Tag Archives: Village of Webster

Webster community mailbag

19 Sep

It’s chicken BBQ time again!

St. Martin Lutheran Church will hold its Fall Drive-Thru Chicken BBQ on Saturday, Sept. 21 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.

Upcoming October blood drives

There are several local opportunities coming up in October for you to help save lives by donating blood. And the Red Cross has a neat little promotion, too. Everyone coming to donate during October will receive a $10 gift card by email.

Here are the details:

  • Tuesday Oct. 1, noon to 5 p.m., Expressive Beginnings Child Care Center, 12 May St., Webster (online sponsor code: ExpressiveBeginnings)
  • Wednesday Oct. 2, 1 to 6 p.m., Webster Golf Club, 440 Salt Rd. (sponsor code: WGC)
  • Thursday Oct. 10, 1 to 6 p.m., Webster Fire Dept. Exempt Building, 172 Sanford St. (sponsor code: websterfire) The Women’s Club of Webster will be serving homemade cookies for donors at this drive!
  • Wednesday Oct. 16, 1 to 6 p.m., Town of Penfield offices, 2130 Penfield Rd. (sponsor code: Penfield)

Call 1-800-RED CROSS to schedule your appointment, or search online for the sponsor code.

And about those cookies …

At the Red Cross blood drive on Oct. 10 (see above), donors will be rewarded with supremely scrumptious homemade cookies donated by the Women’s Club of Webster to enjoy with their juice.

Appointments are not required. Feel free to just drop in. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call Katie Hout, American Red Cross, 585-353-9964 (or you can schedule an appointment online. Details above).

The Women’s Club of Webster is an active community service organization that has nurtured friendships and generously supported many worthwhile causes for 60 years.  The group meets the third Thursday of each month from September to June.  The club’s motto is “friendship through service” and new members are always welcome!  

For more information about the club, please contact Carolyn Rittenhouse at 585-265-1303. (Or feel free to email me; I belong to the club).

Celebrate fall at Heritage Square

Heritage Square Museum in Ontario will host its annual Fall Festival on Saturday Sept. 28 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Visitors will enjoy scarecrows to judge, big trucks from Town Highway, fire and police departments, performances from the Strike It Up Community Band directed by Craig Wirt, a saxophone quartet, games, raffles, free tours, food and more. Cost is $5 per car.

Heritage Square Museum is located at 7147 Ontario Center Road, Ontario, just 12 minutes east of the Village of Webster. Haven’t heard about this great attraction? Check out this blog which I wrote a few years ago after my first visit.

Webster BID schedules community events

The Webster Business Improvement District’s (BID) second annual Health and Wellness Fair has been scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Village Community Meeting Room, 29 South Ave.

This is a free event which showcases the businesses and professionals throughout our community that address all aspects of health and wellness. Last year’s event was a great success, and this year is expected to be even bigger.

ON THAT SAME DAY, in the parking lot behind the Community Meeting Room, the BID is also sponsoring a shredding event from 9 to 11 a.m.

This is a free, drive-through event. Paper only will be accepted, and staples do NOT need to be removed. Paper must be placed in cardboard boxes or paper bags (no plastic), with a limit of five boxes per vehicle.

(By the way, stay tuned for details about the next Beer Walk, scheduled for Saturday Oct. 19 from 4 to 7 p.m., and the Trick-or-Treat Trail on Saturday, Oct. 26. More details about these and other events can be found on the newly revamped Webster BID website.

Good, cheap books from the Friends

The Friends of the Webster Public Library are getting ready for their fall book sale, scheduled Oct. 16 through 19 at the library, 980 Ridge Rd. (at the rear side of the plaza).

This year they’ll be including a mini vintage and collectible book sale during members night. on Wednesday Oct. 16, featuring approximately 80 books published over the last 150 years in good to better condition. The books will be for sale at fixed prices starting at $8.00. Some of the books will be first editions or early printing. Many will have dust jackets, and a few will be autographed (but note the Webster Friends do not have any signatures authenticated). They’ll also be selling Kittelberger Flower Bouquet Cards that night while supplies last.

Members Night will be Wednesday, Oct. 16 from 4 to 7 p.m. (Memberships will be available at the door.) The general public sale begins Thursday, Oct. 17 from 9 to 7 p.m.; hardcover books will cost $1, paperback books only $.50). Friday, Oct. 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. will be the Bag Sale. Bring your own bag and fill it for just $5. The sale concludes with a second Bag Day on Saturday, Oct. 19 from 10 a.m. to noon. 

Can you help?

Here’s the September/October wish list from Webster Hope:

  • Canned corn and canned peas
  • Flour and sugar
  • Coffee
  • Cooking oil
  • Pasta, NOT whole wheat
  • Jarred spaghetti sauce
  • Body wash and bar soap
  • Hand soap
  • Deodorant
  • Lotion
  • Diapers sizes 5, 6, & 7 ** We accept open packages**
  • Baby wipes
  • New socks and underwear all sizes

Plus, they accept open packages of feminine products, adult diapers and children’s diapers.

And put this on your calendar: Webster Hope will be having a food drive on Saturday, Oct. 19 from 10 a.m. to noon, sponsored by Webster Rotary. You can drop off your items (and the wish-list items) behind Holy Trinity Church, 1460 Ridge Road, Webster.

WHEN to offer program for parents about social media

If you’ve ever had any concerns about how social media is affecting your children and what you can do about that, this program is for you.

On Wednesday Oct. 16, the Webster Health and Education Network (WHEN) will present an interactive parent forum, called Social Media and Your Kid, discussing how technology has changed special development and what you can do to support your child’s health and well-being in a tech-powered world.

The forum will be held in the Professional Development Center at Spry Middle School, 119 South Ave. There’s no admission, but registration is requested. Click here to do so.

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

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(posted 9/19/2024)

September History Bit: Going to school at the Webster Museum

18 Sep

Have you ever visited the recreated one-room schoolhouse at the Webster Museum? Even if you haven’t, there’s a good chance your children have toured this charming piece of Webster history, and maybe even got to wear the dunce cap.

For this month’s History Bit, in honor of the beginning of the new school year, I bring you back to a time before buses and backpacks.

A bit of Webster History: The Webster Museum’s one-room school 

This month’s History Bit takes a closer look at a piece of Webster schoolhouse history, faithfully recreated at the Webster Museum. 

It’s the museum’s very own one-room schoolhouse. Tucked at the far southern end of the museum’s exhibit space, the room represents a typical early-1900’s schoolroom. It seats 24 students at double desks and includes a schoolmaster’s desk, a collection of early textbooks, and early teaching aids.   

The schoolroom is a very popular tour stop for the elementary school classes who visit the Webster Museum every year. As part their 75-minute tour through all of the museum’s exhibits, students take a 15 to 20-minute detour into the classroom and step back into a time when a wood stove provided the heat, lessons were completed on slates, and your older brother or sister might be sitting in a row behind you.

The lessons are designed to be as interactive, entertaining and humorous as possible, while illustrating what a typical school day would look like 120 years ago. The teacher rings a school bell to begin the day, students complete a math lesson on the slates, and are required to raise their hand and stand when called upon. They hear about how students had to walk to school because there were no school buses, how the wood stove in the corner of the room provided all the heat, and when you looked out the window you would very likely see fields and orchards, not a playground and parking lot. 

More than a dozen volunteers, many of them retired teachers themselves, take turns leading the museum tours and presenting the classroom lesson. Most of the students who come through are Webster Central School District second graders; the curriculum that year focuses on community, and a big part of that is comparing “then and now.”  

Our children already know all about “now.” And thanks to our dedicated Webster Museum volunteers, they’re also learning about “then,” when Webster was an agricultural community and the schools – and school day – looked a whole lot different.  

Stop by the Webster Museum and visit the schoolroom for yourself. The museum is located at 18 Lapham Park in the Village of Webster, and is open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Read more about the classroom and all of the museum’s exhibits at webstermuseum.org.

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

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(posted 9/18/2024)

The Village of Webster remembers

12 Sep

Twenty-three years ago, our nation and world were forever changed in one terrible morning when terrorists attacked our country and killed almost 3,000 civilians and first responders.

As the years pass, it would be easy to let the horrors of that day fade into memory. It’s uncomfortable to re-experience the shocking images we saw, the feelings we had, and the fear that we couldn’t shake in the weeks and months that followed. But the Village of Webster refuses to let that happen.

Once again this year, the Village of Webster hosted a very moving and meaningful September 11th Memorial Ceremony, Wednesday evening at Veterans Memorial Park. Many local and regional politicians and community leaders attended, and several spoke, adding their heartfelt thoughts about the heroism we saw that day and how the events of that day brought us all together in support and in mourning.

Our Village of Webster and West Webster firefighters were very well represented, and some members of the Penfield Volunteer Ambulance Service also attended. The Webster Village Band enhanced the evening with a number of beautiful patriotic musical selections.

I counted about 70 community members in attendance. That’s actually more than in recent years, which was very nice to see. Despite the ceremony being held in the evening, though, I didn’t see any children. It’s strange to think that the events of 9/11 are simply another thing they’ll learn about in their history books. They don’t grasp how much that day fundamentally changed our world, because they don’t know how our world was before. Perhaps that’s WHY they should be there.

And next time you’re in Veterans Memorial Park, make sure to head over to the back corner to see the 9/11 memorial plaque that was installed there many years ago.

Thank you, Village of Webster, for continuing this tradition and reminding us all of the sacrifices made that day.

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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 9/12/2024)

Village of Webster 9/11 ceremony details

6 Sep

One of the most solemn anniversaries in our nation’s history comes around again next week, a terrible day which changed our nation forever, and which has become known simply as “9/11.”

The Village of Webster’s Sept. 11th Memorial Ceremony has been scheduled for Wednesday Sept. 11 at 6 p.m. at the gazebo in Veterans Memorial Park on North Ave.

The Village always does a very nice job commemorating this event, in a ceremony that usually lasts around 45 or 50 minutes. It includes first responders and local and regional political representatives who offer some comments. The Chorus of the Genesee is usually on hand to perform patriotic tunes.

Members of the Webster Fire Department are planning to congregate at the station on South Ave. at around 5:30 and march as a group to the ceremony. You won’t want to miss that.

Click here to see the blog I wrote about last year’s 9/11 ceremony.

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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 9/6/2024)

It’s festival weekend in Webster

4 Sep

There are THREE festivals coming up this weekend in Webster, and you won’t want to miss any of them.

The Webster Garlic Fest will be back at the Webster Recreation Center this Saturday and Sunday Sept. 7 and 8.

This is a great family festival. This year it will feature 140 vendors including crafters, food vendors, distilleries, wineries, food trucks, and of course lots and lots of garlic growers. They’ll fill the gymnasium and spill out onto the Rec Center grounds. Many of them provide tastings and samples. (Click here for a complete list of vendors.)

Even if you’re not a big fan of garlic, there’s still plenty to see and do. Like, you can cozy up to some baby goats and alpacas, and even a huge 70-year old tortoise. There are demos, Mr. Wally the Balloon Man will be on site, a comedian and entertainers.

The Webster Garlic Fest will be held Saturday Sept. 7 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday Sept. 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr. There’s plenty of parking in the Recreation Center lot, and even more across the street in the former Xerox parking lot, where a free shuttle will transport you back and forth.

Admission is only $5, and children under 12 are free. Click here to buy your tickets, or you can get them at the door.

The annual Barry’s Irish Festival will be coming to Webster for the first time this on Saturday Sept. 7 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at Webster Fireman’s Field.

This is a must-see festival for anyone who loves Irish food, drink and culture. It will feature live Irish music, Irish beer, dancers, bagpipers, and Celtic crafts. There’s plenty of non-Irish stuff too, including food trucks, kids’ crafts and games, raffles, lots of vendors, lawn games and more. It’s also going to be a great opportunity to reconnect with the Barry’s Old School Irish community, many of whom we haven’t seen in a year. Basically, it’s a great family event, hosted by a great family.

Bands will include the Connemara Social Club, Rusty Kettle, Lucky Enough, Everheart, Gavin Barry’s Rebel Banjo Circus, The Irish Lassies, Celtic Cross and 1916.  

Food trucks will include Netsins, Sammies n’ Sweets, The Melt Truck, Schutt’s, Rustic Taco and Webster Hots.

Admission is $19.98 ($17 plus $2.98 Eventbrite fee). Click here to get tickets (but I imagine they’ll also be available at the gate.)

Click here to visit the Facebook event page for more details and a discount code for tickets.

ALSO on Saturday, Sept. 7, the Red, Hot and Blue Band, led by our very own Village of Webster neighbor Doug Pucci, will headline the 3rd annual St. Jude Benefit Concert at Gazebo Park on North Ave., from noon to 6 p.m.

In addition to Red, Hot and Blue, Shades of Grey and local favorite Sarah De Vallière will perform. Food will be available from Pub 235 and Guida’s Pizza. There’s no charge, but donations will be accepted to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. So bring your lawn chairs, coolers and blankets and enjoy a full afternoon of tunes for a good cause.

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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 9/4/2024)

Webster community mailbag

3 Sep

Lots of notices came across my email in the few weeks I was out of town, so I’ll do my best to catch up.

Concert to benefit St. Jude

This coming Saturday Sept. 7, the 3rd annual St. Jude Benefit Concert will take place at Gazebo Park on North Ave., from noon to 6 p.m.

Three bands will take the stage, including Red, Hot and Blue; Shades of Grey; and local favorite Sarah De Vallière. Food will be available from Pub 235 and Guida’s Pizza. There’s no charge, but donations will be accepted to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. So bring your lawn chairs, coolers and blankets and enjoy a full afternoon of tunes for a good cause.

NY Hope Garage Sale

NY Hope’s huge annual garage sale returns next week, with three days of bargains.

You probably all know about this incredible event from years past, so let’s get right to this year’s details:

Here are the details:

  • Sale begins Wednesday, Sept. 11, 6 to 8 PM; Preview Night, Murphy Hall at Holy Trinity Church, 1460 Ridge Road. For a small admission fee, be among the first to shop.
  • Thursday, Sept. 12 and Friday, Sept. 13, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Saturday, Sept. 14, 10 a.m. to noon only, everything is half-price!

All proceeds go to Webster NY Hope, which serves the needs of residents in the 14580 zip code, providing food, clothing, household goods and furniture to those in need.

It’s chicken barbecue time again!

St. Martin Lutheran Church will hold its Fall Drive-Thru Chicken BBQ on Saturday, Sept. 21 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.

For our 55+ friends

I got the latest edition of the Webster Recreation Center 55+ newsletter recently. It’s always packed with tons of information, but I pulled out these tidbits in particular:

This month’s Talks on Tuesday schedule features a new informative presentation each month. They run from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., there’s no charge and all community members are invited (not just Rec members). Registration is requested. This month’s programs include:

Sept. 10: SOCIAL SECURITY 101. Troy Gribnau from Edward Jones will answer your questions about Social Security, including how it fits into your retirement plan, when you should start taking benefits, how to the taxes work, and more. Registration is requested. Search for activity# 346940-C.

Sept. 17: ASTRONOMY FOR SENIORS. NASA Ambassador Jim Porter will help you discover the rich hobby of astronomy, with just a small pair of binoculars. Activity# 346940-D.

Sept. 24: MEDICARE. Sara Mason from Mason Wealth Management will host a workshop to help you understand what all the pieces of Medicare mean — parts A, B, C, D and Medicare Supplemental Insurance. Learn when you can make changes and why you should review your plan annually. Activity# 346940-E

And this last program I pulled out because it’s becoming more and more important these days to be able to spot AI-generated fake news:

Tuesday Sept. 10, FAKE NEWS & HOW TO SPOT IT TECH WORKSHOP, 9 to 10:30 a.m.

Join technology instructor Daniel Jones to learn how to spot what’s real, what’s true, and what’s not. Learn about:

  • disinformation: How it spreads and how to recognize it
  • personal responsibility
  • the rise of deepfakes
  • fact-checking resources
  • terms you should know

Please register for activity #346014-A.

Oh, one more thing from the Rec Center.

If you’ve got game, you might be interested to know that the Rec Center has groups that play Canasta, Rummikub, competitive Scrabble, Mahjong, Bridge and Bingo every week. Check the newsletter for details about these and lots other 55+ programs.

Want to read more about Webster’s history?

The Webster Museum is developing an outreach newsletter for friends, members and supporters with more general information about the museum and local history. If you’re interested in being added to the distribution list, send your email address to WebsterMuseum@gmail.com.

ALSO, the museum folks have a mystery that they need help solving. Does anyone know how or why the penny-farthing (the high-wheel bicycle) came to be the museum’s logo? They’ve done some digging through their archives but haven’t been able to come up with anything. Let them know if you have any clues!

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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 9/3/2024)

Village Quilt Shoppe celebrates five years

30 Aug

A bit of happy news came across my email the other day: the Village Quilt Shoppe has just celebrated their fifth anniversary. That’s especially encouraging news since we’ve been hearing so much about businesses closing or leaving town in recent months.

It doesn’t seem like it’s been five years since Vanetta Parshall and Monique Liberti opened their cute, friendly little Village Quilt Shoppe at the corner of East Main and Lapham Park in the village. But it’s so great to see their continued success, since they had a rather rocky start.

Just three months after they opened their doors in August 2019, and just days before the Village of Webster’s White Christmas celebration, disaster struck when a water leak from the apartment above the shop came through the floor and destroyed much of their merchandise. They had to close for almost a month to regroup and restock. But, determined not to lose their dream shop, they persevered and survived that early setback.

Then COVID struck, and they had to close again for three more months.

But thanks to a solid core of loyal customers, the little business navigated a global pandemic and came back stronger than ever.

To celebrate the occasion, Vanetta and Monique are hosting a special celebration week during the first week of September. From Sept. 3 through 7, they promise “a week filled with fun, special offers and daily surprises. Each day will bring a new special, and there will be free gifts and treats to enjoy.”

To cap off the week, on Saturday Sept. 7 they’ll be hosting a Color Workshop, perfect for anyone who finds choosing colors for their projects a bit challenging. There’s all sorts of other special events coming up, too, so check out their website for more details.

The Village Quilt Shoppe is located at 21 E. Main St. in the Village of Webster.

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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 8/30/2024)

The Irish are coming to town!

29 Aug

Danny and Jessica Barry and their beloved Barry’s Old School Irish pub might not be gracing our village’s four-corners anymore, but they’re coming back into town next week in a big way.

The Barrys will be holding their 5th annual Barry’s Irish Festival on Saturday Sept. 7 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at Webster Fireman’s Field, just down the road from their former pub.

This is great news for anyone who trucked all the way out to Hilton for the Barrys’ last four festivals, which they held on their farmhouse property. And it’s also good news for those who didn’t want to truck all the way out there, but who love Irish dancing and music, because this is a rip-roaring festival.

Barry’s Irish Festivals feature everything we love about Irish culture: live Irish music, Irish beer, dancers, bagpipers, and Celtic crafts. There’s plenty of non-Irish stuff too, including food trucks, kids’ crafts and games, raffles, lots of vendors, lawn games and more. It’s also going to be a great opportunity to reconnect with the Barry’s Old School Irish community, many of whom we haven’t seen in a year. Basically, it’s a great family event, hosted by a great family.

  • Bands will include the Connemara Social Club, Rusty Kettle, Lucky Enough, Everheart, Gavin Barry’s Rebel Banjo Circus, The Irish Lassies, Celtic Cross and 1916.  
  • Food trucks will include Netsins, Sammies n’ Sweets, The Melt Truck, Schutt’s, Rustic Taco,
    and Webster Hots

Admission is $19.98 ($17 plus $2.98 Eventbrite fee). Click here to get tickets (but I imagine they’ll also be available at the gate.)

Click here to visit the Facebook event page for more 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 8/29/2024)

Happy (your name here) Day!

27 Aug

A few weeks ago I posted a blog about how I happened upon a fun group of people at The Coach celebrating Helen Miller Day. It got me to thinking about what other “days” have been named in honor of people.

The Village and Town both hand out these proclamations fairly regularly, and I asked my friends there to look back into their records to see who else has been recognized recently. Many thanks to Webster Village Clerk Heather Halstead and Webster Town Clerk Danene Marr for doing that for me. Following are some examples I pulled from their lists.

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The first time I really became familiar with this practice was back on Nov. 17, 2017, when the Village of Webster proclaimed that day to be Carol Klem Day.

Carol was a well-known face and well-loved personality in the Village of Webster before she passed in 2018. For more than ten years, Carol penned the Village Focus column in the Webster Herald, and was basically the village’s biggest cheerleader. She was the eyes and ears of Webster and her name became synonymous with all things good about the Village of Webster. I was honored to attend her proclamation ceremony.

Several years earlier, the Village of Webster proclaimed March 26, 2009 to be Patti Cataldi Day. Before her current term as councilwoman for the Town of Webster, Patti served in many capacities for the Village of Webster, including as a trustee, director of the Business Improvement District, Planning Board member, and several others.

There have been many instances when the Village didn’t name an actual day in honor of someone, but just sang their praises and thanked them for their contributions to our community. One of those times was Oct. 28, 2021, when the Village recognized John Bucci, owner of The Music Store, on the occasion of his retirement after 32 years in the business.

And, just a few months later, on Dec. 9, 2021, Danny and Jessica Barry and their beloved corner pub, Barry’s Old School Irish, were recognized on the occasion of the pub’s 10th anniversary,.

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As I mentioned, the Town of Webster also hands out these proclamations on a semi-regular basis. Here are a few of their honorees:

Feb. 19, 2021: Caleb Hoag, Savage Kitchen Day. Caleb Hoag owned Savage Chef, at 5 East Main St. in the village, before closing a few years ago. In addition to running a successful meal-delivery business, Caleb also would donate hundreds of meals every week to various community groups, and made financial contributions to World Central Kitchen and Feeding America.

May 20, 2021: Bella’s Bumbas Day. Run by Webster residents Marty Parzynski and Rebecca Orr, Bella’s Bumbas builds miniature wheelchairs for children with a wide variety of mobility issues. To date, they’ve shipped 2,650 chairs to children in 66 countries, charging the parents only for shipping.

April 22, 2022: Charles Sexton Day. Charles Sexton was Webster’s first Recreation Director, and the first African-American Recreation Director in New York State. During his 34-year career with the department, he introduced the town’s first programs for senior citizens and launched the summer youth camps. He was also instrumental in establishing what was once known as North Ponds Park, renamed Charles Sexton Park in 2022 in his honor.

Sept. 1, 2022: Ruth Hilfiker Day. A long time resident of Penfield and Webster, Ruth worked for more than 20 years in the Penfield School District. On Wednesday Aug., 31, 2022, Supervisor Flaherty was invited to her 102nd birthday party, and at the next Town Board meeting, named a day in her honor.

So there you go. Several more holidays you can celebrate, if you like, and raise a toast to these people who have made a difference in our community.

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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 8/27/2024)

First Responders 5K returns to the village next week

23 Aug

One of my favorite 5K races of the year returns to Village of Webster streets next Friday night, and I will definitely be there, as I have for the past several years.

It’s the First Responders 5K, and I especially like this event for a few reasons. First, it’s in the Village of Webster, so I don’t have to travel very far to participate. For that matter, since it begins at the south end of Fireman’s Field, I can walk to the start line from my house. PLUS the course runs right by my house. And a lot of my friends run this race with me, which always makes it more fun.

I also like supporting 5K events that raise money for good causes. The First Responders 5K benefits the First Responders Special Treatment Agency (FRST Agency), which is dedicated to helping first responders and their families deal with mental trauma.

The race is scheduled for Friday Aug. 30 at 6:30 p.m. It will BEGIN AND END at the south side of Fireman’s Field on Sanford St., and take racers through east-side village neighborhoods. Cost is $43, or $19 for active first responders (advance registration required). Each racer will also receive a t-shirt, and food and drink after the race.

My family will once again be setting up our “refreshment” stop on Fuller Ave., with water — and beer — so watch for our signs!

To register for the race, and for more information including a course map, click here . They’re also looking for volunteers, which is an easy gig and nets you a t-shirt, too. You can also find out more about that opportunity on the website.

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(posted 8/23/2024)