I love this community

19 Mar

Today’s blog is about community.

My regular readers know that I love to highlight the kind and generous people who make up our incredible community. When something important needs to be accomplished, if a neighbor needs help, the Webster community responds without hesitation. From my position as a community blogger, I see that happen every day in big and small ways.

The most recent example of that spirit can be seen is the response to the first-ever Mail Call: Letters From Home challenge. During the month of April, mailboxes will be placed in businesses and agencies throughout the town, where people can deposit cards, letters and notes for the troops. The hope is to collect 1,000 letters, which will then be included in care packages the Blue Star Mothers will be sending overseas in June.

I’ll be posting more details about this effort shortly, but I needed to write — right now — about what’s been going on so far. Because even before the Mail Call Challenge has officially begun, the Webster community has rallied big time to support it.

For the last month or more, Cherie Wood, the event’s organizer, has been working hard behind the scenes, collecting blank greeting cards, arranging for the mailboxes, and contacting local businesses to ask them to host a mailbox where the cards and letters will be collected.

Step one was collecting the cards. When the call went out, the cards started flowing in. They came in a few at a time, dozens at a time stuffed in manila envelopes, and by the box-load. Individuals dug through their attics and pulled together all of their blank cards. Others donated note pads and blank post cards. Craft clubs dedicated their time to create beautiful cards. Girl Scout Troop 60344 joined forces with the Women’s Club of Webster to make cards. One woman dropped off a box filled with 374 individually crafted, stamped and decorated cards her mother had made, heartened by the thought that they would be going to a good cause.

As for the mailboxes, Webster Lowe’s donated 13 mailboxes, 13 posts, post brackets and buckets filled with cement to stand them in. Jerry, one of their employee veterans, is designing the stand for their store. And Vital Signs, who made all the mailbox wrappers, did so at a very deep discount.

As Cherie started approaching businesses who would agree to host a mailbox, she thought she might have a little difficulty finding 13 locations. BUT NO!!!! Not only has she found those locations, but the response has been enthusiastic. Or, as Cherie wrote, “some of them have been over-the-top excited to do this.”

For example, she reported,

  • Lori at Mama Lor’s already has it planned out: the hostess station will encourage customers to write a card while they wait for their tables or meals.
  • Doctor Joe Van Cura, owner of Pearl Vision, is newly discharged from a medical unit.  He knows the difference a card or letter can make.
  • Joe Campeau, manager of KeyBank on Empire is a new veteran, and knows how important getting these cards and letters from home means during deployment. 
  • The American Legion and VFW are beyond excited to host a mailbox. Imagine one of our young soldiers getting a letter from a veteran who has been there. 
  • Jersey Mike’s Subs, a frequent supporter of military fundraisers, enthusiastically said “YES!  We want a Mail Call mailbox!”
  • The folks at Salvatore’s said, “These service members fight for us. The least we can do is support them with a note of encouragement. We are IN!”
  • The Webster Library is planning a Drop In & Make a Card day on Saturday, April 5 from 11 a.m to 3 p.m. Bring the family!
  • The Webster Recreation Center will have their mailbox available for everyone, and they will have card making parties during their spring camps.
  • The Webster Town Hall was very pleased to support our military by hosting a mailbox.

That is so cool.

Stay tuned for more information about the Mail Call: Letters From Home Challenge and a complete list of mailbox locations. Then you can also be a part of this important initiative.

* * *

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 3/19/2025)

Ahhhh, spring

17 Mar

Like most of you, I have really been enjoying these warmer days of spring. The Winter That Was this year (especially February — yick) was just awful and we have earned the right to finally get outside again.

It’s not just the fact that the last of the snow piles are finally gone (that took long enough) or that I was FINALLY able to take my Christmas lights off the fence without wading through snow. What I really like most about these early days of spring is, well, SEEING everyone again.

People are taking after-dinner strolls, and plopping their children into strollers and wagons, and rediscovering the neighborhood. And there are a LOT of people out walking their dogs, more than I ever remembered there being before.

Now given that dogs have to be walked every day, chances are most of these people had been walking by my house all winter, and I just never noticed them. But now chances are good that I’m actually outside doing something, so we can actually greet each other and even have a short chat.

I’m sitting on my front porch again, chalking pictures in the driveway for the group of child-care kids who come by every day, and I’m very much looking forward to finally getting to know my new next-door neighbors, who moved in just before Christmas.

Chances are quite good that we’ll still have a little snow before spring takes hold in earnest, but I’m gonna be outside as much as possible, making up for lost neighborhood time.

* * *

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 3/17/2025)

Tags: ,

Monroe County to honor Jamieson Ritter

15 Mar

Of the many email lists I’ve signed up for to get blog ideas, the most persistent is the one from the office of Monroe County Executive Adam Bello. The great majority of the press releases they send out get directed immediately to my digital trash bin because they have nothing to do with Webster. But the one I got a few days ago piqued my interest and warmed my heart.

The release announced that Lakefront Lodge in Webster Park (that’s the beautiful new one just north of Holt Rd.) will be officially renamed to honor fallen police officer — and Webster native — Jamieson Ritter.

While serving as a police officer in Cleveland, Ritter was tragically killed on July 4, 2024 as officers attempted to serve a warrant. He was just 27 years old. His funeral was held several days later at Falvo Funeral Home in Penfield. The Webster community came out in force to honor him as his funeral procession wound its way through the village towards Falvo.

Ritter was a 2015 graduate of McQuaid Jesuit High School. He graduated from Syracuse University in 2019 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. As a member of the Ohio Army National Guard, he deployed to Syria in 2022 and returned to continue his service as a police officer with the City of Cleveland. 

At the Monroe County Legislature meeting when the announcement was made earlier this month, Ritter’s family said,

It is a profound honor that Jamieson’s  ultimate sacrifice is being recognized and remembered by his hometown community. Jamieson was moving home to continue his service to the citizens of Monroe County and was excited to serve and protect the community he loved.

We are deeply moved by the  overwhelming support given to our family through this tragedy. Jamieson’s story is a testament to his  unwavering commitment to service and his deep love for his community. We hope his legacy will  inspire and encourage others to serve their community, as our family has done for generations  through military service, law enforcement, and community service. The community’s recognition  and remembrance of Jamieson’s sacrifice means the world to us and we are touched by the collective  support. 

The Monroe County Legislature will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony in May to officially rename the Lakefront Lodge to the “Jamieson Ritter Memorial Lodge.”

* * *

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 3/15/2025)

Tags: , , ,

Webster Museum will present program on scams

13 Mar

This coming Tuesday March 18, beginning at 10:30 a.m., the Webster Museum will host a special program about the increasing prevalence and sophistication of scams and fraud.

The program, called “Scam, Fraud,  AI Questions? Education is the Answer,” will be presented by Dan Lyon from the Upstate Elder Abuse Center at Lifespan.

Dan, a former officer with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department, will provide useful tips on what to look for and how to handle any attempts to get your money or your personal information. For example, when you get a suspicious call from someone who sounds like your son or grandson, and they ask for money, this presentation will give you some ideas on what to do.

The program will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday March 18. There will be plenty of time to share your personal experiences and ask questions. The program is free, the museum is handicap accessible, and refreshments will be provided. For more information, visit the Webster museum website and make sure to “like” their Facebook page for the latest news about programs.  

The Webster Museum is located at 18 Lapham Park in the Village of Webster. They’re open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 2 to 4:30 p.m.

* * *

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 3/13/2025)

Tags: , , ,

Annual Spry charity basketball game will benefit Webster Hope

12 Mar

The Spry Middle School Student Council is putting the fun into fundraising at its annual Charity Basketball Game on Thursday, March 20 from 6 to 8 p.m.

The evening will feature a friendly hoops competition between student houses, highlighted by a halftime show where Spry staff will challenge each other in Minute to Win It games. The staff and student competitions will all count towards points awarded to the houses, and after the game, the highly coveted Spirit Stick will be awarded to the house which has accumulated the most points during Spirit Week.

Suggested donation at the door is $5. Concessions will also be available for a nominal cost. 

The game is the capstone event for Spry’s Spirit Week, and all of the proceeds from the game — and various other fundraising activities held during the week — will benefit Webster Hope. The agency provides residents in need in the 14580 zip code with food, clothing, household goods, furniture and occasional financial assistance.

Once again, the Spry Middle School Charity Basketball Game will be held Thursday, March 20 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the school gym, 119 South Avenue.

* * *

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 3/12/2025)

Tags: , , ,

Help preserve Webster history on National Historic Marker Day

11 Mar

Now here’s something that I’ve never heard about before, but I can definitely get behind.

It’s the National Historic Marker Day, an opportunity for community members a chance to show some love to our town’s historic markers.

The annual event is a celebration of local history and service, and this year will be held on Friday April 25. The hope is that individuals or community groups (like the Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts) will volunteer to clean historical markers, important to help prevent deterioration so that our generation — and future generations — can continue to enjoy them.

Here in Webster alone we have a dozen markers, and they could all use some TLC:

  • Bay Road Elementary School, 695 Bay Rd. (now Hillside Children’s Center)
  • Bresson House, 199 W. Main St.
  • Early Church, 109 W. Main St. (now Cobblestone on Main)
  • F.M. Jones House, 135 E. Main St.
  • First High School, 97 South Ave. (now apartments)
  • Fort Site, Lake Rd.
  • Holt Homestead, 757 Holt Rd.
  • Immanuel Lutheran Church, 131 W. Main St.
  • Irondequoit Bay
  • Jayne & Mason Bank buulding, 11 E. Main St.
  • The Dean House, 93 W. Main St.
  • Webster Baptist Church, 59 South Ave.
  • Webster Grange, 58 E. Main St. (the Harmony House)

This website has everything you need to know about the day, including how to register, what you should do to plan for your project, even applying for grant money. There’s a downloadable volunteer kit that includes a planning document, marker cleaning guide, lesson plans, tips for publicizing your project, and more. Registered volunteers may also be eligible for a special giveaway once you share your marker cleaning photos on social media. You’ll find more information about that on the website as well.

If you’ll be participating in National Historic Marker Day, please let me know, and plan to send me some photos.

* * *

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 3/11/2025)

News from the Webster Chamber of Commerce

9 Mar

A couple of events from my friends at the Webster Chamber of Commerce today.

The first is the announcement about their next Eat, Drink & Connect event. These networking events are great opportunities to develop current business connections and start new ones. They’re also a chance for Chamber visitors to socialize with Webster Chamber members and find out more about the organization.

Normally, these occasions are hosted by one Webster Chamber member, but this month the Chamber is adding a twist and making it a co-chamber event.

On March 13 from 5:30 to 7 p.m., the Webster and Brighton Chambers of Commerce will be hosting a joint event at the Preservation Beer Company in Fairport. The featured speakers will be from LifeWave. LifeWave Directors Kendall Welden and Sarah Robinson will present information about their wearable patches for health and wellness. 

There’s no fee for Chamber members to attend; the guest and visitor fee is $10. All attendees must pre-register: 

***

This second note is from Webster Chamber member Embrace Your Sisters, a Canandaigua-based organization dedicated to providing emergency financial support for people with breast cancer. The organization covers 13 counties, and more than $600,000 has been distributed to date.

In the past, Webster residents have supported — and received financial support from — Embrace Your Sisters, so I’d like to share this information about one of their upcoming events, the 18th annual Tea at Two Fashion Show on May 4.

Here’s the press release I received:

Public Preparation for 18th Annual Embrace Your Sisters Tea At Two Fashion Show Fundraiser

Save-the-date for the 18th annual Embrace Your Sisters (EYS) Fashion Show Fundraiser on May 4, 2025, at 2 p.m. (doors open at 12:30 p.m.). Once again, the show will be held at Casa Larga Vineyards & Winery in Fairport. 

The Fashion Show is one of two annual events which are coordinated by the volunteer EYS Board members to raise money in support of breast cancer patients, with short-term emergency funding, across Monroe County and the neighboring 12 counties. Over the past 19 years of EYS, they have distributed over $600,000! Embrace Your Sisters is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, EIN: 80-0277604.

Currently, the public is being offered the opportunity to join in on the community support and earn visibility. Sponsorships, Program Ads, and donated products and services for the Silent Auction are all ways to participate. The deadline to participate in any of these ways is March 21.

Plus, your attendance at the 2025 Embrace Your Sisters Tea At Two Fashion Show Fundraiser will be very appreciated. A critical mass of attendees makes the silent auction, liquor and wine pull in handcrafted bags, jewelry, music, appetizers, desserts, beverages, speakers, and of course, the runway fashions, even more enjoyable! Click here to buy your ticket or a table of 10.

If your loved one, friend, or colleague has been challenged with a breast cancer diagnosis, please tell them about Embrace Your Sisters. To read more about the Tea At Two Fashion Show and express your interest, click here.

* * *

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 3/9/2025)

Track and field open house welcomes children and adults with disabilities

7 Mar

Here’s a quick announcement about a great new event taking place TODAY, Saturday, from 6:15 to 8:15 p.m. at the Webster Thomas High School Field House. It’s the inaugural Challenger Miracle Field Track and Field Open House for Rochester area children and adults with disabilities.

Designed for regional athletes ages 8 and older with developmental, physical, or intellectual disabilities, the two-hour open house will allow participants to try out four modified events: 4×100 relay, 55-meter dash, shot put and long jump.

The event is being organized by Amelia Thompson, a sophomore and Webster Thomas track & field thrower. Amelia is leading the initiative as part of her Girl Scout Gold Award project, driven by her passion for making track and field accessible to athletes of all abilities. She believes in the sport’s power to bring people together and has recruited a team of Webster Thomas students to volunteer and support the participants. 

The Challenger Track and Field Open House will be held Saturday March 8 from 6:15 to 8:15 p.m. at the Webster Thomas High School Field House, 800 Five Mile Line Rd. Participation is free but registration is requested.  

For questions, please contact Linda Burke at lindab@rochestermiraclefield.org or Amelia Thompson  ameliajethompson09@gmail.com.

* * *

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 3/7/2025)

Tags: , , ,

St. Patrick’s Day returns to the village’s four corners

7 Mar

I don’t know about you, but one of the things I really miss about Barry’s Old School Irish is how the little pub would celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. The festivities lasted for days.

I’m happy to report, however, that St. Patrick’s Day has returned to 2 West Main St., at the new Mary Wee Pub.

The festivities start on Monday March 8, when the pub adds corned beef and cabbage to the menu all week long. It joins an already tasty Irish menu which includes cottage pie, Guinness beef stew, and Reubens. Nice thing about its being on the menu all week is that you don’t have to wait for St. Patrick’s Day and all the crowds to get your corned beef fix.

On Parade Day (Saturday March 15) AND St. Patrick’s Day, the pub will be open at 8 a.m for breakfast. Chef Kurt will be cooking up his own specialties, including a frittata skillet (scrambled eggs, home fries, Swiss cheese and corned beef), and a sandwich version on rye bread which will offer the option of corned beef or ham, along with the eggs, home fries and cheese.

He’s also considering putting together what he calls a “Dublin omelet” with sausage, peppers, onions, Swiss cheese served with toast.

On Sunday, the Mary Wee will open at 10 a.m., with live music from the Genny Tall Boys from 4 to 7 p.m. On Parade Day and St. Patrick’s Day proper, keep an eye out for some Irish dancers and bagpipers who’ll be stopping by.

On top of the great food and entertainment, owner Mark Petzing says to “expect perfectly poured pints, great drinks, Wee swag, traditional Irish dancing, bagpipes and shenanigans.”

Sounds like the St. Patrick’s Day that we’ve come to know and love from 2 West Main.

Stay tuned to the Mary Wee Facebook page for updates, and if you’d like to call ahead to put in an order for breakfast, lunch or dinner to take away, call 585-236-1258. (By the way, if you’re like me and not a big fan of corned beef, a chicken sandwich and a burger will also be on the menu.)

* * *

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 3/7/2025)

Tags: , , , ,

Buy Girl Scout cookies, support our deployed troops

6 Mar

If you’re a big fan of Girl Scout cookies like I am, you know that it’s COOKIE SEASON, and the cookies should be arriving at your house very soon. But if you missed out on ordering this year, or you REALLY need more Thin Mints to toss in the freezer, have no fear. I know two troops which will be selling them at local businesses in the coming weeks.

But even better than just being able to get some for yourself, you’ll also be able to buy a box or two (or more) to send to our deployed troops.

Here are the details:

Webster Girl Scout Troop 60568 will be setting up in these locations beginning this weekend:

  • Saturday March 8, Lowe’s, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  • Saturday March 15, Mama Lor’s (Lake Rd.), 9 a.m. to noon
  • Sunday March 23, CountryMax, 1 to 4 p.m.
  • Friday March 28, Walmart, 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.

PLUS, Webster Girl Scout Troop 60344 will have a table set up in these locations on these dates:

  • Saturday March 22, Pittsford Plaza, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
  • Saturday March 29, Walmart, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Sunday March 30, CountryMax, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

At all of these remote sales locations, the girls will be taking orders for cookies to be included in care packages being put together by the Blue Star Mothers for our local troops who are deployed overseas. The packages will be mailed out in June.

Service members love receiving Girl Scout cookies, as you can imagine. The soldiers say they love everything in the care packages (toiletries, treats, socks, etc), but their favorite by far are the Girl Scout cookies. They’re basically a small taste of home, and even after they’ve been bounced around the world — even if they arrive in crumbs — they’re still treasured.

So plan to stop by one of these tables this month, pick up some extra cookies for yourself, and help spread smiles around the world. This year’s goal is 350 boxes!

Questions? Contact Cherie Wood at  WebsterWreaths@icloud.com.

* * *

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 3/6/2025)

Tags: , , , ,

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →