Webster community mailbag

11 Jul

Summer events are coming fast and furious now. There’s no excuse for the kids (or adults) to say they’re bored anytime soon.

Here are some highlights:

  • The next Webster Wine Walk is Friday July 15 from 5 to 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 each for a chance to sample wine and snacks at a dozen or so different merchants throughout the village. These tickets go very quickly, so get yours soon, by visiting the Webster BID website.
  • Summer Splash Day returns to the First Responders Splash Park on Saturday July 16 from 3 to 5 p.m. There’ll be all sorts of splash-y fun, and free Kona Ice sponsored by Gleason Othodontics. The spray park is located next door to the Webster Recreation Center on Chiyoda Drive.
  • What’s a Webster summer without music at the gazebo? The first Friday Night Concert of the summer will be held July 22, from 7 to 9 p.m., featuring the Rochester Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra. Bring your lawn chairs, blankets, snacks and liquid refreshments.
  • This year’s Heroes’ Day at Challenger Miracle Field is scheduled for Saturday July 23. Plans are still coming together about this fun and inspiring event which teams first responders up with our Challenger athletes. Details are slim right now, but click here to read a blog I wrote about last year’s event.
  • There’s a Family Games and Beer Garden Night coming up in the village on Friday July 29. These have become very popular family events. Part of Main Street is closed down, and the BIG games brought out: Giant Jenga, Giant Connect Four, Cornhole, sidewalk chalk, and more. There’s live music and dancing from Dancing With Denise. Brought to you by the Webster BID, this Games Night will be sponsored in part by the Webster Health and Education Network (WHEN). Visit the Webster BID website for more information.
  • The annual Waterfront Art Festival is back, this year on July 30 and 31 at the same location (North Ponds Park) with a different name (Charles E. Sexton Memorial Park). Now in its 49th year, this event will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, and is always packed with high-quality artisans. Check the website for more details.

As I find out more about these events, I’ll try to post it. In the meantime, stay up on the Webster BID website for updates and additions.

Oh, one more thing.

The barn doors at 394 Phillips Road are now open for donations to the Webster Museum’s Barn Sale, scheduled for Sept. 15 to 17. This annual sale makes a significant contribution to the all-volunteer museum’s operating expenses.

The museum welcomes household goods, tools, toys, pottery, collections, books, music, games, etc.  Think small and easy to lift. Please DO NOT leave large furniture, clothing, shoes, computers, exercise equipment or skis.

You can just leave your donations in the barn (receipts are on the table). Call Jan Naujokas at (585) 265-3268 if you have questions.

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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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Webster BID presents Wine Walk proceeds to Heritage Christian Stables

10 Jul

The Village of Webster’s regular Wine Walks are not only a great social occasion and chance to try some terrific new wines; the events also benefit local organizations.

The very popular Wine Walks are sponsored by the village’s Business Improvement District (BID), which donates the proceeds from each one to local nonprofit agencies. The most recent Wine Walk, held May 21, attracted almost 200 participants, and raised $750 for that month’s designated charity, Heritage Christian Stables, located on Salt Rd.

A community impact program of Heritage Christan Services, Heritage Christian Stables specializes in therapeutic riding programs for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Presenting the check to Heritage Christian Stables Director Tara Defendorf-Kuba (center, with Harry Potter the horse) are BID representatives Kevin Finn (left) and Janice Raffaele-Addamo, from Finn’s Garage.

The next Webster Wine Walk is scheduled for Friday, July 15. Visit www.websterbid.com for more information. 

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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 7/10/2022)

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Evening in the Park a great new Joe Obbie event

8 Jul

The Joe Obbie Farmers’ Market, which for years has set up every summer Saturday in Webster Towne Center, has just gotten better.

On Wednesday the market introduced its brand new “Evening in the Park” market at Charles Sexton Park (formerly North Ponds Park).

The new market, held from 4 to 8 p.m., is an offshoot of the regular Saturday Joe Obbie Market we’ve come to know and love. It doesn’t replace the Saturday market at the plaza, but is like a bonus market, held during the week.

Ten vendors had set up Wednesday night, selling a variety of wares from fresh vegetables and maple syrup to honey and crafts. The Webster Recreation Center had an information table, and four food trucks catered to hungry visitors. The vendor turnout was a little light compared to the regular Saturday market, but it’s still early in the season and I expect the Evening in the Park will grow through the summer.

There was also live music, provided by Steve Lyons and his band.

Judging from the attendance at this first-ever event, it appears that the new market will be quite successful. An hour into the event, the parking lot was mostly full, and people were still streaming in, quad chairs in hand, planning to grab some dinner at the food trucks and listen to the music.

The Evening in the Park will be held every Wednesday in July and August from 4 to 8 p.m. at Charles Sexton Park (North Ponds Park), which can be reached by taking the Rt. 104 access road off of Rt. 250/North Ave.

And don’t forget about the original Joe Obbie Farmers’ Market, held every Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Webster Towne Center (Kohl’s/Target Plaza) by the Old Navy store.

For more information about the market, visit their Facebook page here.

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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 7/8/2022)

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The Carnival is back!

7 Jul

Without a doubt, the highlights of the Webster summer event schedule are the Firemen’s Carnival and the parade that heralds its arrival. And after two very boring, Carnival-less summers, I’m pleased to see that this very popular event is back this year, Wednesday July 13 through Saturday July 16.

The excitement is already beginning. The rides are being set up at Firemen’s Field, and the water barrels staged for the parking lots.

You can check out all the details about what will be happening, and when, at the NEJFD website, but here are some of the highlights:

Wednesday July 13:

  • Craft beer expo
  • The Breakfast Club plays in the Beer Tent
  • games, food, rides

Thursday July 14:

  • Fireman’s Parade begins at 6:30 p.m.
  • North of Forty plays in the Beer Tent
  • Games, food, rides

Friday July 15:

  • State Line plays in the Beer Tent
  • Games, food, rides

Saturday July 16:

  • Kiddie Parade at noon, beginning at Spry Middle School
  • The Magic Guy entertains at the fairgrounds
  • Free kids’ bike and grill drawing
  • Knight Patrol playing in the Beer Tent
  • Fireworks at midnight

Lots more details and regular updates can be found on the Carnival Facebook page.

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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 7/7/2022)

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A little bit of Santa’s magic to brighten your day

6 Jul

I think we need to be reminded every once in a while that even during difficult times — and we’ve had a lot of difficult times recently — simple, magical moments can still happen to brighten our lives.

Such is the case with the following story, which I picked up from Facebook. It was recalled by my friend Jim Lockwood, “Webster’s Santa.” You’ve no doubt seen Jim in the village’s annual Parade of Lights at White Christmas, or maybe your kids visited him at the gazebo last year before the parade.

If you’ve ever had the good fortune to meet Jim, you know as I do that he actually is the real Santa Claus. There’s just something … magical about him and the effect he has on everyone he meets. I think this story which he shared a few days ago illustrates that.

He titled his story “Never Too Old.”

A few years ago I did a Christmas in July gig in one of the small towns in our area. It was a local Farmer’s Market set up in a large municipal parking lot.

It was a warm Saturday afternoon in July, not too busy, moms magically juggling bags of fruits and vegetables, going from stand to stand with children in tow, checking everything out. Children were asking, “Where are your reindeer?”, “How many elves do you have?” and “Why are you here in the middle of summer?” All good questions needing carefully-worded answers.

A young woman waited until the line dwindled, then came over to my chair and whispered that her elderly grandmother had never seen or talked with Santa. She asked if I would talk with her, if I had the time. Of course Santa has the time. I told her, I would love to talk with her grandmother. During a lull of a thousand questions she brought her beautiful grandmother over to visit with Santa. I think they were vendors at the market.

This young woman gave me one of the most memorable moments I’ve had portraying Santa Claus by bringing this wonderful soul to visit with Santa.

They say Santa is the spirt of Christmas, that he brings happiness and hope. I think they got it right!

Yes, she did tell me her Christmas wishes…

When I asked Jim if I could share his story in my blog, he wrote, “I was so humbled and honored to be the first Santa that she had ever visited.”

“She brought the joy and happiness that day. She was the Spirit of Christmas! I think her face tells the whole story.”

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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 7/6/2022)

Who WAS Jon S. Gerling? I’ve found out more about him

3 Jul

Last August, I posted a blog about a small memorial located in Ridge Park, just steps from busy Ridge Rd., and next to Challenger Miracle Field. It was erected decades ago, but I had only just noticed it recently.

The memorial was created in honor of Jon S. Gerling. After discovering it, I tried to do a little research into Mr. Gerling, with limited success. So I tossed the blog out there reporting what I had discovered, and ended it by asking for anyone with more information to contact me.

It took several months, but earlier this year I heard from Rob Gerling, Jon’s son, who filled me in a little more about his father’s background and why the memorial was placed there.

He wrote,

You are correct my father is Jon S. Gerling, and you are correct he was very active in the Webster Athletic Association. Prior to his death my brother and I played baseball in WAA and my father was both a coach of teams and commissioner of the league. After his death the baseball field by the Town Hall was dedicated in my father’s name.  

Rob added that Jon was the son of Curt Gerling, who at the time owned Empire State Weeklies, which published many weekly newspapers in the area including the Webster Herald. Curt was also an author (having written three books on Rochester society and an autobiography), and an early WXXI-TV personality.

In a follow-up email, Rob provided even more background about his family and life in 1960s Webster, writing,

(My father) grew up in the Rochester area, went to Brighton High School, and graduated in 1959. He attended Furman University in Greenville, SC, although only went for a couple of years.  He married my mother, Sheila Siede, in December 1961. Myself and my brother Jim, followed in 1962 and 1965. 

My father and his brother Bill both worked for my grandfather at Empire State Weeklies in Webster (now owned by Dave Young). Dave was there when I worked a few afternoons when they printed the papers on Tuesday afternoons.

My father was active in local sports, the Webster Athletic Association, with my brother and myself, up until his passing. My father along with his father was an avid outdoorsman. He enjoyed duck and pheasant hunting and fishing on Sodus Bay, where Curt Gerling (his father) had a hunting cabin. The place on Sodus Bay has since been sold.  While at Empire State Weeklies, my father sold advertising space in the various papers to local businesses where the paper was distributed.

His Brother Bill passed away in the early 2000’s and he also worked at the paper. He, like Curt, was very active in local Rochester politics. My father, not so much. 

Webster was a different place in the 60s and 70s growing up. We would go to Wegmans, Al’s Pizza, Musclow’s, Charlie Riedel’s and GoldenWest for a big night out on the town. There was a drive-in and a bowling alley. The town has changed in the last 50 years. 

My father is buried at West Webster Cemetery … He is buried with my father’s family, while his father Curt, and brother Bill are buried at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Rochester.

Many thanks to Rob for helping us know more about Jon Gerling and how he — and his family — made their mark in our town.

Click here to read the original blog I posted about the memorial.

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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 7/3/2022)

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Bygone blog — The psychology of dinner dishes

1 Jul

This is the latest in my on-again, off-again series of Bygone Blogs, in which I am re-posting some of my favorite blogs from the last eight years. This one was originally published on December 18, 2011.

The psychology of dinner dishes

As we were clearing the table after dinner last night, my husband, son and I got into a discussion about loading the dishwasher. (All families talk about stuff like this, right?) It wasn’t one of our more in-depth discussions like we’ve had about things like the proper way to hang the toilet paper, or why there are grease spots on the kitchen ceiling. No, this was simply an exploratory discussion about why on earth my husband chooses to stack the glasses on the inside rows of the upper rack rather than filling the outside rows first. That’s just weird.

From that discussion, we came up with an interesting idea: how a person loads a dishwasher can tell you a lot about their personality.

Let’s say, for example, that you always insist on loading the dishwasher yourself, and when someone else does it, you go back to correct their work when no one’s looking. That means you have control issues.

Do you make sure all the knives, spoons and forks are separated into their own individual compartments? You’re OCD.

Do you put your knives in point-up? That’s sadistic.

Do you methodically fill every square inch of the top racks with cups, glasses and serving utensils; stack bowls, dinner plates and pots and pans two layers deep in the bottom rack; shoe-horn in six more cake plates, and THEN turn it on and expect the appliance to deal with it? Totally passive-aggressive.

Think about that when you’re hanging around in the kitchen with your extended family this holiday season. You never know what you might discover.

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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 7/1/2022)

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Is your flag looking shabby? Dispose Old Glory properly, at Town Hall

29 Jun

Recently, when I was hanging out my American flag for Flag Day, I noticed that it wasn’t looking too great. It wasn’t tattered or torn, but it was stained and very faded, the result of years of use in bright sunshine. I knew it had to go.

I also knew that, once I had replaced it, the old Old Glory needed to be disposed of properly, and certainly NOT thrown in the garbage. I knew of one flag collection box in Irondequoit, but was very pleased to find out recently that Webster has one as well.

It’s located in the main reception area of Town Hall on Ridge Rd., and is accessible during normal office hours. It’s basically a recycled mailbox where community members can deposit their old, worn-out flags.

The box was placed at Town Hall in the summer of 2019, thanks to the efforts of former supervisor Ron Nesbitt and his staff. It was donated by the Webster Post Office and painted by Vital Signs, who transformed it from what was an average blue mailbox to the bright, patriotic box it is now.

Whenever the bin is full, a Town Hall staff member empties it and takes all of the flags to Webster American Legion Cottreall-Warner Post 942, where they are properly disposed of.

This is a great resource to know about, especially at this time of year when we tend to fly our flags more often. It’s such an easy way to make sure our old American flags are shown the respect and dignity they deserve.

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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 6/29/2022)

 

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Serenity Life celebrates first anniversary, expands its North Ave. offices

27 Jun
Serenity Life is at 98 North Ave. in Webster
Mattye McKibben next to a painting she did when she was younger

In this day and age when we too often hear about businesses having to close up shop, it’s nice to hear about one which is actually expanding.

Serenity Life Creative Arts Therapy, located at 98 North Ave. in the Village of Webster, has recently added two new counseling rooms/offices, doubling the practice’s original space, just as the business celebrates its first anniversary.

Serenity Life specializes in counseling services and creative arts therapy for anxiety, life stressors, addiction, healing trauma and more. The office’s 13 service providers are trained in traditional talk therapy AND art therapy. What that means is you don’t have to be artistic to seek out their help, but art, music and even dance can be incorporated into sessions when appropriate.

Serenity Life is directed by Webster Schroeder graduate Mattye McKibben, herself an experienced art therapy clinician. Mattye first learned about the discipline in her Advanced Placement art class, and after graduation pursued degrees in art therapy and creative arts therapy. She worked in the local hospital system for 11 years before opening her own counseling office — Serenity Life — last July.

“We take a person-centered, solution-focused approach to counseling where clients feel partnered with, heard, like they have choices in the services they receive,” Mattye said. “Our goal is for folks to feel they are making progress right away. We pride ourselves on finding a great therapeutic match with the counselor because this is one of the biggest indicators that therapy will be successful.”

Mattye says she’s still working on decorating the new offices, striving to furnish them “in a fun way,” with a “mid-century vibe,” using lots of vintage furniture. The walls are filled with artwork painted by Mattye herself, or one of her very talented family members.

The results are immediately obvious when you step through the door. The rooms are bright, welcoming, calming and comforting … just as they should be in a counseling office.

Even though Serenity Life only joined the Village of Webster business scene a short time ago, it’s already become a strong community supporter. During the Fall in Love With Webster event last February, for example, they hosted a free “Love Yourself” virtual group therapy class. In April they stuffed 100 plastic eggs for the Village of Webster’s Easter Egg Hunt, and coming up next month, keep an eye out for them in the Firemen’s Parade.

Community involvement is an important part of their mission, Mattye said.

“We’re part of the community. We want to be your friendly neighborhood counselor that’s trustworthy, relatable and inclusive, creating a safe environment for everyone.”

Click here to find out more about Serenity Life Creative Arts Therapy. Here’s a peek at the offices:

One of the newest rooms is a dedicated children’s room
A small patio area invites more informal discussions

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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 6/27/2022)

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A sad farewell to a village business

25 Jun

One of East Main Street’s most charming shops will soon be closing its doors.

Village HandWorks opened last September at 19 E. Main, right next door to the Village Quilt Shoppe. Owner Jenn Ratcliffe, an avid spinner, weaver and knitter herself, was hoping it would become a favorite stop for anyone interested in practicing and learning more about those and other handicrafts. She began by offering classes and in-store demonstrations, but before long branched out into retail, selling yarns and other locally-produced handcrafted items.

But interest and sales never quite got very robust.

“I saved money for a long time to be able to pay rent in a shop for a year,” Jenn said. “Hopefully in that year I’d be able to get the sales to where they needed to be to at least make a decent dent in the rent and utilities. But it’s just not doing it.”

As a result of the slow sales and other rental property issues, Jenn has given up on her dream … but don’t count her out completely just yet.

“The people are fantastic here in the village,” she said. “I love them. I’m considering keeping the shop in the village, but right now there’s no place available with decent rent.”

So for now, Jenn said, she’s going to “bring her business home.” Much of her inventory will go into a storage unit, and her 15 local artisans will retrieve their products. Then, she says, she’ll take her yarns and her looms and teach weaving and knitting out of her house for now.

“And then kind of figure out where I want to be. Where I need to be.”

Village HandWorks is located at 19 E. Main Street in the Village of Webster. The shop will be open through Thursday June 30.

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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 6/25/2022)

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