretty good about that.

I thought it might be fun to come up with a top-10 list of my favorite blogs of the year, a la David Letterman. (Remember his lists?)  But then, as I scrolled through them one by one, I realized that was an unreasonable goal. While some of the stories touched me more than others, I enjoyed writing every single one.

What struck me more than anything else was the wide variety of topics I touched on — so many great people, businesses, events, organizations, and causes that make Webster great. So instead of that list, I thought I would summarize, as briefly as possible, my 2019 Webster on the Web.

I probably blogged about our town and village’s special events more than anything else. I usually previewed, then posted follow-up photos of, more than a dozen events including the Memorial Day parade and festivities, the Firemen’s Parade and Kiddie Parade, White Christmas in the Village, Halloween Trick or Treat Trail, the wine walks, the Greater Rochester Peep Show, the Garlic Fest, Waterfront Arts Fest and the Webster Fall Festival.

A close second in blog topics was news and reviews of our local businesses. 2019 saw a continued resurgence of East Main Street. We got a few more new businesses — Chandeliers Boutique and The Village Quilt Shoppe in particular, and several other Webster businesses celebrated anniversaries: LaLa of Webster celebrated its first birthday, Knucklehead Craft Brewing turned 5, and Barry’s Old School Irish turned 7. Strike Back Martial Arts won an award and Good Smoke BBQ officially became Roc Style Chicken and Burger.

I wrote a lot about our schools and great things that are happening there, including the musicals, marching band, and SparX robotics team. I wrote about some of our great schoolkids as well, like the preschoolers who held a food drive, a young Webster boy who gave his birthday toys away to hospitalized children (and who got his story on TV), Eagle Scouts, the champion 12U baseball team and more.

I highlighted local organizations that help make up the fabric of our community, including the Chorus of the Genesee, the Webster Volunteer Fire Dept., Webster Museum, the Joe Obbie Farmer’s Market, Bella’s Bumbas, and the American Legion.

Finally, I used my blog to share some of my personal thoughts, especially about the passing of Joe Dady, and my recent move to the village. I helped promote causes close to my heart, encouraging everyone to join me in the Miracle Field 5K, the First Responders 5K , and the Polar Plunge and to donate blood.

Whew.

I know a lot of you are still reading this blog, two whole page scrolls down from where it began. I know that because you are the folks who have been with me all year.

You are the reason I write this blog. Because even though I enjoy dong this, it would get pretty old if I thought my words weren’t making a difference.

So thank you all for being faithful readers. I wish you all a very happy, healthy and successful 2020, and I look forward to continuing to spread good news from our hometown.

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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.

To all of my friends and readers on this very special day, Merry Christmas! My wish is that you are spending it surrounded by family and are fully able to relax and soak in the magic of the day.

Thank you for being part of my life; I feel blessed to be able to write this blog and know that so many people out there are touched by my words.

Your blogger friend, Missy Rosenberry