Webster mailbag

9 Jun

Just a few notes in the mailbag today. I haven’t been getting a whole lot of press releases lately from local organizations about their upcoming events. I know there’s a lot going on, but if I don’t find out about them until I see a sign about them a day ahead of time, there’s not much I can do!

If your group or club has a special event or fundraiser coming up, and you want some help publicizing it, PLEASE send me an email about it!!

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This Sunday June 11, the The Webster Fairport Elks are having a Flag Day Ritual commemorating all the American flags used in our history, about 10 in all. It’s a great way of educating our youth in patriotism while also giving the opportunity for merit badges.

All Webster residents are invited free of charge. The ceremony will be held at the Elks Lodge, 1066 Jackson Road, beginning at noon on Sunday June 11. It will be about 35 minutes long, and a light lunch will follow.

Please RSVP by email at paul@ontariorecycling.com.

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Klem Road North Elementary School has a new principal.

Laura Ballou web

Laura Ballou

The district recently announced that Laura Ballou, formerly Klem North’s assistant principal, has accepted the position of the school’s principal, effective July 1.  She will be taking over for Steve LaMonica, who was named the new director of physical education and athletics for Webster Thomas High School and Willink Middle School.

Ballou has served as the school’s assistant principal since July 2009. Prior to that, she was an elementary special education teacher in Weedsport CSD and an elementary teacher in West Irondequoit CSD. She also served as assistant principal for two elementary schools in the Katonah-Lewisboro CSD and district director of ESL before returning to the Rochester area to begin her work in Webster.

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And you thought the high school drama season was over.

Several students at Webster Schroeder High School will be closing out ther year with the school’s first-ever student-run play, Almost Maine.

The show, produced and directed by seniors Alaina Messineo and Sarah Smagala and managed by Ally Watson, will be staged just two days before graduation.

Almost, Maine is a romantic comedy created by John Cariani. Here’s a synopsis:

Welcome to Almost, Maine, a town that’s so far north, it’s almost not in the United States—it’s almost in Canada. And it almost doesn’t exist. Because its residents never got around to getting organized. So it’s just…Almost. One cold, clear Friday night in the middle of winter, while the northern lights hover in the sky above, Almost’s residents find themselves falling in and out of love in the strangest ways.

Webster Schroeder’s show features a cast of 21 students ranging from freshman to seniors as well as five members of the crew. It will be presented on Thursday and Friday, June 22 and 23 at 7:30 p.m. at Webster Schroeder High School auditorium. Tickets cost $6 and can be purchased online at showtix4u.com or at the door. All seats are general admission.

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Webster Marching Band wants your bottles

8 Jun

WMB Logo

It’s time to clean out the garage.

If you’re like me, you have a huge garbage bag or two of returnables hanging out in your garage, awaiting your motivation to take them back to Wegmans or Hegedorns. Well, the Webster Marching Band will be happy to take them off your hands.

The band’s next Bottle and Can Drive happens this Saturday June 10 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. All you have to do is place those bags outside your house or at the end of the driveway, with a little note indicating they’re for the band, and they’ll be whisked away for a good cause.

Or, if you plan to be out and about on Saturday, you can drop them off at the collection site, Webster Schroeder High School, 875 Ridge Road, by 4 p.m.

OR, you can call the Bottle and Can Hotline (234-8684, option 1) ANYTIME to arrange a pickup at a time convenient for you.

BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE!

Along with the bottle and can drive, there will also be an electronics disposal event at the Schroeder parking lot from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

So while you’re gathering up all those returnables, throw some old electronics in a box and bring them along. The items accepted include desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones, LCD monitors, laser printers (not ink-based) and networking equipment. Sorry, no TVs, CRT monitors or ink-based printers can be accepted.

Stay tuned for news of the Webster Marching Band’s next events, an Applebee’s pancake breakfast on July 17 and a food truck rodeo on July 21.

(Marching Band folks, you WILL be letting me know more about these, right?)

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An update on the blood drive

8 Jun
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The raffle prize table will be back again for today’s blood drive at the Webster Recreation Center from noon to 7 pm.

The two-day Webster Community Red Cross Blood Drive came back to town yesterday, at St. Paul’s Church, and by all accounts, it has been very successful already.Regular donors who know this blood drive for the coupon packet provided by local businesses were a little surprised but pleased with the new twist this time around. After signing in, each donor was handed 10 raffle tickets, which they could use to try for more than two dozen prizes. Then they were handed a free Red Cross t-shirt, and three other coupons, including one good for a pint of ice cream at Brusters.

All of this before they even sat down. Which means that even if for some reason you’re told you can’t donate blood today (like, my iron was too low again), you STILL get all the freebies just for coming in and trying to donate.

Despite the strong turnout of donors, the wait times were quite short and there were plenty of donation tables to go around. Most people were getting in and out within about an hour.

Today, the blood drive moves to the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Drive, from noon to 7 pm. All of those great things will be happening again — the raffle prizes, the t-shirts, the coupons — PLUS the Woman’s Club of Webster will be manning the canteen with home-baked cookies.

So consider taking an hour out of your day to be a hero and help save lives, by coming on down to the Webster Rec and donating. Here are some of the prizes you might win:

  • Gift cards from Abbott’s Frozen Custard
  • Gift certificates from Barry’s Old School Irish
  • Paul Mitchell products from Beyond Cuts Salon
  • Gift certificate from The Chicken Coop
  • Gift card from Eastway Liquor
  • Free hair cut certificates from Great Clips
  • Gift basket from Hegedorn’s
  • Gift basket from Kittelberger Florist
  • Grumblers and pint glasses from Knucklehead Craft Brewing
  • Free month of classes from Matsunami Karate
  • Gift certificate from Natural Alternatives
  • Gift certificate from Ron’s Auto Repair
  • Gift certificate from Rubino’s
  • Fruit gift basket from Schutt’s Apple Mill
  • 10 free classes from Strike Back Martial Arts
  • Decorative vase and Lenox candle holders from The Garage Sale Store
  • A free ice cream cake from The Goodie Shoppe
  • Free month’s membership from World Gym

PS: A Huge thank you to all of our local business owners who have helped make this drive a success.

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Community Blood Drive returns this week, with a new twist

4 Jun
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A peek at some of the prizes that can be won at this week’s Webster Community Blood Drive

The Webster Community Blood Drive will return to St. Paul’s Church and the Webster Rec Center this week,  and it’s got a brand new feature this year.

The semi-annual two-day blood drive, heralded by the huge white signs placed all around town, is always one of the most popular and best attended drives of the entire year. It stands out among all others by the tremendous support it receives from Webster businesses.

This year, instead of receiving a packet of coupons, every presenting donor will be handed ten raffle tickets, which can be used to take chances on 30 different prizes provided by local businesses.

The raffle prizes will include:

  • Gift cards from Abbott’s Frozen Custard
  • Gift certificates from Barry’s Old School Irish
  • Paul Mitchell products from Beyond Cuts Salon
  • Gift certificate from The Chicken Coop
  • Gift card from Eastway Liquor
  • Free hair cut certificates from Great Clips
  • Gift basket from Hegedorn’s
  • Gift basket from Kittelberger Florist
  • Grumblers and pint glasses from Knucklehead Craft Brewing
  • Free month of classes from Matsunami Karate
  • Gift certificate from Natural Alternatives
  • Gift certificate from Ron’s Auto Repair
  • Gift certificate from Rubino’s
  • Fruit gift basket from Schutt’s Apple Mill
  • 10 free classes from Strike Back Martial Arts
  • Decorative vase and Lenox candle holders from The Garage Sale Store
  • A free ice cream cake from The Goodie Shoppe
  • Free month’s membership from World Gym

And there will be even more prizes that aren’t on this list.

Donors will also be pleased to hear that not all the coupons are history. One of the most popular coupons of all — from Bruster’s — will be returning. Every presenting donor will receive Bruster’s “Pint for a Pint” coupon, good for a free pint of ice cream or a free ice cream cone.

Wait! There’s  more! On top of all that, each donor will also be handed a free t-shirt from the Red Cross (while supplies last).

The Webster Community Blood Drive is scheduled for Wednesday June 7 at St. Paul’s Church, 783 Hard Road, and Thursday June 8 at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Drive, from noon to 7 pm each day. Make an appointment by calling 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767) or by logging onto http://www.redcrossblood.org. Walk-ins are also welcome.

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Klem South fun night honors former teacher

3 Jun

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I never had the pleasure of knowing Mary Ann Gangi, but from what I learned about her on Friday night, I really wish I did.

Mary Ann, who was a third grade teacher at Klem South Elementary, and who had been with the school for more than 20 years, passed away unexpectedly last year.  On Friday night, the school honored her with a joint PTSA Family Fun Night and Mary Ann Gangi Scholarship Fundraiser.

Hundreds of people filled the school’s lawns throughout the evening. Children were kept entertained with a bounce house, face painting, and lots of lawn games. Food trucks and vendors lined the bus loop, along with a silent auction table and raffles. Some of the school’s young musicians even provided entertainment.  And there were lots of cow connections, including cowhide balloons, because Mary Ann loved cows.

It was all a fitting tribute to Mary Ann, whom Klem South Principal Erin Land called a “warm, wonderful person.”

gangi“When you met her, you immediately felt a connection to her because she cared about you,” Land said. “It doesn’t matter where you met her, on the street, in the classroom, she was just that kind of person.”

“The work that she did in her classroom often revolved around peace and mindfulness and community. So we thought this event was a great way to honor her in her memory.”

Money raised at the event will benefit the newly established Mary Ann Gangi Scholarship Fund. Details are still being finalized, but Land believes the fund will go to support teachers who want to continue Mary Ann’s legacy by creating mindful, community-based activities in her classrooms, and for children who want to participate in them.

Donations to the Mary Ann Gangi Scholarship Fund, can be sent c/o Halina Gangi Dooley, Klem Road South School, 1025 Klem Road, Webster NY, 14580.

Here are some images from the evening:

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Book battle at Plank North

2 Jun
Finalists

Gretchen Pulver, left, with this year’s Plank North Battle of the Books finalists.

Now these are the kinds of battles you WANT to hear about.

Plank North Elementary School just concluded its annual Battle of the Books, a two-month long weekly contest which pits students in each of the school’s fifth grade classes against one another in a challenge which tests the students’ knowledge of literature.

The students divide themselves up into three-or-four person teams and come up with fanciful team names like the “Moolalas,” “The Athletic Dabbers” and the “Undercover Gymnasts.” Then they try to become experts in the eight different books chosen for that year’s competition.

In each of the first three rounds, held during the classes’ normal library time, the teams are asked 16 questions — two from each book. The top scoring team from each class then moved on to the final round.

The entire Plank North fifth grade gathered in the school’s cafeteria Wednesday afternoon to watch the final battle and cheer on the teams — The READ-ATHLONS, Tropical Pineapples, Bookish Bunch and The Page Turners.

It was a tense contest. Gretchen Pulver, the school’s Library Media Specialist and the event’s organizer, said that she has never before seen the final scores so close.

In the end, the READ-ATHLONS came out on top with 49 points, winning the coveted trophy. The Tropical Pineapples and the Bookish Bunch tied for second with 46 points, and the Page Turners came in third with 43 points.

Plank North is just one of many schools in our district which hold this annual event. Kudos to the dedicated librarians who spend so much time organizing the battles and finding such a creative way to encourage our children to read and love books.

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THE READ-ATHLONS

This year’s Battle champions, the READ-ATHLONS. Clockwise from left: Analise Alexander, Alyssa Doody, Bizzie Baglieri, and Leah Marcell.

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Stop three on my Tour de Parks … tour

31 May

park collage

Just a quick reminder that I will be presenting my 2016 Tour de Parks talk again, Thursday night at the Brighton Memorial Library beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Still haven’t heard about it? Well, basically, last year I challenged myself to visit every one of Rochester’s east-side parks. I tried to hike a bit in every park that had trails, I took a lot of photos, and recorded my adventures in a blog.

It was a long year, but I accomplished my goal. Mostly.

You can hear all about it at Thursday night’s presentation. Chances are you’ll see a park or two that you recognize, and perhaps learn something about parks you never knew existed.

There’s no admission, and you don’t have to bother registering. But the library folks did promise they’d make cookies (it was the only compensation I asked for). So please do come, because I’d much rather speak to a larger crowd than just a few people. I promise it will be interesting.

And cookies. Just sayin’.

The Brighton Memorial Library is at 2300 Elmwood Avenue.

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A shout out to our Special Police

30 May

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Do you know those Special Police officers you always see working crowd control at parades, helping us cross the street during the carnival, and helping out at accident scenes?

Did you realize they’re all volunteers? Not only that, they have to go through a lot of training just to even become a volunteer.

Here’s a more detailed description from the Town of Webster website:

The Webster Special Police are a group of volunteers, appointed by the Town Board of Webster, whose mission is to assist the Webster Police Department during emergencies and special events. As certified NYS Peace Officers, our goal is to provide citizens with a professional organization that stands ready to fulfill this mission whenever activated. Our vision is to maintain the highest standards of organization, training, and professionalism in order to aid the police department in upholding the laws of the State of New York, County of Monroe, and Town and Village of Webster.

They were out in force during the Memorial Day Parade. I always make it a point to thank them for being there, and this time around I also snapped photos of as many of them as I could to single out this great organization for their service.

So take a look at these faces and when you see them at the Firemen’s Parade, make sure to give them a smile and a “Thanks for being here!” Because they don’t have to be.

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Photos from Webster’s parade

29 May

 

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So the weather could have been a little bit better for Monday’s Memorial Day Parade, but it also could have been a whole lot worse.

This is the first year I can remember that we’ve had any kind of rain for the parade. But even this year it wasn’t too bad; a few sprinkles during the marching, and a shower during the ceremony at Webster Rural Cemetery. The crowds lining Main Street and Ridge Road were noticeably thinner this year, probably thanks to the threatening weather, but there were still plenty of onlookers. Many of them came prepared with umbrellas and pop-ups, or found space under some of the large trees that lined the route.

Despite the dampness, I didn’t hear any grumbling. I think we all realized that the men and women we were honoring had suffered much worse.

The only disappointing thing about the day was seeing how many people forgot to stand when the flag came by.

I’ve posted a few photos here, but there are plenty of more here in my gallery, including some from where everyone was lining up, through to the ceremony.

P. S., if you got any great photos which I can add to my gallery, please email them to missyblog@gmail.com.


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Details about Webster’s Memorial Day Parade

28 May

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It looks like the rains might hold off tomorrow morning for Webster’s Memorial Day Parade and remembrance ceremony, but make sure to bring an umbrella in case one of the passing thunderstorms should find us.

Monday morning’s parade will begin on Sanford Street (next to Spry Middle School) at 9:30 am, then works its way down South Avenue and onto West Main Street. The parade will conclude with a ceremony at Webster Rural Cemetery, on Ridge Road at Holt.

The parade is always nice, but it is the ceremony which really moves me. Every year, members of our Webster veterans organizations and Scout troops spend several days placing American flags on the graves of thousands of veterans buried in our local cemeteries. You’ll see them peppered throughout the Webster Rural Cemetery, marking the resting places of those who fought for our freedom.

 

The post-parade ceremony is extremely moving. There are speeches, local officials lay wreaths, and children place flags at the headstones representing all of our country’s wars. And when members of the Webster Marching Band play Echo Taps, I always choke up. I’m thankful that I don’t have to visit my son’s grave in a military cemetery, and cannot imagine the pain felt by those mothers who do. 

I have not been able to attend the parade for the last two years because I’ve been out of town. But this year, I’ll certainly be out there with  my camera, traveling up and down the streets and at the cemetery, so keep an eye out for me!

Here’s a gallery of photos from 2013, a sampling of what this event is all about.

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