Tag Archives: Chorus of the Genesee

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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Webster Museum, Chorus of the Genesee, bring music and history to the Village’s Winter Wonderland

29 Nov

Y’all probably already know about — and are looking forward to — the Village of Webster’s Winter Wonderland festivities, scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 6.

For those of you not yet familiar with this annual celebration, this is an afternoon and evening packed with holiday fun, including carriage rides, crafts for the kids, cookie decorating, live music, story time, and a visit with Santa, culminating with the always spectacular Parade of Lights down Main Street. The Village’s Business Improvement District, who organize the festival, has some new things up their sleeves for this year, and I’ll be detailing them in another blog shortly.

But today I want to highlight two organizations who always participate in this event, but since they’re not located right in the middle of things, sometimes don’t get a lot of community traffic.

The first is the Webster Museum, which always does Winter Wonderland up big.

  • Beginning at 4 p.m., the museum will have live music and a sing-along featuring The Goodwin Family, followed by The Saxophone Therapy Project at 5 p.m.
  • The Festival of Trees officially opens that Saturday as well. Nineteen beautifully decorated miniature Christmas trees have been placed throughout the museum, and community members are encouraged to see them all and vote for your favorite. They’ll be on display through Dec. 31, but if you can’t make it to the museum before then, you can also vote online at the museum’s website. (That link will be posted soon!)
  • The spectacular Burkardt Family Crèche will be on display for the month of December.  Handcrafted in Germany between WWI and WWII, it was shipped to the Burkardt family in Webster at the end of the war. You can read more about it in this blog I wrote about it two years ago.   
  • The museum’s popular holiday raffle returns this year, featuring featuring gifts and vouchers from generous local businesses. Tickets will be available at the museum through Dec. 6. They’re 3 for $5 and winners do not need to be present
  • Finally, the museum is participating in Kittelberger Florist’s 12 Months of Flowers program this holiday season. Purchase a “12 Months of Flowers” card for $50, cash or check only, at the museum through Dec 6 and receive one bouquet of flowers, each month, for 12 consecutive months. Bouquets are valued at $15 and must be picked up at Kittelberger Florist, 263 North Ave, Webster.

The Webster Museum is located at 18 Lapham Park (just steps off of East Main St.). They’ll be open from 2 to 6 p.m. on Saturday Dec. 6.

The second featured organization today is the Chorus of the Genesee, who make their home at the Harmony House, 58 East Main St. in the village. During Winter Wonderland the Harmony House will be hosting a craft fair from 2 to 8 p.m. in the main room, just steps off of Main St. During the event, the Chorus will pop up occasionally to entertain the crowds with Christmas carols. Plus, watch for an ensemble of carolers from Webster’s own award-winning Rochester Rhapsody Chorus, who’ll be strolling through the village, popping in and out of businesses and stopping along the street from 4 to 5 p.m.

BY THE WAY,

If you’re a fan of signing Christmas carols and eating soup, the Chorus of the Genesee would like to invite you to their annual Soup and Caroling night on Tuesday Dec. 23 beginning at 7 p.m. The carolers will start at the Harmony House and walk through the village, caroling at select houses and businesses, then return to the Harmony House for a delicious variety of soups. There’ll be free hot chocolate and an open bar 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 more than welcome.

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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 11/29/2025)

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Chorus of the Genesee invites you …

15 Jun

Are you a guy who loves to sing?

Webster’s very own Chorus of the Genesee invites you to sing some a cappella music with them this Tuesday evening during their Guest Night.

The event is scheduled for Tuesday June 17 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Harmony House, 58 East Main St. in the Village of Webster.

You don’t even need to read music. If you can sing a tune, they’ll show you the rest.

Please RSVP here, or you can call (585) 259-3590 and they’ll save you a seat. If you won’t be sure whether you can make it until that evening, feel free to just walk in without RSVPing. Make sure to plan to stay for pizza afterwards, too.

If you have any questions, email RochesterCOG@gmail.com

The Chorus of the Genesee is a non-profit, educational organization devoted to preserving the original American art form of barbershop harmony. The Chorus rehearses every week at the Harmony House in Webster, but performs all over the greater Rochester area and participates in choral events all over the country. A portion of their proceeds support both local and national service projects.

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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 6/15/2025)

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Chorus of the Genesee, Rochester Rhapsody unite for one beautiful concert

15 May

Get your tickets now for what promises to be an incredible afternoon of music and merriment.

Two of Rochester’s premier a cappella choruses (which both hail from little ol’ Webster), the Chorus of the Genesee and Rochester Rhapsody, will join forces (and voices) on Saturday, May 31 for “Harmony in the House.”

This annual musical treat features both of these outstanding choruses and several a cappella groups performing everything from classic hits to contemporary favorites. Plus, there’ll be door prizes, raffles, a bar, snacks and plenty of free parking.

The show will be held at Our Lady of Mercy High School, 1437 Blossom Rd., Brighton, and begins at 3 p.m. Tickets are $20 online in advance and $25 at the door. Click here to get your tickets, or call 585-748-4592.

“Harmony in the House” is a fundraiser for the Harmony House, a beautiful historic building constructed in 1899, which both groups call home.

For more information about how you can help, email RochesterCOG@gmail.com for details.

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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 5/15/2025)

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Webster community mailbag

20 Mar

Let’s start today’s mailbag with a few items from the Webster Public Library.

A reminder that the library’s Vintage Book Sale takes place on Saturday March 22 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Shop more than 200 fiction and non-fiction books, published between the 19th and early 21st centuries. Prices begin at $8.

Also, all this month the library is hosting their first-ever Irish American Heritage Month Book Sale. It lasts only until everything is sold, so get there soon to choose from a selection of books about Irish history, travel, culture and folklore, plus coffee-table books, Ireland-themed puzzles and Irish music CDs.

Both book sales benefit the Friends of the Webster Public Library.

And remember that this month’s free community exchange is GAMES. Bring in a game that you don’t use anymore, and pick up a new one! Plus, the Donation Station benefits the library’s Free Food Pantry, and the Seed Library is now open.

Got stuff to shred?

The Finger Lakes Federal Credit Union will sponsor a free community shredding day on Saturday May 3 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Webster branch, 815 Ridge Rd. It’s open to small businesses and individuals in the Webster area. Please bring the papers in disposable (preferably recyclable) boxes or bags.

Wine Walks return

The Village of Webster has scheduled the next Wine Walk for Saturday May 10.

These are very popular events where you stroll the village, popping into businesses to sample wines and snacks from our local merchants.

Participants must be 21 and an ID is required. More information to come, but you cal also stay up to date on the latest at the Webster BID website.

Are you a guy who loves to sing?

The Chorus of the Genesee is hosting a New Members Night on Tuesday March 25 at 7 p.m., at the Harmony House, 58 East Main St. in the Village of Webster.

Come meet the guys and join them for an evening of singing a cappella music. You don’t even have to be able to read music. If you can sing a tune, they’ll show the rest. Click here to R.S.V.P., and if you have any questions, you can call 585-259-3590 or email RochesterCOG@gmail.com.

Some additional reminders …

All of the following announcements were previously included in this community mailbag, so click on that link if you’d like any more information about …

  • The Webster Public Library will host its annual Special Needs Parent Resource Fair on Saturday April 19 from 10 a.m. to noon. This event is especially for parents and caregivers who are looking for community resources to support their loved ones who have special needs.
  • Anyone wishing to run for the Webster Central School District Board of Education may pick up a nominating packet from the district clerk’s office, 119 South Avenue, any weekday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Petitions must be returned to the district clerk’s office no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, April 21.
  • The Webster Arboretum will present the program Invasive Insects on Thursday March 20, from 7 to 8 p.m., presented by Camille Caceci, the Invasive Species Project Coordinator with Finger Lakes PRISM.
  • The Webster Comfort Care Home is hosting an 80’s Prom and Dance Party on Saturday April 5 from 6 to 10 p.m. at Shadow Lake Golf Club, 1850 Five Mile Line Rd. Music will be provided by Hall Pass and DJ Lesh.

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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 3/20/2025)

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Chorus of the Genesee makes Valentine’s Day extra sweet

10 Feb

Want to REALLY impress your sweetheart this Valentine’s Day? Ask some of the dapper gentlemen from Webster’s Chorus of the Genesee to show up at her (or his) workplace and personally serenade her with a romantic song.

The Chorus will once again offer their Singing Valentine service this Valentine’s Day weekend, Thursday February 13 through Saturday February 15.

For only $50, a quartet of crooners will descend on your sweetheart’s workplace, hair salon, home, restaurant — wherever you need them to go — and surprise your Valentine with a long-stemmed rose, a personalized card, and two romantic love songs.

Songs will be delivered between 1 and 9 p.m. on Thursday Feb. 13, and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday Feb. 14 and 15.

To schedule your Singing Valentine, call the Chorus of the Genesee at 585-734-1328. Cost is only $50 for a memory that will last a lifetime.

In the photo above, which I took several years ago, members of Ra-Cha-Cha (Ed Rummler, Dave Bay, Lee Shepter and Mike McKain) sing to Stacey Gitsis at the Bay Front Restaurant.

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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 2/10/2025)

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Webster community mailbag

25 May

The Chorus of the Genesee invites YOU

Are you a guy who loves to sing, or do you know a guy who loves to sing? Webster’s very own Chorus of the Genesee is hosting a Guest Night on Tuesday, June 4 at 7 p.m. at the Harmony House, 58 E. Main St. in the Village of Webster.

Learn more about the Chorus, who they are and what they do. There’ll be singing, snacking and socializing. Click here to find out more.

Yoga at the Gazebo

Molly Flaherty, owner of M/Body Webster, is hosting FREE outdoor community yoga classes in Veterans Memorial Park on North Ave. every Sunday morning from 10 to 11 a.m. through Sept. 8.

While there’s no charge, registration is required. Click here to register. This event is being held in conjunction with the Webster BID and Webster Chamber of Commerce.

Day of Caring at The Webster Arboretum

Thursday May 23 was the annual Day of Caring, and the Webster Arboretum sent along this report on what their volunteers got accomplished:

“The Day of Caring, sponsored by United Way, is the community’s single largest volunteer effort, helping local nonprofits with projects, or ‘needs’, that they may not otherwise have resources for. We would like to thank Carestream Health, TRSS, Rockwell Automation, Hillside Children Center, Excellus, Paychex and Bond, Schoennay & King for supporting the Webster Arboretum. (Thursday) these groups came out in force to weed, mulch and beautify the Webster Arboretum. Thanks to their hard work we look better than ever. Stop by and enjoy the benefits of their labor.”

And don’t forget about these upcoming June Events at the Arboretum:

  • Composting workshops, Wednesday June 5 from 10 to 11 a.m. or Tuesday June 25 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. The presenter will be Barbara Cummings from the Wayne County Master Gardener Program. No registration is required.
  • Program about peonies, the “queen of flowers,” Sunday June 9 at 6:30 p.m. Arboretum board member George Riehle will give a tour and present the program, focusing on the care and cultivation of peonies and tree peonies. Please register at the Webster Arboretum website. 
  • The Music at the Arb series continues this summer when Jazz Generation performs at the Arboretum gazebo on Thursday June 20 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The performance is weather-dependent. Bring your chairs, blankets, snacks and beverages. There’s no cost and registration is not necessary.

The Webster Arboretum is located at 1700 Schlegel Rd.

Miracle Field announces inaugural golf tournament

This is exciting news from our friends at Challenger Miracle Field. They’ve just announced they’ll be hosting their first-ever golf tournament on Monday Sept. 9 at Irondequoit Country Club.

The Early Bird Golf Package will go for $1,000 a team if purchased before June 30, when the price will go up to $1,100. Packages include a round of golf for four people, golf carts, lunch and dinner.

Sponsorships are available for individuals and businesses beginning at $200.

Click here to register for the tournament and click here for more information about sponsorships.

Special Olympics Returns to Schroeder Campus

This notice from the Webster CSD:

Webster Central School District will once again host the Northeast Monroe County Special Olympics Track and Field Day.

Student athletes from nine area schools will compete throughout the day on Wednesday, May 29 at the Webster Schroeder High School track. Opening ceremonies will begin at 9:45 a.m. with the New York State Police Torch Relay slated to arrive around 10:15 a.m. Competitions will begin immediately following. Webster Schroeder, Webster Thomas, East Irondequoit, West Irondequoit, Penfield, Creekside, Mary Cariola, Greece Athena, and Fairport high schools will all be represented, competing in a variety of track, field, and adaptive events.

New this year will be several unified events. Unified Sports joins people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team. It was inspired by a simple principle: training together and playing together is a quick path to friendship and understanding. In Unified Sports, teams are made up of people of similar age and ability.

Additionally, Special Olympics NY will again offer more opportunity for age-appropriate sport activities for younger children. Their Young Athletes program, for ages 2-7, offers a variety of motor learning stations that introduces athletes to play and develops skills that lead to sport-specific movements and activities. Developmental Sports, for ages 8-11, is a step up from Young Athletes and focuses on skill development in sport activities. Both of these Special Olympics programs are designed to prepare younger athletes for authentic Special Olympics competition.

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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 5/25/2024)

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Harmony in the House returns next weekend

10 May

Two of Rochester’s premier a cappella choruses (which both hail from little ol’ Webster) — the Chorus of the Genesee and Rochester Rhapsody — will join forces (and voices) on Saturday May 18 for “Harmony in the House,” a musical treat featuring both choruses and seven different a cappella ensembles. The choruses will perform two 90-minute shows, singing together and separately, and quartets from both groups will fill your heart with a variety of musical favorites.

In addition to the beautiful music, there’ll be door prizes, raffles, a bar, snacks, and plenty of free parking.

It’s a harmony-filled musical treat which all happens at the beautiful, historic Harmony House, 58 East Main St. in the Village of Webster, home to the Chorus of the Genesee for 50 years. Shows will be held at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., and tickets are just $20. Click here for tickets, and feel free to add an extra donation (please and thank you) to benefit the Harmony House Renovation Project.

Find out more on the Facebook event page here.

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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 5/10/2024)

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Webster community mailbag

2 May

Chicken BBQ. Yum.

St. Martin Lutheran Church will hold a Drive Thru Chicken BBQ on Saturday, May 4 at the church, 813 Bay Road, Webster. The event begins at 4:30 p.m. and will continue until all dinners are sold out.

Dinners will include a half chicken, salt potatoes, coleslaw, roll, butter and cookie, and will cost $15.

The event will be drive-through only and there will be no advance sales; first-come, first-served. Cars should enter the parking lot, follow the signs, and purchase dinners using exact payment of either cash or
check. Cars will then pick up boxed dinners.

Proceeds from the BBQ will support both St. Martin’s Little Free Pantry and Christmas Stocking Project, which reaches more than 500 local youth in Monroe and Wayne counties.

What the heck is a hellebore?

The Webster Arboretum will host a presentation on May 9 titled Lenten Rose and Christmas Rose are Hellebores.

Learn about the care and culture of these amazing plants. Donna Shayder, Master Gardener of Monroe County, will discuss the growing conditions, types, management and appropriate care of the hellebore. She’ll also conduct a tour of the hellebore plantings at the Arboretum and answer all your questions.

No registration or fee is required. The program will begin at 6:30 p.m. Meet at the Curry Building at the Webster Arboretum, 1700 Schlegel Road.

Get your Mother’s Day plants here

The Webster Arboretum Association, together with local growers and local garden clubs, will host the 2024 Webster Arboretum Plant Sale on Saturday May 11 from 8 a.m. to noon.

A tremendous variety of beautiful, healthy plants from standard to uncommon will be available including annuals, dwarf conifers, geraniums, dahlias, tomatoes, trees, shrubs and more. It’s a great way to celebrate spring and get some live plants perfectly suited for your garden. And don’t forget Mother’s Day!

The sale will be held at the Webster Arboretum, 1700 Schlegel Rd. Webster.

Barn Sale at Heritage Square

Heritage Square Museum, at 7147 Ontario Center Rd. in Ontario, is holding a huge Barn Sale from Thursday May 9 through Saturday May 11. Hours are:

  • Thursday, May 9 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Friday, May 10 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Saturday, May 11 from 9 a.m. to noon ($5 bag sale, bring your own bags)

And looking ahead, the museum will be hosting a chicken BBQ on Friday May 13 from 4 p.m. ’till gone.

Get rid of those ugly mugs

I’ll be highlighting a few more Webster Public Library events in a future blog, but this one especially caught my eye today.

Apparently the library has a “community exchange table,” which I don’t think I realized. And this month, community members can exchange MUGS there.

We all have them, a collection of coffee mugs that we’ve gathered through the years but we never use, so they’re tucked back in the back of the cabinet. Dig them out and take them to the library to exchange them for some mugs you might actually use. And who knows, someone may really want that bright pink mug with the bikini-clad flamingo that you just HAD to get on your last vacation.

Also coming up this month at the library

* Author Day on Saturday May 4, when the library welcomes three local published authors, who will talk about the paths they took from the beginning writer to nationally-known authors. Karen Miller will speak from 10 to 11 a.m.; Charles Benoit will speak from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and Ruth Rosenberg Naparstek will speak from 1 to 2 p.m.

Registration for each speaker is requested. Click the name to go to the registration page for each.

* On Thursday May 9, the Webster Library, in conjunction with Webster Comfort Care Home will present “Tending to Life — Comparative Religions: Funeral Customs and Rituals.” Area faith leaders will talk about death in relation to their religion’s customs.

The program will run from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Registration is required.

Donations now being accepted for HOPE garage sale

It’s still several months away, but plans are already gearing up for the huge annual NY HOPE garage sale, scheduled for this September.

If you have items you’d like to donate, drop off dates are Wednesdays, May 8, 22 & 29 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus, 1460 Ridge Road (located behind Holy Trinity), Webster.

Before you drop off your donations, check out the Donation Guide, because items that cannot be used, including furniture or large items (at this time) will be refused. We may refuse items if we cannot use them.

Mark your calendars now for the sale, Wednesday, Sept. 11 through Saturday Sept. 13.

Concert to benefit the Harmony House

Music will fill the air on Saturday May 18 when the Chorus of the Genesee and Rochester Rhapsody join forces to present Harmony in the House, a fund-raiser concert to benefit the Harmony House Renovation Project.

Shows will be at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. at the Harmony House, 58 East Main St. in the Village of Webster. Tickets are $20 and must be purchased in advance. There will be no sales at the door. Click here to get yours, or call 585-259-3094.

Garlic Fest vendor applications now being accepted

Last but not least today, if you’re a craft or food vendor and would like to get into this year’s Webster Garlic Fest, the call for vendor applications has just gone out.

This year’s festival will run from September 7-8 at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr. A 10′ x 10′ booth will run you $150, and early set-up will be available both days.

This has become one of Webster’s best-attended events. Last year there were more than 100 vendors and 3,000 attendees. So get your application in before the spaces sell out. Click here to apply.

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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 5/2/2024)

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Webster community mailbag

14 May

This first item today is for anyone interested in learning more about the Forest Lawn neighborhood, up there along the lake, which has a surprisingly multi-faceted history.

On Wednesday May 17, the Webster Museum will host the next in their History and a Cup series. Beginning at noon, fourth-generation Forest Lawn resident George Forsyth will tell stories about growing up in Forest Lawn and the home he now lives in, built by his grandfather Walter Forsyth.

George was surrounded by family including his Uncle, Judge C. Benn Forsyth who authored the Forest Lawn book. His stories, will be include his memories as a child. He will bring photos and try to answer all your questions. Bring a sandwich for lunch, and the museum will provide coffee, lemonade and cookies.

Forest Lawn is a lakeside community neighborhood of permanent residents with its own mayor. Samuel Pierce, an early settler, bought and farmed 73 acres along the lake beginning in 1850. His son Horace and an attorney friend, George D. Forsyth, saw potential commercial opportunities in developing the land due to its proximity to the lake and proposed a railway line. In 1888, the Forest Lawn community began with the construction of a hotel. Shortly after, the land was divided into lots which were sold for summer cottages. Wealthy judges and lawyers from Corn Hill soon discovered the area. They would commute to the city by trolley for business, while their families enjoyed summers at the lake.

On Sunday, May 21 beginning at 2 p.m., the museum will hold an Open House to highlight their new Forest Lawn exhibit. Mayor Caley Ferguson will speak at 3 p.m.

If you can’t make it to either of the presentations, plan on stopping by the museum some other time. Their Forest Lawn exhibit will be up all summer. The Webster Museum is located at 18 Lapham Park in the Village of Webster. It’s open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Check out the website for more information, and “like” the museum on Facebook.  

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The 3rd Annual Duck Derby, sponsored by Webster Comfort Care Home, is this coming Saturday May 20, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Webster Park Beeches Pavilion.

Buy your tickets for $5 and watch them race down the creek to see which one wins (or don’t, because you don’t have to be there to win). This is always a fun morning, with family activities, refreshments, an egg hunt, kids’ games, story time with the Webster Public Library at 10:30, and Yolickity.

This is one of the biggest fundraisers of the year for Webster Comfort Care Home, so buy a duck … or ten ducks. Click here to purchase your ducks. Special prizes will be awarded to ducks #500, 1000 and 1500.

Questions? Call (585) 872-5290.

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There’s still time to get tickets for the concert on Saturday May 20 featuring two of Rochester’s premier a cappella choruses (which both call Webster home), the Chorus of the Genesee and Rochester Rhapsody.  The two groups will join their voices for “Harmony in the House,” a musical treat featuring both choruses and several a cappella quartets. The choruses will perform together and separately, and quartets from both groups will fill your heart with a variety of musical favorites. Plus, there’ll be door prizes, raffles, a bar, snacks, and plenty of free parking.

Tickets are $18 for the 3 p.m. matinee, and $20 for the 7 p.m. show. Following the evening performance, everyone is invited to hang around for the annual “Afterglow,” a fun party with food, drinks, more singing and socializing. Click here to get your tickets, or call 315-391-4911.

“Harmony in the House” is a fundraiser for the Harmony House, a beautiful historic building constructed in 1899, which both groups call home. The Harmony House is located at 58 East Main St. in the Village of Webster.

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Calling all girls interested in joining Girl Scouts!

Girl Scouts of Webster New York will be holding a Unicorn Party just for you on Tuesday, May 23 from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Webster Public Library, 980 Ridge Rd.

All kindergarten (including pre-K students registered for kindergarten) and first-grade girls are invited to learn more about the Girl Scouts, and enjoy unicorn-themed crafts and games. There’s no charge.

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The Friends of the Webster Public Library have come up with a great new event for bibliophiles. It’s their very first Vintage and Collectible Book Sale on Saturday June 3 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The event will offer more than 140 books in good or better condition at very attractive, fixed prices. There are lots of first editions or first printings, published anytime from the late 19th century to the previous decade of the 21st century. Books from authors in the Library of America series and from the NY Times Best Seller list will be displayed. You’ll find books about Rochester and upstate New York; a good-sized assortment of books about war and its weapons; a few Tolkien items; some juvenile fiction ranging from the Bobbsey Twins to Harry Potter; many, many books about music, art, popular culture, animals, health, business, and history, along with biographies and even a couple of books we find hard to describe but they sure look interesting.

The sale will be held in the Community Room of the library, 980 Ridge Rd.

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Here’s a fun way to support Miracle Field and enjoy some great music at the same time.

It’s the Challenger Miracle Field Blues Night, scheduled for Thursday, June 1 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Monroe Golf Club in Pittsford. Tickets are $75 which includes hors d’oeuvres, entertainment, a Mission Moment, and more. Please RSVP and get your tickets by May 25 by clicking here.

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The first Village of Webster Wine Walk will be held on Saturday, June 3 from 4 to 7 pm. starting at Jo Jo Bistro and Wine Bar. 

Tickets are $15 and will only be available online, but I don’t have a link for that yet. As soon as I get one, I’ll pass it along. Or stay tuned for details at WebsterBID.com. Hopefully they’ll be updated shortly. But in the meantime, get this on your calendar now.

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

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(posted 5/14/2023)

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