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A fun (and educational) family hike from the Friends of Webster Trails

31 Jul

The Friends of Webster Trails have come up with a fun new theme for their regular family hikes.

It’s called the “Trees Along the Trail Challenge,” being held at Four Mile Creek Preserve from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday August 5.

Participants will pick up a clue packet at the sign-in table, and the challenge is to explore the trails and find the trees indicated in the clues. When you’re done, return the answer sheet and check your score. The first 50 families to complete the challenge will receive a free tree.

The self-guided hike will take place rain or shine, so mane sure you dress for the weather. There’s no charge, but registration is requested. Visit the Friends of Webster Trails website to register.

Four Mile Creek Preserve is located on Phillips Rd. at the corner of Lake Rd. It’s probably my favorite natural area in Webster, so if you haven’t been there yet, I highly recommend it.

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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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(posted 7/31/2023)

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Webster community mailbag

27 Jul

There’s more music in the village this week, when 8 Days a Week returns to Gazebo Park this Friday July 28 for the next Friday night concert.

8 Days a Week is Upstate New York’s premier Beatles tribute band, and guaranteed they’ll have everyone dancing and along to songs we all know so well.

The concert begins at 7 p.m. at Gazebo Park on North Ave. Bring your chairs and blankets, and a cooler if you’d like with food and beverages. It’s all free and family-friendly.

Speaking of music, a few more opportunities to enjoy some live music are coming up in the next few weeks.

This coming Wednesday Aug. 2, John Dady and John Ryan will be performing at the United Church of Christ for their weekly Caring Community Concert series.

These concerts benefit local nonprofit organizations. There’s no admission, but each week the church collects a free-will offering benefiting that week’s chosen non-profit organization. The Dady and Ryan concert will benefit Webster Comfort Care Home.  

The concerts all begin at 6:30 p.m., and food concessions begin at 6. The concerts are held on the United Church of Christ front lawn, at 570 Klem Rd. (In case of rain it’s moved indoors.) On Wednesday August 9, 8 Days a Week will take the stage. (So if you liked them at the gazebo, check them out here!)

The Summer Concert Series at Cherry Ridge is in full swing. The next concert is scheduled for Tuesday August 8 from 6:30 to 8 p.m., featuring the Gateswingers Big Band. The concerts are held outside, and the grounds open up at 5 p.m. with food available for purchase. So bring your lawn chair and enjoy some beautiful music.

Cherry Ridge is located at 900 Cherry Ridge Blvd., across from Webster Schroeder High School. Registration is requested. Click here to do so.

Good food is in store at St. Martin Lutheran Church when they host their next Pulled Pork Drive-Thru beginning at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday Aug. 5.

The take-out dinner includes pulled pork sandwich, salt potatoes, cole slaw and cookie for just $12. Proceeds will support the church’s annual Christmas Stocking Project reaching over 500 children and teens in Monroe and Wayne counties.

Pull into the parking lot, place your order using exact payment, and the dinner will be delivered to you as you drive up in your car.

St. Martin Lutheran Church is located at 813 Bay Rd.

There’s always TONS of fun stuff happening at the Webster Public Library, too much for me to tell you about them all here. But I do want to shine a spotlight on a few of them.

The first is the return of the very popular life-sized Candyland game.

This year’s game is “lighter” than the one they’ve had in the past, but no less fun. Bring your family and friends and become part of the game we’ve all enjoyed playing for decades. Check out the flyer for times.

And here’s a chance to check out one of our most natural areas, the Webster Arboretum.

On Tuesday Aug. 8 at 6 p.m., the library will host a guided tour through the Arboretum, especially highlighting some of the new plantings there. The tour will take about 90 minutes and will require a lot of walking, much of it off the pathways, so wear some comfortable shoes.

Registration is required for this event. Click here to sign up.

Finally, here’s a reminder that the Webster Museum is now accepting donations for their annual Barn Sale, scheduled for Sept. 14 to 16.

Donations are being collected at the barn located at 394 Phillips Rd. You can drive right down the driveway to the barn and put your donations inside (donation receipts are on the table). Although you can donate any day, museum volunteers are on site Monday mornings if you would like assistance unloading your donations.

Items they’d love to see are antiques, collections and collectibles, kitchen and household items, décor, small appliances, toys, tools, and small furniture. They cannot accept books or magazines, computers, clothing, linens, baby cribs or car seats, large furniture, snow skis or water skis, large exercise equipment, audio or video tapes (VHS tapes, music cassettes, etc), or entertainment electronics, (TVs, stereos, DVD players, etc).  

That’s about enough for today. August and September are shaping up to be very busy months, so stay tuned for more news about

  • the Webster Jazz Fest
  • the Barry’s Irish Festival
  • a blood drive at Spry Middle School sponsored by The Steam Police
  • a new family hike at Four Mile Creek from the Friends of Webster Trails
  • an electronics recycling event
  • a hazardous waste recycling event
  • the return of the Webster Garlic Fest
  • the 2023 Mud Run
  • the Oktoberfest

and more.

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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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(posted 7/27/2023)

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Musical, wet and muddy fun ahead, courtesy the Webster Rec

17 Jul

Today’s blog is dedicated to the Webster Parks and Recreation Department and all of the cool events they have coming up this summer.

The first one I want to highlight is the annual Summer Splash family fun event taking place this coming Saturday July 22 at the First Responders Spray Park, just west of the Rec Center on Chiyoda Drive.

From 3 to 5 p.m., families are invited to the park to see Rich the Magic Man with his bubble foam machine, enjoy free Snowie Ice courtesy Gleason Orthodontics, and of course lots of splashy fun at the town’s best spray park.

There’s no cost, and registration is not required.

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Next, make sure to mark your calendars for this summer’s Music in the Park series, sponsored by the Rec Center at the Kent Park gazebo.

The next concert is on Wednesday July 26, featuring Doctor’s Orders, an acoustic folk and pop duo playing a variety of songs from the Beatles to John Prine, and pretty much everything in between.

The concert will be held Wednesday July 26 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Kent Park on Schlegel Rd. It’s free and open to the public. Bring a chair or a blanket, fill a cooler with dinner and drinks, and enjoy a pleasant evening of music.

Coming up on August 16, the concert will feature Sarah De Valliere and Levi Gangi. Read more about them in the poster above.

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And it’s not too early to pencil this next event into your calendar.

The Rec Center’s third annual Mud Run has been scheduled for Saturday Sept. 23.

The Mud Run is a a non-competitive, untimed, one-mile run/walk along the Recreation Center’s obstacle course/fitness trail which loops around the back of the facility. Some of the run will be through water and mud, and there will be some challenging obstacles. What’s really neat about it is that kids and their adults can do it together. It’s only $5 per person, and the organizers promise that there’ll be swag, fun and food. I can personally attest that it is tons of fun, and I hope to make it again this year.

Click here for more information and to register. You can sign up for any 15-minute wave between 10 a.m. and noon. The Webster Recreation Center is located at 1350 Chiyoda Drive, off of Phillips Rd.

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The most recent Webster Recreation Center 55+ newsletter is packed with great programs for those of us trying to keep our bodies and minds active in these later years. Some of the ones that really caught my eye were:

  • a cookout at the Arboretum
  • the upcoming Tuesday Talks
  • a free estate planning workshop

There’s too much information to repost here, so for more details about all of their great programs this month, click here.

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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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(posted 7/17/2023)

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Checking out the Michael Johnson trail

28 May

There’s a brand new trail in town, and judging from the reaction I got from the recent blog I wrote about it, people are pretty excited.

The Friends of Webster Trails have recently completed work on the new Michael A. Johnson Nature Preserve Trail, the entrance to which is about halfway between VanAlstyne Rd. and Drumm Rd. on the Hojack Trail. The Friends are planning to introduce the new trail to the community at a dedication ceremony and inaugural community hike on Saturday June 3 beginning at 9 a.m. (Participants are asked to park at Gosnell Big Woods and meet at the Hojack Trail entrance off of Drumm Rd.)

I’m not going to be able to attend that event, so on Sunday my husband and I rode our bikes over there to hike it and check it out for ourselves.

It’s really a beautiful little trail. And I say “little” because it’s actually much shorter than I thought it was, covering only .33 miles. It does connect to the John Ungar Nature Trail, which itself is .34 miles, so you can extend your hike by doing both trails at once.

As usual, the Friends have done a nice job blazing the trail, and have placed a few maps along the way to guide you. It’s an easy trail to hike; there are a few hills, but nothing too obnoxious, and I think kids could manage it quite easily. It’s far enough away from any major roads to be wonderfully peaceful, and very beautiful, filled with birdsong.

As an added bonus, hikers will get an up-close look at some of the wonderful work the Friends have been accomplishing with their ReTree Project. The trail passes about a dozen brand new trees planted recently to help keep our open space areas healthy.

I encourage everyone to check out this beautiful new trail, either at the June 3 community hike or some other time. Then consider showing how much you appreciate everything the Friends of Webster Trails volunteers do to create and maintain all of our beautiful trails, by becoming a member. It’s just $15 a year per family, $10 for an individual. Your support will go a long way to help this great group continue to do great things for Webster.

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

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(posted 5/28/2023)

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Poetry Trail planned for the Webster Arboretum

23 May

Two of my favorite things are coming together in a beautiful way next summer: poetry and the Webster Arboretum.

The Board of Directors of the Webster Arboretum has announced a new project to create a Poetry Trail winding through the grounds. Ron Friedman, a local resident and poet, presented the idea at the board’s April meeting, where it was enthusiastically embraced.

While the project is still very early in the planning stages, many exciting ideas are already being proposed. For example, poets or all ages from throughout the Finger Lakes would be invited, including students from elementary schools through college, and members of poetry and arts groups. Another idea is to make sure the poetry represents many cultures, peoples and languages, including ASL poetry.  

Friedman wrote,

The vision now includes signage installed around the trails in the arboretum with poems printed or engraved on wood, concrete, or other varied materials that can withstand Rochester weather year round. QR codes may be included so visitors will be able to access the poets reading their own poems. The signage may appear by the tree peonies, the gazebo and twisted white pine, around the pond, near the magnolias, the lace barks, the dogwoods, at the entrances to the foot bridges as well as back along the wood trails.

Friedman sees the project as an ongoing effort spanning years, as the trail can be expanded within the Arboretum and to other Webster parks as well.   

It will be a year before the Poetry Trail is completed. For now, committees are being formed to work on fundraising, creating poetry submission guidelines, publicity and installation. For more information about how you can help out and be a part of this exciting new project, email Ron Friedman at Ronjf1@gmail.com.

The Webster Arboretum at Kent Park is located at 1700 Schlegel Rd. It’s open seven days a week, sunrise to dusk, and has several beautiful, easy-to-stroll trails. Click here to learn more. (Thank you to Ron Friedman for the photos below.)

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

(posted 5/23/2023)

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Luminary Walk honored the class of 2023

22 May

Thousands of Webster high school students, their families and friends enjoyed spectacular weather Sunday night at the Senior Luminary Walk, held at the Webster Recreation Center.

This annual event, sponsored by the Webster Thomas PTSA, Webster Schroeder PTSA and Webster Teachers’ Association (WTA), celebrates our graduating seniors with hundreds of luminary candle bags, placed along the entire length of the Chiyoda Trail, which almost completely encircles the Recreation Center property on Chiyoda Drive. Earlier in the day, 30 volunteers worked for an hour and a half to distribute about 900 of the twinkling bags, each one labeled with the name of a graduating Webster Thomas, Webster Schroeder or GOAL student.

At the beginning of the trail, students and their family members were greeted by the Webster Schroeder and Thomas mascots (available for photo ops) before they strolled along the almost mile-long trail. Enthusiastic teachers were stationed all along the path, cheering and congratulating the students as they passed. One family after another would pause periodically for photos, and sometimes the parents’ proud smiles were even bigger than the students’.

As the students returned to the Rec Center at the end of the walk, each was handed a lawn sign to display at their home — prompting even more proud-parent photos.

Anyone who attended after dusk got an extra special treat, as the entire trail was lined with white twinkly lights leading the way.

This is the third year the PTSAs and WTA have held the Senior Luminary Walk. It began back in 2021, when we were still hip-deep in the pandemic, and special events were being cancelled one after the other. The organizations wanted to do SOMETHING to make sure our seniors felt special and celebrated for their achievements. The Luminary Walk was perfect; a creative, socially-distanced way to honor them.

Back then, organizers expected it to be a one-time event. But it proved to be so successful, it came back by popular demand in 2022, then again this year. And judging from the crowds I saw Sunday night. it’s here to stay.

Many thanks to the teachers, students and parent volunteers who worked for hours Sunday afternoon and evening to place the bags along the path, string the twinkly lights and staff the sign tables, or who were just there to cheer on the students.

And congratulations to all the graduating seniors!

Click here to see more photos from the evening.

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

(posted 5/22/2023)

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A new trail and great news from the Friends of Webster Trails

21 May

The Friends of Webster Trails have made two exciting announcements recently which I want to share with you today.

The first is that the Friends are introducing a brand new trail, leading into the new Michael A. Johnson Nature Preserve, which was added to Webster open space in 2022. The wooded area is adjacent to the John Ungar Nature Trail, just north of the Hojack Trail between Drumm Rd. and Van Alstyne Rd. The Dombovy family donated funds for the purchase of the land in memory of their late husband and father, Michael A. Johnson.

The new loop trail created by the Friends leads off the Hojack Trail about 1/4 mile east of Drumm Rd.

Community members are invited to help dedicate the new trail, when the Friends of Webster Trails hosts a grand-opening group hike on Saturday morning June 3 at 9 a.m. Meet at the intersection of Drumm Rd. and the Hojack Trail at 9 a.m. From there, the group will hike to the entrance of the new Michael A. Johnson Trail. The total distance will be about 2 miles.

Parking is available at the Gosnell Big Wood parking lot at the intersection of Drumm and Vosburg. From there you can walk down Drumm Rd. to the Hojack Trail entrance on Drumm. Hiking boots or good sneakers are recommended.

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The Friends of Webster Trails also recently announced that the organization has received a $1000 grant from the Rochester Birding Association for their ReTree Project.

The Friends began the ReTree Project last year to address habitat loss, with a particular focus on trees. The project has two objectives:

  • to improve the ecological resiliency of forested habitat within the Webster Open Space area, and
  • to increase public knowledge of the threats to local forest ecology and ways we can collectively mitigate these risks

The project has especially focused on planting native tree species in areas where other native species have previously been lost or are currently under threat. The supplemental plantings will increase overall canopy cover while enriching the mix of tree species, age, and physical structure, resulting in a more robust and resilient ecosystem.

The Friends plan to use the funds to clear areas overgrown with invasive plants and to purchase native trees and shrubs and browse-protection materials in the Whiting Road Nature Preserve.

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

(posted 5/21/2023)

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Lots accomplished at Friends of Webster Trails’ first workday

24 Apr

If you’ve lived in Webster for any length of time, chances are you’ve heard about, or perhaps even hiked, our town’s beautiful trails. The system’s almost two dozen trails already stretch from the farthest corner of northwest Webster, south to 104 and east to Phillips Rd., and more are being created every year.

We have the Friends of Webster Trails to thank for this outstanding trail system. These hard-working volunteers put in thousands of hours every summer and fall planning, creating and maintaining the trails, clearing brush and invasive plants, laying gravel, building bridges and boardwalks, and more.

Every month, many of the group’s volunteers gather for a workday, spending several hours doing what needs to be done to make sure the trails are ready for hiking. The first workday of the 2023 season happened last Saturday April 15, and attracted 25 hard-working volunteers. I got this report from FWT’s communications chair John Boettcher:

There were three projects in the mix. One involved ditching along the Hojack Trail at Hard Rd. to improve drainage. This was moderately successful and very difficult. The other two projects involved pickup of trash along the Hojack Trail from Sexton Park east to Philips Road and the Hickory Bark Trail near the Webster Library. We schedule this early in the season before the vegetation can hide the trash.

Several hundred pounds of plastic, paper, and cardboard along with tires and pallet debris were collected. In addition to the Hickory Bark Trail, the area around the library was cleaned of debris and energy level remained so high that the troops even took care of the Western border of Hickory Bark woods along Hard Road between the library parking lot and the expressway feeder. Lots done!

A huge thank-you to all of the volunteers who joined the effort that day to keep our local trails looking beautiful.

If you ever find yourself enjoying our wonderful trail system, consider joining the Friends of Webster Trails. Check out the Friends of Webster Trails website, then consider dropping $10 for a single membership or $15 for a family. Your donation will go a long way to helping these fine folks help US enjoy our town’s natural beauty for years to come. (Or better yet, sign up to join a workday!)

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

(posted 4/24/2023)

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Thanks to all who made today’s scavenger hunt a success

22 Apr

Just a quick blog today to say THANK YOU to all of the families who came to Finn Park this morning to participate in the Family Scavenger Hunt co-sponsored by the Webster Health & Education Network, the Webster Recreation Center and the Friends of Webster Trails.

Several dozen families took advantage of some beautiful weather to have a little fun exploring the Finn Park trails. Thanks to the recent rainy weather, there were several wet and muddy spots, but that didn’t deter the 58 young participants, ages 2 through 11, from taking the half-mile or mile-long hike. (I might have encouraged most of them to splash in the mud as they went along.) The kids could choose one of three increasingly difficult scavenger hunts, each asking them to search for different natural elements along the path, like birds, moss and flowers.

The kids all returned from their quest with smiles on their faces and a real sense of accomplishment. And probably the best part of all is that the scavenger hunt raised $280 to benefit the Friends of Webster Trails, which will be put to good use improving the already terrific trail system we have in Webster.

I was particularly impressed with one family, who came armed with litter pick-up tools, and took it upon themselves to fill half a garbage bag with trash from along the trail.

Also many thanks to Julie Schillaci at Webster Parks and Recreation, Anna Taylor from the Friends of Webster Trails, and Emily Pettit for all their help pulling this event together.

Arrows marked the scavenger hunt path.
Four-year old Lincoln Cline and his parents picked up trash along the way!
Anna Taylor, Friends of Webster Trails president, joined me at the registration tables.

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

(posted 4/22/2023)

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Webster community mailbag

30 Mar

The second annual Village of Webster Easter Egg Hunt, sponsored by the Webster BID, is just around the corner, on Saturday April 8 at the Webster Fireman’s Field on Ridge Rd.

The absolutely free event will begin at 11 a.m., and is designed for children ages 10 and under. Children will be split into three age groups: 0-2, 3-5 and 6-10. Arrive any time after 10:30 a.m. Our local business owners and community agencies are preparing almost 5,000 eggs, so no fear — there will be enough for everyone. (And some eggs have a secret surprise.)

The Easter Bunny will be there, too, so bring your cameras! This great event is sponsored by the village’s Business Improvement District.

By the way, the organizers could use some volunteers to help set up and run the event. If you’re interested in having a little fun and helping out, click here to sign up!

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Those young Brownies from Troop 60344 are at it again.

They’re going to be outside the Webster Walmart Home entrance on Saturday April 1 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. with their table of Girl Scout cookies. So no worries if you thought you’d missed out on Girl Scout Cookie season this year.

The girls will also be encouraging people to donate a box of cookies to the Blue Star Mothers NY8 chapter to be included in care packages for locally deployed troops. (The soldiers LOVE to get Girl Scout cookies.)

The Blue Star Mothers plan to send out more than 200 care packages soon, and would love to have a box of cookies to put in each one.

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The next Friends of the Webster Public Library book sale is quickly approaching!

The Friends’ Spring Book Sale will be held Wednesday April 26 through Saturday April 29. Gently used hardcover books will be available for only $1, paperback books will be $.50.

Members of the Friends can shop before everyone else, on Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m. If you’re not a member and want a sneak peek, memberships will be available at the door or on the library website.  

The general public sale will begin Thursday April 27 from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. Friday, April 28 is BYOB (bring your own bag) Bag Sale from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m, when you can fill a bag with gently used books for only $5. The bag sale continues on Saturday, April 29 but only from 10 a.m. til noon.

Proceeds from the spring book sale directly benefit library programs, book collections and other special projects.

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This notice from the Webster Central School District:

Applications for absentee ballots for the Webster CSD Annual Budget Vote and School Board Election are now available.

Qualified voters of the district who will be unable to attend the polls on the day of the vote may wish to use an absentee ballot. Voters must apply for the ballot in advance. Absentee ballot applications are available from District Clerk Cynthia Cushman, 119 South Avenue, Webster, phone (585) 216-0001, or at the news story on the district website.

All absentee ballot applications must be RECEIVED by the district clerk at least seven business days prior to the vote if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or the day before the vote if the ballot is to be picked up personally by or for the voter.

The Webster CSD Annual Budget Vote and election of Board of Education candidates takes place Tuesday, May 16, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the Webster Schroeder High School gym, 875 Ridge Road.

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Here’s a great way to celebrate Earth Day this coming April 22: a Family Scavenger Hunt.

This easy hike/scavenger hunt will take place at Liberty Lodge/Finn Park on Maple Drive from 10 a.m. to noon. Different hunts will be available for three three skill levels, ages 2 through 12. The event will take place rain or shine, so dress for the weather, and make sure to wear boots if it’s been wet. It would also be helpful if you could bring your own clipboard and pencil.

The Family Scavenger Hunt costs $5, and registrations are being taken through the Webster Recreation Center. PLEASE register ahead of time so we know how many kids to expect. Payment can be made when you arrive at the park. Click here to register.

The Family Scavenger Hunt is being hosted by the Webster Health & Education Network (WHEN) in conjunction with the Friends of Webster Trails and Webster Recreation Center. Proceeds will benefit the Friends of Webster Trails.

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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.

(posted 3/29/2023)

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