Tag Archives: Village of Webster

Looking back at the year in blogs

30 Dec

As I like to do at the end of the year, a few days ago I took a stroll back through all of the blogs I wrote in 2022. It’s always a fun exercise, as I’m reminded of all of the events, business openings and closings, people and places that I found to share with you all. It’s a nice reminder of the rich and close-knit community we have here in Webster.

In the last 12 months I posted a whopping 276 blogs, which I credit in part to having more time to research and write now that I’m retired. Most of those were about special events. They began in February with the month-long Fall in Love With Webster, which highlighted our village businesses, restaurants and pubs. In April, we welcomed the return of Community Arts Day and the Greater Rochester Peep Show, and a brand new event, the Webster BID Easter Egg Hunt. Also in April, I reported on the official renaming of North Ponds Park to Charles E. Sexton Park in honor of the town’s first recreation director.

Later in the spring and summer I posted photos from the Memorial Day Parade and Firemen’s Parade, the Jazz Festival and a special Thank You Celebration honoring Revolutionary War patriots, the military and first responders. In September I dragged myself through the mud to tell you about the Webster Recreation Center’s annual Mud Run. October brought the Beer Walk and Village Oktoberfest, the Pumpkin Parade and the Trick-or-Treat Trail. And in December, I wrote about the newly christened Webster’s Winter Wonderland and Wreaths Across America Day at Webster Union Cemetery.

Businesses were also a frequent blog topic. I wrote about new businesses including M/Body Fitness, My Roommates Closet, the new Mama Lor’s on Lake Rd., Curated, Woodland Silk Screening, Woof’s Indoor Dog Park, Chad Cassano Studios and Crafty Christy’s. I also shared news from many existing businesses, like when Cobblestone on Main presented a huge check to Miracle Field, when Amy at the North Bee was selling hand-made beeswax ornaments to benefit the Ukraine, when Barry’s Old School Irish celebrated their 11th anniversary, Serenity Life celebrated its first, and some cute stories about Goat Yoga and Happy Feet Dancers.

I also shared positive news from our schools, like the Webster Marching Band’s annual Autumn Fanfare, the OWL Cafe at Schlegel Elementary School, the fairy trail behind State Rd. Elementary, and the beautiful murals decorating the halls of Webster Thomas High School.

I was there when Webster Thomas presented a mock DWI crash scenario before prom, and wrote about a moving exhibit on race at the library created by Schlegel Rd. fifth graders. I followed the class of 2022 as they paraded through their former elementary schools, and as they strolled through a luminary walk in their honor along the Chiyoda Trail.

Some of my favorite blogs were about the people who make up the fabric of our community. Like Jim Lockwood, Webster’s very own Santa Claus; Florence Kinney, “Mrs. Claus,” who reached her goal this year of donating 100,000 holiday gifts to children; Mike Fitzsimmons, the only known person with spina bifida to ever run an ultra marathon; Webster lacrosse standout Dr. Steve Cochi; and Cadet Nurse Corps veteran Marie Gyles. I also remembered two well-loved Websterites we lost this year, Lee Burgess and Pat Copeland.

I introduced you all to some organizations you might not have heard much about — or even known about — before: the Webster Chamber of Commerce, Heroes on the Water, the Senior Singers, Heritage Christian Stables, the Joe Obbie Farmers’ Market and the medical equipment loan closet. I also shared some good deeds from our local Girl Scouts.

Whenever I could, I tried highlight what I considered snippets of small-town life, like my neighborhood lemonade entrepreneur, stories about the kindness of strangers, how Covid brought one bunch of neighbors together.

And on the 10th anniversary of the Christmas Eve shooting in West Webster, I pulled together a publication with several stories showing how that tragedy truly brought our community together.

I often indulged in my love of history. Encouraged by my new role as author of the Webster Museum’s monthly History Bit feature, I wrote about the beautiful, hand-carved Burkhardt Family Creche; found out more about the two houses on Corning Park which used to be one; and shared some “Rules for teachers” from 1872 that proved that teaching has always been a labor of love.

I even got to be a part of Webster’s history myself when I portrayed Martha Cottreall during the West Webster Cemetery’s history tour. There were even a few history mysteries, like when I tried to learn more about John S. Gerling, Milton R. Case and the Webster Women’s Hall of Fame, and helped return an old photo album to its family.

Occasionally (usually when I needed something to post during a dry spell) I’d dredge up a “bygone blog.” Among those were the parental stupidity index, my diaper bag theory of motherhood, the psychology of dinner dishes, the resort town of Webster, NY, and a letter to my son as he moved out of town.

Finally, there were many times when I asked your indulgence, dear readers, as I wrote about some things happening in my life. These were sometimes funny, but mostly thrown out there for my own enjoyment.

Among my favorites were: admitting that I have a word problem; reflecting on hikes I took through Four Mile Creek in the fall and winter, and Whiting Rd. Nature Preserve; thoughts on my first week of school post-retirement; my magnet collection; the Tale of the Wandering Box Spring (I was the fairy, BTW, if you didn’t figure it out); looking like a terrorist when I run in the winter; my annual barefoot snow walk tradition; and recollections from my old neighborhood.

And I started the year with the most personal story of all, titled The Power of Words, where I revealed the four simple words that sparked my career in writing.

Whew. That was really long and complicated. And it didn’t even come close to touching on all of the blogs I wrote this year.

But I know lot of you are still reading, because you are the folks who’ve been with me all year. And you’re the reason I write this blog. I’ve said it before and it’s worth repeating: even though I enjoy doing this, it would get pretty old if I thought my words weren’t making a difference.

So thank you all for being faithful readers. I wish you all a very happy, healthy and successful 2023, and I look forward to continuing to spread good news from our hometown.

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 12/30/2022)

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New Webster fitness studio strives to make you, and our community, stronger

26 Dec

A funny thing happened when I went to visit the new M/Body studio in the Village of Webster the other day.

M/Body Webster moved into the former Roc & Soul Fitness studio at 44 E. Main St. in November. Curious to find out more about the new studio, I sat and chatted with owner Molly Flaherty for almost an hour. Our conversation ranged all over the map, but after I left I realized that in all that time, we hadn’t once talked about the studio’s workout spaces, equipment, classes, or instructors.

So I had to send her an email a few days later so she could fill me in about all that. About the 3500-feet of studio space, high-energy instructors, three different kinds of cycle classes, and all sorts of challenging programs like the Pilates and ballet-inspired M/BodyBarre; M/BodyHIIT for cardio and strength conditioning; M/BodySculpt light-weight workout; DanceFusion, Pilates and yoga.

But all of the beautiful equipment, experienced instructors and wide variety of classes are really just part of the greater purpose Molly Flaherty has in mind for her new studio. THAT is mostly what we talked about — her personal commitment to community, and her vision of how she wants her business to become an integral part of our town.

M/Body Webster is actually the studio’s second location in our area. The first, M/Body Rochester, is located on Clinton Ave., having moved there just a few months ago after operating for many years on University Ave. The city-based studio has long been known for its welcoming, inclusive atmosphere, and its close alliances with the city of Rochester.

“I’ve always been a cheerleader to create a strong city,” Molly said, so she’s helped create free, community-based programs like Yoga for a Good Hood and the Roc Free Fitness Initiative to encourage city residents to get out and get fit. The studio also frequently teams up with other fitness studios for special community-wide events.

Molly wants to bring that community-based focus to Webster, and has already begun to get involved in Village events, partnering with her business neighbors, and even her competitors.

As soon as she knew she’d be opening a studio in Webster, she said, “The first thing I (did) is simply introduce myself to competing entities like Burn Bootcamp and Element Yoga…. I’m not looking to poach, I’m looking to enhance. The more options, the fitter the community, the better it is for everybody.”

Then she introduced herself to her business neighbors in the village. “I tell them what we’re doing, what we’re for, get any concerns they may have. We build relationships and potential collaboration.”

“It’s always about working together, not against,” she added. “Community over competition.”

Expanding to a second location really wasn’t even on Molly’s radar, especially immediately after relocating her city studio. But when she found out that the Roc & Soul studio was becoming available, the timing just seemed right. Plus, Webster is Molly’s hometown, and where she opened her first studio many years ago. So expanding to a location in the village, she said, “seems like coming home.”

“I would not have done this for any other location, not this soon after that massive move,” she said. “This is home. I just love the familiar faces I’m seeing. … It seems like it’s all culminating, how everything worked out as it should have worked out.” 

Molly knows, of course, that customers come through her door to take her fitness classes. But she’s committed to making sure they also feel like they’re part of a larger community, because community and fitness are integral partners. She said,

Our whole goal is always to be the most inclusive, welcoming, albeit challenging, environment in which everybody can come in and define themselves. … What’s right for you might not be right for someone else, so let’s find what works. It’s all about making sure people are taking care of themselves, in a long-term way that fits them.

If we’re truly in it to make sure people are healthy and well, especially post-Covid, then we really have a responsibility. It’s not just about making a ton of money. It’s not about us. I’ve felt that from my toes forever. If what M/Body offers isn’t right for somebody, I’d like to help them find what is.

M/Body Webster is located at 44 E. Main Street in the Village of Webster, in the lower parking lot. Click here to see their website for more information and a full schedule of classes.  

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

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(posted 12/26/2022)

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Burkardt Family Creche a holiday highlight at the museum

10 Dec

In this month’s Webster History Bit, I introduce you to the shining star of the Webster Museum’s holiday decorations, the Burkardt Family Creche.

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We can always count on the Webster Museum to be especially beautiful and sparkly this time of year, with holiday decorations and miniature Christmas trees sprinkled throughout the displays.  But for more than 40 years, the real star of the show has been the Burkardt Family Creche.  

This beautiful, hand-carved creche, on display near the museum’s entrance, has a beautiful history all its own. This creche was made in Germany by C. Jess, a church architect. He made one piece a year between 1918 and 1944, each year giving the newly carved piece to his sister Freda in Frankfurt, Germany. 

Freda and her husband Henrick kept the creche hidden during World War II so that it wouldn’t be destroyed in the frequent bombings. It would have been passed on to their only son, but he was killed during the war, so they sent it to Freda’s brother, Rudolph Burkardt Sr., who lived with his family on Salt Rd. in Webster. 

The Burkardts displayed the creche in their home for decades before donating it to the museum in the late 1970s, where it’s been a treasured centerpiece of the museum’s holiday decorations ever since. 

The scene has roughly two dozen pieces, all hand carved out of linden wood. In addition to Baby Jesus, Joseph and Mary and the Three Kings, it also includes a shepherd boy, angels, sheep, camels, oxen, and even an elephant.

The Burkardt Family Creche will be on display at the Webster Museum until January, when museum volunteers will painstakingly wipe each piece with oil and pack them away until next year. So come see it while you can, and while you’re there, make sure to vote for your favorite community-decorated Christmas tree during the museum’s Festival of Trees. Votes will be accepted through Dec. 31.     

The Webster Museum is located at 18 Lapham Park in the Village of Webster. It’s open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Visit the website at webstermuseum.org to learn more. 

Here are few closer-up shots from the creche:

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

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(posted 12/10/2022)

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Webster community mailbag

1 Dec

Now that December is upon us, holiday events are coming fast and furious.

Several opportunities to visit with Santa are coming up in the next few weeks.

  • St. Martin Lutheran Church will host its annual Evening With Santa on Friday Dec. 2, 6 to 8 p.m. at the church, 813 Bay Rd. The event includes games for the kids, cookie making, free pizza, story time and free photos with Santa. The evening is free, but participants are asked to bring a non-perishable food item for the St. Martin food cupboard.
  • Santa will be at Webster’s Winter Wonderland this Saturday afternoon Dec. 3, greeting children at the gazebo on North Ave. from 2:45 to 5:45 p.m. And after your visit, make sure to check out all the Santa’s Workshop activities, and the ’round the world displays on Main Street. Click here for the full schedule.
  • The Webster Golf Club, 440 Salt Rd., will host a Breakfast With Santa on Sunday Dec. 4 from 8 to 11:30 a.m. Breakfast (and of course your visit with Santa) are free, but donations will be accepted to benefit Webster Hope, Webster Community Chest and Lions Club charities.
  • On Saturday Dec. 10 from 6 to 8 p.m., Santa will pop up again, this time at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr. (off of Phillips). This free event will feature hot cocoa and a cookie station. No registration is required.

Still gift shopping? While you’re at Webster’s Winter Wonderland this Saturday Dec. 3, stop by the Harmony House at 58 East Main St. to check out their Holiday Craft Fair and Open House. Before, during and after the parade there’ll be lots of crafters, live music, beverages and snacks. Click here for more details. The event is sponsored by the Webster Grange and the Chorus of the Genesee.

Also from Dec. 3 through Dec. 8, the Webster Thomas High School/OWL PTSA will sponsor a book fair at Barnes & Noble Webster in Towne Center Plaza. All week, when you present the Book Fair ID# 12641403 at checkout, the PTSA will get a percentage of your purchases. To kick off the event, this Saturday Dec. 3, you’ll enjoy some live music presented by Thomas students from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The Webster Public Library has all kinds of fun events scheduled this month, from crafts to storytimes to live music. Check out the flier below for some details, but here’s one I want to highlight:

On Tuesday Dec. 6 from 7 to 8 p.m., the Chorus of the Genesee will present a free holiday concert at the library. The Chorus will be sharing a cappella music that spans traditional barbershop to contemporary to some holiday selections. The concert is free, but the library would like to make sure there’s enough seating, so please register here.

Just a few days ago I got the latest edition of the Webster Senior Center newsletter. It’s packed with news of all sorts of great events for the 55+ gang, including exercise classes, Talks on Tuesday, a holiday ball at the Doubletree and more. I wanted to highlight two events, however …

  • first is the Senior Singers annual Holiday Show, scheduled for Tuesday Dec. 20 at 11 a.m. This would be a great opportunity to find out more about this group and meet some of the members if you’re at all interested in joining. IN any case, it will feature some beautiful holiday tunes. Admission is free,
  • second is the Holiday Party on Wednesday Dec. 21 from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cost is $8/person and registration is required.

Now some important information from the Webster Central School District:

The district will run its annual Emergency Preparedness Early Release Drill, designed to test the district’s plan for the early dismissal of students, on Friday, December 23.

Parents should be prepared for their children to be dismissed early that day. Below are the bus departure times for that Friday Dec. 23 day only:

● Schroeder, 3:15 p.m. departure
● Thomas, 3:15 p.m. departure
● Spry, 3:15 p.m. departure
● Willink, 3:15 p.m. departure
● DeWitt, 2:10 p.m. departure
● Klem North, 1:50 p.m. departure
● Klem South, 2:00 p.m. departure
● Plank North, 1:50 p.m. departure
● Plank South, 2:00 p.m. departure
● Schlegel, 2:10 p.m. departure
● State, 2:10 p.m. departure

For parents/guardians who pick their student(s) up from school, the pick-up window will also be different that day. cConsult your school newsletter/ notifications for details.

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As we enter the winter months, Webster CSD reminds families of its closing and early dismissal protocol. Closing and cancellation information is available through a variety of sources:

● online at websterschools.org
● social media at Facebook.com/WebsterCentralSchools and Twitter @wcsdproud
● parent/guardian notification through ParentSquare
● local media

If the district needs to dismiss early, bus riders will return home in the same order as a regular school day. Parents are asked to be prepared with a plan in the event of an early dismissal and discuss it with their children.

Weather conditions vary widely across the district. Parents/guardians are the final authority in deciding whether or not to send a child to school. Weather-related absences are legal absences; however, parents are required to notify schools if their children will
not be attending.

When school is closed due to weather, all aquatics, community education classes, and evening activities are cancelled as well. WonderCare may be an exception; consult their website and social media pages for updates.

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The district is surveying the community to forecast student enrollment for the foreseeable future. The annual young child census launched on the district website December 1. If you have children residing in your household who are birth to 5 years old, please visit websterschools.org to complete this brief census. Don’t delay! The census closes Jan. 6, 2023.

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In an effort to create a more welcoming environment for all families, the Webster CSD is offering free English as a Second Language (ESL) class to the community.
 
The adult ESL class is open to any adult interested in learning English as a Second Language. To support our growing number of families in Webster due to the war in the Ukraine, the class will be taught by a Ukrainian speaker; however, individuals from all language backgrounds are welcome and participants do not need to reside in Webster. 
 
The class takes place Monday through Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. at Webster Schroeder High School, 875 Ridge Road. The class is ongoing so students may attend as many or as few as they wish. No registration is required, and there’s no charge.
  
For more information, call (585) 467-7683 or visit https://oaces.net/enroll-now/

Finally, this notice from the Town of Webster:

In January 2023, the Town will formally start the process of updating its Comprehensive Plan. This was last done in 2008. In anticipation of this venture, they are trying to get as much feedback from Webster citizens as possible.

The Town has developed a short, simple, 6-question survey and are hoping to get more than 2,000 surveys completed by Dec. 31. To participate, click the link above.

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 12/1/2022)

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Webster’s Winter Wonderland comes to the Village Saturday Dec. 3

28 Nov

Update: Because of high winds expected this afternoon, Santa will greet kids at Village Hall instead of the gazebo, and many activities will be held inside Main St. shops instead of on the sidewalk. So keep an eye out for them!

So, before you read any further … do you have your ugly sweater yet?

Perhaps you’ve heard about this new wrinkle in Webster’s Winter Wonderland.

In addition to all of the features everyone has come to love about this annual festival, including Santa, carolers, the bell choir, the festival wagon and the Parade of Lights, the organizers are encouraging everyone, including parade participants, to wear ugly sweaters.

You don’t even have to go out and buy one. Just take an old sweater and hang stuff on it (like I did in the photo). There will even be a photo booth set up on Main Street in front of Lala’s where you can get your photo taken with your creative attire. Next year, our little village is going to try to get into the Guinness Book of World Records for having the largest collection of ugly-sweater-wearers. So this Saturday will be good practice.

Now for the information you’ve all come for … what’s happening this Saturday at Webster’s Winter Wonderland (the festival formerly known as White Christmas)?

Well for starters, it’s going to be bigger and better than ever, expanding to the east end of the village, and featuring a brand new, around-the-world theme. You’ll find displays inside shops and along Main Street highlighting different winter holidays and cultures from around the world. Also on Main Street, plans are to have at least one food truck, a bounce house, carolers and carriage rides, cookie decorating, music, street games and more.

Like last year, the North Pole will be set up in Gazebo Park on North Ave. There’ll be hot cocoa, kettle corn, Santa’s Workshop where the kids can build a toy, Storytime with Jason, and a donation bin for Toys for Tots. Kids can even participate in a scavenger hunt and win a prize after they check off some of the activities. And of course Santa will be there, welcoming children at the gazebo.

And this year the festival will even extend to the lower level of the North 43 shops east of North Ave. (next to Village Bakery). Make sure to visit “The Land of Sweets” at Roc Dance and check out some other fun surprises at Curated and MBody. Everything begins at 2 p.m. in the Village of Webster. (Update: Santa will be at Village Hall, beginning at 2:45.)

I want to highlight two special events happening that afternoon. The first is a donation table set up in front of Village Hall where you can drop off hygiene items and non-perishable foods to benefit Webster Hope. Check out the poster below for a wish list of items. (You can also drive through and drop off your donations behind the Fire Hall.)

Second, make sure to stop by the Webster Museum at 18 Lapham Park sometime between 2 and 6:30 p.m. to see all of the beautiful decorations, and to vote for your favorite little tree in the museum’s annual Festival of Trees. There will even be live music from 4 to 6 p.m. featuring the Saxophone Therapy Project and the Goodwin Family.

The Parade of Lights begins at 6:30 p.m., heading west down Main Street to Fireman’s Field, and right after that, everyone can head back down to Gazebo Park for carol singing and Christmas tree(s) lighting!

You can find more information at the Webster BID website. If any more fun things are added to the schedule, I’ll post them here, too, so stay tuned.

Click here to see my photo gallery from last year’s White Christmas.

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 11/28/2022)

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Webster community mailbag

27 Nov

Just in time for gift-giving, the Friends of the Webster Public Library will be holding their Winter Book Sale beginning Tuesday Nov. 29.

The Friends sold the event in their press release better than I could:

Don’t let the hustle and bustle of the holiday season wear you down! The Friends of the Webster Public Library have the perfect solution to your holiday stress. The Friends are holding a Winter Holiday Book Sale at the library. Gently used books, DVDs, CDs and puzzles for adults and children will be available for purchase.

The sale begins Tuesday, Nov. 29 at 9 a.m. and runs during regular library hours for the next several weeks . . . or until sold out! Children’s items are in limited supply so shop early for the best selection and help support the library! All monies raised will go to support library programs and initiatives.

Free Breakfast With Santa

The Lions Club will hold their annual Breakfast With Santa on Sunday Dec. 4 from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Webster Golf Club, 440 Salt Rd.

Breakfast will include pancakes, sausage, scrambled eggs, english muffins, juice and coffee. Raffles and gift certificates will also be available.

There’s no charge, but donations will be accepted (and encouraged) to benefit the Webster Community Chest and other Webster Lions Club charities.

St. Martin Evening With Santa

Here’s another opportunity to get a free photo with Santa, plus cookies and pizza (if you prefer that over breakfast).

St. Martin Lutheran Church on Bay Road will hold its annual “Evening with Santa” holiday event from 6 to 8 p.m. on Fri. Dec. 2, Have your family holiday picture taken in a professional photo setting at St. Martin with Webster’s own Professional Santa, the same Santa as seen in Webster’s White Christmas & famous Firemen’s Parade of Lights. Pictures will be available on the spot and they’re absolutely free. (No need to wait in long lines at the mall or pay for a photo.)

Santa will arrive by fire truck, and will be handing out candy canes to all of his visitors. Bring your own camera for selfies with the elves, watch the children tell Santa their most secret wishes, help the children decorate their own Christmas cookies and write a letter to Santa, and listen to Santa read “The Night Before Christmas.”

There will be lots of games for the children, free pizza, and later, hear Pastor Korey read the Christmas Story as written in the Gospel of Luke.

Families who attend are asked to bring a nonperishable food item for the church’s Food Cupboard, to help another family enjoy their holiday season just a bit more.

Christmas Cookie Sale

The Women’s Club of Webster will hold their 28th annual Christmas Cookie Sale on Saturday Dec. 10 in the Webster Public Library community room. The sale will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. or until they’re sold out.

Proceeds from the sale will benefit the club’s scholarship funds and other Webster community programs. The Webster Public Library is located at 980 Ridge Rd., at the rear of Webster Plaza.

Webster’s Winter Wonderland Details

Well, you’re going to have to wait another day or two for these, but rest assured you’ll get the full line-up here shortly. But I do want to make sure you remember to 1) wear your ugly sweaters all day, 2) bring a nonperishable food item to drop off at Village Hall to benefit Webster Hope, and 3) stop by the Webster Museum to vote for your favorite decorated mini-Christmas tree.

More to come. Stay tuned!

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 11/26/2022)

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Local Nurse Corps veteran recognized

20 Nov

In this month of November, when we make a point to recognize and thank our nation’s veterans, here’s a nice story about one of Webster’s own.

On Friday Nov. 11, Town of Webster Deputy Supervisor Patti Cataldi and Cherie Wood, from the Daughters of the American Revolution, Canandaigua Chapter, attended the Veteran’s Day ceremony held at the Maplewood nursing home. They made the trip especially to present a Certificate of Appreciation to Maplewood resident Marie Gyles.

Marie had been invited to a Thank You Celebration held on July 30 at Webster Union Ceremony to recognize first responders, veterans and the military. But due to COVID restrictions, she was unable to attend. So Cataldi and Wood brought the certificate to her.

Marie Gyles was a member of the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps during World War II. In her remarks at the presentation, Cataldi explained,

The U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps was the nation’s first integrated uniformed U.S. service corps. It fulfilled an urgent need for nurses during World War II. During that time many nurses were called to military service to care for soldiers overseas, creating vacancies of approximately 17,000 nursing positions in civilian hospitals in the United States. Many hospitals were on the verge of collapse. In 1943 President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Nurse Training Act to provide accelerated nursing training. The federal government covered the cost of tuition, room and board, a monthly stipend and the Cadet Corps uniforms. By 1945, Cadet Nurses were providing 80% of the nursing care in the hospitals in the United States. The Corps celebrated the 75th Anniversary of their creation in 2018.

Marie began her training and was admitted to the United States Cadet Nurse Corps in August 1944 at just 18 years old. She began working as a registered nurse at a tuberculosis hospital in Auburn. She later worked in maternity and pediatric care at Wilson Hospital, where she had trained for the Cadet Corps.

Cataldi also pointed out that the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps remains the only uniformed corps members not to be recognized as veterans. An amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act is pending approval, so hopefully that will soon change.

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 11/20/2022)


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Cobblestone presents check to Miracle Field

17 Nov

Dan and Sarah Bresnahan, co-owners of Webster’s Cobblestone on Main restaurant, presented a very large check (both in size and amount) to Challenger Miracle Field on Wednesday morning.

The check represented part of the proceeds from the first-ever Webster Oktoberfest, held Sept. 16 and 17 at Webster Fireman’s Field. Cobblestone on Main provided the beer, wine and soft drinks for the festival. The check for $8,000, presented to Miracle Field co-founder Ron Kampff, represented the proceeds from those sales. Several staff members, and even some regular patrons who had volunteered for the two-day event, were also on hand at the presentation.

Dan Bresnahan said the partnership with Miracle Field is exactly the kind of community collaboration they’ve been looking for.

“We are really excited to have been a part of the first Webster Oktoberfest,” he said. “Our goal was to find a local organization to partner with so we could give back to the community. Challenger Miracle Field is a fabulous organization, with great leadership, and one we feel aligns with our mission and values.”

He added, “There are so many great organizations, but these guys are amazing for what they’ve done for individuals with disabilities and inclusivity.”

There’s no shortage of projects at Miracle Field which can benefit from the donation. “We’re always making improvements,” Ron Kampff said. Right now, for example, plans are in motion to install stadium lights so athletes can hold night games. The cash might also help fund the many special events and sporting programs the organization runs all year long.

Kampff said he was especially grateful to Oktoberfest organizer Mike Spang for the opportunity to get the community involved and help bring attention to Miracle Field and its mission.

The Webster Oktoberfest benefited our community in so many ways. Not only did it bring another great festival to the Webster summer calendar (which I hope will become an annual event), it supported an incredibly worthy organization. It raised thousands of dollars for Miracle Field, but more importantly, people walked away from that festival knowing more about the life-changing opportunities the organization provides for children and adults with disabilities. Many thanks to Mike Spang, long-time organizer of the Irondequoit Oktoberfest, for bringing his experience and skills to Webster.

Cobblestone on Main is located at 109 West Main St. in the Village of Webster. Click here to visit their Facebook page.

Pictured above are (front row L-R) Evelyn Fonda, co-owner Sarah Bresnahan, Brenda Baleno, Ron Kampff, Mike Spang, Allie McLaurin; (back row) Tom Wright, Joe Baleno, Dan Bresnahan. Evelyn and Allie are Cobblestone employees. Brenda, Joe and Tom are regular customers who volunteered at the festival.

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 11/17/2022)

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Get your ugly on at this year’s Winter Wonderland

16 Nov

In a blog I posted last week, I told you all about some of the changes in store for the festival formerly known as “White Christmas.”

In a nutshell, in addition to all of the features everyone has come to love about White Christmas — including Santa, carolers, the bell choir, the festival wagon and the Parade of Lights — the newly christened “Webster’s Winter Wonderland” on Saturday Dec. 3 has also taken on an around-the-world theme.

But here’s an extra special, really fun wrinkle in the festival that I didn’t mention before: the Ugly Sweater Spectacular! (I just made that name up, so don’t hold the village to it.)

Everyone who attends the Winter Wonderland activities, and especially the parade, is encouraged to wear an ugly sweater. Even if your group is marching in the parade, you can all wear ugly sweaters. You don’t even have to go out and buy one. (They’re often hard to find this time of year.) Just take an old sweater and hang stuff on it! There will be a photo booth set up on Main Street in front of Lala’s where you and your family members can get your photo taken with your creative attire.

Getting the whole village to dress up in ugly sweaters will be tons of fun, but there’s also an ulterior motive. The Webster Business Improvement District, who brings you this holiday celebration every year, is hoping that next year we can set a record for the largest gathering of ugly sweaters and launch our little village into the Guinness Book of World Records. The record right now is about 3,500. We can certainly beat that.

So start making those sweaters, and stay tuned for more details about Webster’s Winter Wonderland, scheduled for Sat. Dec. 3.

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 11/16/2022)

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Barry’s Old School Irish celebrates 11 years

15 Nov

Do you remember this corner?

If you lived in Webster, say, 12 or 13 years ago, you might remember this unusual garden, complete with a mini-waterfall. It stood  at the the village’s four corners, welcoming visitors to our main business corridor. It adorned the storefront of the Living Plumber at 2 West Main St., and it stood for as long as I can remember.

That is, until the Living Plumber’s owner passed away, the village cleared it away, Danny and Jessica Barry moved in, and committed to turning that corner into something really special: a friendly little Irish pub.

For a long time now, it’s been clear to all of us that the Barrys have done that and so much more. With Barry’s Old School Irish, they’ve created a super-friendly, welcoming pub for the whole family. A place where you can set up your computer in the middle of the day to work while listening to musicians jamming in the corner. Where everyone who comes in is immediately considered part of the family.

Barry’s Old School Irish has not only changed that corner for the better, it has changed our village.

This weekend, on Saturday Nov. 19, Danny and Jessica Barry will celebrate their little pub’s 11th anniversary. The party begins at 7 p.m. with live music by Irish rocker Billy Herring, Jameson Irish Whiskey reps will be on hand all night with samples and giveaways, dancers from the Jamieson Irish Dance school will perform, some bagpipers will be stopping by, and the Official Toast (always an epic event) takes place at 9:30.

I’m pleased and proud to say I’ve been an extended member of the Barry’s Pub family since before they even opened, when I popped in to interview the new owners for this blog and took that iconic picture of them holding the sign that would soon adorn the outside of their pub. There were no pictures on the walls, no musicians in the corner, no cheeseburgers on the grill or soup in the pot. Just two young kids with a dream which they continue to expand upon every single day.

If you STILL haven’t stopped by this little Irish corner of the world, at 2 West Main Street right smack in the middle of the village, you’re missing something special.

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 11/11/2022)

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