A famous local fiddler, cool science and a kiddie parade

11 Jul

Several little tidbits of information I want to toss out today, before I get to photos of last night’s kiddie parade. A few of these have been hanging around my email box for weeks, just waiting for me to get around and blog about them.  But this first nugget came to my attention just yesterday afternoon, and will interest anyone following the career of one of Webster’s finest musical talents, Kate Lee.

Kate is a 2010 graduate from Webster Schroeder High School, and an incredible fiddle player who has already been making a name for herself in Nashville, where she attends Belmont University.  Last November, for example, she was one of several back-up musicians for Rascal Flatts on the Country Music Awards television program.

Yesterday she announced something even more exciting. On July 24 she’ll be playing violin for the Heart & Soul Concert behind Rod Stewart and Stevie Nicks in Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. Wow.

Keep an eye on this young lady, folks, ’cause she’s going places.  Actually, you can see her for free at the Little Theater the day after the Heart & Soul Concert, playing a free concert from 7:30-9:30 pm.  Check out her website here.

* * *

This Friday, CDS Monarch’s Wolf Life Transitions Center on Hard Road will host a Luau Dance from 6:30-8:30 pm.  As always, there will be refreshments and music from DJ Delight. Cost is $5 per person for community members. RSVP to Summer at 347-1661 or Summer.Vanscott@cdsmonarch.org.

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Cherry Ridge is hosting a concert series this summer, called Under the Stars. Gateswingers Big Band will perform on Tuesday, July 24, and Gentlemen of Song will perform on Thursday, August 16. The concerts are held on the Cherry Ridge Lawn from from 6:30 – 8 pm and there’s no charge. Refreshments will be served and attendees are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs. In case of inclement weather, concerts will be moved inside.

Cherry Ridge is located in Webster, across from Webster Schroeder High School.

* * *

Remember that great idea you had at the beginning of the summer? “Hey, let’s NOT sign the kids up for camp this year, so we can spend more quality time with them!”

So now you’re wondering what the heck you were thinking, and you’re all stressed because this late in the game all the summer camps are full. Don’t sweat. Here’s a super option:

It’s called “Cool Summer of Science with Mr. Noon,” a series of week-long summer science classes (for 4-6 year olds and 7-9 year olds) taught by Williamson High School science teacher Brendan Noon. The classes feature age-appropriate hand-on activities that are not only fun but help develop the skills kids will need to meet the next generation of National Science Standards. (So they’ll be learning while they’re having fun, but don’t tell them.)

Upcoming classes include weather and the interaction between organisms and their environment.  You can click here for more details, but I’ll tell you right now the kids will be making clouds, playing in a pond and collecting slimy things.  Sounds like fun to me.

Classes cost $25/day and are held from 9 – 10:30 am Monday-Friday, at 153 Salt Road in Webster. For more information log onto the Science With Mr. Noon Facebook page or email Mr. Noon at Brendan.Noon@yahoo.com.

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Finally, a quick note about the Kiddie Parade which took place last night in the South Avenue/Spry Middle School neighborhood. This annual warm-up for the Fireman’s Parade (which happens tonight in the village) is always an adorable affair.  I love the idea of this parade, because it gives kids of all ages a chance to get dressed up in costumes, march in a real parade (albeit a very short one) and throw candy at high velocity at the people lining the parade route.

(And I had forgotten about the candy at high velocity part. Popping in and out of the parade taking pictures, I felt at times like I was in a war zone dodging bullets. A strawberry Dum-Dum actually hit me so hard in the shoulder it made a mark.)

It’s also fun to see how much the kids’ parents enjoy the parade. Many of them dress up in themed costumes, and it’s obvious how much thought and effort work goes into many of the “floats.”  I’ll bet some families start working on them months in advance.

One child who was watching the parade walk by described it this way: “It’s like Halloween, only earlier.”  I’m not sure whether he was referring to the costumes or the abundance of candy.

As usual, I took lots of photos. Click here or on the photo above to see the gallery.

email me at missyblog@gmail.com

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Willink creates awesome video to welcome new students

10 Jul

Here’s something that will almost certainly make you smile.  The students and staff at Willink Middle School have created a “Welcome to Willink” video that is just delightful.

The video begins with students stepping off a school bus in front of the school, where staff members jump out of the bushes holding signs to welcome them.  As the students enter the school, WEB ambassadors (Where Everyone Belongs) lead the camera through the hallways, lip dubbing to the song Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield.  As the camera winds through the school, we pass by hundreds of students lining the hallways, cheering and waving signs, many wearing uniforms or holding props representing school clubs and sports teams.

And the end of the video, the camera peers out a second-floor window onto the school grounds where the assembled student body erupts into cheers.

Every student got into the action, and there are cameos from Superintendent Adele Bovard and Principal Brian Neenan. My favorite part was probably the Willink chorus, but when the artwork walked off the wall — well, that was pretty cool, too.

The project took a year of planning, during which time the students met with advisers to coordinate props and costumes to represent every class, club and sport at Willink. Filming took place last spring, with the final product posted a few weeks ago.  Kudos to Thomas students (now Thomas grads) Rebecca Farsace and Katie Epner for a great job with the filming (done in one seamless shot) and editing.

And a hearty thumbs-up to the staff and students of Willink Middle School for doing such a fine job with this project.  What an incredible testament to that school’s spirit. If this video doesn’t make a new student feel welcome and excited to attend Willink, I don’t know what would. It’s just pure fun.

Until the end of this month, you can see the video by visiting the Webster School District’s webpage, where it is the spotlight story.  After that (or right now, if you want) you can go directly to the YouTube link. Or click on the photo above.

 

More music, more music, more music!

9 Jul

A crowd enjoys one of last summer’s concerts.

I write with some regularity about all the music options we have here in Webster during the summer months, in particular the village band performances on Thursdays and Gazebo concerts on Fridays.  But so far I have been totally ignoring another fine concert series which conveniently gives us somewhere to park our quad chairs on Wednesday.

The Main Street East band got the kids into the act.

That would be the Community Concert Series at the United Church of Christ on Klem Road. The concerts themselves take place on the front porch of the church, and seating is on the lawn — or indoors if it rains. And what’s really neat about these concerts is that proceeds from each concert benefit a different Webster non-profit organization.  There’s no charge, but a free will offering is accepted and concessions are sold, including soda, hot dogs, hamburgers, pulled pork and a weekly “special.” Last year the church raised $5400 from the concerts in free will offerings.

The concerts start up tomorrow, Wednesday July 11 and continue every Wednesday through the middle of August.  Here’s the schedule: (Click here  for more information about the bands.)

The Dady Brothers will return on August 8.

July 11: Gateswingers Big Band to to benefit Webster Comfort Care Home
July 18: Main Street East to benefit Webster Health & Education Network
July 25: Half Ton Horns to benefit Webster Friends of Trails
August 1: Ruby Shooz to benefit Webster Community Chest Food Cupboard
August 8: The Dady Brothers to benefit Heritage Christian Home Jennifer Lane
August 15: Nik Lite to benefit Webster Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary

Concessions open at 6 pm and the concerts begin at 6:30. The United Church of Christ is located at 570 Klem Road.

Thank you to Susan Mitchell for letting me know about these concerts. They sound like a lot of fun, for a good cause.

 

In memory of a young life lost

9 Jul

Not much to say about this.  It’s a memorial that’s been created on Hatch Road around the corner from my house, in honor of Christopher Salva, a young man who lost his life in a motorcycle accident a little more than a week ago. He was only 18.

Every time I pass it I just want to go home and hug my kids.

Webster Jazz Fest hit a high note again this year

8 Jul

Thousands were already on hand when the festival began, and more kept arriving all evening.

If you didn’t make it into the village of Webster last night for the Jazz Festival, you missed a wonderful evening filled with great music, great food, good friends and incredibly good weather.

Mother Nature threatened all day to make the evening a wet one, but by the time the music really started to groove, the rain clouds had parted and blue skies prevailed.  It wasn’t even that hot or muggy.  By 5:30, when the Bill Tiberio Band hit the downbeat at the Four Corners stage, hundreds of people had already settled into their lawn chairs or on blankets, or had staked out the handful of cabaret-style tables in the middle of West Main.

As the weather continued to get even better, people kept arriving and the crowds kept getting bigger.  At around 7:00 everyone turned their quad chairs around to face the Corning Park stage, where jazz fest regulars Paradigm Shift performed a set.  Then at 8:30, pianist Lao Tizer wowed the crowd with his take on contemporary jazz. I even liked his stuff, and jazz normally bores me to tears.

The Bill Tiberio Band opened the show.

On a side note….

I spent most of the evening (when I wasn’t wandering around taking photos) at Barry’s Old School Irish, which has become a second home of sorts for my family.  I was reminded how last year when I was at the Jazz Festival I also spent most of my evening on that corner.  At that time, though, there was only a sign announcing that Barry’s would be “coming soon.”  In the blog I wrote a few days later, I remarked:

Barry’s calls itself an “old school Irish pub, cafe and bakery,” whatever that means. My husband is Irish and he’s never heard of such a thing.  And he went to an old school, complete with nuns wielding hand-smacking rulers.

When Barry’s finally did open up its doors, we sure didn’t get any ruler-smacking nuns. But we did get a bunch of new friends, which helped make this year’s Jazz Fest even better that last year’s.  And I didn’t think that was possible.

Jazz Festival headliner Lao Tizer (center) was a crowd favorite.

The waitresses who worked the crowd were an inspired idea. They brought tons of business to the village restaurants.

These t-shirts were another great addition this year. I’m sorry I forgot to purchase one before I left.

As the sun set the music got cooler…

… and the dancers came out.

Jazz Festival returns to Webster Village this weekend

5 Jul

I hope this recent string of good weather keeps up for a few more days, because the Jazz Fest rolls back into town this Saturday.

This year’s featured entertainers include The Bill Tiberio Band, Paradigm Shift and contemporary jazz keyboardist Lao Tizer. You can click here for more details about the evening’s events, but here are the basics:

Everything happens on West Main Street in the village, where the street will be cordoned off, two stages set up, and there’ll be plenty of room to set up chairs and blankets for the evening. You can start setting up at 4:15, and the music begins at 5:30. Admission is free.

Here’s the schedule:

  • 5:30 pm: The Bill Tiberio Band on the East Stage (near the four corners)
  • 6:50 pm: Paradigm Shift on the West Stage (near Corning Park)
  • 8:30 pm: Lao Tizer plays two sets on the East Stage

Bring your own picnic fixings and beverages or you can buy something from one of many food vendors set up along the street.

Aside from a possible thunderstorm, the weather looks like it might cooperate. But if not, the rain plan is for Bill Tiberio to play at The Coach Sports Bar (23 West Main St.), Paradigm Shift at Hatter’s Pub (5 West Main St.), and Lao Tizer at The Coach.

This is always a wonderful event, and the whole town seems to come out for it. It’s a great chance to meet up with family and friends on a beautiful summer evening.

 

A fond farewell to “Miss A.”

4 Jul

When my kids were young, we all knew “Wheels on  the Bus” by heart. We’d sing it at all our preschool activity classes and mommy/child events, and it was one of our favorites for long car trips.  Back then, the bus had a driver, lights, a horn, doors and people.

Adrienne reads a story to the kids. (Click on any photo to see a gallery with more.)

Apparently, in the 15-plus years since I’ve heard this little ditty, the bus has become a “space bus” and has also picked up a llama and an alien in its travels.

At least that was the interpretation I heard yesterday from Jason Poole of the Webster Public Library.  The occasion was Stories in the Park, a half-hour story time hosted by the library every Tuesday in July at Ridge Park, featuring Jason and Children’s Librarian Adrienne Furness. The library has been hosting these story times for years, but yesterday’s was extra special, because it marked the last time that Adrienne — or “Miss A.,” as the kids know her — would be participating.

After ten years as the children’s librarian at Webster Public Library, Adrienne will be moving on to a position as Library Director of the Henrietta Public Library.

Adrienne has been with the Webster Public Library for a little more than ten years, starting just a few weeks before the new library

Jason gets the kids hopping. I think they’re being fountains.

opened in Webster Plaza. In that time she has become a beloved figure in the children’s room, making an already pleasant area even more inviting with her ever-present smile and welcoming personality.

Yesterday’s program was a good example of why Adrienne will be sorely missed. When I got there just before the program started, I was amazed to see how many kids and adults were squeezed into the Ridge Park gazebo.  There were more than 50 small children crowded onto two tarps on the ground, in their parents’ laps or on the picnic benches. And there were almost that many parents and grandparents. Plus, more families kept arriving even after the stories began. I’m sure a lot of them came for the playground but were pleased to find something  even better going on, so they just stood outside the gazebo and watched.

Jason started the program with a song, accompanying himself on a guitar. Then for the next half hour he and Adrienne tag-teamed with stories, movement games and children’s tunes, keeping all 50-plus kids jumping, laughing, smiling, singing, shouting, standing still as stones, wiggling, whispering, spinning and dancing.

And even better, when Adrienne was reading a story, every child’s eyes were glued to the book, their faces bright with wonder, their minds open to new information. It was a beautiful thing to see. At that moment, a BOOK was the most important thing in their lives. All I could think was that I was watching the next generation of readers become inspired. They were learning to love stories and books.

No children’s librarian could ever ask for a better legacy.  Thank you, Adrienne, and good luck.

(Click on any of the photos to see more from yesterday’s Stories in the Park.)

 

Check out the faces of the kids. They are totally involved in the book.

Some of Miss A’s many fans gather for a final photo after the program.

Webster Hots goes cold

2 Jul

Folks in and around the village of Webster now have another option when they get a craving for a cone. Webster Hots has just started offering ice cream at their East Main Street restaurant.

I actually found out about it on Sunday evening when owners Debbie and Pat Bush posted a notice on the Webster Hots Facebook page. I knew this was big news for the village and for all us ice cream fans. So I headed down there yesterday after dinner with my husband and daughter to check it out for myself. Purely for the sake of the blog, of course. (It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it.)

Sure enough, when we walked into the restaurant we came upon a brand new ice cream counter and a pretty extensive Turkey Hill ice cream menu. Right now they have 17 different flavors which they plan to change up every once in a while. But Pat said they’d always have at least one frozen yogurt and one no-sugar added flavor.

It took us a little while to figure out what we wanted (I settled on the Junior Mints) and they were quick to offer free samples (and free sprinkles if we wanted them).  They also have milkshakes and sundaes with a variety of toppings, and the prices are very reasonable.  My small cone for $2.60 was plenty big. We sat out at the picnic tables on the patio and watched the town roll by while we ate.

What’s really neat about this new development is that later this summer Debbie and Pat hope to have a walk-up window installed on the west side of the building so ice cream cones and shakes and sundaes will be even that much easier to buy and enjoy.

Which,  on second thought, might not be such a good thing after all…..

My husband got Moose Tracks, rainbow sherbet for my daughter, and I went for the Junior Mints. Yum.

Stories in the Park to honor children’s librarian

30 Jun

I love my readers.

When I mentioned in my blog yesterday that I felt swamped by the grad party I’m having Sunday, I got two separate messages from people wanting to help out.  One was from Amy Weetman, a name you might recognize from a previous blog. Amy was kind enough to teach me how to hula hoop a few months ago.

Turns out that Amy is involved in a project which she’s trying to publicize. She sent me the following write-up, which I am pleased to repost here:

Jason Poole and Adrienne Furness

Stories in the Park, put on by the Webster Public Library, will begin again this summer on Tuesday, July 3 at 10:30 am.  It takes place at Ridge Park under the pavilion on every Tuesday of July, weather permitting. (Ridge Park is the one on Ridge Road behind the Town Hall.)

At the first Stories in the Park we will be celebrating our beloved Children’s Librarian, Miss Adrienne Furness’ last day in Webster.  She has accepted a new position as the Director of the Henrietta Public Library.  Jason and Miss A. have been together at the Webster Public Library for more than eight years and when they do a storytime together, something amazing happens.  We will all miss Miss Adrienne’s stories and finger plays, but are glad we got to have her for so long.

Jason Poole will continue along with a new Children’s Librarian.  Webster is very lucky to have such talented people in our midst entertaining our children and sharing a love of reading.

I am organizing snacks to follow the July 3 Stories in the Park.  Please contact me if you would like to contribute:  amyweetman@gmail.com  If you have any photographs of Story Times that you would like to share, I will be putting together a disc for Adrienne.  Thank you!

And thank you, Amy for being my guest blogger today!

 

Thumbs down to arsonists

30 Jun

The D&C Saturday morning posted a “thumbs down” in their opinion section to the mindless fools who torched the Bay View YMCA climbing tower a week ago.

It reads:

THUMBS DOWN for the mindless arsonist(s) who Monroe County Fire Bureau say brought on the destruction of a beloved 40-foot climbing tower at the Bay View Family YMCA on Bay Road. Before being reduced to ashes and rubble, this structure was integral to the Bay View Y’s fun, character-building summer camps. The YMCA is trying to raise $100,000 to replace the tower. If you are willing to contribute, please visit rochesterymca.org/donate or call (585) 341-4084.

Thanks so much to the editorial staff for recognizing what a blow this was to the Bay View campers.   I’m still hoping that someone hears something said by somebody, and the jerks who did this will be brought to justice.  So please keep your ears open.

The good news is, donations are coming in and plans are in the works for fund-raisers.  Stay tuned for more details.

* * *

On a different note, I’ve been a little out of commission these last few days as I try to pull together a graduation party on Sunday for my three children.  My eldest daughter just graduated with her Master’s degree from UB, my son with a music degree from Nazareth College and my youngest daughter from Schroeder High School. We figured one big graduation party would be easier and cheaper.

I wasn’t, however, counting on the stress.

So if I don’t post anything tomorrow morning, that means I’m knee-deep in party prep.  Have a wonderful, safe summer weekend.

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