The Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr., has so many cool things planned for the next few months that I just had to pull them out for a separate blog.
Here’s a quick summary, but you can check the Webster Recreation website for more details:
Friday May 17: Family Fun Night from 6 to 8 p.m. at Challenger Miracle Field. There’ll be lawn games, food trucks, music and face painting, and it’s all free and open to the public. No registration is required.
Miracle Field is located at 1008 Ridge Rd.
Saturday June 8:Summer Celebration from 4 to 10 p.m. at the Rec Center. This is always a terrific event with a bounce house, food trucks, live music and fireworks at the end of the night. Free to all, and no registration is required.
Thursday, June 20:Music at the Arboretum, featuring Jazz Generation, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Thursday July 18: Music at the Arboretum featuring (my good friends) Doctor’s Orders, beginning at 6:30. Performances are outdoors in the gazebo and are weather-dependent. Snacks are available for purchase, but you can bring your own, and remember your chairs, blankets and beverages. No cost for admission.
Saturday, July 20: Summer Splash from 3 to 5 p.m. at First Responders Spray Park, Chiyoda Dr. This annual event invites families to come play in the splash park and enjoy free sno-cones from Gleason Orthodontics. Plus, Rich the Magic Man will be there with foam bubble fun. It’s all free and no registration is required. Wear your swim suits!
Wednesday July 31: Sandbar Splendor, 5 to 7 p.m. at Sandbar Park, 302 Lake Rd. Lawn games, food trucks, raffles and music. This is a great chance to check out the new and improved Sandbar Park.
More to come in August and beyond, so stay tuned!
Now a quick plug for the Talks on Tuesday programs at the Recreation Center. These informative presentations, designed to “enrich and inspire adult learners over age 55,” are offered every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. Admission is free but registration is required.
Here’s what’s coming up this month:
May 14: Bone Health; May is National Osteoporosis Month. Brush up on bone health with Beth Parry.
May 21: Understanding Electric Vehicles. This talk will give attendees an introduction to electric vehicles, highlighting the major differences that you should know between electric and common gas vehicles.
May 28: Medicare; a workshop to provide an understanding of what all those Medicare letters and pieces mean. Learn when you can make changes and why you should review your program annually.
To register for any of these programs, visit the Webster Recreation website or call the Rec Center at 585-872-7103.
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Today I’ll be focusing my blog on a great organization of which I am an active member — the Webster Health and Education Network (WHEN), and some of the events they have coming up for parents.
WHEN is a community coalition which for 25 years has been a recognized leader in the advocacy and promotion of healthy, substance-free behaviors and lifestyles in the Webster community. Research suggests that the longer youth wait to use drugs and/or alcohol, the less likely it is that they’ll become addicted later in life. Therefore, WHEN’s goal is to collaborate with the agency’s partners to delay, decrease, and prevent substance use among youth.
The coalition works closely with the Webster Central School District, town and community to support drug education and awareness initiatives, like these:
On Wednesday May 22, from 6:30-8:00 PM, WHEN will present a free forum for parents and guardians of kids in (roughly) 3rd through 6th grade. Using a World Cafe model, participants will explore creative solutions to some of today’s parenting challenges. Everyone will take home prevention strategies to help kids manage stress, dodge “frienemies,” avoid substance use, and stay healthy as they mature. The program will include discussion and sharing of ideas among parents to help participants grow their parent network and benefit from each other’s experiences.
The event will be held at Webster Parks and Recreation, 1350 Chiyoda Dr. Please RSVP so there will be enough seating, coffee and snacks for everyone. Click here for more information.
On April 27, WHEN partnered with the Town of Webster and the Webster Police Department to hold DEA National Drug Take Back event at the Webster Justice Court. I just four hours, the team collected over 400 pounds (5-1/2 barrels) of medications which were then safely disposed of.
The whole idea of these events is to keep drugs from falling into the wrong hands, protecting loved-ones, neighbors, friends, and strangers from accidental exposure or misuse, so thank you everyone who came by. If you missed this take-back, there will be others, but in the meantime, find alternative disposal options here.
Lots of fun had at Community Arts Day
The WHEN table at Community Arts Day on April 13 was very busy. WHEN volunteers shared information about protective factors with parents while their kids decorated undersea creatures with some of their favorite ways to “octopi” their time, prompting conversations about healthy activities. They also handed out an an informative flyer with additional suggestions for healthy family fun and links to more info about protective factors and conversation starters.
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You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).
For the last several months, I’ve been participating in a terrific inter-generational pen pal program through the Webster Recreation Center.
The program, organized by Recreation SupervisorsJulie Schillaciand Daphne Geoca, connected 21 Webster seniors with a classroom of second graders at Autumn Lane Elementary School in Greece. When I heard about the program last fall, I jumped at the chance to help young people improve their writing skills and find out that writing can actually be FUN.
Shortly after the school year began, each participating senior was matched with a student, and we received our first hand-written letters in late September. In my first letter, I met Nataleigh, who asked me what my name was and if I had any pets.
Over the next seven months, we received, and responded to, five more letters. I don’t know about the ones the others were getting, but mine were covered in bright colors and rainbows, stickers and smiley faces, and surprise bears poking their heads up when I opened the envelope.
Nataleigh and I bonded over rainbows and cats, and shared things we liked and disliked. (She doesn’t like to read. I’m going to have to do something about that.) But the last letter was my favorite, because it included an invitation to an end-of-program reception when we would finally be able to meet each other in person.
A sampling of the letters and artwork I got from NataleighNataleigh and me
So last Thursday the other seniors and I traveled to Autumn Lane Elementary and finally got to meet our pen pals. We gathered in the school’s gymnasium, the kids sang us some songs, and several of the students went up to the microphone to tell us all how much they enjoyed getting our letters.
After all the festivities, the kids served us some drinks and snacks, and we had some time to sit and chat. Nataleigh told me about her family and some of the trips they’ve been on, and about her friend’s dog Princess (who likes to follow her around and bites her nose, which is not too bad since Princess doesn’t have any teeth). I told her about the cats I foster, how much I love her rainbow artwork and the sparkly red dress she wore for the occasion. (Check out the slideshow below for photos.)
There was so much to talk about and the hour went by much too quickly. It was a delightful program which brought two generations together in a heartwarming way and formed what in some cases will surely be lifelong friendships.
Young Brooke T. summed it up perfectly when she stepped up to the microphone during our visit and gave the assembled pen pals some sage advice: “Sometimes you don’t make a friend with your eyes. Sometimes you can write your way to friendship.”
I’m already looking forward to being part of this program again next year so I can write my way to even more friendship.
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email me at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)
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St. Martin Lutheran Church will hold a Drive Thru Chicken BBQ on Saturday, May 4 at the church, 813 Bay Road, Webster. The event begins at 4:30 p.m. and will continue until all dinners are sold out.
Dinners will include a half chicken, salt potatoes, coleslaw, roll, butter and cookie, and will cost $15.
The event will be drive-through only and there will be no advance sales; first-come, first-served. Cars should enter the parking lot, follow the signs, and purchase dinners using exact payment of either cash or check. Cars will then pick up boxed dinners.
Proceeds from the BBQ will support both St. Martin’s Little Free Pantry and Christmas Stocking Project, which reaches more than 500 local youth in Monroe and Wayne counties.
What the heck is a hellebore?
The Webster Arboretum will host a presentation on May 9 titled Lenten Rose and Christmas Rose are Hellebores.
Learn about the care and culture of these amazing plants. Donna Shayder, Master Gardener of Monroe County, will discuss the growing conditions, types, management and appropriate care of the hellebore. She’ll also conduct a tour of the hellebore plantings at the Arboretum and answer all your questions.
No registration or fee is required. The program will begin at 6:30 p.m. Meet at the Curry Building at the Webster Arboretum, 1700 Schlegel Road.
Get your Mother’s Day plants here
The Webster Arboretum Association, together with local growers and local garden clubs, will host the 2024 Webster Arboretum Plant Sale on Saturday May 11 from 8 a.m. to noon.
A tremendous variety of beautiful, healthy plants from standard to uncommon will be available including annuals, dwarf conifers, geraniums, dahlias, tomatoes, trees, shrubs 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.
Barn Sale at Heritage Square
Heritage Square Museum, at 7147 Ontario Center Rd. in Ontario, is holding a huge Barn Sale from Thursday May 9 through Saturday May 11. Hours are:
Thursday, May 9 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Friday, May 10 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday, May 11 from 9 a.m. to noon ($5 bag sale, bring your own bags)
And looking ahead, the museum will be hosting a chicken BBQ on Friday May 13 from 4 p.m. ’till gone.
Get rid of those ugly mugs
I’ll be highlighting a few more Webster Public Library events in a future blog, but this one especially caught my eye today.
Apparently the library has a “community exchange table,” which I don’t think I realized. And this month, community members can exchange MUGS there.
We all have them, a collection of coffee mugs that we’ve gathered through the years but we never use, so they’re tucked back in the back of the cabinet. Dig them out and take them to the library to exchange them for some mugs you might actually use. And who knows, someone may really want that bright pink mug with the bikini-clad flamingo that you just HAD to get on your last vacation.
Also coming up this month at the library
* Author Day on Saturday May 4, when the library welcomes three local published authors, who will talk about the paths they took from the beginning writer to nationally-known authors. Karen Miller will speak from 10 to 11 a.m.; Charles Benoit will speak from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and Ruth Rosenberg Naparstek will speak from 1 to 2 p.m.
Registration for each speaker is requested. Click the name to go to the registration page for each.
* On Thursday May 9, the Webster Library, in conjunction with Webster Comfort Care Home will present “Tending to Life — Comparative Religions: Funeral Customs and Rituals.” Area faith leaders will talk about death in relation to their religion’s customs.
It’s still several months away, but plans are already gearing up for the huge annual NY HOPE garage sale, scheduled for this September.
If you have items you’d like to donate, drop off dates are Wednesdays, May 8, 22 & 29 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus, 1460 Ridge Road (located behind Holy Trinity), Webster.
Before you drop off your donations, check out the DonationGuide, because items that cannot be used, including furniture or large items (at this time) will be refused. We may refuse items if we cannot use them.
Mark your calendars now for the sale, Wednesday, Sept. 11 through Saturday Sept. 13.
Concert to benefit the Harmony House
Music will fill the air on Saturday May 18 when the Chorus of the Genesee and Rochester Rhapsody join forces to present Harmony in the House, a fund-raiser concert to benefit the Harmony House Renovation Project.
Shows will be at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. at the Harmony House, 58 East Main St. in the Village of Webster. Tickets are $20 and must be purchased in advance. There will be no sales at the door. Click here to get yours, or call 585-259-3094.
Garlic Fest vendor applications now being accepted
Last but not least today, if you’re a craft or food vendor and would like to get into this year’s Webster Garlic Fest, the call for vendor applications has just gone out.
This year’s festival will run from September 7-8 at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr. A 10′ x 10′ booth will run you $150, and early set-up will be available both days.
This has become one of Webster’s best-attended events. Last year there were more than 100 vendors and 3,000 attendees. So get your application in before the spaces sell out. Click here to apply.
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email me at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)
You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).
I learned something really cool the other day: you can borrow snowshoes from the Webster Public Library.
SNOWSHOES!
They’re just one of 19 “Experience Kits” which the library offers for one-week loans. The kits run the gamut of indoor and outdoor activities, including how-to kits for knitting and crocheting, gardening basics, bug catching, yoga and rock collecting. But there’s also a ghost hunting kit (including an EMF meter), a metal detector, a telescope kit and a GoPro camera — and you can just BORROW any one of them!
Now, I’ve always known that the library is a pretty terrific place, but when WPL Director Adam Traub and Outreach Coordinator Jason Poole spoke at this month’s Webster Chamber of Commerce breakfast they reminded me about some pretty cool things at the library that’d I had forgotten about.
Like, next time you’re on vacation, you can borrow an Empire Pass, which will get you into any NYS Park for free. You can get VIP passes for places like Geva Theater, Corning Museum of Glass and the George Eastman House. You can even borrow a Kindle or a wifi hotspot.
So, now you know. The Webster Public Library is more than just books.
On that subject, here are a few special events coming up at the library which you might be interested in:
Community eclipse event
If you’re still not sure where you plan to settle for the once-in-a-lifetime solar eclipse on April 8, consider joining the library for their Community Eclipse Event at the Webster Recreation Center. The all-ages event will feature eclipse crafts and activities, storytime, a scavenger hunt, photo booth, yoga, bounce house (weather permitting), outdoor games, raffles, refreshments, WPL eclipse merchandise, eclipse glasses for viewing, and more!
It all happens from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr. Registration is not required.
Special Needs Parent Resource Fair
The library will host a Special Needs Parent Resource Fair on Saturday April 20 from 10 a.m. to noon. This is especially designed for parents, guardians or caregivers looking for more information about resources and opportunities in our community for children and adults with special needs. More than 50 agencies from all around Rochester are already signed up. Click here to see the list of participants.
Caregivers can come any time during the time of the fair and ask questions and get information. If you’re unable to attend, information about the attending organizations will be available upon request. Registration is not required unless you’d like to be reminded of the event. Click here to register.
Mark your calendars for the annual Friends of the Webster Public Library spring book sale. This year’s sale takes place April 24 to 27, with all books priced 50 cents (paperbacks) or $1 (hardcovers).
The Friends Members Night will be April 24 from 4 to 7 p.m. In addition to the great variety of gently used books at great prices, this year the Friends we have added a Mini Vintage and Collectible Book Sale only available on the Friends Members Night. A small collection of vintage and collectible books in good to excellent condition will be available for $8 to $200. Friends memberships will be available at the door.
The General Public Sale will begin Thursday, April 25 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., with a bag sale on Friday, April 26 (bring your own bag and fill it for just $5). The bag sale continues Saturday April 27, from 10 a.m. to noon.
All proceeds will benefit the Webster Public Library.
Diverse Abilities Dialogues — In-person real parent experience panel
If you’re a parent of, or caregiver for, a person with developmental disabilities, this next program might also interest you.
On Wednesday May 1 from 11 a.m. to noon, Parents Helping Parents, Challenger Miracle Field and the Webster Public Library will host a Diverse Abilities Dialogue panel presentation by parents who have children with developmental disabilities. Each parent will talk about their unique situations and answer questions. The parents are not physicians, but can speak about their practical experience dealing with every day issues.
Panel presenters will be Brittany Jencik, Kim Dooher and Danielle Salamone from Parents Helping Parents; Beth Cunico, Director of Challenger Miracle Field; Mandy Kresge, Chair of Webster SEPTA; and Jenny Paxson from the Webster Public Library.
Nazareth students will be on hand to offer respite care while you attend the program.
email me at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)
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The Webster Recreation Center held a very special birthday party last Thursday afternoon.
Long-time Thursday Webster Rec euchre player Frank Amering celebrated his 100th birthday on March 1, and last Thursday his senior center fellow euchre players and Rec Center staff members threw him a party, complete with balloons, cake and official proclamations.
Frank was born in Rochester on March 1, 1924. He attended Aquinas, where he played football, and then enlisted in the Navy, serving as an engineer on the Catalinas in WWII. He was married to his wife Mary Louis for 71 years before she pssed away six years ago. He worked as an electrician until he was 80 years old, still lives on his own and still drives.
And of course, he joins about 40 to 50 friends to play euchre at the Webster Recreation Center every Thursday.
Webster Supervisor Tom Flaherty and Nick Stefanovic, Director of Monroe County Veteran Services, each presented Frank with a proclamation honoring his life and WWII service. Several servicemen also attended the party, to honor Frank and show their appreciation.
I didn’t chat with Frank for very long — he had a pretty long line of admirers — but as a euchre player myself, I did have to ask him one question: how often does he steal the deal?
He grinned slightly and paused, then politely declined to answer.
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email me at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)
You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).
Hip deep in the cold and snow of winter as we are now, sometimes it’s hard to poke our heads up and imagine that spring is not far off. Perhaps this thought will bring some cheer: Community Arts Day is only 12 weeks away!
This very family-friendly festival, which is marking its 47th year, showcases the musical and artistic talents of Webster School District K-12 students, and involves the entire community in a day to celebrate the arts. It was created as a collaborative effort to raise money to encourage and enhance fine arts programs throughout the district.
This is always one of my favorite events of the whole year, because I see so many friends and neighbors performing or wandering the halls of Schroeder, and reconnect with lots of local organizations. I highly recommend you put it on your calendars now.
Details are still coming together, so if you’re a vendor or want to provide some entertainment, best keep on top of the plans by “liking” their Facebook page.
Looking even farther ahead, I recently got an email about this year’s Webster Garlic Fest, scheduled for Sept. 7 and 8 at the Webster Recreation Center.
This event seems to grow bigger and better every year. Reports are that last year it drew 3,000 people and had more than 100 vendors.
That means, if you’re a vendor and want to get on board (especially if you want a spot inside the Rec Center gymnasium), now is the time. The call has gone out for vendor/crafter/food truck registrations. Cost is $150 for a 10′ x 10′ indoor or outdoor space.
email me at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)
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I’ve been frequenting the Webster Recreation Center of late for regular workouts, and when I was leaving last night, I noticed a few skaters on the rink honing their hockey skills. And that, of course, means …
The Webster Rec Center’s ice rink is open!
Thanks to our recent bout of frigid weather, the rink — located in front of the Webster Recreation Center at 1350 Chiyoda Drive, just north of the village — is looking good. The rink is a nice size, 52 ft. by 104 ft., offering plenty of room for skaters of all abilities. Plus, it’s totally FREE for anyone to use. You don’t even have to be a member of the Rec Center. There’s even a warming shed where you can sit to put on your skates. You’ll want to bring your own skates, though, because rentals are not available. And if I recall correctly from driving by last night, there’s at least one light near the shed so you can skate after dark.
The Rec Center even has a hotline so you can check before you go to see if the rink is open: 585-872-7103 (option 3). Make sure to do that, because it’s hard to tell when our capricious winter weather will turn the ice surface to mush.
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You may have missed it in the most recent Webster Today town publication — which arrived in the mail this week — but tucked towards the back was a thank-you letter from The Man in the Yellow Truck.
You may recall I posted a blog about this incredible community helper who can be seen regularly picking up garbage along the Rt. 104 on- and off-ramps. In that blog (which was originally an article written by Katie Kovar at the Webster Rec Center), there was a plea for donations of garbage bags. The community responded enthusiastically, which led in part to the letter. In case you missed it, it reads:
During the height of COVID, I was diagnosed with diabetes. I had very little knowledge of the disease, but was eager to learn and feel better. My doctor was very clear: I had to change my eating habits and I had to stay active.
On a beautiful afternoon, while running errands, the litter along the Webster expressway was a concern. So I took it upon myself to start cleaning. First, I needed bags. It didn’t take long to realize that I needed a LOT of bags. The Town of Webster was very cooperative, but they can only spare so much. I complained to anyone that would listen that I needed more garbage bags. My step-daughter, Tiffany, wanted to help, so she expressed my need on the Webster Village Facebook page.
I was then approached by Katie Kovar, Recreation Director from Webster Parks and Recreation. She asked if she could write an article about the work I was doing along the expressway. Honestly, I was a bit puzzled but also grateful. Since the article I have received thousands of garbage bags of all shapes and sizes. My diabetes is under control and the Webster roads are much cleaner.
Thank you to my step-daughter, Tiffany Diamond, for putting my need request on Facebook. Thank you to Katie Kovar for your beautiful and inspiring article. Thank you to EVERYONE who generously donated SO many garbage bags.
Lastly, please continue beeping your horn! It does not startle me, I hear it and it makes me feel appreciated.
It took a village.
Stephen Anderson, the Man in the Yellow Truck with the American flag
Thanks to the generosity of the Webster community, Steve has plenty of garbage bags for now, but stay tuned, because if the call goes out for more donations, I’ll let you know!
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I hope you had a chance to sit back and relax a bit this holiday. You might have noticed that I’ve been doing that, not posting for several days. In part that’s because there isn’t much going on. But I do have a few reminders about things happening as this year turns into next.
Community members who struggle with vision issues — macular degeneration, glaucoma, dry eye, or others — are invited to attend the January meeting of The Visionaries, being hosted next month at the Webster Public Library.
The Visionaries is a support group for adults with low-to-no vision. Members of this support group share their interests and opportunities with others, encouraging those with visual impairment to get the most out of their lives.
The group will meet on Wednesday, January 3 from 10:30 a.m. to noon in the Webster Public LibraryCommunity Room, 980 Ridge Road. This month’s topic will be “Living With Low Vision.”
There’s no need to register, just come by to join the meeting!
Dinner will be served from 5 to 7 p.m., and includes spaghetti, meatballs, salad, bread, drink and dessert. Cost is $12 for adults, $6 for kids 12 and under. You can eat in or take out.
All proceeds go to supporting the WSPS, a local non-profit providing rides for Webster School District Seniors to their medical appointments.
From the Webster Schools:
Families of Young Children Asked to Take Census
Webster CSD is surveying the community to forecast student enrollment for the foreseeable future.
Anyone in the district who has children residing in their household ages birth to 5 years old is asked to complete the brief online census. Families who don’t have access to a computer can participate by calling Student Registration at (585) 216-0029.
The annual young child census is available now on the district website and will be available through Jan. 6, 2024.
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email me at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@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.
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
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