The Village Quilt Shoppe is closed — but NOT FOR LONG

21 Dec

quilt shoppe

Earlier this month, during the Village of Webster’s White Christmas celebration, I stopped by one of our newest businesses, the Village Quilt Shoppe, which is located at the corner of Lapham Park and East Main.

When I looked through the window, my jaw dropped and my heart sank.

The place was stripped bare. No rolls of fabric. No cutting tables. No … anything … except bare walls and a few commercial fans. I was flabbergasted. What could have happened to them? Their business was (seemingly) thriving! I  mean, every business struggles a bit when they start, but had they failed already? Had they skipped out on their rent in the middle of the night?

Then I saw a sign on the front door which explained everything. The apartment above the shop had a water problem, which leaked down into the shop and did a lot of damage. Sure enough, I looked up and saw several ceiling tiles missing. So they’ve had to close for a while to do some clean-up and renovations.

The timing was unfortunate, right during one of the busiest village days of the year. I am disappointed they were not able to be open for even more people to discover what a wonderful shop this is.

BUT THEY WILL BE BACK. Owner Monique Liberti told me that they’re still trying to nail down some contractors to do the work and hope to open again in early January.

So they’ll be seeing everyone again soon!

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Sons of the American Legion step up to help our school children

20 Dec

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Here’s another nice story from our schools, but especially from one local service organization who is supporting them in a big way this holiday season.

The Sons of the American Legion Post 942 in Webster recently donated $3,000 to the Webster Central School District to completely wipe out the past-due balances of all the district’s students who owe money for free or reduced-cost lunches. About 200 students fall into that category, who since the beginning of the year have accrued about $2,600 in debt.

The district plans to use the excess funds to help a few other students who don’t qualify for reduced cost lunches but are still in  need.

Yesterday, Spectrum News visited Schlegel Rd. Elementary School to do a story on the donation. You can see that coverage here.

Also, I was honored to be on hand for the actual check presentation a week ago and will be featuring the donation in my Our Towns East Extra column this Sunday. So look for that in the D&C, or watch my East Extra Facebook page for that story.

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The kids are getting out of school early tomorrow

19 Dec

Parents, please remember that the Webster Central School District will be conducting its annual Emergency Preparedness Early Release Drill tomorrow, Dec. 20.

Early Release Drill artStudents at every one of our Webster schools will be dismissed a little early and arrive home by bus a little early.

Tomorrow (Dec. 20) only, buses will leave the schools ate these times:

  • DeWitt Elementary School, 2:10 p.m.
  • Klem North Elementary School, 2:00 p.m.
  • Klem South Elementary School, 2:10 p.m.
  • Plank North Elementary School, 2:00 p.m.
  • Plank South Elementary School, 2:10 p.m.
  • Schlegel Elementary School, 2:10 p.m.
  • State Elementary School, 2:10 p.m.
  • Spry Middle School, 3:05 p.m.
  • Willink Middle School, 3:05 p.m.
  • Webster Schroeder High School, 3:05 p.m.
  • Webster Thomas High School, 3:05 p.m.

Also on this date, activity period at the elementary schools will run and will end 10 minutes early.

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Oak Tree Award nominations being accepted

18 Dec

oak leafDo you know a great teacher who deserves to get some extra special recognition? How about nominating him or her for an Oak Tree Award?

Co-Sponsored by the Webster Teachers’ Association (WTA) and the Webster Central PTSA, the Oak Tree Award recognition program is an annual award that is designed to recognize teacher excellence in Webster Central Schools.

Any Webster resident or district employee, current or former student, parent, teacher, or administrative colleague may nominate a teacher for the Elementary or Secondary Teacher of the Year Oak Tree Award.

Award nominees must meet the following criteria:

  • Currently teaching in a full-time position in Webster Central School
  • Have a minimum of 5 years teaching experience in Webster Central Schools
  • Plan to continue to teach the next school year in, or retire from Webster Central Schools
  • Be a member of both the Webster Central PTSA and the Webster Teachers’ Association

Nominations must be submitted by February 2, and must include a 1-page typed narrative describing:

  • How the teacher has demonstrated expertise in the subject matter, connects well with students, engages students using a variety of teaching methods and strategies, and/or incorporates a variety of teaching approaches to best benefit all learners.
  • Special talents or commitments of this teacher, including extracurricular or school community endeavors.
  • How has the teacher touched your life or the lives of his or her students.

Click here for the nomination form. This link will also show a list of who has already won the award. (Sorry, you can only win it once!)

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Plank North food collection prompted by …reading!

17 Dec

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Early last month, Plank Rd. North Elementary School, along with many other schools in the district, participated in a worldwide initiative called Read for the Record Day. The hope every year is to set a new world record of children and adults all reading the same book on the same day.

This year everyone read Thank You, Omu! by Oge Mora, which tells the story of a generous elderly woman who makes a fantastic pot of thick red stew.

To help reinforce the book’s themes of generosity and community, Plank North librarian Gretchen Pulver organized a food drive for Hope Ministry, especially encouraging families to donate hearty soups and stews to connect with the book the students had just read.

The drive was an incredible success, as evidenced by the photo, showing the library’s fifth grade helpers with the collection.

The final tally for the day was more than 2 million readers!

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The stories are still being told

16 Dec

WAHAS_11x17_PosterIf you haven’t stopped by the Webster Public Library yet to check out the We All Have a Story: The Stories Continue photography exhibit, I highly recommend you take the time to do so in the next few weeks.

The exhibit, created by local portrait photographer and Webster Central School District employee Linda Hayes, takes a closer look at the lives and stories of 21 WCSD staff members to help illuminate the people inside the classrooms and offices who work with our children every day. The stories are thought provoking, happy and sad. But more than anything else, they’ll probably make you think, “Wow, I never realized that.”

My story is among them. I tell my story about how three simple — but powerful — words a teacher spoke to me many years ago changed my life and inspired me to become a writer.

You will probably know at least one other of the participants, which also include:

  • Joe Montemaro, WCSD Director of Technology
  • Elizabeth Livorsi, Spry math teacher
  • Elizabeth Ristow-Klem, Klem South music teacher
  • Sandy McCormack, retired Wilink special education teacher
  • Ashley Yang, Webster Thomas Social Studies teacher
  • Karen Murray, Webster Thomas administrator and Chester French, retired Buildings and Grounds
  • Kyle Suffoletto, Webster Thomas English teacher and his father Mike Suffoletto, current school board member
  • Diane Huot, Plank South literacy teacher
  • Marnie Weinmann, Plank North kindergarten teacher
  • Leslie Jones, Klem South literacy teacher
  • Julie Provenzano, Schlegel speech pathology teacher
  • Krista Lawton, Webster Schroeder English teacher
  • Hannah Formella, Webster Schroeder speech pathology teacher, with Julius, her therapy dog
  • Kelly Stevens, State Rd. art teacher
  • Leslie Hall, Webster Schroeder foreign language teacher
  • Martha Sullivan, Webster Thomas English teacher
  • Patty Cooke, Webster Schroeder guidance counselor
  • Sarah Harding, Klem North PE teacher

It’s worth a few minutes to check them all out, so next time you’re at the library, take the time to do so. Or make a point to stop by before the exhibit closes.

The exhibit runs the entire month of December, and is open to the public during the library’s normal business hours, Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday from 10 to 6, Saturday from 10 to 5 and Sunday from 1 to 4. (The library will be closed for the holidays on December 24, 25, and 31.)

The library is located at 980 Ridge Rd., its main entrance on Van Ingen Drive at the back of the plaza.

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Knucklehead celebrates 5 years

11 Dec

Knucklehead 5 year

Wow.

It’s hard to imagine that Knucklehead Craft Brewing has been around for five years already. But that is indeed the case, and it’s cause for a huge celebration.

Knucklehead Craft Brewing, 426 Ridge Rd. in West Webster (at the corner of Bay), will celebrate its fifth anniversary on Saturday, Dec. 14 from 1 to 10 p.m.

The details are still coming together, but so far, this is what’s planned (according to Knucklehead’s Facebook page event):

*  One of our most decadent beers will make its annual return to join the party, a Russian Imperial Stout, as well as a couple other special offerings (including a keg of the Barrel Aged Belgian Quad we did with K2 Brothers Brewing).

* Live music will be performed by Katy Wright (2-4) from 2 to 4 p.m., followed up by Marty Roberts and Donny C. beginning at 6 p.m.

Pop by the Facebook page regularly to stay on top of updates.

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A fun night at St. Martin

10 Dec

Better late than never, I’d like to post some photos I took at last Friday night’s Evening With Santa at St. Martin Lutheran Church on Bay Rd.

I was fortunate to get there in time to see Santa arrive by fire truck and almost get swarmed by children as he made his way into the church. (The “elf” who rode with him and was handing out candy canes made me laugh when she got off the truck and told her friend, “That was SO MUCH FUN!”)

Santa then spent the next few hours visiting with children in the church community room. And when they weren’t in line for Santa, children (and parents) could grab some pizza, make Christmas cookies, make crafts and play some games.

I even stood in line and got a chance to visit with Santa as well, something I don’t often get to do since I usually am on the other side of the camera lens.

Everything was free to anyone in the community who showed up, but people were asked to bring a donation to the church’s Little Free Pantry. So it was all great fun for a great cause.

There are a few photos here, but please click on over to my small gallery to see some others from this annual event.

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Photos from White Christmas

8 Dec

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Perhaps it was because it wasn’t raining, or windy, or bitterly cold, but it seemed like last night’s White Christmas in the Village festival was the best attended in recent memory.

At least the parade was. Early on, when activities like the book shop mini-concert and story-time started and the festival wagon started making its rounds, the crowds were a little thin.

But as night fell, families started streaming into town in anticipation of the main event, the Electric Parade.

Kudos to Robyn Whittaker and the Webster BID for pulling together another nice event. I especially liked the brand new idea of the gingerbread house-making contest for the businesses and I look forward to this being expanded next year.

It’s unfortunate that more people don’t realize that this celebration is not JUST the parade. More people should make White Christmas in the Village an entire afternoon and evening event. Come into the village early when you can actually GET a parking space somewhere, do some shopping, visit the museum, have some dinner, and actually  take part in all of the great family activities.

As usual, I took a ton of photos. Together with a bunch that I received from a few other people, here’s a gallery of more than 150 photos from last night’s activities and the parade. (If you have any additional photos that you would like to share, like of your kids, please email them to me — address below — and I’ll add them to the gallery!)

And by the way, just because White Christmas is over does NOT mean that our village businesses are closed for the holidays. Make sure to come into town and check out all of the gorgeous decorations, and stop by the museum to vote for your favorite Christmas tree!

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White Christmas in the Village details — redux

6 Dec

OK folks, I recently heard some exciting news about Saturday evening’s Electric Parade during the village’s White Christmas in the Village festival.

It’s going to be the biggest ever.

I’m told that there will be no fewer than 30 firefighter and emergency units participating, from as many as ten different agencies from near and far. And every single one of these units will be covered in twinkly Christmas lights.

Basically it’s going to be a sight to behold.

The parade will cap an entire afternoon of family-friendly activities beginning at 3 p.m. It’s one of my favorite village events of the entire year and a don’t-miss festival for the whole family. If you do come to the parade, however, make sure to wear something warm and bring mug of hot chocolate or coffee to help, because it’s a long parade. (There won’t be any fireworks after the parade this year, though.)

And don’t worry about getting a seat; there will be plenty of viewing spots.

Here again are the details:

3 to 5:45 p.m. — Horse-drawn wagon rides through the village
3 to 6 p.m. — Bounce House on Main Street
3:30 to 5:45 p.m. — Santa Claus at the Village Hall
4 p.m. — Storytelling at Yesterday’s Muse Book Store
4 p.m. — Cookie decorating at Rubino’s
5 p.m. — Church of the Good Shepherd Chime Bell Choir on Main Street

And don’t forget to stop by the Webster Museum that afternoon as well to check out — and vote for — some beautiful miniature Christmas trees.

This is also a great chance to visit some of our village’s newest businesses, including Chandelier’s Boutique, LaLa, The North Bee, the Pickled Paintbrush, and The Village Quilt Shop. (I hope I’m not forgetting anyone, and I hope they’re all open for browsing!) Many of the business owners will be participating in a gingerbread house contest, so make sure to stop by and vote for your favorite!

christmas trees

(Click here to see a gallery of photos from last year’s White Christmas celebration.)

By the way, don’t forget to start out that morning with a hot breakfast, served up by the Chorus of the Genesee.

The Chorus will be hosting their fourth annual Breakfast with Santa, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at the Harmony House, 58 East Main Street in Webster.

Breakfast will be cooked and served, music will be provided by the Chorus of the Genesee, and of course, Santa will be there! Tickets are just $5 each, with a maximum of $20 per family (including two adults). Pictures with Santa will be available.

For more information or to make reservations, call (585) 734-1328.

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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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