If you’ve never heard about this really fun event, you’re going to want to keep reading, especially if you like eating those yellow (and now pink and purple and whatever other colors) marshmallow chicks and ducks. I’ve never been a big fan. I put them in the same category as those faux-orange circus peanuts. They squeak when you bite into them.
But I LOVE the Peep Show. This is a two-day event at the Webster Recreation Center, where at least four entire rooms are filled with incredibly creative sculptures, dioramas, and various other works of art created with Peeps. It’s simply the cutest thing ever. Plus, there are craft vendors, a kids’ activity room, pizza and a snack bar.
This year’s show is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday March 25 and 26 at the Webster Recreation Center. More details will come (but it’s free and great family fun). But for now, Peep Show organizers are looking for Peep creators.
Businesses, organizations or individuals are encouraged to enter a display for judging. Prizes will be awarded at the end of the show for the display that gets the most visitor votes.
Not feeling very artistic? You can support the event in other ways as well. You can hang a poster, donate a prize or become a partner in underwriting the show. Several levels of sponsorship are available, and all proceeds will benefit the Webster Community Chest.
I’ve posted some photos from last year’s show below. You can see more photos, check out last year’s winners, find out more about the show and how you can help by visiting the Rochester Peep Show website here, or email peepshow@frontier.com.
I’d like to start off today’s mailbag with news of a neat little fundraiser sponsored by Webster Comfort Care. They’re calling it their “Souper Bowl,” and it’s a great way to supplement your Super Bowl party in a few weeks, while supporting an incredibly worthy organization.
For just $15, you can place an order for a quart of delicious soup, prepared by one of a half dozen local restaurants. Your choices are:
Jambalaya, provided by the Filling Station
White Chicken Chili, provided by the Chicken Coop
Chicken, Cheddar, Broccoli Jalapeno, provided by Temple Bar and Grill
Italian Wedding Soup, provided by Mama Lor’s
Tomato Bisque, provided by La Bella Vita
Clam Chowder, provided by Pub 235
For another $5, you can even add four breadsticks to your order.
Orders need to be made online by Feb. 5, and pick-up will be on Saturday Feb. 11 from 10 a.m. to noon at Webster Presbyterian Church, 550 Webster Rd. Click here for more information and to order.
Our Town of Webster Highway Department is creating some additional parking at the Whiting Rd. Nature Preserve. The project should be completed by spring and will go a long way to relieve some of the crowding up there, which has required some hikers to park on busy Whiting Rd.
The Webster Recreation Center has a way to keep your kids busy during February Break. Their February Break Fun Camp will run from Tuesday through Friday Feb. 21-24, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, and feature games, crafts, games in the gym and more. Cost is $185. To sign up, visit the Webster Parks and Recreation website and register for program #121006-A.
The Webster Association of Senior Program Supporters (WASPS) will be holding a Volunteer Training Class for anyone interested in helping provide transportation for residents to their medical appointments, salons, barbers and banks. The commitment is only about two hours a week. The first class will be held on Wednesday Feb. 1 at LifeSpan of Rochester. To learn more, visit the WASPS website.
The National Puzzle Day Puzzle Exchange takes place on Monday, Jan. 30 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. This is a great time to trade in some of your gently-used puzzles for something new to you. Bring as many as you want.
The annual Preschool Drive-in is happening this year on Tuesday Jan. 31 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. The morning will begin with decorating the kids’ box cars, followed by a drive over to the community room to watch a short movie. You can even bring the car home. The program is open to children ages 2 to 5. Registration is required, and boxes (I mean, cars) are limited.
Also happening at the library on Tuesday Jan. 31, a showing of Top Gun: Maverick,playing on the big screen in the community room beginning at 1 p.m. Running time is about 130 minutes. All ages are welcome and no registration is required.
The Webster Public Library is lpocated at 980 Ridge Rd., at the back of Webster Plaza.
Despite the fact that we really haven’t had much in the way of winter, we’re definitely not anywhere near spring yet. But planning has already begun for a very busy spring and summer in the Village of Webster.
At their most recent meeting, members of the Webster Business Improvement District (BID) started sketching out the long list of special events our local merchants are planning this year. The BID is the organization, remember, that sponsors the very popular Trick or Treat Trail, Winter Wonderland, Friday Night Gazebo Concerts,Wine Walks and others. Those events are definitely returning this year, but they’re just the tip of the iceberg. Just about every month this summer, beginning in April, the BID has scheduled at least one entertaining, family-friendly event, and sometimes two or three or more.
Things kick off around Easter with the return of the very popular Easter Egg Hunt. More than 500 kids and their parents participated in last year’s first-ever event, which was successful in part because of the incredible support from local businesses. (Click here to read the blog I wrote about it.)
Later in the spring and summer, these events will also be returning (although dates have still not been finalized):
Friday night concerts at the gazebo
Two Wine Walks
Webster Jazz Fest
Two Family Games Nights
Beer Walk
Bourbon Bash
Trick or Treat Trail
Webster’s Winter Wonderland
There was even some talk about perhaps adding a scarecrow contest to the mix. And who knows what other events the BID might pull out of their sleeves in the coming week.
And make sure not to forget about the month-long Fall in Love With Webster event, which will kick off on Feb. 1. I’ll be providing lots more details about this soon, so stay tuned.
One of the things I really love about our Webster Museum is how hard the volunteers work to keep their exhibits interesting and topical. They’re always changing things out for the season, or simply to highlight something new and different, always with the express purpose to educate and inform.
The Museum’s current exhibit is a good example.
They’ve very appropriately called the exhibit “What is it?” and what they’ve done is pulled together many of the especially unusual … things … they’ve discovered in the museum’s nooks and crannies and grandma’s-house-like attic spaces.
Most of the strange items have been identified, like a bread crumber, a niddy noddy, a glove stretcher and a lard press. But several still remain a mystery, and they’d love to have help identifying them.
So if that challenge has whet your interest, check out these photos of several of the items. See if you can figure out what they are, and then make sure to stop by the Webster Museum to see more of these odd — but once regularly used — items.
And while you’re there, check out the new musical instrument exhibit, especially if you’ve never seen a ukelin or a melodica.
The Webster Museum is located at 18 Lapham Park in the Village of Webster. It’s open every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 2 to 4:30 p.m.
I absolutely love Mexican food. So I’m probably more excited than most that not one, but two Mexican eateries have recently opened in our area.
I haven’t had the chance yet to stop by Corona’s Mexican Restaurant on Ridge Rd., but a little while ago I did visit the new Don Pedro Cantina and talk to the owner, Mauricio Hernandez.
Don Pedro Cantina opened last November in BayTowne Plaza (which technically is in Penfield, to be accurate), in the former location of WhichCraft Brews. I know for a fact (’cause I heard it from my daughter, for one), a lot of people were saddened when WhichCraft closed. But from what I saw during my visit, those same people will probably like Don Pedro just as much, for a lot of reasons.
This is actually the second Don Pedro in Rochester. The first, now closed, was downtown on East Ave. That Don Pedro, however, was first and foremost a restaurant, whereas this new location is most definitely a sports bar. It’s a smaller, more intimate space than the 10,000-foot East Ave. restaurant, making it more amenable for friends to gather for a few beers and some wings and to watch the game. It boasts 11 large-screen TVs and a huge 40′ by 30′ screen at one end of the room. It’s the largest one I’ve seen pretty much anywhere.
Anyone who liked the food-truck-on-the-serving-floor concept that WhichCraft had will be pleased to know that Mauricio has embraced the idea and will continue to serve his Mexican-inspired menu from the food truck. However, instead of having to walk up to the truck and wait for your meal, a wait staff will take your order and bring the food to your table.
The menu offers a wide variety of Mexican specialties from tacos to burritos, quesadillas to fajitas. And for those who might not be a huge fan of Mexican, there are burgers, wings and nachos.
There are 16 beers on tap, and plenty more canned and bottled selections in the cooler. Plus, for anyone who misses WhichCraft’s craft brews, here’s some exciting news: very soon, Don Pedro will become the first Mexican brewery in Upstate NY and begin rolling out their own craft brews, so stay tuned for more news about that. Trivia fans will also be pleased to know that Mauricio is hoping to start hosting weekly trivia, like WhichCraft did, maybe some karaoke and regular live music.
Mauricio named the business after his father, Don Pedro, and is drawing from his memories of going to a sports bar with his father to personalize the experience.
“My father and I used to go and watch the games. At halftime … the owner would send out a lot of tacos and chips for free. I’m trying to do the same. I’m trying to get to where I can give something back. I think it’s always nice (for fans) when they come and you drop something for free. You feel like they’re taking care of you.”
That “giving something back” is a big part of Mauricio’s business plan. He’s committed to giving back to the community and helping other small businesses and organizations.
“I try to help as much as I can in the community. My thing is helping out anybody who’s local, who’s maybe not involved in the restaurant world.”
“For example let’s say someone has a local gym. … If they want to buy new machines for the gym, it’s coming out of their pocket because they’re not part of a chain. So we work with them to do a fundraiser … We cut them a nice check so they can invest it in their own business. … I can give back to them and we all can help each other.”
That also goes for sports teams, he added.
“I can be doing some fundraisers for them so they can get some money for whatever they need. … They can spread the word, come in and I’ll do the rest of it. Anybody that wants to make an event so they can make money, my doors are completely open. We work with anybody.”
“We try to give back a little to society from here.”
Welcome to the Webster/Penfield community, Don Pedro Cantina. Clearly you’re going to be a huge community supporter. (And serve incredible Mexican food, to boot.)
Leading today’s mailbag is the exciting news that Woof’s Canine Club and Indoor Dog Park will be hosting its grand opening celebration this Saturday Jan. 21 from 1 to 6 p.m.
Woofs Canine Club is located at 187 West Main Street, at the corner of Barrett Dr., in the former World Gym. Like all good dog parks, it’s BIG (5,000 sq. ft), has separate areas for large and small dogs, and lots of agility equipment. But it has the added benefit of actually being INSIDE, on artificial turf, out of the rain, snow and cold typical of our Upstate New York winters.
But unlike your average dog park, Woofs will also offer a social component for owners, including a cafe, pool table and dart board, and even a small workout area. Visit this blog I wrote back in November to learn more.
Pups and their people are welcome to visit anytime between 1 and 6 p.m. Leashes will be required for this one-time only open house walk-through, and canine vaccinations will be required to enter. Proof of vaccinations can be submitted to forms@woofscc.com. A full list of required vaccinations can be found at WoofsCC.com.
Regular hours of operation for off-leash playtime will begin Wednesday, January 25. Find out more at the Woofs Canine Club Facebook page and website.
Rochester Challenger Miracle Field hosts Valentine’s prom
Challenger Miracle Field‘s annual Valentine’s Day dance has been scheduled for Friday Feb. 10 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Webster Golf Club, 440 Salt Rd.
The Night to Shine Valentine’s Prom, open to Challenger participants, will include a DJ, dinner, dancing and a photo booth. Suggested donation at the door is $10. One chaperone per participant, please.
RSVP by Feb. 3 to secure a spot, and include the names of those who will be attending and any special diet requests. Email lindab@rochestermiraclefield.org.
Fall in Love With Webster returns
Do you remember last year’s Fall in Love With Webster event? The month-long community celebration, sponsored by the Webster Business Improvement District, featured daily discounts and special events at businesses all through the Village of Webster, all embracing the theme of love.
The goal was to promote a fun way to unify the village residents and business owners. But it was also all about helping community members get to know our village a little better, find out more about our many fine businesses, and encourage everyone to get more involved in all of the activities found here.
Basically, it encouraged people to … well, fall in love with Webster.
Last year’s Fall in Love with Webster event was so hugely popular, the BID will be doing it again, kicking off a month’s worth of special events and savings on Feb. 1. I’ll be posting weekly blogs here highlighting all of the fun things happening, but you can keep tabs on all the plans by “liking” the Fall in Love with Webster Facebook page, which will be regularly updated.
I found myself the other day in a spot I never would have expected: face-to face with a 15-ton snowplow.
Actually, to be more accurate, I was face-to-face with MANY snowplows, parked so close together that I had to do some fancy maneuvering to get through and around them. The occasion was my recent tour of the Town of Webster Highway Garage on Picture Parkway, which I took to learn more about the plans Webster has to expand the current facility, which has become outdated and too small.
My visit early last week was the first in a series of tours the town is offering to community residents interested in getting a close-up look at the current facility’s condition and first-hand information about the Highway Facility Modernization Project. My tour guide was Webster’s Superintendent of Highways Supervisor Patrick Stephens, who walked me (and two other town residents) through the facility’s current equipment and materials storage buildings, the administration offices and the salt barn. On the way, he pointed out several specific instances of the buildings’ poor condition, like crumbling support beams and outdated electrical equipment.
The physical condition of the property aside, it became very clear during the tour that there simply is no longer enough room for all of the town’s equipment to be safely stored. As the town grew, administrators tried to keep up with the addition of new and much bigger equipment by adding onto the existing buildings bit by bit, to the detriment of efficiency. So right now, the main truck fleet is parked in multiple buildings, and are angled in, double-stacked and cross-parked one in front of another just to fit them all. In the main storage building, the trucks are parked nose-to-nose, which requires complicated maneuvers around other trucks, and backing out of narrow doorways to get out. Space is at such a premium that a lot of equipment is stored outside, unprotected from the elements.
The drivers do what they need to do, and have become rather adept at playing what amounts to a shifting-squares puzzle. But, “We’d like to spend our time on other things rather than being good at jockeying things around,” Patrick said.
A third consideration for replacing the current building are the staff facilities. Originally designed to accommodate a staff of 18, the break room, kitchen, small restrooms and limited locker space now must serve a full-time staff of 40, plus seasonal staff. The new facility would include separate men’s and women’s locker rooms, larger bathrooms and a break room that would comfortably and safely accommodate 50 to 55 staff members.
As he conducted our tour, Patrick patiently answered all of the questions I had, no matter how ignorant I thought they sounded. But that was exactly what the tours are all about, Patrick said.
The purpose of the tours is to give as much information to the community as possible at the beginning of this process, in as many first-hand, face-to-face meetings as possible. … Once we get into the budget process, a lot of people will have concerns. We want as many people as possible to understand why (we need a new building), that it’s not just for convenience.
When we say ‘need,’ they understand what that need is.
In these images from the Town of Webster, you can see the size difference between the vintage plows and today’s
The final design plans are mostly complete, but some financial details still need to be hammered out. Town officials hope to be able to present a preliminary cost proposal to the Town Board in February. In the meantime, community members are encouraged to learn more about the project by signing up for one of the half-hour tours. They’re offered two or three times a week through March 3. They’re a half hour long, and are limited to ten participants, 18 and over. The Town Highway Garage is located at 1005 Picture Parkway, off of Hard Rd.
If you know the Village of Webster even a little, then you’re probably familiar with the Webster Baptist Church. This beautiful cobblestone church on South Avenue, with its stately bell tower, has stood proudly in our village since the mid-1800s.
What you probably didn’t know is that the Webster Baptist Church is actually famous for precisely the reason it’s so beautiful: it’s the only cobblestone building in the country that’s still being used for its original purpose.
According to Webster Through the Years by Esther Dunn (1971), the church was originally established in 1832, in a frame meeting house built on the site of the current church. In 1855 the old frame building was moved to Corning Park and used as the Webster Academy until it was destroyed by fire in 1872.
The new cobblestone building was built on the same site and dedicated on Jan. 1, 1857. Most of the field stones were donated by citizens of the community, and the cobblestones were gathered by members of the congregation along the shores of Lake Ontario. Each was passed through a hole in a board to make sure it was of a certain shape and size.
In recognition of its rich history, the Webster Baptist Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. That designation alone illustrates how important this building, and its history, are to our village.
Now, it needs our help.
It’s been a long time since the Webster Baptist Church has seen any major renovations, and it’s really beginning to show its age. The stained glass windows all need repairing, to the tune of $8,000 to $10,000 each. In many places, the cobblestone facade needs some professional attention. And the church entrance has to be updated with a ramp or new sidewalk to accommodate handicapped parishioners. And all of these expenses are piled on top of the regular costs for upkeep and utilities.
To help raise money, the Webster Baptist Church is holding a year-long fundraiser. Community members are invited to purchase individual bricks to show their support for this historic church. Bricks cost $150 each (but larger donations are more than welcome) and they can be personally inscribed. The bricks for now will be placed near the front of the building in a small area currently filled with white stones. If enough bricks are purchased, the hope is to use them to build a new sidewalk leading to the front door. It’s estimated that would take about 1,500 bricks.
Church Moderator Diana Marchner hopes that the entire community — individuals as well as businesses — will pull together to help save the church by purchasing bricks, or just donating any amount they’d like.
“(The church) is historical,” she said. “It should be important to the Town of Webster and the Village as well as just our church.” “We need everyone’s commitment to make this possible.”
Ultimately, Marchner added, the goal is to “get to a point where we don’t have to worry about the money, just worry about the people.”
“I don’t want to get people to church because we need their money. I want them to come to church because we love them.”
Click here for more information and a form to fill out to buy a brick or donate any amount to the Webster Baptist Church. You can also visit this GoFundMe page to donate online.
In a program that brings the Webster community and the Webster Public Library (WPL) together, our school district’s third graders are getting a jump-start on their love for reading by getting a close-up look at the library and all the services it offers.
All of Webster’s third grade students will be taking field trips to the Webster Public Library (WPL) this school year as part of a get-to-know-the-library program that will run through June. The idea came from discussions WPL Outreach Coordinator Jason Poole and Schlegel Elementary School librarian Jamie Palmer were having last year about school visits. At the time, due to the pandemic, schools were not allowing visitors, but students could go on field trips. Classes were already visiting the downtown library; giving them the chance to see their local library as well seemed like a natural next step.
Earlier this year, Schlegel Rd. Elementary students were the first to make the trip, in a trial run of the new program. It “went pretty well but was a little chaotic,” Poole said. He added,
After discussion with the youth department, we changed our approach to the current system, adapting and combining elements of existing in-house programming (staff area tours, storytimes, crafts, etc.) to create four stations that offer students a little taste of all WPL has to offer them. A charcuterie board of library experiences, if you will.
It’s one of the few programs that touches all areas of the library.
In December, Plank North Elementary third graders visited and experienced the newly-tweaked program. During their tour, the students made a craft in the teen area, explored the Children’s Room, and sat for storytime. They even got a close-up, behind-the-scenes look at places usually hidden from the public, including the back offices and the receiving end of the outdoor book drop.
But teaching students how to use the library really wouldn’t mean much if they couldn’t actually check out books. So, working closely with the library’s circulation department, Palmer and Poole came up with an ambitious plan to also make sure every one of the visiting third graders could sign up for a library card, if they didn’t have one already. Allowing them to do so without a parent or guardian present meant adjusting the library’s standard policy, but it was definitely well worth the effort, Poole said. Using their brand new library cards, each student could actually check out a book before they left the library. For a child who’s never been able to do that before, it’s a pretty exciting experience.
“Third graders are pretty much at the perfect developmental stage to really begin to appreciate the value of having their own library card,” Poole said.
As an added bonus, each student also received a coupon, redeemable on their next library visit for a goodie bag with lots of little gifts including a card holder, an activity booklet, a WPL pin, and several other fun items.
So far, Schlegel and Plank North are the only two schools to have made the WPL trip, but the rest of the schools will be visiting in the next several months. Still, the Webster Public Library has already touched the lives of 146 students. In the process, 90 new library cards were issued, 26 cards were replaced, and four account problems were resolved. A whopping 80% of these third graders did not have access to the library before the trip, and now they do.
It’s a proud feeling to be trusted with the responsibility of having a library card, and a thrill to be able to walk into the library and leave with your favorite book.
What an awesome way to reinforce the joy of reading, and start these young people on their journey to lifelong learning.
I’m going to lead this mailbag today with two great opportunities to give back to our community through volunteering.
Webster HOPE, located at 1450 Ridge Rd., is looking for volunteers to help stock their food pantry, work in the gardens, organize the clothing closet and work with their clients. They’ve also noted several items on their January wish list which they need to keep their food pantry stocked. Check out the flier below for more information.
The mission of Webster HOPE is to serve the needs of residents in the 14580 zip code area, by providing food, clothing, household goods, furniture and financial assistance to those in need.
Webster Comfort Care Home, at 700 Holt Rd., is also in need of volunteers and nurses to help them with their mission to provide compassionate end-of-life care for terminally ill patients. For more information, visit webstercomfortcare.org.
This from the school district:
Webster CSD Parents/Guardians Invited to Family Engagement Roundtable
The Webster Central School District invites parents and guardians to a Family Engagement Roundtable. The evening will feature discussion with Dr. Robert Chalwell, Webster CSD Executive Director of Family & Student Services & Inclusivity, Janine Sanger, Webster Health & Education Network Executive Director, a Webster CSD parent, and a Webster CSD student.
The roundtable will be held on Thursday Jan. 19 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Spry Middle School, 119 South Ave. Please RSVP and submit questions by clicking here. Questions may also be submitted via email or audio file to robert_chalwell@webstercsd.org or in-person to Lindsay Young at the district office, 119 South Ave., Webster.
The annual Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship has been scheduled for Saturday Jan. 21 at Webster Thomas High School, 800 Five Mile Line Rd. Registration begins at 3 p.m. and the contest begins at 3:30. It’s open to all boys and girls ages 9 to 14.
Webster Parks and Recreation will host Rich the Magic Man on Monday Jan. 16, when he brings his amazing show to the Webster Arboretum Lodge from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. There’ll be magic, bubble fun (including big enough bubbles to put a kid inside), and a mini dance party.
Cost is $10 per ticket. Sign up through the Webster Recreation Center online or call 585-872-7103.
And since we’re talking about Webster Parks and Recreation, believe it or not, they’ve opened registration for summer camp.
This year, the Rec will be offering camps for children from preschool through 5th grade. Check out the flier below and visit the Webster Recreation Center website for more information.
I feature the people and places and events that make Webster the wonderful community it is — and throw in some totally-not-Webster-related personal ramblings every once in a while as well.
I love it when readers send me news about the great things happening in their schools or the community, so please email me anytime at missyblog@gmail.com
webster on the web 