I hope you know by now that the Webster Museum is one special place to visit any time of the year. But May is a particularly good time to stop by, as the museum celebrates Preservation Month.
They’re kicking off the month with a special presentation on Sunday, May 1 by nationally-known shipwreck expert Jim Kennard. Over the past 35 years, Kennard has located more than 200 shipwrecks in the Great Lakes and other major bodies of water using side scan sonar systems that he developed.
Kennard will take everyone along his personal journey and his underwater explorations of Lake Ontario, sharing stories he’s gathered while researching and locating the most historically significant shipwrecks of our Great Lakes. These include the 1780 British warship HMS Ontario and the sloop Washington lost in 1803.
Kennard has also authored a book, Shipwrecks of Lake Ontario: A Journey of Discovery, which will be available for purchase. He’s been featured in local publications as well as National Geographic, National and local news stations, the Discovery Channel and most recently National Geographic’s “Drain the Oceans” series on the American Revolution.
Jim will share stories gathered over those 50 years while researching and locating the most historically significant shipwrecks in our Great Lakes. These include the 1780 British warship HMS Ontario and the sloop Washington lost in 1803.
Jim’s groundbreaking book SHIPWRECKS OF LAKE ONTARIO – A JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY, which includes Jim’s explorations as well as those of his shipwreck colleagues, will be available for sale at the presentation. Jim will sign copies as requested.
The presentation will take place at the Harmony House, 58 East Main St., on Sunday May 1 beginning at 2 p.m. The presentation is free of charge but donations will be gratefully accepted.
The annual History and a Cup series also returns in May, on Wednesdays May 4, 11 and 18 at noon. This year’s series features presentations by former residents of West Webster. They’ll all take place at the museum, 18 Lapham Park.
On Sunday May 15 at 2 p.m., both the West Webster Firehouse on Gravel Rd. and the Webster Museum will host a West Webster reunion. Following that, at 3 p.m. at the museum, a panel of former West Webster residents will share their memories of growing up in the hamlet.
Looking ahead to June … starting on Thursday June 2, donations will be accepted for the September Barn Sale. They may be left in the barn at 394 Phillips Road.
Then (this is gong to be fun) make sure to stop by the West Webster Cemetery on Sunday June 19 from 2 to 4 p.m. for a historical tour, featuring men and women portraying former West Webster residents. More to come about this as well.
The weekly Town of Webster newsletter is always packed with information, and I always get good blog ideas from it. But this week’s edition outdid itself. There are so many events mentioned in its 15 digital pages that it prompted me to post another mailbag, even though the last one was just a few days ago.
So here’s a quick list of what you can see in the newsletter, then I’ll tack on a few more events at the end.
The Town of Webster will hold a special ceremony this Friday April 22 to rename North Ponds Park to the Charles E. Sexton Memorial Park in honor of Webster’s first Recreation Director and the first African American Recreation Director in New York State. The ceremony will begin at 4 p.m. at the park. Read more about the event here.
The Webster Quilt Guild’s 2022 Quilt Show, called “Envision the Possibilities,” will take place on Saturday and Sunday April 23 and 24 at Holy Trinity Church, 1460 Ridge Rd., just east of the village. There will be several special displays and a raffle. Read more about the event in my blog here.
Your chance to meet Adam Traub, the new director of the Webster Public Library, is coming up Wednesday April 27 at the library’s Open House from 3 to 5 p.m. You can read more about Adam in this blog I posted after meeting him.
If you’ve ever hiked the Four Mile Creek trails and noticed the old rotting cars in the woods, here’s a great chance to learn about them. The Friends of Webster Trails is holding a “Cars Along the Creek” hike on Saturday April 30 from 10 to noon. There are actually six old cars there (I’ve only seen three) and you’ll learn about all of them. I’ll be posting a blog about this soon, but more details in the flyer below.
Also on Saturday April 30, the Webster Health and Education Network is holding a Drug Take-Back Event at both the Holt Rd. and Baytowne Wegmans locations. No appointment is necessary. More details in the flyer below.
The Lions Club will hold a Mother’s Day Rose Sale from Thursday May 5 through Saturday May 7. Roses will be $20 per dozen and can be picked up any one of those days, but they must be ordered in advance. For more information, check the flyer below.
The Town of Webster will host a blood drive on Tuesday May 10 from noon to 6:30 p.m. at Webster Parks and Recreation on Chiyoda Drive. Call the Red Cross at 1-800-733-2767 or visit redcross.org (search for WebsterCommunity) to schedule an appointment.
More news from the Webster Public Library. The Friends of the Library will host their annual spring book sale from Thursday to Saturday May 12 to 14. Nothing costs more than $1. For more details, check the flyer below.
Got stuff to shred? Reliant Federal Credit Union is hosting a free ShreddingEvent on Saturday May 14 from 9 a.m. to noon at their Webster branch, 870 Holt Rd. There’s no quantity limits, but please remove file folders, binders and plastic bags. There will also be raffles and giveaways, refreshments and entertainment.
Don’t forget to get your ducks for Webster Comfort Care‘s second annual Duck Derby on Saturday May 21. Cost is $5 per duck, and all proceeds will benefit the home. Click here to read more about this event.
The Webster Museum is planning a whole month of programs in May highlighting the rich history of West Webster. I’ll be posting a blog about those events soon, but for some details right now, check out the flyer below.
The people of Ukraine still need our help. ROC Maidan is soliciting donations of new clothes and camping cots. Check out the wish list and drop-off locations on the flyer below.
Looking ahead, here are a few other things I’m working on for the coming weeks:
The West Webster Cemetery Tour on June 19
A new business coming to the Village of Webster
the second annual Luminaria Walk for our Webster CSD seniors on May 15
With the conclusion of Webster Thomas High School’s recent production of Little Shop of Horrors, the final curtain has come down on the high schools’ 2022 spring musical season. But each school actually has a spring drama in the works.
Mark Stoetzel, the drama director at Webster Thomas, emailed me not long ago with some exciting news about their production of The Neighbors, planned for late May: it’s going to be staged outside.
The Webster GeoTech Class is building an outdoor stage in one of the school’s courtyards, complete with a pergola. On May 27 and 28, students will hit the stage to perform several one-act plays they’re writing themselves, each set in a townhouse complex.
More details to come as the date approaches.
The Webster Schroeder Theater Company is also working on a drama, The Secret Garden. Shows are scheduled for Friday and Saturday May 6 and 7 from 7 to 9 p.m. Tickets are available now, but I’m having trouble finding a link or details on how to purchase them. If anyone can fill me in, please email me so I can share that information.
The Webster Museum has all sorts of programs planned in the coming weeks. They seem particularly excited about their upcoming exhibit focusing on the history of West Webster. The little hamlet had its very own zip code not too long ago (14581) and is currently anticipating a revitalization.
Among the materials the museum has collected are the two maps below. The first was drawn by Maguerite Collins around 1938, possibly as a class project. It shows the names of some of Webster’s earliest settlers and when they arrived. The second map, created in 1852, adds more names.
Descendants of some of these early settlers still live here today, and many of them never left. Interested community members are invited to “meet” some of them on Sunday June 19 from 2 to 4 p.m., when the Webster Museum hosts a West Webster Cemetery Tour. Costumed characters will on hand representing many of the hamlet’s former residents who are buried there, and guaranteed they’ll have some interesting stories.
More information to come about this fun event. (Teaser: I’m going to play a character!)
Stay tuned also for more details about the museum’s upcoming West Webster exhibit. Among the history to be shared will be photos and artifacts from the West Webster Fire Department. It was originally housed in Webb’s garage, then Brewer’s barn, then the former Goetzman Store, followed by its move to its current home on Gravel Road. A number of former West Webster residents have shared memories of turkey raffles, liverwurst sandwiches, craft shows and ice rinks in the firehouse parking lots.
Several programs have been scheduled in May to highlight West Webster history. I’ll tell you all about them in a future blog.
The Webster Museum, located at 18 Lapham Park in the Village of Webster, is open 2 to 4:30 pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Beer lovers will want to be a part of a program scheduled for this Thursday April 21. Will Cleveland, former investigative reporter for the Democrat and Chronicle, will talk about the past and future of the Western New York beer scene, a beat which he has covered since 2014.
The program, called “Rochester Craft Beer: The History and Future of the Scene,” runs from 7 to 8 p.m. and registration is required.
Tweens and teens, you can make your very own hair scrunchies on Wed. April 20 from 1 to 2 p.m. Materials will be provided. Kids in grades 4 to 12 are welcome. Registration is required.
This month’s make-and-take crafts include recycled milk cap fish (for kids), clothespin peek-a-boo eggs (for teens) and a bead bracelet (made from magazines) for adults. Materials can be picked up at the library during regular business hours while supplies last.
This is a drive-through event. Dinners will include a half chicken, salt potatoes, cole slaw, roll and butter for $12. There will be no advance sales; cars can pay when they enter the parking lot, first come, first served. Signs will direct cars to the pay station, and then to the side entrance where you can pick up the boxed dinners.
Proceeds will support St. Martin’s Christmas Stocking Project which reaches more than 500 youth in Monroe and Wayne counties.
The Tour de Cure is returning to Webster on Saturday June 11, and even if you don’t plan on riding, you can still help out.
In this annual premier cycling event, riders sign up to cycle anywhere from 12 to 100 miles, to benefit the American Diabetes Association. It begins and ends in one of the old Xerox parking lots near the Webster Recreation Center. If you’d like to participate, you can sign up here. Or you can help the cause by becoming a volunteer. More information about those opportunities can be found here.
Finally (and this is especially for all of you who are still reading this long blog, because I know you appreciate local news) I want to draw your attention once again to what’s happening with the Webster Herald.
Our little town newspaper recently experienced another editorial change, when Colin Minster left in March. A new editor, Tim Young, has since taken the reigns, and accepted the daunting challenge of publishing a weekly newspaper.
And it is daunting. I’ve said this before, but it deserves repeating: with a small, hyper-local, weekly publication like the Herald, the editor has to be a Jack-of-all-trades, not only managing the layout and editing, but actively searching out and writing stories of local interest. It’s a 24/7 position from which you can never take a vacation.
The job is made that much more difficult without support from advertisers, contributors and subscribers. I think we can all agree that local news is a dying breed. The Webster Post isn’t around any more, and the Democrat and Chronicle couldn’t care less about Webster local news. The Herald is now one of the few places we can go to to find news about our community. So we need to do everything we can to make sure the Herald doesn’t go anywhere anytime soon.
Tim touched on a few of these concerns in the column he wrote a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, it’s not online anywhere, but you can click here to see a photo of it. In the column, Tim talks about how staffing issues are a challenge and that advertising is hard to come by. He also notes that people are actually complaining about all the legal advertising in the Herald, pointing out that those legals are the only things that are keeping the paper afloat.
It’s not fair to criticize the job a weekly editor is doing without being willing to help do something about it. Like make sure to renew your subscription every year. Encourage your friends to subscribe. Send in sports stories and photos, and your child can be pictured in the paper. Advertise your business. And how about stretching your writing chops and consider becoming a free-lancer? You’ll be paid for your work, and see your own byline in the paper.
Tim would love to hear from you. Email him at tim@empirestateweeklies.com. Let him know that this community is behind him and we still appreciate local news.
Do you know of any event coming up in Webster, or sponsored by a Webster organization, which you’d like publicized in my blog? Pretty much anything that comes across my email will find its way in sometime or another, so let me know about it!
I anticipate writing longer blogs about a few of these events in the coming weeks, but in the meantime, here’s a tease so you can get them on your calendars.
One of our town’s most creative and fun FREE family events — the Great Rochester Peep Show — returns Saturday and Sunday April 2 and 3 to the Webster Recreation Center on Chiyoda Drive (off of Phillips).
This fun, completely free, family-friendly event features at least four entire rooms filled with incredibly creative sculptures, dioramas, and various other works of art, all created with marshmallow Peeps candies. In addition to the displays, several entertainers and community groups will be performing.
Hours are 10 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, 10 to 4 on Sunday.
Community Arts Day returns the following weekend after a two-year COVID-induced hiatus.
This year’s event will take place on Saturday, April 9 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Webster Schroeder High School, 875 Ridge Rd. This very family-friendly festival showcases Webster CSD students’ creative talents and involves the entire community in a day to celebrate the arts.
Dozens of activities are planned throughout the day, including art displays, carnival games, sweet treats sale, plant sale, crafts, community group exhibits and more. Musical groups and demonstrators (dancers, gymnastics, etc.) perform free all day, and you can even grab lunch and snacks.
This is one of my favorite events of the whole year.
Webster’s next American Red Cross blood drive is coming up in just a few weeks. Here are the details:
Tuesday April 5, St. Martin’s Lutheran Church (813 Bay Rd.), 1 to 6 p.m. (Click here to make an appointment) Wednesday April 6, American Legion (8181 Ridge Rd.), noon to 5 p.m. (Click here for an appointment)
Anyone who donates at one of these drives will receive an exclusive Red Cross t-shirt, while supplies last.
The need right now is critical, so please consider donating!
The Webster Public Library, is hosting a meet-and-greet with new library director Adam Traub on Wednesday April 27 from 3 to 5 p.m. Snacks will be served!
And since we’re talking about the library, next time you’re there, make sure to check out the Webster Museum’s current display. It features square-dancing fashions provided by the Copy Cats Western Square Dance Club, currently celebrating their 50th anniversary. The group was started by Xerox employees.
At the museum itself, at 18 Lapham Park in the village, a new exhibit looks at women’s nineteenth century garments, occupations, voting and working rights efforts, and the story of the “Great Women’s Uprising” of 1910.
The museum is open 2:30 to 4:30 pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
This is exciting news.
The Webster Business Improvement District (BID) is sponsoring a FREE Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday April 16 at the Webster Firemen’s Field on West Main St.
Our local merchants will be providing the eggs, filled with prizes and surprises. Children will be divided into three different age groupings for the hunt, and there will be an extra prize basket for the child in each group who finds the golden egg.
The hunt will begin at 10 a.m. More details to come!
This great event is just the first in a long line of special events the Webster BID is working on for this spring and summer, which include a Beer Walk, Bourbon Bash, Family Games Nights, the Trick or Treat Trail, Jazz Fest, Wine Walks and more. Watch for more details about these in an upcoming blog.
“Envision the Possibilities” will showcase approximately 250 quilts, plus special displays of quilts created for Breast Cancer Coalition, Quilts of Valor, Bivona Child Advocacy Center, Asbury Storehouse, and Meals on Wheels. Other activities include vendors, boutique table, and book and pattern sale. The guild will also be collecting non-perishable food items in support of the Webster Backpack Food program.
The show will be held April 23 and 24 at Holy Trinity Church, 146 Ridge Road. Tickets will be $5, available at the door.
I really never know where my next blog idea will come from. In this case, it was an email from my friend Kathy Taddeo at the Webster Museum. She was writing about an unrelated topic but happened to mention something that really piqued my interest: the “Webster Women’s Hall of Fame.”
A Webster Women’s Hall of Fame? I’d never heard of this before, and I immediately wondered whether it still existed, where it could be found, and who’s been inducted. I clearly needed to do some research.
My first stop, of course, was the Webster Museum, as it always is when I need to find out something about our town’s history. Town Historian Lynn Barton was able to tell me a few things right away: the Hall of Fame was a program run by the Webster Business and Professional Women’s Club (BPW), and it no longer exists. Mostly because the club itself no longer exists.
Lynn had a box of records and papers from the BPW, and the museum had several other boxes filled with materials tucked in their back room. After about an hour poking through them, and with additional help from museum volunteers and my friend (and 2000 inductee) Shirley Humphrey, I was able to pull together a pretty good picture of what the Women’s Hall of Fame was/is.
The Webster BPW was established in 1964, but the Women’s Hall of Fame wasn’t created until 1975, which was officially designated by the United Nations as International Women’s Year. Its purpose was to “honor and perpetuate the memory of women in Webster, past or present, who have significantly affected the lives of those around them.”
Nominations were open to all Webster women and were solicited through notices in the Webster papers and forms posted at the library and at Town Hall.
The first inductee was Marie Stone, who taught history and Latin at Webster High School for 40 years, and was instrumental in establishing the Webster Historical Society. She was the best friend and colleague of Esther Dunn (author of Webster…Through the Years) and was part of the organizing committee which formed the Webster Museum at Town Hall in 1976.
The last woman to be inducted was Carroll Manning, in 2004. Carroll moved to Webster in 1973, where her husband Rob established the Webster Veterinary Clinic. She was very involved in the Webster Arboretum, and was also known for knitting hundreds of pairs of mittens to donate to those in need. Carroll passed away in September, 2021 at 90 years old.
The Webster BPW continued to meet regularly until 2014 when it was finally dissolved due to declining membership.
Below, you’ll find a list of all of the Women’s Hall of Fame inductees. (No one seems to know why there five honorees in 1999.) The Webster Museum has photos of them all, and hope to some day soon put together an exhibit honoring these amazing women. There’s a good chance you’ll recognize some of the names.
March, as you may know, is Women’s History Month. The Webster Museum recently sent out a notice marking the occasion, featuring one of the most influential women in Webster’s history, Esther Dunn.
Esther Dunn was a lifelong Webster resident and long-time Webster teacher. But she is most well known for the book she published in 1971, Webster …Through the Years. For many of us who are interested in Webster’s history and who like to write about it, the book has become a valuable reference.
So I read with great interest the email I got from the museum, which highlighted Esther’s life and accomplishments. It read,
It’s easy for the Webster Museum to find Webster women to celebrate during Women’s History Month. It’s harder to choose just one to feature. So, while raising a glass of Webster cider to all the women of Webster who served this community in the past and those who serve today, we present our 2022 Women’s History Month honoree.
Esther Ann Dunn was born in Webster June 23, 1901 to a family of readers and writers and Lake Road apple-growers. She lived here until her death in October 1983, leaving Webster only to attend Geneseo Normal School for teacher training, to visit friends and family who lived away and to travel to Europe and Canada.
Esther attended Webster schools fall through spring; childhood summers were spent helping her family pick apples. After training, she taught in Webster schools for over 35 years. She participated in activities at Holy Trinity Church, the Webster Women’s Republican Club and the Grange, where she served as librarian. Esther was a founding member of the Webster Historical Society as well as a member of the 1976 committee that organized the Webster Museum. She served as Webster Historian for 12 years and as trustee of the library, using her calm but powerful “teacher voice” to oppose the move of the Webster Library to the Town Hall. She was inducted into the Webster Women’s Hall of Fame in 1978, and that same year, Webster declared September 10 “Esther Dunn Day.”
Due to the research talents of Eileen Brookins and the rich historical resources in historian Lynn Barton’s office, a more complete list of Esther Dunn’s contributions to the Webster community is taking shape. It will eventually find its way as a biography in the museum’s research site, currently being relocated to www.webstermuseum.org.
Esther’s obituary in the Webster Herald noted that she showed “the character, stamina and dedication of the people who made this a place ‘where life is worth living.’” Webster is lucky to have so many women and men of her caliber to have done so.
You can learn more about the notable citizens of Webster at the Webster Museum, 18 Lapham Park in the village. The museum is open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 2:00-4:30 pm.
If you haven’t heard the exciting news yet, the Town of Webster has secured a grant to revitalize West Webster’s four corners area. In anticipation of that, the Webster Museum would like to gather as much information and history about the area as possible.
If you live there now, or are a former resident of the hamlet, they’d love if you could share some of your memories and old photos, anything that could help tell West Webster’s story. They’ll even copy or scan your photos so you don’t have to give them up. Who knows? They might even show up in future exhibits and programs.
If you have stories, old posters, postcards, photos or other memorabilia to share, please contact Jan Naujokas at 265-3268 or Webster Historian Lynn Barton at 265-3308.
Click here to read more about the revitalization plan.
The Town of Webster is celebrating an anniversary on Sunday.
On Feb. 6, 1840, Governor William Seward announced the birth of the Town of Webster. Originally part of North Penfield, land was split off to create the new town after a petition with 324 signatures was presented to the NYS Assembly.
The name of Daniel Webster — a prominent lawyer, former U.S. Congressman and Secretary of State — was proposed for the new town after a group of citizens heard him give a speech in Rochester. (As far as I can tell he never actually stepped foot in the town.) The first town meeting was held at Lett’s Tavern, at the corner of Webster-Fairport and State Roads.
The Webster Museum (who provided the birthday announcement) has also sent along this tidbit in honor of Black History Month, about Asa Dunbar, one of the area’s earliest residents.
The search for information about the history of African-American people in Webster remains slow-going. A combination of factors complicate the search: record keeping and retention were not priorities in this area in the 18th century, and information about races other than white were not recorded on census forms. …
Asa Dunbar’s family came to Northfield around 1795 when Asa was 41 years old. He is credited with being the first black inhabitant of the Rochester area. At 6’7”, he was a trapper, an imposing figure who looked after the interests of the city of Tryon on the west side of Irondequoit Creek. Asa did not, so far as we know, reside in Webster, but did business here…. perhaps for the store, perhaps for himself. He sold fruit and salt from a salt spring near his home, and evidently also from salt springs in Webster along the bay. …
Research has turned up information about a few of Asa’s relatives as well, including his nephew, Asa Dunbar, Jr., who lived in the area until 1851; and another Asa Dunbar who was perhaps a grandson or nephew. According to an interview conducted on 1881, that Asa was named after “Asa Dunbar, an early settler of gigantic strength (who) frequented the place to manufacture salt.”
Yet another Asa — Asa Bass — was a pioneer who came to what would be Webster in 1812 along with other pioneers from Massachusetts. He was, so far as we know, the only black pioneer to arrive then and his family were likely the first black residents here. He was a farmer of some means and purchased at different times, three different properties between the northern sections of what are now Phillips Road and Route 250.
Information about these early African-American settlers is hard to come by, so the Webster Museum is hoping to hear from relatives of people who might have been friends or neighbors of the Dunbars and Basses. Any information, even the smallest clue, would be helpful. If you have anything to share, contact Kathy at ktaddeo5@icloud.com.
Red Cross Blood Drive
I know the Red Cross is always whining about blood shortages, but this time they’re serious. They’re facing their worst blood shortage in more than a decade, which means doctors are having to make difficult decisions about who receives transfusions and who can wait. Blood and platelet donations are needed now more than ever.
Your next opportunity to help save as many as three lives with a donation is this Monday Feb. 7 at Holy Trinity Church. The drive will be set up from 1 to 7 p.m. in the church’s community room. Click here to make an appointment.
Please.
February Fun at the Webster Public Library
Here’s a list of just some of the fun programs planned this month at the Webster Public Library:
T(w)een De-Stress Program, Thurs. Feb 24, 3 to 4:30 p.m. (in person). Teens grades 4 to 12 are welcome to make some stress-relieving toys. Cozy treats will be provided as well. Registration required.
Learn to Knit! Tuesdays Feb, 22 and March 1, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. (in person). Learn the basics of knitting including reading patterns, casting on, knitting, purling, and binding off. Bring any smooth, “worsted”-weight yarn (labeled #4) and a pair of knitting needles, any size from 6 to 9. Teens and adults are welcome. Registration and attendance are required for both sessions.
This month’s make-and-take crafts are a Ladybug Valentine for the kids, Valentine’s Day Pom Pom Monsters for teens, and a Yarn-wrapped Wire Word for adults. Materials are free and available first-come-first-served at the Webster Public Library, 980 Ridge Rd. (at the rear of Webster Plaza).
Daniel Webster, the man after whom our town was named, turns 240 years old on January 18. It’s a benchmark that should be noted (if not celebrated with a 240-candle cake). He’s pictured above, in a photo provided by the Webster Museum along with news of his fast-approaching birthday. Looking at the photo, I’m not sure he would consider celebrating the occasion a valuable use of our time, however.
The Museum folks also remind us that Daniel Webster never actually visited Webster during his 70 years on Earth. However, he did speak in Rochester at a fortuitous time, around 1840, just when North Penfield was looking for a new name. Several North Penfield residents attended the speech, and were so inspired by his message and eloquence that they decided to propose his name for the new town. The Town of Webster was born and named in 1840.
A year later, Daniel resigned as a U.S. Senator and became Secretary of State for the first time, resolving some long-standing disputes with England that facilitated westward expansion. He would continue this work as well as domestic and trade issues through a second term as Secretary of State.
Webster died in office in 1852. Our town, his namesake, continues to grow and thrive bearing his name.
The Webster Museum will actually be open on January 18, Daniel Webster’s birthday, so that would be a great day to visit. While you’re there, check out the museum’s winter exhibit, which highlights many of the fun ways we’ve found to actually enjoy the cold winter months.
I remember stories being told by some of our told-timers about sledding on the village streets east of four corners, and even on North Ave. itself. I’m looking forward to hopefully learning more about that on my next visit to the museum.
The Webster Museum is located at 18 Lapham Park in the Village of Webster, and is open Tuedays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Admission is free but donations are always greratly appreciated.
The folks at the museum have announced the 2021 Festival of Trees winners. The two trees receiving the most votes (which were tallied in person and online) were for Saunders family’s Lego creations in the children’s division, and the Webster Quilt Guild’s handmade fabric creations in the adult division.
Saunders family Webster Quilt Guild
While we’re talking trees, don’t throw out that small artificial tree that you don’t want anymore. Several of the museum’s Festival of Trees trees are showing their age and need to be replaced. If you have a 3.5 or 4-foot tree which you can donate, email Kathy at ktaddeo5@icloud.com.
So many things happening at the library
A huge Webster welcome to Adam Traub, the Webster Public Library’s new director, who began his tenure this week. It’s actually a homecoming for Adam, who’s a Webster native with a lot of library experience. I chatted with him several weeks ago and came away very impressed by his enthusiasm and passion. Read that blog here.
Remember when I got to display a bunch of my blog photos on the library’s Artist’s Wall? (You can see them all here, by the way.) Well, now here’s YOUR chance.
The Webster Public Library is looking for artists to exhibit their work on the wall. Each artist — painter, illustrator, photographer, quilter, whomever — gets an entire month for their exhibit. If you’re interested in applying, click here to read the Artist’s Wall policy and here for the application.
The creative ways the library finds to encourage learning continue to amaze me.
Here’s their latest: they’re called “experience kits,” and like everything else, you can borrow them. Each kit is a collection of items — including books, DVDs and/or supplies — which help you learn a new skill. There are LOTS of kits, encompassing crafts, science, sports, and lots more.
For example, the Cake Decorating Kit has The Complete Guide to Cake Decorating book, a turntable, decorating tips, spatulas, icing smoothers and a pastry bag; the Ghost Hunting Kit hastwo books, Ghost Hunting for Beginners and Chilling Tales of Rochester’s Past, plus an EMF meter, flashlight and dousing rods; and the Microscope Kit has a microscope and carrying case, plus blank slides and prepared slides.
Here are this month’s special events at the library:
Make a felt gnome at January’s monthly craft night, Monday Jan. 10 from 6 to 7 p.m. (in person). All materials will be provided. Teens in grades 4-12 and adults are welcome. There’s no cost, but registration is required. Click here to register.
Learn how to make a bullet journal. A bullet journal is a cross between a planner, to-do list, a diary, and anything in between. Sarah Dennison will host a Zoom-based class Tuesday Jan. 11 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. to tell you all about it and get you started. Adults and teens are welcome. Registration is required.
The library will provide the supplies, you bring the creativity to Bad Art Night and make some crazy art on Friday Jan. 28 from 6 to 7 p.m. (in person). Teens grade 4-12 are welcome. Click here to register.
January’s make-and-take crafts look like a ton of fun, too.
For kids, there’s a fortune cookie craft. For teens, paper spinners, and for adults, a puzzle piece picture frame. All materials are provided. You just gotta stop by the library to pick them up!
The Webster Public Library is located at 980 Ridge Rd., at the back of Webster Plaza.
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
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