December History Bit: Meet the Webster Museum (Part 6)

9 Dec

What do a pig ringer, a bull leader, a hog scraper, a hitching weight and a goose collar all have in common? Well, if you were a Webster farmer back in the 1800s, these items were all helpful tools of your trade. And while you’re not likely to find any of these gadgets on a farm these days, you can see them all at the Webster Museum.

Our “Meet the Webster Museum” tour makes our last stop in this month’s History Bit, ending on the right-hand side of the building as you enter the museum, where these farming implements are part of an eclectic collection of 19th-century tools and labor-saving appliances that offer a glimpse into life in early Webster.

Our tour began last January, and so far, we’ve strolled down the Village of Webster’s Main Street, revisiting Witmer’s Variety Store and the Candy Kitchen; stopped into Mayor Hawley’s office and a recreated pharmacy; paused to remember Webster’s many service stations and dairies; and peeked into an early parlor, bedroom and kitchen. Here at our last stop, near the farming tools and other everyday necessities, visitors can also see presentations about two of Webster’s earliest and most profitable industries: apple drying and basket making.

All of these displays, however, really just scratch the surface of the impressive variety of exhibits at the Webster Museum that illuminate our town’s early history, as well as the extensive resources available for anyone interested in researching their family or home.

For example, these include:

  • three different kids of early washing machines on the “back porch,” including one that looks and operates a lot like a butter churn;
  • evidence that mammoths passed through here (and left a molar) and that Native Americans hunted and fished here;
  • an authentically recreated one-room schoolhouse, complete with double desks, a schoolmaster’s desk, a collection of early textbooks, and early teaching aids;
  • typewriters and rotary phones (yes, they’re historical artifacts now!);
  • an exhibit highlighting our local military veterans;
  • a toy room filled with dolls, trucks and trains;
  • the “barn” (the museum’s front porch) with farming tools, a display about the “Blue Line” trolley that once rolled through Webster, and Holly the Horse pulling a one-horse sleigh.

And tucked way in the back is a research library devoted to cataloging Webster’s history, with an extensive archive of books, photos, maps, documents, and more. Community members are welcome to use it to explore their own heritage.

The Webster Museum is a true community gem, devoted to preserving and celebrating our town’s rich history. If you’ve never visited, make it a new-year goal to stop in. And if you have been there before, come back to see what’s new; the seasonal exhibits are always changing. At the very least, take a spin through the Webster Museum website; it’s filled with terrific stories and insights into our town’s past.

The Webster Museum is located at 18 Lapham Park in the Village of Webster. It’s open every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 2 to 4:30 p.m.

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

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(posted 12/9/2025)

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Holiday celebrations in Webster continue

8 Dec

I hope you were able to attend the Village of Webster’s Winter Wonderland celebration and Parade of Lights on Saturday. It was grey, but not TOO cold, and the village was beautiful. It was a great kick-off to a holiday season in Webster that’s packed with lots more special events.

Here’s a quick look at what’s in store for these last few weeks before Christmas. (And by the way, there are only the ones I know about. If you have anything else you’d like me to put in my blog, let me know.)

The Women’s Club of Webster‘s very popular annual Holiday Cookie Sale is scheduled this year for Saturday, Dec. 13 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Webster Public Library, 980 Ridge Rd. Cost for cookies is $10 per pound (cash only!). They usually sell out very quickly, so get there early. Proceeds from the sale, which is eagerly awaited by area cookie lovers, will benefit the club’s scholarship funds as well as many other programs in the Webster community.

Help the Webster Arboretum decorate their Christmas tree on Tuesday, Dec. 9, from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m.

The tree has been installed in the large gazebo behind the Curry building. Now the community is being asked to gather and decorate it! Work with your family to create ornaments, then stop by and place them on the tree. (Please no food or seed decorations.) The Arboretum is located at 1700 Schlegel Rd.

And remember to get your copy of the Arboretum’s 2026 calendar, which they’re introducing for the first time this year. It features stunning photos of the Arboretum throughout the seasons. All proceeds will go directly to maintain the Webster Arboretum. They’re available for $24, and can be purchased online on the Arboretum’s website and at Lala of Webster in the village.

The Webster Village Band, directed by Andy Kittelson, will be performing their annual Holiday Concert on Saturday, Dec. 13 at 2 p.m. at Webster Schroeder High School, 875 Ridge Rd. This year’s program includes favorites such as “Mary, Did You Know,” “The Polar Express,” and “The Eighth Candle.” Per tradition, the band will also perform “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,” narrated by Barbara Midura. 

The concert is free and no reservations are needed. Refreshments will be served after the concert.

The Webster Recreation Center will host their annual Afternoon with Santa on Saturday, Dec. 13 from 1 to 3 p.m. It features pictures with Santa, music, dancing and cookies. The event is free, everyone is welcome and no registration is required.

And don’t forget that the kids can drop off their letters to Santa at the Rec Center between Dec. 10 and Dec. 19. Santa will personally answer each one, and the kids can pick up their responses between Dec. 22 and 24.

The Webster Recreation Center is located at 1350 Chiyoda Drive, just off of Phillips Rd.

The Chorus of the Genesee will hold this year’s Soup and Caroling Night on Tuesday Dec. 23, beginning at 7 p.m. Carolers will start at the Harmony House and walk through the village, stopping to sing at several homes and businesses, then return to the Harmony House for a delicious variety of soups. The bar will be open (cash only, please) for those who want something a little stronger.

No registration is necessary. Just show up and bring your singing voice. Santa hats and sleigh bells are encouraged.

The Webster Public Library’s Holiday Book Sale continues through Dec. 27, located in front of the lobby book store. It features an assortment of used books, videos, music CDs, audio books and jigsaw puzzles all with seasonal holiday themes, while supplies last.

Also at the library, enjoy a travelogue all about the Von Trapp Family Christmas on Tuesday, Dec. 16 from 6 to 7 p.m. Did you know that the real von Trapp family (immortalized in the movie The Sound of Music) moved from Austria to Vermont? George and Carol Vorhauer took a motor coach tour to the von Trapp Family Lodge & Resort and will share what they learned about the von Trapp family and their 2,600-acre property in Stowe, Vermont. Holiday refreshments will be served. 

There’s no cost, but registration is required.

The Webster Museum‘s Festival of Trees is still going on. Twenty miniature Christmas trees have been placed throughout the museum, which various Webster businesses and non-profit organizations have decorated. Community members are invited to stroll through the museum, examine all of the beautifully decorated trees, and vote for their favorite one.

The Festival of Trees runs through the end of the year, and is a highlight of the museum’s Christmas-time celebrations. The museum is also selling Kittelberger Flower Cards again this year, good for 12 months of flowers from Kittelberger Florist. They’ll be available through Dec. 12.

The museum is located at 18 Lapham Park in the village and is open every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 2 to 4:30 p.m.

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 12/8/2025)

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Got my annual photo with Santa on Friday night

8 Dec

… AND I frosted and sprinkled my cookie AND got a piece of pizza AND picked up my “reverse Advent calendar,” all at St. Martin Lutheran Church’s annual Evening With Santa last Friday night.

This is such a great community event, held not just for the church’s parishioners, but for anyone and everyone, as a thank you for supporting their charitable causes all year long. The Scouts of Troop 110 are always there to run games and crafts for the kids, there’s free pizza and drinks, cookie-making, story time and of course, a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus.

The reverse Advent calendar, by the way, is a sectioned box with room for 24 cans of food. The idea is to put a can IN the box every day in December up to Christmas. Then all the cans are used to stock St. Martin’s Little Free Food Pantry. I love that the folks there know I do this every year and save my pre-wrapped Advent box for me.

Here’s a slideshow with some more photos from the evening. Thank you to my friend Rebecca for providing a lot of these.

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 12/8/2025)

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Photos from Winter Wonderland

7 Dec

Another successful Winter Wonderland celebration is in the books, and by all accounts it was enjoyed by all. The weather was not bitterly cold, comfortable enough to take in all of the activities taking place along Main Street and in Veterans Park. There was music, dancing, storytime, crafts, cookies, hot chocolate, more music, snowmen, activities at the museum, a craft fair at the Harmony House … so much going on that I had a hard time capturing it all on digital film. And of course, the Parade of Lights was the highlight of it all.

I’ve put a few photos here but of course there’s a whole gallery more, which you can see here. If you took any photos you’d like me to add to the gallery, please email them to me at missyblog@gmail.com.

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 12/7/2025)

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On the lookout for nice Christmas light displays

6 Dec

Like most families, my family has a pile of holiday traditions. Many of them have been handed down through the generations, like creating salt-dough ornaments, making cut-out Christmas cookies and my grandmother’s butterkuchen recipe, walking barefoot in the snow, and of course, decorating a fresh-cut Christmas tree every year with so many decorations that it’s hard to see the branches.

Over the years, as the kids have grown and moved on to celebrate the holidays with their own families, some of those traditions have fallen by the wayside. Salt-dough ornaments are a thing of the past, and there are fewer cut-out cookies. And in a nod to our advancing years, my husband and I finally invested in an artificial tree instead of cutting one down.

At least one tradition has held firm however — driving around and checking out Christmas light displays. I still like to do that the week before Christmas Day, especially in the village, where the light displays are enhanced by each neighborhood’s charm. The little white lights are nice, but I especially like the more traditional look of the old-fashioned, colored bulbs, which seem to be experiencing a renaissance.

So, kids or not, I’m going to take a drive out and about sometime later this week to check out some Christmas lights. Do you know of any particularly nice displays I should look up? Anything unusual or especially creative?  Let me know by commenting below, or send me an email at missyblog@gmail.com, and I’ll share your suggestions with all my readers. Take a photo if you can!

And yes, I will definitely be doing some barefoot snow walks this year. That tradition will never die.

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 12/6/2025)

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The Wreath Truck will be arriving Tuesday! (probably)

6 Dec

Breaking news!

I just learned that the Wreaths Across America truck — carrying Webster’s 1,360 wreaths for Wreath Day on Saturday — should be arriving in Webster this coming Tuesday morning, Dec. 9. (At least that’s the tentative schedule we have right now.).

The truck’s first stop will be at the Roseland Fire Station (corner of Salt and Plank), where it will be met there by a police escort, and then head to Webster Union Cemetery to drop off the wreaths for that cemetery and Union Hill. After leaving the fire station, the truck will travel north down Rt. 250 through the village’s four corners. It would be great to have as many people out there on sidewalks cheering the truck and its special cargo.

The truck is part of the Wreaths Across America “Honor Fleet,” made up of hundreds of trucking companies who volunteer their drivers, equipment and time to deliver more than three million wreaths every year to every corner of the country.

Even if you can’t be there to cheer on the truck, plan to attend this the Wreaths Across America wreath-laying ceremony at Webster Union Cemetery. On Saturday Dec. 13, community members will gather to lay 2,100 wreaths on veterans’ graves at Webster Union, Union Hill, Webster Rural and Holy Trinity cemeteries. It’s a solemn ceremony designed to remember these servicemen and women and to thank them for their sacrifices.

I’ll post updates on my Webster on the Web Facebook page about when exactly the truck is expected to arrive as the details are finalized. So keep an eye out for more information!

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 12/6/2025)

Performance Hobbies named Webster Chamber Business of the Month

5 Dec

Congratulations to Performance Hobbies, honored as the December Business of the Month by the Webster Chamber of Commerce.

Performance Hobbies has been part of the fabric of Webster for more than four decades. It dates back to 1982 when it began as TMC R/C Cars on Gravel Rd. From the very beginning it was a family-owned passion project built on enthusiasm for radio-controlled cars and the joy of hands-on hobbies. As the business grew, it moved into the Village of Webster in 1984 and then to its current home at 15 West Main St. in 1991. For 43 years, the shop has been a destination for hobbyists of all ages.

Owner Tom McCoy will tell you that the best part of his job is simple: he gets to go to work and play with toys every day. The store offers everything from R/C cars and planes to models, drones, collectibles and more. They jokingly call themselves the only “adult toy store” ion the Village of Webster — a phrase that tends to raise eyebrows until customers see the kinds of “toys” they actually sell. It’s a fun little misunderstanding that has become part of the shop’s personality and charm.

Beyond the walls of the store, Performance Hobbies has been a steady supporter of the Webster community. They participate in all Village of Webster events, support air shows and race tracks and work closely with the Boy Scouts and several local church groups. Their willingness to show up, give back, and be part of what makes Webster special has never wavered.

With four employees, decades of experience, and a genuine love for what they do, Performance Hobbies continues to be a place where creativity, fun and community meet.

The Webster Chamber of Commerce Events and Honors Committee presents a Business of the Month award to one of their member businesses at each of their monthly breakfast meetings. It’s one way the Chamber helps keep their member businesses and organizations visible throughout the Webster community.

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 12/5/2025)

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Remember when Santa and his elf came to shop in the village?

4 Dec

I was thinking the other day about how I love to patronize small businesses when I do my Christmas shopping, and the Town and Village of Webster offer many options to do that.

Sadly, I missed the opportunity to highlight Small Business Saturday this year, which happened on Nov. 29, the Saturday after Thanksgiving. So instead, I thought I’d revisit a special event that happened LAST year on Small Business Saturday, when Santa and one of his elves visited the village to do some shopping.

For a few hours that morning and afternoon, the jolly pair strolled through the village, popping in and out of several businesses and handing out treats to the children. It was so much fun to see the children’s eyes light up when they saw Santa, and the smiles he brought to everyone’s faces.

My husband caught some of the action on video, which he cobbled together into this short piece:

I also took a lot of photos that day, which you can see in this gallery. (P.S. the elf is my daughter Erin.)

Don’t forget to shop local this Christmas and especially support our small business owners.

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 12/4/2025)

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Playing Catch for Life: How 366 days of catch built community and connection

3 Dec

In March 2023, David Tinnes set a challenge for himself: to play catch with someone — friend, neighbor, family member or stranger — every day for 30 straight days. In the ensuing months, that challenge stretched to 100 days, then 300, and eventually, 366 days. More than one full year playing a simple game of catch with someone, every day.

It was an inspirational journey filled with amazing personal stories, human connections and teachable moments. And now, Dave has turned the story of that journey into a book, called Playing Catch for Life.

I first met Dave in late March of that year, only three weeks or so into his challenge. I can’t remember how I first heard about the story, but it intrigued me, and I decided there was no better way to find out more about it then to meet with Dave in person and have a game of catch.

We met at the library on a cold, windy day, and before heading outside, where we tossed the ball back and forth for about 15 minutes, I got the full story of how and why Dave embarked on his 30-day catch journey. (You can read the whole story here.)

In short, Dave was inspired by the story of Ethan Bryan, who had completed his own 365-day catch challenge. He wasn’t initially planning to do the same; it just turned out that way. Over the following year, he played more than 500 games of catch with more than 320 different people, managing to connect on a personal level with pretty much every one of them. It was a life-changing experience, which, he said, “taught and continues to teach me a lot, not only about myself, but about life.”

He wrote,

People want to connect and share their stories. Stories matter in life; good stories are interesting to others and connect us to one another.

Through my experiences I encountered authenticity through intentionality. When I committed to connect with others and really LISTEN to them, there were no distractions of screens obscuring our faces, or our compassions. There was sincere, open communication and connection. Playing catch with others was an invitation to be vulnerable and accept others for who they are, on any given day. I experienced good, bad, hard, easy, ugly and beautiful. I learned to honor and appreciate on a deeper level.

I found a better version of myself as I reflected on the conversations I was a part of. I considered things I hadn’t really paused to care about before. I became enlightened. I also shared light with people. I hugged and received hugs. I cried and sat with those that cried. We laughed together. We loved together. We embraced all of life together, in those sacred moments. I traveled to other cities, states and countries. I went to places within myself that I didn’t know existed. I found humanity, raw, real, open and accepting.

Throughout Dave’s journey, the plan to eventually write a book about the experience was always in the back of his mind. In early November, that dream became a reality with the publication of Playing Catch for Life. The 480-page paperback revisits the stories he heard and the connections he forged, ultimately showing how a simple game of catch can help us grow as human beings, strengthen our sense of community, become better listeners, and truly live every moment of our lives.

It’s available for purchase on Amazon.com for $20.

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 12/3/2025)

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Details about this year’s Winter Wonderland

2 Dec

Get ready for the Village of Webster to sparkle with holiday spirit when the annual holiday fun festival, Winter Wonderland, returns to Main Street, Veterans Memorial Park and Village Hall this coming weekend, on Saturday Dec. 6.

All of your family favorites will be back for the afternoon and evening, including choir performances, horse-drawn carriage rides, carolers, cookie decorating, live music, choir performances, storytime, games, face painting, a dance party, and a visit with Santa, culminating with the always spectacular Parade of Lights down Main Street.

This year for the first time, the Webster BID — who organizes the festivities — is also introducing a Community Donation Marketplace, set up in Veterans Park on North Ave. Community members are encouraged to bring donations for Webster Hope and Toys for Tots, which will be accepted all afternoon. Accepted items include:

  • Non-perishable food items
  • Personal care poroducts
  • Hats, gloves, scarves, and mittens
  • Unwrapped toys
  • Household items (blankets, pillows, sheets)

Reliant Federal Credit Union and Oaks Brands will also be at the marketplace.

Down at the Harmony House, 58 East Main St., the Chorus of the Genesee will be hosting a Craft Fair from 2 to 8 p.m. In addition to the wide variety of crafters, there’ll be live music, refreshments and a cash bar.

And while you’re in town for the festivities, make sure to walk up the short block to the Webster Museum (18 Lapham Park), which will be open from 2 to 7 p.m. with live music and your chance to vote for your favorite decorated mini Christmas tree as part of the museum’s Festival of Trees. Kittelberger Flower Cards will be on sale, and the very popular Museum raffle will also be back this year, so bring a little cash, put a chance in for some great prizes and support the museum!

Plus, of course, Santa and Mrs. Claus will be greeting children at the Village Hall Community Meeting Room from 3 to 5 p.m., when they have to leave and get ready to ride in the parade.

Everything wraps up with the spectacular Parade of Lights which will begin at 6:30 p.m. at Kircher Park and travel west down Main Street to Fireman’s Field. It’s always amazing to see all of the fire trucks, bands, community group floats — everyone and everything — parade by, covered in twinkling Christmas lights.

I’ll be walking around with my camera, so if you see me, smile nice!

Here’s a link to my gallery from last year’s Winter Wonderland and Parade of Lights.

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 12/2/2025)

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