Too many school supplies to count!!!

3 Oct

This was the scene outside Mitch Nellis’ Eastridge High School room during the sorting phase of the collection drive.

I got an email a few days ago from Mitchell Nellis. He’s the brains behind Greenseed Educational Supplies, the organization that coordinates the effort at the end of every school year to recycle gently used school supplies.  I know that many of my readers are really interested when I post blogs about Webster Thomas’ annual participation in this effort.  So I thought I’d post a follow-up and let you know how things went this year.

In a word, spectacular.

As a matter of fact, Mitch received so many supplies at the end of the school year that he didn’t even try to count them all.  (That was pretty good news, but disappointing to those of us who love to spout statistics.)  But he did report that the supplies were distributed to 19 local organizations — including city schools and community service agencies — and schools in Africa and South America.  Here’s a list of the local places the supplies landed:

* RCSD #29
* RCSD #30
* RCSD #58
* RCSD #44
* Urban Choice Charter School
* Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.’s literacy program
* Strong Behavioral Health
* Christian Grove St. Church
* Purple Crayon Day Care
* Saving Wild Horses Through Grace Ministries
* Pack 925 Cub Scout Troop
* Young Audiences of Rochester/ArtPeace — Arts for Learning
* Homeschool Programs in Middleport
* Unity Chemical Dependency Inpatient Unit
* CHESS homeschooling co op
* United Christian Community Program
* Compeer Rochester, Inc.
* Community Support Shoppe, Inc.
* Journeys of Solutions, Inc.

Webster was once again blew Mitch away with the amount of donated items we collected from Spry and Willink Middle Schools, Plank North Elementary and Thomas High School.  Hopefully even more Webster schools will participate next year and even more worthy agencies and schools will benefit.

If you’re connected with the PTSA at a school which would like to get involved, drop me a line and I’ll let you know how to do so.  And if you know of any community group which could use supplies next June, contact Mitch at mitchellnellis@ hotmail.com.

 

Want full-day kindergarten? Let your voice be heard.

3 Oct

Full-day kindergarten may be in Webster’s near future.

For the last several months, the Webster Central School District has been looking into the possibility of replacing the elementary schools’ current half-day kindergarten programs with full-day programs.  An advisory committee consisting of 80 parents, teachers, administrators and community residents has been meeting since March to review current literature on the subject, and visit existing full-day programs in Monroe and Wayne counties.

Now they’d like to get some input from the greater Webster community.  They’re inviting all residents to complete a short survey to gauge interest.  It’s only got a handful of questions, so it doesn’t take very long. A few of the questions are kind of confusing, but I expect it should give the district a general idea of where people stand.

The district stresses that a move to full-day kindergarten will not require the addition of classrooms at any of the schools.  What other costs will be involved, I can’t tell you.

The survey will be available through October 12, and can be accessed online by clicking here.  Hard copies can also be found in the main office of each elementary school.

The Board of Education will receive a report from the Full-Day Kindergarten Advisory Committee in November, which will include the community survey results, along with research and site visit findings.

 

 

Wednesday Mailbag

3 Oct

News about all sorts of special events have been landing in my email box lately. So let’s get right to it…

The westbound lanes of the Bay Bridge will be closed again this weekend, beginning Friday at 5 pm, through Sunday around noon.  Traffic is going to be heavier on Empire Boulevard for the duration, so you may want to plan some alternate routes.

* * *

Webster resident Sara Cullen is organizing a benefit to fight eosinophilic esophagitis, an allergic inflammatory condition of the esophagus. The event is called Spin to Win, and is planned for Saturday October 6 from 8:30 to 10:30 am at Gold’s Gym, 855 Publisher’s Parkway.

Cullen’s eight-year old son Donovan suffers from the condition. Participants may contribute by taking a two-hour spin class at the gym from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., or taking a 9:30 a.m. body pump class. There is a $20 donation to participate.

All proceeds will go toward research through CURED, Campaign Urging Research for Eosinophilic Disease.

For more information, go to www.curedfoundation.org, or call the gym at 347-0047 to register to participate.

* * *

Did you hear that the school district is “re-evaluating” the Senior Project and has put it on hold?  That hasn’t stopped Schroeder senior Kaitlyn Newcomb from doing her own project.

Kaitlyn has organized a fund-raiser for the Webster Community Chest which is really unique. It’s called “Hoof’n It,” and will take place this Saturday morning, October 6, at the Webster Firemen’s Field. It’s a horse ride and walk. For $5 each, participants can mount a horse and take a guided 5-mile ride around the village of Webster. Anyone who does not want to ride is invited to walk along with the horses.

Registration will begin at 9 am the the ride begins at 10. Cash, check and non-perishable food donations will be accepted.  For more information, contact Kaitlyn at HoofinItWithRio@gmail.com.

* * *

Planning to go climb the iceberg at the Webster Aquatic Center on Columbus Day?  Better make other plans.

The Aquatic Center has sent word that the Iceberg Adventure scheduled for Monday has been cancelled. It’ll be back again on December 27. Contact WCSD Community Programs at 670-1087 with any questions.

* * *

Finally, this invitation from the school district:

Veterans Invited To Dinner in their Honor

Veterans living in the Webster Central School District are cordially invited to a complimentary dinner sponsored by Spry Middle School Student Council along with the Webster-Fairport B.P.O. Elks #2396 as a way of showing our appreciation to the men and women of this community who served, or are actively serving, in our country’s military. Spouses are also invited.

The event will take place Tuesday, November 13  from 4:00-6:00 PMat the Elks Lodge, 1066 Jackson Road, Webster. Reservations are required. Please call Flora Senecal at Spry Middle School at 216-0093 by Monday, November 5.

 

What I learned at camp

1 Oct

Misty or not, the Adirondack colors were more than spectacular.

So here’s what I learned at camp this weekend:  Asses like applesauce.

No, no, no — we’re talking about donkeys.  Apparently, according to my new friend Jen, the donkeys that live in the general vicinity of Las Vegas like eating applesauce out of single-serve containers. Through a car window.

As you can imagine, there’s a whole lot more to the story than that, but I won’t get into that here. Suffice it to say that was just one of dozens of stories I heard at Camp Gorham last weekend, most of which made me laugh so hard my belly hurt.

The occasion was YMCA Camp Gorham’s Women’s Adventure Weekend, a women-only, action-packed, stress-free weekend where participants could climb a wall, hike a mountain, shoot some arrows, ride a mountain bike, or just sit back in an Adirondack chair overlooking the lake and read a book.

There were about 60 women there, most of whom were from Rochester, several from Webster itself. So I saw a few ladies there I already knew. But the real fun was meeting so many new people and making so many new friends. It’s amazing how quickly strangers can become friends when you bunk with them for three days and hear them cheering you on as you hold on for dear life to the top of a 25-foot telephone pole.

The women of Birch Cabin, and my new friends.

And yes, I did finally get up on top of that pole. And I climbed the climbing wall and rode my first zip line. I kayaked on a lake that was so calm its surface reflected the mountains like a mirror. I went mountain biking and sang goofy songs around a campfire. And in the evenings, I relaxed in front of wood stove in a cabin filled with new friends and laughed till my belly hurt.

It was darn close to being the best weekend ever.

Oh, and aside from that fascinating fact about donkeys, camp also taught me that:

* It IS possible to survive without TV, computer or cell phone for an entire weekend.
* Sleeping in the top bunk is still fun, even as an adult.
* The air smells better in the Adirondacks.
* No matter how much it rains, the autumn Adirondacks colors are awe-inspiring.
* Being able to change into dry socks and shoes is one of life’s simple pleasures.
* It’s so quiet in the woods up there that you can actually hear the autumn leaves as they fall through the trees.
* When you put … another beverage … in a Styrofoam coffee cup with a coffee cup lid on it, it looks just like coffee.
* In Gaga, double-touch isn’t the same as two-hand touch.
* It’s possible to knock an archery target over forward.
* Adirondack chipmunks have some serious attitude.

 

Photographic evidence that I did stand on top of the pole. Then I jumped straight out to try to grab that trapeze. I was unsuccessful.

I also learned that in Eagle Bay, NY, throwing your sneakers over the power lines counts as entertainment.

 

Red light, green light

27 Sep

Last weekend I found myself driving home along Ridge Road a few minutes after midnight. Believe it or not, the Powers That Be in the state believe it is still necessary at that time of night to have the light at the Webster Square/CVS intersection change to red on a regular cycle. This, despite the fact that those businesses had closed up shop hours ago and there are no cars in the parking lots. You can imagine how frustrating it is to sit there at that light at midnight, waiting for… nothing.

C’mon, New York State. Wise up.

Explore Webster, win prizes!

24 Sep

I love a good challenge. So when I heard about this upcoming event sponsored by the Webster Health and Education Network, I immediately jumped on board.

It’s called the  All-Around Webster Scavenger Hunt. As the name implies, the hunt will guide participants to locations all around our fair town, where they collect clues, and possibly win prizes.  The idea is to give people a fresh look at the many parks and recreational sites in our community, and in some cases, help them discover places they’d never been to before.  And if you have a good time with your family while you’re doing it, all the better.

Clues will be found at the following locations:

* Bay View Family YMCA
* Abraham Lincoln Park
* The Big Woods
* Veterans Park, Webster
* Webster Skate Park
* Bird Sanctuary
* North Ponds Park
* The Webster Arboretum
* Kent Park
* Webster Parks and Recreation Center

This three-day event kicks off on October 6 and will run through October 8.  The cost is $5 for each team (up to 6 people on a team, including at least one adult). You can register and pick up your Scavenger Map at the Bay View Family YMCA on Saturday October 6 from 7 am to 7 pm, Sunday from 9 am to 9 pm, or Monday from 5:30 am to 10 pm.  Return you completed registration form to the Y, the Webster Parks and Rec Center, or the health office at any of the school buildings.  Correctly completed forms will be entered into a prize drawing.

Click here for  more information.

 

 


 

23 Sep

If yesterday morning’s inclement weather kept you from coming into town for Village Days, I am sorry to inform you that you missed a pretty good time.  There was some rain in the morning, for sure, which made it difficult for the vendors to set up, and actually kept many of them from showing up at all. But by 11:00 or so, the last of the puddles were drying up, and the sun even dared to break through the clouds every once in a while.  So the event pretty much proceeded as planned.

Still, it was obvious that many people had indeed been scared away by the gloomy weather forecast.  The crowds were rather sparse, especially in the morning hours.  That was good news for the young participants in the model plane flying contest; fewer entrants meant it was easier to win.  I was pleased to see that that both the museum and the fire station had some good foot traffic for their open houses.

As always, the best part of Village Days was walking through town, and seeing so many old and new friends, neighbors and business owners I have come to know in the past few years.  As always, it was a very nice event, celebrating all that is great about Webster.

Click here or on any of the images to redirect to a gallery of photos from Village Days 2012.

 

Village Days, rain or shine

22 Sep

Courtesy weather.com

So the weather doesn’t look really promising this morning, but Village Days will take over Main Street today, rain or shine. With any luck, the worst of the rains will move off by mid-morning, and we’ll just have cloudy and cool weather this afternoon.

In any case, I will most certainly be there, snapping pictures of all the people and action, so stay tuned for one of my patented Facebook galleries.  (Maybe you’ll be in it?)

 

Is it Friday yet?

18 Sep

Just before the school year began a few weeks ago, one of my Webster Thomas colleagues posted an interesting comment on Facebook. When I read it, I immediately realized that it had some validity.  Now, two weeks into the new school year, I recognize how wise it really was.

The comment said something to the effect of, “It’s nice to get back on a school schedule because you can start looking forward to the weekends again.”

How true that is, at least for me. During the summer, when I don’t have my regular school-day schedule to keep me grounded, I kind of flounder.  You’d think that having all sorts of free time would encourage me to get a lot of things done.  Instead, it encourages me to be lazy, to spread out all my tasks throughout the day — or week — so that things never seem to get done.  And when I don’t have to get up and go anywhere every morning, one day is pretty much like the next — even Saturday and Sunday.

But when school is back in session and I’m back at work, I have to get focused.  I accomplish in a few hours after school what might have taken days over the summer. Laundry. Housekeeping. Cooking. Ironing. All because I simply don’t have the time to putz around.

And of course, being so focused during the week means the weekend’s relative freedom from workday time restraints is that much sweeter.  So by Tuesday, thoughts of the upcoming weekend are already helping me get through the workday.  This week, for example, I’m already looking forward to enjoying some music and lifting a pint at my favorite pub on Friday night, wandering around Village Days on Saturday to snap some photos, and putting my feet up in front of the Bills game on Sunday.

And if I have the time to get some housework done, I might just do that as well.  But on the weekend, laundry and ironing are on MY terms.

 

Village Days hits town this weekend

17 Sep

Village Days has returned.

Some young aviators ready their planes before last year’s Model Plane Flying Contest.

The event, which has in years past been scheduled in mid-August, took a skip-step this year and has landed on a brand new weekend, this Friday and Saturday September 21 and 22.  The village decided to move the festival to get away from what has traditionally been a VERY busy summer weekend for vendors.  Being up against five other festivals that weekend made attracting vendors to Webster a difficult proposition.  It was also always really, really hot.

So what used to be a celebration of summer is now a celebration to welcome autumn, with even more vendors and more entertainment than ever before.  They’re also combining Saturday’s sidewalk sale activities with the Main Street Farmer’s Market.

The fun starts Friday night with an Octoberfest theme, featuring a Super Food Court and a concert by The Krazy Firemen at the gazebo. On Saturday, Main Street will be closed for a street festival from 9:30-4, including lots of food, kids’ activities and live music. Here are some details:

Friday September 21:

Super Food Court from 5-10 pm, featuring German specialties from Nancy’s, Joe’s Push Cart, Hatter’s Pub, Coach Sports Bar and Brimont Catering.  The Krazy Firemen, “Rochester’s original Octoberfest band,”  plays in the gazebo from 6:30-9:30 pm.

Saturday September 22:

Street Festival from 9:30 – 4, featuring craft and food vendors, bounce house and slides for the kids, face painting and live music. Performance Hobbies will hold their annual Model Plane Flying Contest at 1 pm at the gazebo.  The Super Food Court will once again be in full swing, and live music at the gazebo begins at 4 pm.

Hope to see you there.

 

 

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