Tag Archives: Webster Recreation Center

Three spooky (and fun) Halloween events

12 Oct

I did something a little bit unnerving today. I put up my November calendar on the refrigerator.

Despite the fact that we have to accept that November is less than three weeks away, let us try to focus on all of the fun stuff still coming up in October, especially the Halloween-related events marking the end of the month. I bring you details about three of those today.

On Sunday Oct. 22, Heritage Square Museum will host their second annual Halloween Happening from 1 to 4 p.m. Trick-or-treat through the historic buildings, hear spooky stories, and enjoy kids crafts and games. Halloween snacks will be available for purchase. Cost is just $5 per car, and costumes are encouraged.

Heritage Square Museum is located at 7147 Ontario Center Rd., Ontario, just about 12 minutes east of the village. If you’ve ever wanted to check out this living history museum, this would be a great opportunity. I recently wrote a blog about my recent visit there. Click here to see that and learn more about this historical treasure just down the road.

Pumpkins on Parade returns to the Webster Recreation Center on Saturday Oct. 28 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

I love, love, love this event. Now four years old, Pumpkins on Parade began was originally dreamed up by the Rec Center to give families a fun Halloween-time event to safely enjoy during the pandemic. But it has since grown to become an annual favorite for hundreds of families who hike the trail, admire all of the jack-o-lanterns and hang around afterwards for games, photos, and snacks.

During Pumpkins on Parade, the mile-long Chiyoda Trail behind the Rec Center is lined with hundreds of creatively carved, humorous, scary and downright weird jack-o-lanterns. There’s also a much shorter path for seniors and small children to enjoy. At the end of the path, in the large field behind the Rec Center, participants enjoy free cider and donuts and a bonfire, there’s a family photo area, and for the kids, a hay maze and roller slide. And it’s ALL FREE. (Here’s the Facebook event page for more information.)

BUT the success of this event depends on community participation. The Webster Recreation Center needs several hundred carved pumpkins to make the walk amazing. So start planning out your jack-on-lanterns now, and stay tuned for more information on when and where to drop them off (usually that day or the Friday before).

The Village of Webster’s Trick or Treat Trail will be held Saturday Oct. 28 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Kids (and their adults) can wander through the village to and trick-or-treat at dozens of shops. I’ll be running around with my camera to try to catch as many great costumes as possible, so watch for me!

The annual costume contest will be held from 11:00 to 11:30 at Village Hall, so participants won’t miss out on any of the trail.

This is just one of the great events brought to us by the village’s Business Improvement District. To keep up to date on all these events, make sure to visit their website often.

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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 “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 10/9/2023)

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The man in the yellow truck

10 Oct

You’ve probably seen the yellow truck parked along the Rt. 104 access roads, most recently near Phillips Rd. And you may even have seen the guy in the bright yellow vest filling trash bags. That guy is Stephen Anderson, who for several years has made it his personal mission to clean up the highway.

I, too, had noticed Stephen several times, and thought, “I need to hear his story.” A couple of readers even write to suggest I do a blog about him. But I never did find a good opportunity to stop and talk to him.

Which is why I was pleased to find out that my friend Katie Kovar over at the Webster Recreation Center had done that job for me. She recently tracked Stephen down and wrote an article about his efforts, which was published in the most recent Webster Today town newsletter.

Here is that article.

The Yellow Truck and the American Flag

by Katie Kovar, Recreation Director, Webster Parks and Recreation

During the height of COVID, Stephen Anderson was diagnosed with diabetes, The directive from his doctor was straightforward: stay active. With limited access to fitness facilities, Anderson had to get creative. At the same time, Anderson noted an excess of litter along the expressway … something that also reached its height during COVID. The Webster resident took matters into his own hands and paired his diagnosis with a community need and got to work, It was simple — stay active, give back, do good.

Geared up in his bright yellow truck, Stephen began efforts by picking up trash along Route 104 in Webster. “I was my form of exercise, and I wanted to clean. That’s it.” His truck became even more noticeable when he began to fly an American flag each time he cleaned. It started as a “social experiment,” he says, to see how many people would beep their horns, It turns out it’s a lot! Keep them coming, Stephen says, “I love it!”

He added,

People think they will startle me if they beep their horn … but they won’t. The simple horn beeping makes me feel appreciated and happy. Please beep anytime you see me.

After some time, the battered flag he was flying was replaced by a group of Webster School District bus drivers, one of whom is a former Marine Corps officer. “They wanted to do something for me and after thinking about it they got together and gave me a beautiful new flag.” Stephen now displays this American flag every time he stops to clean the expressway.

Stephen Anderson, the man in the yellow truck and the American flag, has become a bit of a visual staple along the Webster highways. Given a permit to clean, outfitted in reflective gear, safety goggles, a hard hat and gloves, he has cleaned multiple times a week for years. He says he has learned a variety of things including how heavy to load up the bags, They typically hold everything from dirt, diapers, food containers and car accident debris. Once the bags are loaded, they need to be lifted and disposed of, so they can’t be too heavy. This means one thing: he goes through bags quickly.

photos by K. Kovar

Stephen recently ran out of the orange garbage bags provided by the state and has made a call for more on social media. The orange bags provide an element of safety, as they can be lined along the roadways to provide a visual barrier where he’s working. It’s also easier to notice them for pick-up afterward.

IN order to keep giving back to his community, Stephen needs more bags. If you’re interested in helping Stephen continue his clean-up efforts, you can leave garbage bags in the bin in the Webster Recreation Center vestibule located at 1350 Chiyoda Dr.

Although Stephen loves his work and wished he had the physical capability to do it every day, he does have a message for the community:

Stop throwing garbage out on the roadways. We are supposed to be giving this land to our children and we are destroying it.”

To find out other ways you might be able to help Stephen in his efforts, email Katie Kovar at kkovar@ci.webster.ny.us.

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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 “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 10/10/2023)

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Webster community mailbag

8 Oct

So. Much. Going. On.

I’m going to start today’s mailbag with several events that I haven’t featured in a mailbag recently.

The first are the latest details about the Village of Webster’s Bourbon Bash, scheduled for Saturday Nov. 4 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Harmony House. Tickets are now on sale, and if this year’s event is going to be anything like previous ones, it will sell out quickly, so get your tickets SOON.

Local distilleries like Black Button and Smokin’ Tails along with distributors such as Woodford Reserve, Buffalo Trace and others will be available for sampling. Village of Webster restaurants such as The Coach, BC’s Chicken Coop and more will be featuring samples of their goods to complement the bourbons. ID is required at entry and raffles of bourbon products will be available for purchase.

Tickets are $30 and are limited. Click here to get yours. Proceeds will benefit the Harmony House Renovation Fund.

This is a cool event from the Webster Museum, an Antiques and Collectibles Roadshow.

If you’re curious about the value or origin of a special piece from your family’s history, bring it to the Webster Museum on Oct. 15 at 2 p.m. and the Palma brothers will use their expertise to provide you with some insight.

Frank and Greg Palma grew up in Penfield and own the Webster Jewelry and Coin Exchange at 159 W. Main St. in the village of Webster. Frank enjoys collecting and selling antique toys, comics, advertisements, and oil cans (the older the better), while his brother Greg is an expert in gold, coins, silver, and precious metals.

Over the years they’ve assembled a museum-like collection of items that can be seen and purchased at their store. In addition to sharing their expertise identifying your special objects, they’ll share some stories from their years in business.

Speaking of the museum, the folks over there are gearing up for the annual Christmas Tree Festival.

It will be held Saturday Dec. 2, as part of the village’s White Christmas festivities. So mark that date on your calendar right now.

But first … the museum is looking for individuals or organizations to decorate the small trees. Winners in each category will win $25 cash. Call Gwen Hoffman at 585-738-6221 to reserve your tree. Visitors to the  museum will be voting Dec. 2 through Dec. 31. Join the fun!

The Rochester Academy of Irish Dance parents’ association will host a Chicken BBQ fundraiser on Saturday Oct. 21 from 4 p.m. until gone.

Cost is $15 which includes a half chicken, potatoes, cole slaw, rolls and butter.

The event will take place at 780 Ridge Rd. in Webster (by Auto Locators. Look for the elephant).

Get more details about the school and this great event on the Facebook event page here.

The Webster Central PTSA and the Webster Teachers Association are partnering for a Concert Apparel and Coat Event on Saturday Oct. 28 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 pm. at the Webster Recreation Center.

Community members are invited to come and “shop” the gently used items for free. Donations are now being accepted, of any size (toddler through adult) of the following items in good condition: winter coats/jackets, pants, boots, accessories; concert dress attire including white and black tops, shoes, bottoms and accessories. Collection boxes are located at each Webster Central School through Oct. 26.

The All in For Comfort Care Casino Night is fast approaching.

Matt Molloy from 13WHAM News will emcee this fun night, which will feature gaming tables, a 50/50 roulette wheel, silent auction, raffles, cash bar, appetizers and desserts. Plus everyone gets a complimentary $500 chip.

The Casino Night is scheduled for Friday Nov. 3, from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at the Lodge at Shadow Hill, 7259 Lakeside Rd., Ontario. Tickets are $75 in advance and $85 at the door. Click here for tickets. All proceeds benefit the Webster Comfort Care Home.

Webster NY Hope, 1450 Ridge Rd., has published this month’s wish list. It includes:

  • pasta
  • jarred spaghetti sauce
  • jars or cans of applesauce
  • diapers (size 5)
  • baby wipes (they’re completely out)
  • canned corn and beets
  • toiletries, shampoo, conditioner, deoderant
  • laundry detergent
  • dish soap

You can drop off your donations anytime Webster NY Hope is open. Click here for more details.

If you’re interested in any of these following events, I wrote about them in my mailbag last week, so click here to see that post for more details.

  • Capital Improvement Project vote
  • West Webster Fire Department and Webster Volunteer Fire Department open houses
  • Friends of Webster Library used book sale
  • Autumn special events at Schutt’s Apple Mill
  • Pumpkins on Parade at the Webster Recreation Center

And click here to read again about the great upcoming panel discussion about Athlete Wellness and Youth Sports.

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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 “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 10/1/2023)

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Panel discussion focuses on the purpose of youth sports

1 Oct

I had considered pulling today’s item into my most recent mailbag, but I thought the message it sends is much too important to be lost amid all that noise.

Too many parents and guardians have lost sight of what youth sports are all about: the joy of competition, staying fit, learning new skills, having fun with friends, enjoying that the great feeling of winning, and learning that losing is part of the game. Bad behavior from adults at games sets a bad example for our athletes and ruins the game for your fellow fans.

On Thursday Oct. 12, the Webster Youth Sports Council will sponsor an important panel discussion to address that issue.

Titled “Athlete Wellness: A Panel Discussion on the Purpose of Youth Sports ,” the event will begin with a keynote speech by sports psychologist Dr. Craig Cypher, followed by a panel featuring:

  • Shawn Strege, Webster Schroeder athletic director
  • Brandon Gartland (Schroeder ’16), Oswego men’s basketball player
  • Dr. Katherine Rizzone, athletic orthopedic and rehabilitation doctor
  • Jay Verna, Webster Recreation fitness coordinator
  • Jim Scheible, U of R Women’s basketball coach
  • Jeff McCaffrey parent and president of the Youth Sports Council

The panel discussion will begin at 7 p.m. at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr. Registration is not required and there’s no cost for participants. Free child care for children 18 months and older will be provided.

For more information, visit the Webster Youth Sports Council website and/or the Facebook event page.

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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 “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 10/1/2023)

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Webster community mailbag

29 Sep

Let’s get right to it …..

Oklahoma!, presented by the Webster Theatre Guild, takes the stage this weekend.

Shows are scheduled for

  • Friday Sept. 29, 7:30 p.m.
  • Saturday Sept. 30, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
  • Friday Oct. 6, 7:30 p.m.
  • Saturday Oct. 7, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

All shows will be held at Webster Thomas High School, 800 Five Mile Line Rd. Tickets are $20, plus $2 transaction fee if ordered online), and are reserve seating. Tickets will also be available at the door. Click here for tickets.

Next, this very special event from Webster Comfort Care Home.

Community members are cordially invited to Their Light Shines, a Celebration of Remembrance on Tuesday evening Oct. 3, where you can light a luminaria in honor or memory of your loved one(s).

Luminarias can be purchased for $10 each and will benefit the Webster Comfort Care Home in its mission to provide no-cost, compassionate care to the terminally ill and their families.

The Celebration of Remembrance will be held at the Comfort Care Home, 700 Holt Rd., from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday Oct. 3. Rain date will be Oct. 5.

Our very own Webster Marching Band will host their 37th annual Autumn Fanfare field show and competition on Saturday October 7 at Webster Schroeder High School, 875 Ridge Rd.

Autumn Fanfare is always a spectacular evening of storytelling through music, marching, and even a little bit of acting. There are always huge set pieces involved to move the music-story forward. This is an awesome opportunity to see what our hometown marching bad has been up to, and be impressed by the incredible amount of hard work these kids put in every year to create a show that will blow you away.

Gates open at 5 p.m. and the show starts at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10, available at Herman’s Farm Market (741 Five Mile Line Rd.) and the Webster Recreation Center (1350 Chiyoda Dr.). They can also be purchased for $12 at the gate.

More to come about this.

Don’t forget about the Capital Improvement Project vote on Wednesday, Oct. 11

The Webster Central School District has proposed an $85 million capital improvement project that will impact all 11 schools with zero tax impact for district residents. The project will include renovations and improvements to all of the schools. The project will be voted on by the Webster CSD community on Wednesday, October 11, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Webster Schroeder High School’s gym, 875 Ridge Road.

To learn more about the project and the improvements to each school, click here. You can also sign up to receive periodic communications from the district regarding the project. For details, please visit the capital improvement project news story at www.websterschools.org.

The West Webster Fire Department will hold their annual Fire Prevention Open House on Sunday Oct. 15, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the fire station on Gravel Rd.

The afternoon will include firehouse tours, fire safety displays, equipment displays, live demos, refreshments and more.

There’s no charge, and the entire Webster community is invited. For more information, visit the WWFD Facebook page here.

While we’re on that subject, remember that the Webster Volunteer Fire Department always holds its open house during the village’s Trick of Treat Trail, this year scheduled for Saturday Oct. 28. Stay tuned for more information about that.

The next Friends of the Webster Public Library Book Sale is just around the corner, Oct. 18 through 21.

This is always a great opportunity to stock your home library. Hardcover books are just $1, and paperback books just 50 cents.

Members of the Friends of the Webster Public Library can visit Wednesday, Oct. 18 from 4 to 7 p.m. for a first look. Membership in the Friends of the Webster Public Library is required and can be purchased at the door.

The general public sale will be Thursday, Oct. 19 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday Oct. 20 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday Oct. 21 from 10 a.m. to noon. Friday and Saturday are BYOB Sale Days; bring your own bag, and fill it for just $5.

The sale will be held at the library, 980 Ridge Rd. Proceeds from the fall book sale directly benefit library programs, book collections and other special projects.

Our Penfield friends, Schutt’s Apple Mill on Plank Rd., have a couple of fun events planned for this fall.

On Tuesday Oct. 24 (one week before Halloween), Schutt’s will host their Trick-or-Treat at the Farm event from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. It’s a family-friendly night where you can walk through the orchard on a Trick-or-Treat Trail to find some fanciful jack-o-lanterns and sweet treats. Costumes and flashlights are encouraged.

This is a free event and no registration is required.

On Saturday Nov. 4, Schutt’s will host a Holiday Farm Market from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. from 9 a.m. This is a great opportunity to support 35 local businesses while shopping for personal and gift items.

For more information about both of these events and others, click here. Schutt’s Apple Mill is located at 1063 Plank Rd.

Pumpkins on Parade at the Webster Recreation Center is back, Saturday Oct. 28 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

This is a one-mile long trail lined with creatively and whimsically-carved jack-o-lanterns. Every year the Rec Center puts this on (this is the fourth annual), it’s been bigger and better, packed with post-trail treats, photo opportunities and more

I’ll be providing more details about this, but for now, start planning your pumpkin carving, because the Rec Center is going to need a LOT of jack-o-lanterns.

Finally, check the flyers below for details about lots of great upcoming programs at the Webster Public Library, including:

  • the Readers, Writers and Connections program for budding writers
  • Teen Library Club
  • National Hair Day storytime
  • Family Night
  • a movie matinee
  • a Halloween craft
  • line dancing for kids
  • a clay class for children and parents

The Webster Library is located at 980 Ridge Rd.

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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 “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 9/29/2023)

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Sloppy fun ahead

20 Sep

The Rec Center’s third annual Mud Run has been scheduled for Saturday Sept. 23.

The Mud Run is a a non-competitive, untimed, adaptive one-mile run/walk along the Recreation Center’s obstacle course/fitness trail which loops around the back of the facility. Some of the run will be through water and mud, and there will be some challenging obstacles. What’s really neat about it is that kids and their adults can do it together. It’s only $5 per person, and the event includes some pretty cool swag, and lots of food.

This is a mega-fun event that the whole family will enjoy together. I mean, what kid doesn’t enjoy getting super muddy, and especially love seeing their mom and dad get muddy with them? I had so much fun last year that I went through the course TWICE.

Visit the Webster Recreation Center website and search for program #301201. You can sign up for any 15-minute wave between 10 a.m. and noon. The Webster Recreation Center is located at 1350 Chiyoda Drive, off of Phillips Rd.

Thank you to all of this year’s sponsors, and especially to Gleason Orthodontics, which has long been a very generous sponsor of community events.

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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 “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 9/19/2023)

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Webster community mailbag

13 Sep

There are several great events coming up this weekend which I wanted to remind you about, plus a look ahead at a few others.

But first, this breaking news:

Due to the lack of registrations, the Webster Community Bed Race has been postponed. Organizers hope to reschedule the race for sometime next spring. (This was a real bummer because this would have been fun.)

WCCH hosts guest bartender

Here’s a fun way to support the Webster Comfort Care Home (WCCH). Thursday night from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., WCCH will hold a guest bartending evening at Capone’s Bar and Italian Eatery, 1517 Empire Blvd. Mark Shuttleworth, PM drive host and program director at Legends 102.7, will be one of the guest bartenders!

It’ll be a fun night of cocktails and raffles, and an early bird chance to buy tickets to WCCH’s upcoming Casino Night on Nov. 3. For more information, click here.

A reminder that the 4th annual Barry’s Irish Festival takes place this Saturday Sept. 16 at the Barry Patch Farm in Hilton. This is always an excellent day filled with all things Irish: music, food, dancers, and of course Guinness. This is also a great chance to say one last thank-you to Danny and Jess for blessing our village with the original Barry’s Old School Irish for so long.

The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m, and tickets are $20 at the door (kids under 16 are free). For a lot more details, check out this blog.

Get rid of those paint cans

Also on Saturday Sept. 16, a hazardous waste recycling event will be held at the Webster Highway Garage, 1005 Picture Parkway.

This event is by appointment only. To schedule your appointment and see a whole list of what can be accepted, click here.

Willkommen!

Webster’s annual Oktoberfest is returning to Webster Fireman’s Field on Friday and Saturday Sept. 15 and 16.

Opening at noon Friday Sept. 15, with events through Saturday evening Sept. 16, this year’s festival will feature authentic German cuisine from Swan’s Market, beer and wine by Cobblestone on Main, Nancy’s Fried Dough and Helmut’s Strudel of WNY, all set to authentic local and regional German bands and musicians. 

The Oktoberfest will be open both days from noon to 10:30 p.m. Tickets will be sold at the door for $5 from noon to 3 p.m. on Friday only, and $10 all other times. Children under 12 are free when accompanied by an adult. 

The Oktoberfest is the kick-off event for Challenger Week, which features several special events to benefit Challenger Miracle Field of Greater Rochester. Check out this blog for more details about the Oktoberfest and Challenger Week.

Garage sales!!!!

Both the Webster Museum and Webster NY Hope are holding huge garage sales Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Click here for details about both sales.

Van driver needed

The Webster Recreation Center’s Senior Center is still looking for a part-time van driver to help seniors get to and from the Rec Center on Tuesdays and Thursdays. For more information, click the image.

Church BBQ

St. Martin Lutheran Church will hold a Drive Thru Chicken BBQ on Saturday, Sept. 23 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.

Caps for Sale fundraiser needs you

The very clever and very popular “Caps for Sale” fundraiser returns to the Webster Public Library in November, to benefit the Friends of the Library.

The fundraiser is based on the popular children’s book of the same name, in which Bartholomew Cubbins had 500 hats. There won’t be quite that many at this sale, but guaranteed you’ll find a beautiful selection of hand-crafted hats.

Right now, the library is collecting yarn for crafty people to turn into hats, and asking crafty people to make hats for the sale. Any size (infant to adult), any style, any technique (knit, crochet, felt, woven, felt, sewn), with any fiber (machine washable is appreciated, please include care information) will be ac cepted. If you can donate yarn or hats, you can drop them off at the library service desk during September and October.

The actual Caps for Sale fundraiser event will be November 2 from 5 to 7 pm and Saturday Nov 4 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the library. Adult hats will be $15 and children’s hats will be $10. Any unsold hats will be donated to Webster NY Hope and other charities.

Finally, these two notices from the school district:

Webster CSD Hosts Capital Project Community Forums 

Webster CSD residents are invited to attend TWO community forums which will highlight the proposed Building Our Future capital improvement project. The $85 million project focuses on providing a safe educational environment for all students with zero tax impact for district residents. Forums will be held on:

  • Thursday, September 21, Webster Schroeder High School library, 6:30-7:30 p.m., 875 Ridge Road, (this forum will also be live streamed)
  • Thursday, September 28, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Webster Thomas High School library, 800 Five Mile Line Road

Community members will have the opportunity to learn more – and ask questions – about Building Our Future, including planned upgrades at all 11 schools. As a reminder, Webster CSD’s Building Our Future capital project vote will take place Wednesday, October 11, 6 a.m. – 9 p.m. in the Webster Schroeder High School gym, 875 Ridge Road, Webster. 

… and, if you want to vote on the project but will be out of town ..

Absentee ballot applications are now available for Webster CSD’s proposed Building Our Future capital improvement project.

Qualified voters of the district who will be unable to attend the polls on the day of the vote, for reasons outlined on the absentee ballot application, may wish to use an absentee ballot. Voters must apply for the ballot in advance. Absentee ballot applications are available from District Clerk Heather Murphy, 119 South Avenue, Webster, or under Links on the bottom of the Proposed Capital Project web page at websterschools.org/capitalproject.

All absentee ballot applications must be received by the district clerk at least seven business days prior to the vote if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or the day before the vote if the ballot is to be picked up personally by or for the voter.

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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 “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 9/13/2023)

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You can help students discover the joy of writing

11 Sep

I kind of like to write.

It’s basically my hobby. I have fun doing it, I’m kinda good at it, and the skills I’ve developed over the years have led to good jobs and success in those jobs. I attribute all of that to my parents and teachers who encouraged me to write as much and as often as possible.

And that’s why, when I heard about an opportunity to help young people improve their writing skills and find out that writing can actually be FUN, I jumped at the chance.

It’s a Pen-Pal Program sponsored by Webster Parks and Recreation for people 55+. You can read about it it the flyer, but this is what it says:

Remember the old days when you used to write letters? Join the Webster 55+ folks and the Autumn Lane second graders as we become pen-pals.

Sign up and you will be assigned a second-grade student to write a letter to each month. Then in May, we will take a trip to Autumn Lane to meet your pen-pal in person!

You must be committed to this program for an entire year.

Autumn Lane Elementary School is on Maiden Lane in Greece.

The program will run from October 2023 through May 2024. To register, visit the Webster Parks and Recreation website and search for activity #346905. Or call the Rec Center at (585) 872-7103. There’s no cost, just your commitment to help some students fall in love with writing.

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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 “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 9/11/2023)

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Photos from the Garlic Festival

9 Sep

I stopped by the Webster Garlic Festival this morning for a few hours and wanted to share some photos with you in a bonus blog today.

This is a terrific event (and I say “is” because it continues tomorrow). There are SO MANY garlic and craft vendors, a good number of food trucks and food vendors, even some things for the kids to do. There are also some great opportunities to support our troops by creating a personal message to be included in a care package, and sponsoring a wreath for Wreaths Across America.

You can pet an alpaca, have an ice cream cone, start your Christmas shopping, check out some demonstrations (like garlic-twisting), and learn more about some Webster community organizations. All for just $5 per person (12 and under free).

All proceeds from the Garlic Festival benefit Wreaths Across America Webster, dedicated to placing a wreath on the grave sites all 3,000 veterans in our seven Webster cemeteries. Proceeds also support local military families through Blue Star Mothers Rochester NY8.

This Webster Garlic Festival continues tomorrow, Sunday Sept. 10, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr.

Click here to see lots more photos from today.

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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 “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 9/9/2023)

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Webster Garlic Fest: great family fun, great way to support our military

5 Sep

Today I want to post one more reminder about this week’s return of the Webster Garlic Festival, which will be held Saturday and Sunday at the Webster Recreation Center. But in addition to revisiting all of the fun, family-friendly activities happening at the festival, I want to especially highlight the real purpose behind the event: to support our veterans and active military.

There will be several opportunities at the festival to do that. Included in the more than 100 vendors who will be displaying their products and offering samples and demonstrations will be tables set up by the Blue Star Mothers and Wreaths Across America.

The Blue Star Mothers are mothers, stepmothers, grandmothers, foster mothers and female legal guardians who have children serving in the military, guard or reserves, or children who are veterans. One of their biggest ongoing projects is sending care packages to our locally deployed servicemen and women across the globe.

At the Mothers’ “Stars For Our Heroes” booth, families will be able to write a message on a wooden star, which will then be included in November’s care package shipment.

Wreaths Across America is an organization whose mission is to place a wreath on the grave of every veteran in the country. Webster joined that effort last December when, on National Wreath Day, more than 300 volunteers gathered at Webster Union Cemetery to lay more than 650 wreaths. Organizers hope to expand to more cemeteries this year.

At the Wreaths Across America booth, community members can choose an “Adopt a Hero” ornament from the Christmas tree and sponsor a wreath in honor of a particular veteran. Sponsorship costs just $17, with $5 of each sponsorship donated to the Blue Star Mothers to help fill and ship their care packages.

And this is going to be really cool: 100-year old Ann Greene-Wier will be giving a presentation at the festival, talking about her first husband, who died in the Battle of Bulge during WWII, and her second husband, a WWII B-17 fighter pilot who was shot down over Holland, captured and spent almost three years in a German POW camp. Ann will share a diary that was kept during the prisoners’ time there.

Ann will give her presentation on Saturday, September 9 at 11 a.m and Sunday, September 10 at 11 a.m. 

And now details about the other fun stuff:

This year’s Webster Garlic Fest will be held Saturday Sept. 9 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday Sept. 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr. It promises to be the biggest one yet. Organizers report that almost 100 vendors, food vendors and food trucks, wineries and distilleries will be there, offering a wide variety of treats from clams, garlic shrimp and lobster tails from Ontario Seafood, to barbecue from Mission BBQ and fresh pasta from M.O. Pasta. (To see a whole list of vendors, visit webstergarlicfest.com.)

Plus, there will be free demonstrations, lots of family activities, informational displays from local agencies, and wine and whiskey tastings. So even if you’re not a huge fan of garlic, there will be plenty of vendors and activities for the entire family.  

Admission is just $5, with ages 12 and under free, and will be sold at the door. Find out more on the Webster Garlic Fest Facebook page, or visit the website here.

All proceeds from the Webster Garlic Fest will benefit Wreaths Across America in Webster, and the Blue Star Mothers of Rochester, to build care packages for our locally deployed servicemen and women. 

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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 “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 9/5/2023)

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