Some thoughts from the trail

11 Apr

I hope you got a chance to get out and work in the yard or take a walk or ride your bike — or all three — on that summer-like Saturday we just had.

My husband and I got our bikes out for the first time, hoisted them up onto the bike rack and drove down to one of our favorite riding spots, the Canal Trail. We like to park in Fairport and ride along the trail seven miles west to Pittsford. There, we rest, enjoy the sights of Schoen Place, then head back to Fairport, rewarding ourselves with a pint upon our return.

I saw a delightful addition to the trail which impressed me so much that I would have written about it in my D&C column if I were still writing it. But since I’m not, I’ll pass it along to all you fine blog readers.

It’s a project called the 2021 Poet-Tree Installation. It’s sponsored by the Village of Fairport Tree Board in celebration of National Poetry Month (April). What they’ve done is hung 45 poems in and around the village, along North Main Street and east and west of the village along the canal path.

According to the a press release I found online, many of the poems were written by Fairport High School juniors, and others are from current and former community members. The poems were installed on April 5 and will remain on the trees through the end of the month.

What an outstanding idea to honor poetry and those who write it, especially our high school students. I would love to see Webster do something like this next year, or even later this year. How about it, Thomas and Schroeder English teachers? This would be a great project to put a spark into the end of the year for these kids.

Speaking of columns, one of the favorite ones was the Mystery of the Little Pine Tree.

My husband and I came across the little tree back in 2016 while we were riding the canal. It stood in a small clearing about a quarter mile southeast of Great Embankment Park. It was clearly a piece of chainsaw artwork, but the only identyfying feature was a date: 9-6-98.

After some research, I found out it was created by Pittsford-based chainsaw artist Dave Jewett, who carved it out of a tree that fell during the massive windstorm that blew through that day.

We enjoyed seeing the little tree each time we rode the canal path. But then, one day last year, we discovered the tree had been replaced with a much taller, much more beautiful tree, probably also the work of Dave Jewett. It’s a nice piece, but I was sad to see that our little friend had been removed.

On Saturday, I saw that the little tree was back, and that stopped me in my tracks. It’s not standing on its original pedestal — the taller one is still there — but sitting proudly beside a brand new bench at the edge of the clearing. The bench, and the new tree, and a bunch of pretty painted rocks at its base are all part of what a sign on the bench calls the “KIndness Rocks Project.”

Next time you’re down that way, walking or biking the canal trail, make a point to stop and rest a while in this peaceful spot with the strange but beautiful little carved trees. And feel free to pick up one of the rocks and pass a little kindness along in your travels.

Remember I said how we like to grab a pint at the end of our 14-mile canal ride? There’s a brand new place we can do that in Fairport, now, and it has a very Webster connection.

It’s Faircraft Brauhaus, which opened in December in the old American Can Factory on the north end of village near Iron Smoke Distillery. And the decidedly Webster connection is that the new brewery is partly owned by retired Webster music teacher Steve Landgren.

I worked for many years with Steve at Webster Thomas, and have always known him to be passionate about his brewing. I’m so happy for him that he’s been able to turn that passion into a money-making business.

And from what I saw, it should do very well. The brewpub is very spacious inside, has a nice German-themed menu, and a nice variety of German-themed beers. And the patio outside was absolutely packed with patrons enjoying the food, beer and weather. Clearly it’s already a favorite stop for others as well.

We look forward to returning after our next canal ride.

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Polar Freeze Ice Cream is open in the village!

9 Apr

The Village of Webster just got a lot sweeter.

Just in time for this weekend’s gorgeous spring weather, Polar Freeze Ice Cream has opened in the Village of Webster.

The shop, located at 16 West Main Street, doesn’t look like much yet. When you walk in, you won’t even see any tables or chairs yet (they’ll come in a few months), only a service counter and a very large menu board advertising their 20-or-so ice cream flavors, almost two dozen topping options, plus shakes, floats, sundaes and more.

Polar Freeze is actually the second location for Bianca Cruz-Lopez and her husband Josue, who up until last summer owned and operated M. Sweet Retreat in East Rochester. They had to close that shop, but they never lost the desire to serve up small town sweet treats.

I stopped in on Wednesday, their opening day, and asked Bianca why they decided to come to Webster. She said it “just felt like the perfect ice cream spot.”

Two-year old Jojo and her sister Annalilese were happy customers on Polar Freeze’s opening day.

I would have to agree. Hank’s took their awesome ice cream with them when they closed several years ago. Webster Hots has tried to fill the void, but as far as I’m concerned, the more ice cream options in the village, the merrier. And in my 20-plus years in Webster, I can’t remember ever having a dedicated ice cream shop right in the village.

I’d say we’re pretty lucky that Bianca and her husband decided to bring their passion for ice cream to our village.

Right now, Polar Freeze is open from noon to 9 p.m. every day, and this summer will be open noon to 10 p.m. On Monday April 12 they’ll be hosting their grand opening celebration. That would be a great day to stop by, say hi, and welcome them to our friendly village. You can park on Main Street or find ample spaces in the parking lot behind Village Hall.

Visit their Facebook page to find out more.

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Penfield’s Good Neighbor Day returns in May

7 Apr
Sharon Hodge, Yazmin Fernaays and Molly Rothfuss spread mulch during Penfield’s Good Neighbor Day a few years ago

As many of you know, when I started writing this blog (and until a few years ago, actually), I was a Penfield resident. So this annual event from our friends to the south has always been on my radar.

It’s the 7th annual Terry Rothfuss Memorial Good Neighbor Day, scheduled this year for Saturday May 8. The event gathers volunteers to help Penfield seniors, veterans and those who are disabled do light yard work and spring cleaning.

Projects require no more than a 3-hour commitment, and volunteers of all ages are encouraged to sign up, so it’s a great family activity.

Volunteers meet at the Rothfuss Farm the morning of the event for refreshments and to receive assignments, and then spread out around the town to complete their projects.

The event honors the memory of Terry Rothfuss, who was a farmer in east Penfield and a friend to all. He was always ready and willing to help anyone at any time. When he passed away in 2014 there was a huge hole left in the community. His friends and family wanted to carry on Terry’s legacy of friendship by continuing to help their community and inspire others to do the same.

To sign up to help or receive help, please call Sabrina at 340-8651, or email srenner@penfield.org.

Even if you’re unable to help out, the Town of Penfield and Browncroft Community Church has another way that morning to celebrate being good neighbors.

The whole community is invited to Rothfuss Park that Saturday, May 8 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. for fun, food, and a time to catch up with neighbors. The event will include food trucks, a food drive for Penfield Ecumenical Food Shelf, and fun activities including inflatables and a speed pitch. The event is free and open to the public.

Although both events are outdoors, masks, proper hand hygiene, and physical distancing are required for all to stay safe.

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Girl Scouts help spread the word about Webster’s trails

5 Apr
The builders: Martine Broikou, Leah Hurlbut and Ellie Gramowski

Just in time for warmer weather and the promise of more hikers and bikers hitting the trails, several new Friends of Webster Trails brochure boxes have been installed for nature lovers to utilize.

At the request of the Friends, Webster Girl Scout Troop 60844 built six new boxes to replace some that have been vandalized and add a few in new locations. The girls spent several hours a few weekends ago constructing the boxes, then installed four of them last Saturday morning, with help from Friends Trails Committee Chair Craig Hurlbut and Trail Steward Bud Gearhart.

The new boxes contain Friends of Webster Trails brochures, which include a detailed trail map, plus information about the Friends and how to become a member. They’ve been installed at the Hojack Trail trailhead on Van Alstyne Rd., Gosnell Big Woods Preserve, Vosburg Hollow Nature Trail and on the Chiyoda Trail.

I love the idea of having these brochures so easily available to everyone who frequents our trails. The all-volunteer Friends of Webster Trails does an amazing job developing and maintaining our town’s impressive trail system, which now includes almost 30 distinct trails stretching through more than 20 miles of natural beauty. The new brochure boxes will, hopefully, let more people learn about and appreciate these very hard-working volunteers.

If you come across one of these new boxes in your travels, make sure to grab a brochure, tear off the membership card and send it in to show your thanks and support. It only costs $10/year for one person, and just $15 per family. Or better yet, click here to go to the Friends of Webster Trails website to learn more about them and sign up as a member.

  • Trail Steward Bud Gearhart and Martine Broikou at Gosnell Big Woods
  • Leah Hurlbut does some drilling with help from Trails Committee Chair Craig Hurlbut
  • Ellie Gramowski helps Hurlbut and Gearhart install the brochure box at Gosnell Big Woods
  • Leah Hurlbut, Martine Broikou and Ellie Gramowski pose with the first box they installed, on Van Alsytyne Rd. at the Hojack Trail

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Webster community mailbag

1 Apr

I’m going to lead today’s mailbag with a few items from the Webster Public Library. They’ve always got a lot of really neat stuff going on.

For starters, when I stopped in the other day I saw that the Friends of the Library are selling some rockin’ t-shirts as a fundraiser. For $15 you can be as cool as these library staff members/models:

Coming up on April 11, the library will be celebrating National Barbersop Quartet Day by hosting an online concert featuring three local barbershop quartets. Webster is lucky to be home to an outstanding barbershop society, the Chorus of the Genesee, so you know they’re going to be a part of this. Two of the performances you’ll see that day were filmed at the Chorus’ home base, the Harmony House.

The concert will be streamed live at 3 p.m., Sunday April 11. It will also be available any time after that time to watch, but it’ll be neat to watch it live, so mark your calendar.

Here’s a brief round-up of this month’s adult prgrams at the library:

  • Favorite Cruises & Ports of Call Travelogue, Tuesday, April 6, 3 p.m.
    Webster resident John Bustard will be the guide in a visit to the British Isles, Italy, Greece, the Panama Canal, Alaska and the Caribbean.
  • Interested in Serving as a Library Trustee? Wednesday, April 7, 7 p.m.
    Learn about the basic functions and responsibilities of a trustee, and listen and ask questions of our current Board members.
  • Herb Gardening: An Online Program, Tuesday, April 13, 7 p.m.
    Participants will learn the benefits of herb growing from their beauty and use in cooking, to their medicinal uses and healing properties.
  • Debt: An Online Presentation (Part 1 of the Financial Series), Wednesday, April 14, 7 p.m.
    Learn simple strategies for living debt free and making smart decisions.
  • Home Ownership: Choosing to Buy Versus Rent (Part 2 of the Financial Series), Wednesday, April 21, 7 p.m. Discusses the pros and cons of owning your home ownership vs. renting.
  • Planning for Retirement: An Online Presentation (Part 3 of the Financial Series) Thursday, April 29, 7 p.m.
    Covers the basics of retirement including financial concerns, phases of saving, financial lessons and more.

These programs are all free and open to the public but registration is required. Visit the Webster Public Library website for more information and registration. A Zoom invitation will be sent (via email) the day before the program to everyone who has registered.

I have Webster Online to thank for these next few news items. If you haven’t checked out this new(ish) news website yet, click here to take a look Or you can always find a link over there on the right side of the blog. There’s a lot of great information there (and a weekly link to my blog).

Knights of Columbus moves out of Barrett Drive

After 40 years in their same location on Barrett Drive across from the post office, the Webster Knights of Columbus Center is moving.

As with many changes taking place in the last year, Covid-19 is the culprit. Thanks to the pandemic, the Knights lost a lot of revenue from community events they would normally host. The financial hit was just too much to manage, resulting in the difficult decision to move.

Fortunately, the Knights will not be moving far. Their new home will be in the old Holy Trinity School annex on Ridge Rd. just east of the village. They hope to open the new location sometime this summer and continue the great work they do for our community.

Town Board in-person meetings return

Beginning April 1 all Town Board meetings will reopen to the public — with restrictions, of course.

To participate in person, visitors must wear a mask and maintain social distance at all times. Seating will be limited inside the board room and visitors will be rotated in as necessary, based on cppacity.

Meetings will still be available for viewing live on Spectrum Channel 1303 or on the Town’s website. There continue to be opportunities for public comment during the meetings by calling 585-872-7011. Or, residents can submit comments and questions using the online Board Meeting Comment Form.

Village of Webster Board meetings are still being held via Zoom. For more information and links, visit the Village of Webster website.

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

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So, what have those museum folks been up to?

31 Mar

Have you been wondering what’s been going on at the Webster Museum during shutdown? In a word … lots. The volunteers there have really been taking advantage of this time to revamp, reorganize and rethink their collections and future plans. Here’s a great report from museum volunteer Kathy Taddeo:

You might expect that your all-volunteer community museum would keep working during a pandemic. You would be correct.

When the Webster Museum reopens, you will see ample evidence that volunteers have been busy. You will notice lighting improvements inside and out. You will see exhibit spaces relocated and reorganized for better historical interpretation. You will see various surfaces painted, polished and refurbished. You will see new items from our extensive collections on display in our permanent exhibits. Just as you may have noticed that the museum’s exhibits at Hegedorns and the public library have changed regularly during closure, you will notice new rotating exhibits in the usual cases at the museum itself. You may have seen volunteers as they continued to participate in community events such as the town’s Reverse Parade, the village’s Snowman Hunt and the Community Chest’s “Peep” Show.

Important and consequential work is happening invisibly as well. Board and committee meetings continue by Zoom with consequent tasks completed at home. Our volunteer webmaster continues to add new features and update favorites to the museum’s website, including photo galleries for the community to exhibit their talents. Collection inventories and document preservation continue. Collaborative research projects, plans for reopening when we can and needed estimates for building repairs are all still happening, though in new and different ways.

And planning… soooo much planning.

The Webster Museum Board has been meeting since October 2020 to initiate, design and undergo the rigorous process of self-reflection known as Strategic Planning. This process is intended to provide an organization with a structured way to examine its current philosophies and operations and align them with contemporary culture as well as with its own mission and vision for the future.

Despite the necessity of meeting by Zoom, Board Members have completed organizational and needs assessments and surveyed its volunteers and members for suggestions. Multiple extra Zoom meetings to design the process resulted in four study groups currently at work before, during and after more extra Zoom meetings to recommend actions to enhance the museum’s contributions to the Webster community. The Webster Museum Board expects this on-going and cyclical strategic planning process to take about five years.

The work of Strategic Planning may be invisible, but the results are expected to be tangible. We look forward to more visibility when it is safe to invite you back for a visit.

Make sure to check out the Webster Museum website for the latest updates on programs and exhibits.

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I know you’re out there, Ireland….

29 Mar

Thanks to the wonders of WordPress blog metrics, I can see a lot of information about my readers. The stats tell me some very general data about the most popular reading hours, how many people click on each post every day, even what site is referring them to the blog (Facebook or Google News, for example).

But it also tells me in broad terms what countries my readers are clicking in from. And this particular stat has got me to wondering of late.

Several times a week I get a click or two from Ireland, and that’s been puzzling me. Normally every day I’ll get one or two visitors from China or Thailand or Russia. I suspect these are spam. But the ones from Ireland? I think they’re legit. I’ve been there and met some people — even broke my arm in a karate dojo there — and am wondering if someone is checking up on my hometown based on those visits.

I know that Webster ex-pats regularly check in from Florida and California. But Ireland?

I know you’re out there. If you’re reading this, my friend in Ireland, let me know! And if you’re reading from elsewhere in the country or world, please let me know where you are and why you’re keeping tabs on Webster.

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Schlegel and Plank North staff members are running around the Great Lakes!

28 Mar

Well, not really. They’re talking virtually running, and it’s actually only around Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. But still, it’s a pretty big challenge.

The event is being called the “Tour Around the Lakes,” a virtual race designed to promote teamwork and community, while encouraging everyone to get out and exercise and have a little fun.

The idea is based on the many virtual distance races that have been organized during the pandemic. In those, racers would track their daily miles over a period of several weeks in an effort to travel a pre-determined route — like, for example, from Yankee Stadium to Fenway Park or around the Ring of Kerry. For the Tour Around the Lakes, over the next 11 weeks, racers — working in teams of seven or eight — will try to log enough miles by running, walking or cycling to virtually circumnavigate Lakes Ontario and Erie, a distance of 1100 miles. Progress will be updated every week on the Tour Around the Lakes bulletin boards posted at each school.

The race began last Monday and will continue through June 11. Schlegel Rd. Elementary is fielding six teams, and Plank Rd. North has four. The competition was fierce from the start. It started heating up even before the race started when word got out that bonus points were being handed out for the first teams to come up with team names and photos. The schools will not be competing against each other, but only within their buildings … or at least that’s the plan right now. (An inter-school rivalry might be an extra incentive, however.) I expect much trash-talking will ensue.

The team names already show how much fun everyone is having. The Schlegel teams are Sole Sisters, Fueled by Caffeine, Chicks With Kicks, Ready for Anything, Not Fast Just Furious, and Are We There Yet? At Plank North the teams are Green and Bold, Sore Today, Strong Tomorrow, Heart and Sole, and Get Me an Uber.

The Tour Around the Lakes is similar to an event both schools participated in last spring, a virtual relay. For that challenge, everyone who wanted to take part first signed up for a half-hour relay “leg.” Then on one day April, you would run, walk or bike during your appointed time, and “hand off” the virtual baton to the next relay participant via a text or phone call.

It was a great way to keep staff members connected after the schools shut down in March. Everyone had a terrific time and appreciated having an excuse to get outside and get a little exercise. This year’s Tour Around the Lakes should be no different.

  • Teams “Are We There Yet” and “Get Me an Uber” got creative with their team photos. (Click to expand)

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A colorful way to celebrate our seniors

27 Mar

Our Webster Thomas and Webster Schroeder seniors this week were given a colorful surprise this week. Each one received a bag of Skittles with a note attached reading, “Hey Senior! There is a rainbow of possibilities in your future! Shine on!”

The recognition is part of an ongoing program designed by the Schroeder and Thomas PTSAs. Once a month through June, the PTSAs are surprising each senior with a fun gift or special event, planned for on or around the 21st of each month (in honor of 2021). The idea, wrote Webster Thomas PTSA representative Denise Warren, is “to show students that they are cared about so very much!”

Every 2021 graduate at Webster Thomas and Schroeder high schools, whether remote, hybrid, GOAL or other, is included. The program began in January, when each senior was presented with a small baggie of Hershey’s kisses, complete with an inspsirational message. You can read more about that special delivery in my blog here.

Judging from these photos from Ms. Castro’s and Mr. Hardy’s classes at Thomas, the effort was very well received.

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The Easter scavenger hunt is still on!

26 Mar
This hunter brought his own basket

Just a quick reminder today that you and your kids can still take part in the Easter-themed scavenger hunt being hosted by the homeowners on Curtice Park in the village.

The socially-distanced Easter-themed hunt was designed by Curtice Park resident Jennifer Cave. She heard about it from an email she received, and thought it would be a great way to give kids something fun to do, and help them get a little exercise.

Here’s how the hunt works: with scavenger hunt card in hand, participants walk up and down Curtice Park and look for different Easter pictures displayed in the houses’ front windows. Most of the homeowners are participating, so it should be easy to find a lot of pictures.

Last Saturday and Sunday, the first few days of the scavenger hunt, several neighbors even put some Easter treats at the end of their driveways for the kids. Jennifer was able to snap a few photos, and reported that she saw more than 40 kids walk by on the hunt.

Entire families came out for the hunt last weekend.

Just print off the scavenger hunt paper you see below and you’re good to go. The pictures will be up through Easter. This is a great activity for the kids on spring break!

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