Tag Archives: West Webster Fire Department

Webster community mailbag

15 Nov

Here’s a great way to spend a cold almost-winter evening: take in a Webster Thomas High School drama production!

The WTHS Drama Club will present John Buchan’s spy thriller The 39 Steps on the Thomas stage Thursday, Friday and Saturday Nov. 16, 17 and 18, at 7:30 p.m. each night.

The story goes like this: Richard Hannay is a desperate man on the run. The police want him for murder and a web of spies want him dead. It’s a hilarious tale of international intrigue, murder, and mayhem, often described as “Alfred Hitchcock meets Monty Python.”

Cast members include Jaina Brien, Jack Dayton, Evelyn Fellows, Mia Fellows, Brook Hoffer, Veronica Leistman, Bobby LoFaso, Jamie McCarthy, Abigail McNett, Logan Penza, Makayla Richardson, Katie Steele, Ella Vernacotola, and Adriana Zodarecky. They’re supported by crew members Ananya Bobbala, Abigail DeLallo, Sara Gesner, Jocelyn Herrle, Zoey Hryhorenko, Kilian Klawitter, Catherine Magaw, Yogapreetha Pramothkumar, Savannah Riggs, Amelia Snell, Ava Vernacotola, and Riley Weller. 

The show runs November 16, 17, and 18 in the Webster Thomas Auditorium, 800 Five Mile Line Road, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are just $10, and can be purchased in advance at from HomeTown Ticketing.

Webster NY HOPE has published their November/December wish list, which includes:

  • sugar
  • flour
  • coffee
  • ketchup, mayonnaise and mustard
  • canned beets
  • diapers (size 6)
  • toiletries (soap, shampoo, deoderant, etc.)
  • laundry detergent
  • gently used toddler clothing

Items can be dropped off during regular operating hours, Monday 5 to 7 p.m., Tuesday 10 a.m. to noon, Wednesday 3 to 5 p.m. and Thursday 5 to 7 p.m. The offices will be closed Thanksgiving week.

Webster NY HOPE is located at 1450 Ridge Rd.

Next time you’re at the Webster Public Library, make sure to browse the beautiful art on display in the main lobby.

The Webster Art Club’s Fall Show is up and running through Nov. 29. This is also a good chance to think about if you’d like to join this great group of artists. The club is always looking for new members. They meet for Open Art every Wednesday at the Webster Recreation Center from 10 a.m. to noon and have meetings with guest artists and demos on the second Wednesday of each month.

For more information, click here.

The West Webster Fire Department invites community members to help clean up the Lake Rd. memorial honoring fallen WWFD firefighters Lt. Mike Chiapperini and Tomasz Kaczowka, on Saturday Nov. 18 at 9 a.m.

Please bring gloves, weed trimmers, takes and trash bags. The memorial is located on Lake Rd. just past Sandbar Park.

Bernardi & Co. CPA, at 40 Barrett Drive, is hosting two free financial seminars in the coming weeks, designed for individuals and small businesses who could use a little advice.

The first, focusing on Tax Strategies and Managing Debt, will be held on Wednesday November 22 from 6 to 8 p.m. The second, on Saving and Investing, is scheduled for Tuesday Dec. 5 from 6 to 8 p.m.

Both seminars will be held at the Bernardi & Co. offices, and there’s no cost. But please RSVP as space is limited. Email Elena@bernardiCPA.com to reserve your spot. If you have any questions, call 585-217-9393.

A couple of Village events in the coming weeks to tell you about.

The first is a free shredding event on Friday Nov. 17 from 1 to 3 p.m. behind Village Hall at 28 West Main.

This event will be accepting paper only, and paper must be placed in cardboard boxes or paper bags (no totes or bags). Staples do not need to be removed. Limit is five boxes per vehicle.

This is a drive-through event; just drive up behind Village Hall and volunteers will unload the papers from your car.

And here’s your first notice about the annual Webster Winter Wonderland and Parade of Lights celebration!

This year’s holiday fun will take place on Saturday Dec. 2 beginning at 3:30 p.m. On tap this year, are horse-drawn wagon rides, cookie decorating, caroling, and more. The North Pole will return to Gazebo Park with arts and crafts, story hour from the Webster Public Library and hot cocoa. Santa will visit with children in the Village Hall community meeting room so everyone can stay warm.

Then, beginning at 6:30 p.m., the Parade of Lights heads down Main Street, brought to you by the Webster Volunteer Fire Department.

More details to come, but to stay on top of it all, visit the Webster BID website regularly. (Or better yet, sign up for the newsletter!)

And since we’re talking about White Christmas and Santa, here’s a teaser for something very exciting coming up on Small Business Saturday: rumor has it that Santa will be in town, shopping along Main Street and North Ave. Stay tuned for details about when he’ll be out and about!

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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 11/15/2023)

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Webster community mailbag

27 Oct

I’m going to head-up today’s mailbag with a few events which I haven’t mentioned in any recent posting, including this brand new one I only just learned about this week.

Webster Schroeder High School’s National Honor Society will be hosting a Trunk or Treat at the school on Sunday Oct. 29, from 5 to 7 p.m. The NHS kids promise candy, popcorn, cotton candy and creative costumes. They’ll also be accepting donations for the Pirate Toy Fund, so if you can help, bring a new, unwrapped toy to the event.

Webster Schroeder High School is located at 875 Ridge Rd. The Trunk or Treat will be held in the GOAL parking lot, which is on your right as you approach the Schroeder main entrance from Ridge.

Veterans and active-duty service personnel are invited to a free Veterans Day spaghetti dinner in appreciation for their service.
 
The dinner will take place Thursday, Nov. 9 from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at Spry Middle School, 119 South Avenue. Reservations are required, so attendees are asked to call the school at (585) 216-0093 to reserve seats. If you’d rather pick up a meal and not eat at the school, you can also call to reserve a takeout order.
 
The dinner includes spaghetti, salad, bread, and dessert. Attendees and pickup orders are asked to enter the school’s back parking lot off of Rt. 250, behind the cafetorium.

The next meeting of The Visionaries will be held on Wednesday Nov. 1 at 10:30 a.m. at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr.

The Visionaries is a support group for community members who struggle with vision issues — macular degeneration, glaucoma, dry eye, or others. Members share their interests and opportunities with others, encouraging those with visual impairment to get the most out of their lives.

The Visionaries began in 2000, and at one time boasted as many as 80 members. In addition to regular monthly meetings, the group has taken outings to attractions like the Memorial Art Gallery, Geva Theatre, and Pike Stained Glass Studio. For their December 6 meeting, the group will return to the Memorial Art Gallery and in January will meet at the Webster Public Library.

There’s no need to register for any meeting, just come by and join in. For more information on The Visionaries, contact Ed Wilkonski at (585) 265-4167 or email wingstwofly@rochester.rr.com.

From the Webster Public Library, located in Webster Plaza, 980 Ridge Rd.:

  • The library will be closed on Friday Nov. 10 for staff training, and will close at 5 p.m. on Wednesday Nov. 22 for the Thanksgiving holiday.
  • The Caps for Sale fundraiser is coming up Thursday Nov. 2 from 5 to 7 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 4 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Hats will be $10 for children’s sizes and $15 for adult sizes and all proceeds benefit the Webster Public Library programs.
  • Also on Saturday Nov. 11, the library will hold their annual Vintage and Collectible Book Sale from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Book prices will start at $8 and prices are firm.
  • November 22 marks the 60th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. On Wednesday Nov. 15, MCC history professor Mark Sample tells the story of that tragic day and discuss some of the conspiracy theories. The hour-long program begins at 6:30 p.m. Registration is required.
  • The next Webster Business Spotlight program will focus on Schutt’s Apple Mill, on Thursday Nov. 9 from 1 to 2 p.m. Please register here.
  • The Webster Art Club Fall Show is going on right now at the library, through the end of November. This group meets for Open Art every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to noon at the Webster Recreation Center and has meetings with guest artists and demos on the second Wednesday of each month. New members are always welcome. For more information click here.

The next benefit spaghetti dinner at the Masonic Lodge is Friday Nov. 3 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the lodge, 30 Orchard Street.

This month’s dinner will benefit the Webster Thomas Titans Cheerleaders organization. Tickets are $12 for adults and $6 for children. You can eat in or take it to go. Call (585) 872-3500 with questions.

The Webster Association of Senior Program Supporters will host an Indoor Arts/Crafts Sale at the Webster Recreation Center, Saturday Nov. 11 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. More than 30 vendors will be there. Proceeds will benefit WSPS, a non-profit organization which provides Webster seniors with rides to their medical-related appointments.

The West Webster Fire Department invites community members to help clean up the Lake Rd. memorial honoring fallen WWFD firefighters Lt. Mike Chiapperino and Tomasz Kaczowka, on Saturday Nov. 18 at 9 a.m.

Please bring gloves, weed trimmers, takes and trash bags. The memorial is located on Lake Rd. just past Sandbar Park.

I won’t go into much detail about any of these following events since I’ve written about them before, so if you want to find out more about any of them, check out the flyers below or just search for it on the blog.

  • DEA Drug take-back Saturday Oct. 28, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Webster Justice Court, 1002 Ridge Rd.
  • Family Scavenger Hunt, Saturday Nov. 4 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Webster Recreation Center
  • Santa’s Garage Sale at St. Martin Lutheran Church, 813 Bay Rd., from Nov. 2 to 4.
  • A Concert Apparel and Coat event, Sat. Oct. 28 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr.
  • Friends of Webster Trails’ annual Hot Cocoa Hike, Saturday Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. at Gosnell Big Woods Preserve.
  • Pumpkins on Parade, Saturday Oct, 28 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr.
  • The Village of Webster’s Trick-or-Treat Trail, Saturday Oct. 28 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
  • The All in For Comfort Care Casino Night, Friday Nov 3 from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at The Lodge at Shadow Hill in Ontario.
  • The Webster BID’s annual Bourbon Bash, Saturday Nov. 4 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Harmony House.

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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 10/27/2023)

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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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Register now for the National Fallen Firefighters Bike Ride

5 Sep

Recently news crossed my radar about a great benefit event which will interest our cycling community in particular.

It’s the National Fallen Firefighters Bike Ride, being held in conjunction with the annual Memorial Stair Climb and Family Walk which is held every year at Innovative Field.

While the stair climb is held at locations all over the country, I’m told that the bike ride is unique to our West Webster Fire Department, so this is a chance to be part of something really cool.

The ride is being held this coming Saturday Sept. 9, and will begin and end at the WWFD Station 1 on Gravel Rd. Registrations will be taken on-site (cash or check only) beginning at 7:30 for anyone who’s not pre-registered, with welcome ceremonies beginning at 8:30.

Two courses are offered, one 9.2 miles long and a second one 19.5 miles long. Both courses take riders north from the station to the lake (see the map below). A breakfast will be held following the ride at 11 a.m.

Cost is $35 per rider, benefiting the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Click here to register (scroll all the way down to register as an individual rider).

The ride is being held in conjunction with the annual Rochester 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb and Family Walk, being held this year on Sunday Sept. 10 at Innovative Field. These events honor and remember the FDNY firefighters who selflessly gave their lives so that others might live on September 11, 2001.

For more information about both of these events, click here.

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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 9/4/2023)

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WWFD hosting a Citizens Academy

19 Aug

Have you ever wondered about how your local fire department does what it does? What the training and equipment are like? Or maybe you’ve always wanted to hold a live fire hose. Then read on, because this great FREE program was designed with you in mind.

The West Webster Fire Department is hosting a Citizens Academy, which will answer these and many other questions you might have. It’s a six-week program held Sept. 18 through Oct. 23, and is geared towards the residents of the West Webster Fire District.

The WWFD describes the program on their flyer:

The relationship between the local fire department and the citizens it serves has often been one of curiosity and interest in the specific role that the department plays. On occasion there are some misunderstandings about the daily responsibilities of the fire department and how they contribute to our community.

This Citizens Academy held by the West Webster Fire District will provide an overview of the history of the fire service and your local department, along with the services of the Monroe County Fire Bureau. Additionally, participants will have hands-on experience and education about equipment and trucks.

The six-week program will be held every Monday night from Sept. 18 through Oct. 23, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the West Webster Fire District headquarters, 1051 Gravel Rd. There’s no charge, and registrations are being taken through the Webster Recreation Center. Click here to register online (program # is 326206-A) or call the Rec Center at 872-7103.

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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 8/19/2023)

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Remembering 12-24-12

23 Dec

This Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022, marks ten years since the tragic events on Christmas Eve 2012 when a crazed gunman took the lives of two West Webster firefighters, Tomasz Kaczowka and Lt. Mike Chiapperini, and injured three others as they were responding to a house fire on Lake Rd.

Despite the passage of many years, the details are still fresh in our minds. The story has been told and retold countless times, especially as we’ve commemorated the anniversaries of that terrible morning. This Christmas Eve, on the tenth anniversary, everywhere we look, we’ll all be reminded once again of what happened.

But another, equally important story hasn’t been told as often: how, following the shootings, the Webster community immediately stepped up and came together as one, offering emotional and monetary support to the firefighters’ families and to the West Webster Fire Department as a whole.

For five straight days, I wrote about nothing but the tragedy in my blog. I passed along information about memorial events, took photos, made videos. It was my way of contributing and helping the community work through its grief.

As it turned out, the blogs also helped chronicle exactly HOW our community stepped up, and how the people of Webster became more than just a community; we became a family.

I’ve pulled together a handful of those blogs, and with some other supporting materials (and lots of design help from my husband Jack), have created the publication pictured above, which you may enjoy reading as we commemorate this solemn anniversary.

Click here to see the online .pdf, and feel free to print the entire publication if you’d rather.

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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 12/23/2022)

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WWFD releases details of remembrance ceremonies

15 Dec

The West Webster Fire Department, together with the entire Town of Webster, is recognizing a very sad anniversary this December.

December 24, 2022 marks the 10th anniversary of the tragic Christmas Eve shootings on Lake Rd. which took the lives of West Webster firefighters Tomasz Kaczowka and Lt. Mike Chiapperini, and seriously injured firefighters Joseph Hofsetter and Theodore Scardino.

The WWFD has announced plans for remembrance ceremonies, which they hope will not only commemorate the line of duty deaths and honor the fallen firefighters, but also educate the department’s members and the public about the events of the day, and the assistance the department received that week.

According to 12/24 Remembrance Coordinator Jack Gligora, the ceremonies will consist of a remembrance room, located behind Station #1 at 1051 Gravel Road where photos, videos and items of the department’s four line of duty deaths will be on display. The room will be open to first responders, the public and the media on Friday Dec. 23 from noon to 8 p.m., and Saturday Dec. 24 from 7 to 10 a.m.

Also on Saturday, at 6:45 a.m., a memorial prayer will be said at the West Webster Firehouse Memorial, located behind the station.

For anyone attending the events at Station #1 please park in the rear of the station to keep the front apron open for the department’s members should an emergency arise.

Note that construction on Lake Rd. has limited travel and parking in the area surrounding the memorial, so no formal public events will be held on Lake Rd.

(The photo above was taken at a candlelight vigil held at Barry’s Old School Irish on the evening of Dec. 29, 2012.)

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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 12/15/2022)

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Webster community mailbag

23 Sep

I’d like to lead this week’s mailbag with a huge THANK YOU from the Webster Museum.

The recent Museum Barn Sale, held Sept. 15 to 17, was a tremendous success, reportedly the best ever. Museum volunteers would like to thank the Webster community for all the donations, purchases and “delightful company.”

Your support for this — the organization’s biggest fundraiser of the year — assures that the Webster Museum will be with us for another year, carefully preserving our town’s rich history.

The Webster Museum is located at 18 Lapham Park in the Village of Webster, and is open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 2 to 4:30 p.m.

In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, the Webster Public Library brings these two events your way:

  • Hispanic Heritage Month Night, Thursday Sept. 29 from 6 to 8 p.m. Celebrate the month with a culture-filled evening of food, dance, music, crafts and more. All ages are welcome, and registration is requested. (Click here)
  • Hispanic Heritage Month Crafts, Saturday Sept. 30, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All ages are welcome, drop in anytime and no registration is required.

Also from the library, their big Fall Book Sale is right around the corner.

It happens Thursday through Saturday Oct. 6 to 8, with the best deals saved for Friday and Saturday. Check out all the details in the flyer below.

If your kids are REALLY into fire trucks, then you’ll want to mark these dates on your calendar.

The West Webster Fire Department will hold their open house on Sunday Oct. 16 from 1 to 4 p.m., and the Webster Volunteer Fire Department will hold their open house on Saturday Oct. 29 (during Halloween in the Village). These events offer much more than fire trucks, too. There are demonstrations, giveaways, a chance to check out all sorts of emergency equipment and talk to real first responders. But of course, there’s definitely plenty of opportunities to take a picture of your young firefighter sitting in a real fire truck.

The West Webster Fire Department is at 1051 Gravel Rd., and the Webster Volunteer Fire Department is on South Ave. in the Village of Webster. These events are both free and open to everyone.

Gleason Orthodontics, on South Ave. in the village, will be hosting a winter-wear donation drive from Oct. 1 through Nov. 20.

You can drop off adult and youth-sized coats, hats and gloves at the office, 246 South Ave., during regular business hours.

The Webster Recreation Center, Webster Central PTSA and Webster Teachers Association are also hosting a Concert Apparel and Coat Drive. They’re looking for any size (toddler through adult) of the following items in good condition:

  • Winter coats, jackets, pants, boots and accessories
  • Concert apparel: white and black tops, shoes, bottoms and accessories

Collection boxes are loated at each Webster Central School building through Oct. 27.

On Saturday Oct. 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr., anyone who needs winter or concert gear can come “shop” for gently-used items for free.

The Webster Aquatic Center will be hosting a Blood Drive on Tuesday Sept. 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Aquatic Center, 875 Ridge Rd.

Call 1-800-RED-CROSS or log onto RedCrossBlood.org to make an appointment.

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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 9/23/2022)

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Training never stops for our volunteer firefighters

31 Jan

When an emergency happens, like a car accident or a house fire, we’re always grateful and relieved to see our local first responders show up to take care of things. But during our day-to-day normal lives, when nothing awful like that is happening, we don’t give them much thought at all.

But rest assured, they’re always thinking about us.

That point was driven home to me a few days ago when I saw a Facebook post from the Webster Volunteer Fire Department, about a joint training exercise they held last Saturday morning with the West Webster Fire Department.

The post read,

The Webster Volunteer Fire Department (WVFD) and the West Webster Fire Department (WWFD) held a joint water rescue training session at the Webster Aquatic Center this morning. Several topics were covered including rescue equipment, techniques to retrieve a victim, and how to secure a victim who has been injured. The training session was capped off with some practice on the Fortuna rescue boat and it was discovered just how precarious it can be when several people try to climb on at once! … We’re here for when you need us, Webster!

The two departments are hoping to schedule joint training sessions like this at least four times this year. The next one will probably be a large area wildland search once the weather improves. In the meantime, the WVFD and WWFD hold weekly drills within their own departments. Recent ones for the WVFD have included search and rescue techniques, driver training, advancements in technology, hazmat, air consumption and many more.

Here are a few more photos from the morning’s exercise:

Thank you to Sarah Mossey for most of these photos.

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

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New museum will exhibit WWFD history

12 Nov

A new museum is taking shape at the West Webster Fire Department on Gravel Rd., and it’s pretty neat.

The museum is located in its own bay on the north side of the station, specially designed for that purpose when the new station was built in 2019. It’s not a huge space, but it’s packed with old artifacts representing the WWFD’s long history.

I got a personal tour the other day from Al Sienkiewicz, one of about a dozen WWFD members who have been working on the museum for more than a year. Al gave me a quick lesson in the department’s history, including how it was created following a fire in 1925 which devastated West Webster.

The centerpiece of the exhibit is a 1935 Ford pumper engine. Surrounding the engine are displays of old communication equipment, nozzles, first aid equipment and more. Three mannequins illustrate the transition of turnout gear, from a long overcoat to today’s short coat, bunker pants and complete equipment ensemble.

The WWFD also has a 1974 Cadillac ambulance, which replaces the pumper in the museum for six months of the year.

There’s still a lot to do before the committee considers the museum finished … if they ever do. For example, they’re working on restoring a huge 1924 map of the fire district for one wall and figuring out how to best use another large, blank wall on the south side of the bay. They’ll be adding informational placards on some of the exhibits, and Al would like to create a display about the civil side of the department.

The museum isn’t officially open to the public yet, although many people got a sneak peek at the WWFD’s Fire Prevention Open House last month. In the meantime, they continue to collect items for more displays and fine-tune their current ones.

They’re still on the lookout for antique fire equipment to include in the museum, especially anything from the WWFD. If you come across something in your attic that you’d like to donate, drop them an email at info@westwebsterfd.org or call them at 585-671-4141.

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