It was pretty busy Saturday night at Barry’s Old School Irish in the Village of Webster. But that was to be expected, as the little Irish pub was celebrating its 10th annivesary.
Hundreds of well-wishers streamed in and out throughout the evening, coming for the friendly atmosphere, great live music, good food and perfectly poured pints. Friends met up with friends, and strangers became new friends. And all evening, people were sharing their favorite Barry’s memories, from the time the horse came in the pub to when there was a fireplace in the corner — next to a couch.
Here’s a slideshow of photos from that evening (in no particular order).
OK, how stinkin’ cute is this? Listening to Russ Conlon’s ballad.
“Can I have your attention for the toast?”
Bagpipers are a Barry’s party tradition
Guinness was there offering free pints with your choice of photo on top.
Sean and Sarah of Barry’s Crossing reunited for the occasion to provide live music.
Later in the evening, Russ Conlon treated Danny and Jess to a sweet and beautifully performed ballad.
Someone shot off a confetti cannon.
The annual “looking to the future” photo
The confetti cannon fortunately missed MOST of the pints on the bar
Sarah Mossey of Barry’s Crossing
Sean Rosenberry of Barry’s Crossing
The whole gang
Raising a toast to Barry’s Old School Irish
Barry’s Runners came out in force to celebrate at their favorite running spot. (Please join us some Tuesday night.)
Santa Claus made a very special pre-holiday visit to town Saturday, bringing his North Pole workshop skills to the Bella’s Bumbas workshop in Webster. But rather than working on toys, he tried his hand at cobbling together his very own Bumba chair.
Ably assisted by elves Teagan Orr, Kenzie Fedele and Bella Shorr herself — whose story launched Bella’s Bumbas — Santa learned how to build a chair from the wheels up.
Bella’s Bumbas is run by Webster residents Marty Parzynski and Rebecca Orr, dedicated to building miniature wheelchairs for children with a wide variety of mobility issues. In the four years since Marty built the first Bumba for their niece Bella, they’ve shipped close to 2000 chairs to children in more than 50 countries, often adapting the chairs for each child’s individual needs, and charging the parents only for shipping.
Marty and Rebecca arranged for the special visit from Santa, originally inviting six of their “Bumbaleers” to attend. At the last minute, several of them couldn’t make it, but Kenzie and Bella’s delight alone at seeing the jolly old elf was enough to fill the room. They got their own elf hats, and were treated to a reading of the Christmas classic The Night Before Christmas, courtesy Santa himself.
The special Santa-built chair — which was signed by everyone that day — will soon be packed up and sent to a very lucky little boy named Tate in Connecticut.
Here are some more photos from that special afternoon when Bella’s Bumbas’ workshop became Santa’s workshop.
Kenzie Fedele, Teagan Orr and Bella Shorr are all ears as Santa reads The Night Before Christmas.
Santa’s elf Teagan Orr shows Santa how to install a wheel
Bella keeps an eye on how things are progressing in the workshop
Santa, Teagan Orr, Marty Parzynski and Kenzie Fedele
Santa signs the finished chair
This specially signed chair will be sent to a lttle boy in CT named Tate
Santa presents his three elves with gifts after the chair is done.
This special chair, resting under the big check Bella’s Bumbas received in September, is destined for Josue in Mexico.
Marty Parzynski chats with Santa about Josue’s specially designed chair
Bella’s Bumbas, by the way, relies entirely on donations to do their amazing work.
They recently received a huge one from a combined team of construction workers who are building the new Amazon warehouse in Gates.
When Rebecca and Marty were invited to stop by the work site on Friday Sept. 24, they had no idea why. When they got there, they were directed to a huge parking lot where row after row of tables were set up. Before long, they found themselves front-and-center in a short ceremony in which they were presented a huge check for $13,600.
Turns out, the construction team had been collecting donations and holding raffles for several weeks to raise money for Bella’s Bumbas. The tables were set up for a thank-you BBQ luncheon for everyone who donated. It was just the beginning of a continuing stream of donations from the team which eventually added up to $15,000.
default
Rebecca explained,
Bella’s Bumbas, Ltd. was given an AMAZING donation from a combined group of construction workers building the new Amazon warehouse in Gates, a total of $15,000. Project ROC1 Team did raffles, a BBQ, and donations to bless Bella’s Bumbas. From that we have received several “residual” donations, thanks to S.M.A.R.T. local Union 46 and all their support. S.M.A.R.T. local Union 46, not only helps make parts for our little chairs, they also share our “mission of mobility.” That same morning (which coincidentally was also the third anniversary of our moving into our current shop location) we also received an amazing $3000 from Webster Presbyterian Church.
The donations Bella’s Bumbas received from the Project ROC1 Team and in the following days allowed them to ship about 55 Bumbas around the world, absolutely free, including to the Upstate Golisano’s Children’s Hospital in Syracuse, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Haiti, Honduras, Canada, Belize, Turkey and Guatemala.
“Today we are truly THANKING God first and all our amazing supporters over the last four years,” Rebecca wrote.
We have been blessed beyond our wildest dreams. It has been a rewarding, blessed, chaotic, hectic, and WONDERFUL 4 years (and many more to come). We have received the most precious donations from $5 to $10 monthly thru auto payments, to $15,000 from fundraisers groups have done for us. From organizations locally to individuals we have never met.
Donations are not the only way Bella’s Bumbas operates. Our amazing volunteers, some local, some as far away as other countries, each doing their own special part of our “Mission of Mobility.” We are often baffled as to how to truly express our thanks and gratitude to so many people for the almost 2000 “bumbaleers” (named by an amazing grandmother, Ann Reid ) in now 53 countries.
We know each one of our very special bumbaleers has touched so many lives with their smiles,and laughs, and true little miracles.
“Bella’s Bumbas ‘Mission of Mobility’ all started for one little girl, our Bella, born with Spina Bifida, and is now also a BLESSED network of families encouraged and uplifted by each other,” Rebecca concluded. “Thank you seems so small compared to what Bella’s Bumbas has become with so many blessings.”
“THANK YOU from all of us here at Bella’s Bumbas and our little bumbaleers.”
Check out these photos and video of some of those happy little bumbaleers:
I have to ‘fess up right away that some of these items did not actually come through my mail. But they are some fun random events I wanted to share with you.
First, a photo of my friend Laureen Anthony-Palmer, from a party held Friday at the Webster Public Library in her honor. It was Laureen’s last day at the library; she and her husband will soon be moving down to Kentucky to be closer to their new granddaughter.
Laureen’s official title was Library Assistant, but that really doesn’t thoroughly reflect everything she did there. In her 18-year career with the library, Laureen managed the career collections, organized the collection drives for things like coats and Bella’s Bumbas materials, helped manage the library’s social media and sent regular PR emails to traditional media outlets.
That’s how I got to know Laureen. She regularly peppered my inbox with newsy bits from the library, and we worked as a team to help people learn more about the library and the greater Webster community.
I will miss seeing her smiling face (or at least her smiling eyes) when I wander over to the reference desk, but congratulate her for making the right decision. Family is paramount.
Godspeed, Laureen. It’s been great working with you.
It was a perfect fall day for a hike Saturday, and more than 100 people took advantage to participate in a family-friendly scavenger hunt at Four Mile Creek Preserve.
The event was co-hosted by the Friends of Webster Trails and the Webster Recreation Center. At the registration table, kids picked up one of three age-appropriate scavenger hunt sheets, then explored the preserve’s 3/4-mile long Blue Trail to locate and cross off as many of the items as possible. Everyone got a fun prize when they returned with their completed (or even partially completed) sheet.
This was a great event on so many levels. It gave families a fun way to help their kids exercise their bodies and minds in an outdoor activity. It introduced many people to a natural area they’d never been to before. And it was an opportunity to learn more about the great work the Friends of Webster Trails does.
An inspiring look at Miracle Field
If you didn’t get a chance a few weeks ago to catch the video created by Channel 8 WROC-TV about Rochester Challenger Miracle Field, I suggest you grab a cup of coffee, sit back and click on the link below.
The 30-minute long video, filmed in part at Miracle Field’s Heroes Helping Heroes event in July, is an excellent introduction to Miracle Field and the tremendous opportunities it provides to individuals with physical and/or cognitive challenges. It’s entertaining and inspiring, and will make your heart smile.
To find out more about Miracle Field and how you can help, visit their website.
Going, going, GONE!
Finally, here’s a great way to grab some early holiday gifts, and support a good cause at the same time.
Webster Comfort Care Home is hosting an online charity auction featuring jewelry, art, hockey games, restaurant gift cards, a two-night stay at an Upstate cabin, and more cool stuff.
Bidding is going on right now, through Nov. 13 at 8 p.m. For more information and to participate, click here.
This is an amazing story. It’s rather long, but read through to the end, because it will warm your heart.
When I first started writing this story, it was going to be all about the power of the internet and crowdsourcing. But in just two days, it morphed into something much more meaningful. It became a testament to the incredible positivity that can spread from one simple act of kindness.
It began several days ago when I received an email from DP Dunn. He told me that while taking a stroll along the lake, he’d come across a small GoPro camera which had washed up on the shore. He attached several photos which he’d been able to pull off the camera. They showed a young family enjoying a gorgeous summer day at a big house on the lake, time-stamped July 6, 2021. He thought that if I could post the story and photos in my blog, maybe SOMEONE would recognize the family in the photos.
Boy, was he right.
DP (Don) sent the email last Monday, but I didn’t get around to writing the blog until Thursday. (You can read that blog here.) I posted it to my social media feeds about 7:45 that morning. Less than two hours later I’d received emails from two people who could identify the home and homeowners. One of them even sent along the homeonwer’s LinkedIn profile so we could contact him. But that proved to be unnecessary.
By this time the blog was being shared widely on social media, where in no time it found Michelle Odenbach. It was her lakefront home in the photo, and her friends Ollie and Raquel Bartholomew splashing in the pool. Turns out the Bartholomews had been visiting the Odenbachs last summer from their home in Westchester County. Ollie lost the camera while tooling around the lake on a jet ski.
Michelle tagged her downstate friends in the Facebook post, and Raquel and Ollie responded almost immediately. I connected them with Don, the camera finder, and by noon the circle was complete. Almost four months after the camera had gone into Lake Ontario, it had been found and would soon be going home.
You might think the story ends there. But the flurry of emails and messages that followed was delightful, and took this already nice story of kindness to entirely new level. Bear with me as I share several of those.
First, some of Ollie’s initial reactions to the news that his camera had been found (and I am liberally combining several messages here…)
This is absolutely incredible! An example of good will and humanity at its very finest! Thank you, kind reader, and thank you to the publisher for this thoughtful process and effort you’ve gone to.
This is my camera. It fell off a jet ski mid-ride whilst we were celebrating 4th of July weekend with relatives in Webster. I am just so astonished and grateful to everyone involved here. That camera contains valuable photos and videos of our 3 children enjoying the holidays!
I and my wife are absolutely delighted! I was in SO much trouble cuz this thing has photos and videos of our eldest daughter learning to swim etc. I love stories like this, rare though they are, to be at the centre of one is an honour and pleasure of the highest order!
Our discussion then moved to email, where Don introduced himself.
Hi Ollie,
By way of introduction, I’m Don. Seems I found this little gem of yours.
You know the story, my friend. When I found the camera on Monday it had been washed ashore at Webster Park, on the walkway just west of the pier. The waves were 3-5 feet that day, with a strong wind out of the east, I think. What you don’t know is how hard I laughed when I viewed the very last video file saved on the memory card. You know, the one where the camera fell in the lake. On the audio, you can hear the sea-do circling as you look for the camera. And the camera sinks deeper and deeper … It just moves me to tears (of laughter) every time I watch that. Does that make me a bad person?
Seriously, Dude – send that video into America’s Funnies Videos. If you don’t win, you’ll likely place in the top 3.
Ollie responded,
Dear Don,
What a huge pleasure to meet you.This is nothing short of extraordinary and I am indebted to you for the effort you’ve gone to here. These kind of stories are few and far between and rarely (I’m guessing) yield a successful outcome! I am overjoyed to be part of a successful one.
And then he did a wonderful thing. As his way of repaying his “debt to humanity,” Ollie offered to donate $100 in my name and Don’s name to charity. As it so happens, Don has a good friend, Kevin Woolever, who is fighting ALS, and for whom a GoFundMe page has been set up to help with medical expenses and paying off his house. Don and I both asked Ollie put the $200 towards Kevin’s cause.
Within hours, Ollie had made the donation and reported back, adding that he had also encouraged his friends to consider supporting the GoFundMe page. He wrote,
Donation made and karma officially balanced.
Thanks again Missy for graciously putting your share towards Kevin and Sharon’s cause. It is truly heart warming and I have shared it in turn on my Facebook in case friends / family are able to dig deep and help also. I was glad to see my donation pushed it over the $8k mark – what a phenomenal response and I know the money will work hard for their needs during this very trying time. I wish them all the best in the world.
Don put the waterlogged GoPro in the mail yesterday, only about 36 hours after I posted that blog. Ollie is going to contact the company and hopefully get it replaced. In the meantime, he and Don and I are planning to grab a pint together at Barry’s when they’re in town again. Maybe I’ll get to meet the famous GoPro.
An unplanned walk along the lake, a simple kindness and a short blog. Who knew where they would lead?
Or, as Don observed,
Look at all that’s happened since: Ollie and family get their camera and photos. Missy and her crew of ‘junior detectives’ solved a mystery and her readers get a neat story. Kevin gets a step closer to saving his house. New friendships have formed.
Whoda thunk?
* * *
For those who have stayed with me this far, here are some fun tidbits:
Ollie had the foresight to note the exact GPS coordinates where he’d lost the camera. Don put this map together, showing where he found it west of the pier, calculating that in four months it traveled roughly 1.26 km or .8 miles, including the distance it had to go around the pier.
And as a EXTRA SPECIAL treat, here’s that video from when the GoPro went into the lake.
And by the way, by Thursday evening — the DAY I posted the blog — it had received more than 8,000 hits. By far (and I mean by several thousand) the most hits I have ever gotten on a blog. And they’re still coming in. That’s the power of social media.
Barry’s Old School Irish is celebrating its 10th anniversary Saturday night.
There’s not much more I can say about this little Irish pub which I have not said before. How Barry’s has changed the face of Webster. How Barry’s has positively affected so many lives. How Danny and Jessica have become like family.
Several weeks ago I took my most recent stab at putting my feelings into words when I posted this preview of Saturday’s festivities. I have struggled since to come up a different way to note this remarkable occasion.
What I came up with is this photo retrospective from the last ten years. They begin with a shot of the unsightly bulding before Danny and Jessica purchased it, when the plumbing shop was still in business. There are photos from every anniversary (except #9, which didn’t really happen during the pandemic) and several special events, and concludes with the beautiful pub we have come to know and love.
Remember the old plumbing shop?
This was after the plumbing shop owner died and it was being prepared for a new owner,
The day before Barry’s officially opened. Look at the blank walls.
Look how young these kids were
Grand opening ribbon cutting
Grand opening
Maley’s surprise baby shower
Pre-Maley
Great Guinness Toast 2012
Great Guinness Toast 2012
An early traditional session, featuring local Irish music royalty Marty O’Keefe and Ted McGraw
First anniversary
First anniversary
Candlelight vigil for West Webster. 12/27/2012
12/27/2012
12/27/2012
Oops. This is a duplicate
Dan and Jess with Ted McGraw and Marty O’Keefe, 2012
Barry’s Crossing playing for the Great Guinness Toast 2012
2nd anniversary
2nd anniversary
2nd anniversary
Guinness Toast 2013
Guinness Toast 2013
3rd anniversary
3rd anniversary
3rd anniversary
New Year’s Eve 2013
New Year’s Eve 2013
4th anniversary
4th anniversary
4th anniversary
5th anniversary
5th anniversary
5th anniversary
6th anniversary
6th anniversary
6th anniversary
6th anniversary
7th anniversary
7th anniversary
7th anniversary
8th anniversary
New pews!!!
Barry’s today.
Compared to 2011
Here are some thoughts from Danny and Jess, taken from the Facebook event page.
Jessica and I are excited to celebrate the 10 Year Anniversary of Barry’s Old School Irish with everyone!
This little Irish Pub is special for so many reasons. A dream of ours to open after honeymooning in Ireland, which became a reality at 20 and 24 years old. We’ve brought 3 crazy kiddos into this world since the year we opened Barry’s- our kids have quickly gained MANY aunts and uncles from our community. We are so thankful to all those who call Barry’s home and are blessed to have made so many wonderful friends that have become family to us. We’ve shared a lot of lasting memories together in these 10 years, now let’s make a few more on November 6th during our Anniversary Party!
Here are some details, but you can find more information on the event page:
• 7 to 10 p.m.: live Irish Music by Sean & Sarah of Barry’s Crossing! They were our first ever musicians to play at the pub, and for a long time were the “house band.” They haven’t played together in a long time, and are reuniting for this performance. • Irish Whiskey reps. in with samples & give-aways • Irish Dancers in to perform • Give-aways from Guinness, Proper 12, Magners, and more • Bagpiper making an appearance
Barry’s Old School Irish is located at 2 West Main St., in the Village of Webster.
* * * UPDATE! The Go Pro owner has been found and plans are in the works to get the camera returned. Stay tuned for an update on how this story unfolded. * * *
I got a very interesting email from a reader a few days ago, someone who clearly knows how much I like a mystery.
The email read,
While walking along the shore at Webster Park early this morning, I found a nice, little Go Pro camera.
These things ain’t cheap.
It is a model HERO9 Black, with an orange ‘floaty’ case, and some other interesting and unique characteristics. I opened it and found the serial number, then contacted GoPro. So far, no one has contacted GoPro to report this camera missing. They have the s/n on file, and should the owner report it missing, they will contact the finder, and owner and camera will be reunited.
The camera has been in the water for a while, but the manufacturer has a generous replacement policy. I wonder if a local reader lost this ‘in the drink’ some time ago. Or, perhaps it fell off of their boat or personal water craft during a warm summer’s day.
The kind reader attached these photos from the camera, and said that the last photos were taken July 6, 2021.
Do you recognize anyone? Let’s see if we can find this Go Pro’s home!
I’m going to start today with a few notes from the Webster Recreation Center, which has two fun events coming up this weekend.
The first is Friday Nov. 5, when Webster Parks and Recreation celebrates its 10th anniversary on Chiyoda Drive. The Rec Center officially opened on Oct. 1, 2011 in a newly renovated building which was formerly the Xerox Recreation Center. Its previous home was the much smaller Ridgecrest facility on Ebner Drive.
It was a great move for the Rec Center and for the Town, as the new facility offered a LOT more space indoors and outdoors for programs and community events. In the years since the move, the Town of Webster has taken full advantage of the property, adding an ice rink, the First Responders Playground and great community events like the Mud Run and recent Pumpkins on Parade. And, of course, a huge variety of fitness classes inside the facility.
The entire community is invited to a grand, all-day birthday party on Friday to help celebrate. And I mean ALL DAY, like from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. There are free fitness classes, a dance party, carnival games, a community group fair, bounce house, and much more. Click here to see the whole schedule.
The Webster Recreation Center is located at 1350 Chiyoda Dr., off of Phillips Rd.
It’s not part of the anniversary celebration, but the Rec Center is also hosting a family scavenger hunt on Saturday Nov. 6 at Four Mile Creek Preserve, at the corner of Phillips Rd. and Lake Rd.
Sign in between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., and then look for clues around the park. Each participant will receive a scavenger hunt answer key, which can be turned in at the end for a fun prize.
Three skills levels will be offered for children ages 2 to 12. Cost is $5 per child; please register ahead of time by clicking here (look for program #301205) and you can pay at the event. All proceeds will benefit the Friends of Webster Trails to support the maintenance and improvement of our awesome Webster trail system.
Get your museum trees soon!
The Webster Museum has started taking reservations from individuals and organizations who want to decorate one of their miniature Christmas trees for this year’s Festival of Trees, and word is the trees are going fast.
If you’re interested in participating, don’t delay in making your reservation. Call Kathy at (585) 313-3709 and leave a message with your name and phone number. Calls will be returned in the order they are received.
Please be prepared to supply the following information when you get a call back:
caller’s name, email and phone
decorator’s name, email and phone
any special requests (like location or lighting)
In the meantime, stop by and see the museum’s new exhibit honoring our veterans, and some of poetry written in war time. The museum is located at 18 Lapham Park in the Village of Webster, and is open from 2 to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Hot Cocoa Hike
The Friends of Webster Trails will host their annual Hot Cocoa Hike this Saturday Nov. 6, beginning at 7 p.m.
This year’s hike will take place at Whiting Rd. Nature Preserve, located on Whiting Rd. north of Shoemaker. Arrive anytime bewteen 7 and 8 p.m. and hike your way to some free hot chocolate. This is not a guided event, but the whole path is lighted and will be easy to follow.
Click here to get more details and to register. There’s no charge but the Friends would like to know how many people to expect.
* * *
And while we’re talking about the Friends, I’d like to extend a personal thank you to those blog readers who recently joined the Friends of Webster Trails as new members. (You know who you are.)
As a frequent trail user myself, I’m a huge fan of what this all-volunteer organization does to maintain and build new trails in Webster. As such, I frequently write about them in my blog.
Apparently, after my most recent Friends of Webster Trails blog, in which I once again encouraged everyone to become members, several of my wonderful readers actually did so. Last week I got an email from Denise Bilsback, the Friends’ membership chair, who told me that they had an uptick of new members in October, and nine of them cited my blog as one of their reasons.
So thank you for helping me know that my blog is making a difference. But even more than that, thank you for supporting the Friends of Webster Trails.
Congratulations to the following winners of this year’s Trick-or-Treat Trail Costume Contest!
0 to 5 years old
1st place: “Doctor & Patient” – Benjamin & Groot Bradford
Tied for 2nd: “Bar Maid” (Dixie Doud) and “Construction Worker” (Liam Murphy) Tied for 3rd: “Elsa” (Sophia White) and “Paw Patrol Marshall” (Austin Hoffman)
6-12 years old
1st place: “Zombie Princess” (Teagan Hoffman)
Tied for 2nd: “Lumberjack/Scarecrow” (Michael Bovenzi) and “Witch” (Malaya Quinn) Tied for 3rd: “Marie-White Cat” (Molly Koenig) and “Skeleton” (Elliana Palmer)
Families
1st place: “Fruit Salad” (Malarkey Family)
Tied for 2nd: “Nightmare Before Christmas” (Gallagher Family) and “Addams Family” (Spampinato Family) Tied for 3rd: “Super Heroes” (King Family) and “Thomas the Train, Conductor & Gates” (Cline Family)
This is why they’re called “The Pride of Webster.”
On Saturday, our very own Webster Marching Band blew away the competition at this year’s state championships, held at the Carrier Dome, earning the title of State Champion of the Large School 2 Division. It’s the first time the band has held the title in more than 30 years.
The band competed against eight other schools in their LS2 division, who attended from all over the state. At the end of the day, only 11 points separated the nine schools. But Webster stood alone at the top, with 90.8 points, a full 1.7 points ahead of second-place West Seneca.
It was a very satisfying end to a VERY long day for the band members and their parent helpers.
“Championship day is a FULL day,” wrote Band Director Jerbrel Owens. “We start early in the morning with a hearty breakfast and we then take the long drive to Syracuse. We are on a tight schedule so the students need to move quickly, warm-up, and move again until it’s our time to enter the Carrier Dome.”
Bowens, himself a Webster grad and former Marching Band member, wrote the winning program, called “Unbroken.”
Writing it was very fun, but most importantly it was written specifically for our students, which makes them successful as well as challenges them a bit. I believe that this is where the success began. We also work closely with a drill writer who wrote the drill just for our students which made it even more successful. We as staff gave them a “vehicle” and the students drove away with it and won!
I am honored to have written this show for them.
Bowens’ long history with the band made it easier for him to create the perfect program for this year’s musicians and performers.
I marched in this program from 2009 to 2011, and I came back in 2016 to teach the drumline. This year was different. The same kids that were 6th graders when I came back were the student leaders this year, who I believe led their sections to success. All of the students understood the goal, agreed on that goal and achieved that goal.
This is all on the students. When the time starts at each show, it isn’t the staff anymore, it’s all on the kids. They deserve all of the applause for their actions as a TEAM.
The Webster Marching Band, now in its 36th season, is made up of 66 student musicians and performers drawn from all four Webster secondary schools: Spry Middle School, Willink Middle School, Webster Schroeder High School, and Webster Thomas High School. Each band season begins with extensive training in the spring, followed by the summer parade season, and finally an eight-week competitive season. The band participated in six competitions this year, and not only did the Pride of Webster win every single one of them (also an historical achievement), they improved their score every week. Breaking the 90 barrier was a fitting end to an outstanding season.
After the performance, the band’s seniors and drum major assembled on the field with the other bands to hear the scores and receive their award. They were welcomed home on Halloween evening with a Webster police and fire department escort to celebrate their championship.
Congratulations to the all of the Webster Marching Band musicians and performers. Your hard work payed off big time. You truly do make Webster proud.
For more coverage of this great accomplishment, check out this video from Channel 8 WROC-TV.
My husband and I moved into the village the summer of 2019, so this is our third Halloween here. We were told by our neighbors to expect hundreds of kids, many of them arriving in minivans (imported from other neighborhoods where the trick-or-treating is not as plentiful, I suspect). And, they added, people will sit outside in their driveways aside their fire pits to welcome the kids.
We and our firepit and several bags of candy were prepared for our Halloween in the new house. But it rained hard that evening, which kept a lot of trick-or-treaters at home and the firepit covered.
Last year, of course, was COVID. ‘Nuff said.
So yesterday, when the weather was expected to be dry and comfortable, we were ready again. And we were not disappiointed. The trick-or-treaters started arriving at 5:30 and we didn’t pack up until 8. Granted, our little corner of Fuller Ave. doesn’t attract nearly as many kids as the Dunning Ave./Park Ave. neighborhoods, so we overbought candy. But I dressed in a scary costume, and we sat by our fire pit with some adult beverages, finally enjoying a REAL Webster Village Halloween. (We even had a cooler full of “adult trick-or-treats” which turned out to be very popular.)
I did take a quick walk down to Dunning, since I was told the homeowners there go all out on Halloween with their decorations. I’ve posted some photos here. A lot of those houses were really neat.
But what I especially loved seeing was how everyone was greeting the kids OUTSIDE, on their porches or in their driveways. It’s so much different from the North Penfield neighborhood we came from. So … village-y.
I’m already looking forward to next year. And I think I’m going to like having all that leftover candy, so I might overbuy again.
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
webster on the web 