Several dozen families took advantage of some beautiful weather to have a little fun exploring the Finn Park trails. Thanks to the recent rainy weather, there were several wet and muddy spots, but that didn’t deter the 58 young participants, ages 2 through 11, from taking the half-mile or mile-long hike. (I might have encouraged most of them to splash in the mud as they went along.) The kids could choose one of three increasingly difficult scavenger hunts, each asking them to search for different natural elements along the path, like birds, moss and flowers.
The kids all returned from their quest with smiles on their faces and a real sense of accomplishment. And probably the best part of all is that the scavenger hunt raised $280 to benefit the Friends of Webster Trails, which will be put to good use improving the already terrific trail system we have in Webster.
I was particularly impressed with one family, who came armed with litter pick-up tools, and took it upon themselves to fill half a garbage bag with trash from along the trail.
Also many thanks to Julie Schillaci at Webster Parks and Recreation, Anna Taylor from the Friends of Webster Trails, and Emily Pettit for all their help pulling this event together.
Arrows marked the scavenger hunt path. Four-year old Lincoln Cline and his parents picked up trash along the way! Anna Taylor, Friends of Webster Trails president, joined me at the registration tables.
The first is the Spring Drug Take-Back Day, your opportunity to safely dispose of your unused medications.
Wegmans is hosting the drug take-back event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at their 900 Holt Road location, as well as many of their other stores. This event gives community members the opportunity to remove potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs from their homes. The service is free and anonymous. Only pills and patches will be accepted – no liquids, needles, or sharps.
No appointment is necessary. Look for a drop-off location in the parking lot. Registration is not required, but it will allow WHEN to email you a reminder in advance of the event. Click here to register.
I label this as a family-friendly event because of frightening statistics like these from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration:
nearly one in four teens reports taking a prescription drug not prescribed to them by a doctor at least once in their lives
almost half of teens say it is easy to gety prescription drugs from a parent’s medicine cabinet
teens are abusing everything from pain medications to stimulants, sedatives and tranquilizers
We need to do what we can to keep dangerous medications out of our children’s hands.
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On a lighter note …
Also on Saturday April 22, join your kids and friends for a fun and healthy Family Scavenger Hunt.
This easy hike/scavenger hunt will take place at Liberty Lodge/Finn Park on Maple Drive from 10 a.m. to noon. Different hunts will be available for three three skill levels, ages 2 through 12. The event will take place rain or shine, so dress for the weather, and make sure to wear boots if it’s been wet. It would also be helpful if you could bring your own clipboard and pencil.
The Family Scavenger Hunt costs $5, and registrations are being taken through the Webster Recreation Center. PLEASE register ahead of time so we know how many kids to expect. Payment can be made when you arrive at the park. Click here to register.
Proceeds will benefit the Friends of Webster Trails.
The Webster Health and Education Network was established in 1995 and is a recognized leader in the advocacy and promotion of healthy, substance-free behaviors and lifestyles in the Webster community. WHEN has always worked closely with the Webster Central School District, town, and community resources to support drug education and awareness initiatives.
The second annual Village of Webster Easter Egg Hunt, sponsored by the Webster BID, is just around the corner, on Saturday April 8 at the Webster Fireman’s Field on Ridge Rd.
The absolutely free event will begin at 11 a.m., and is designed for children ages 10 and under. Children will be split into three age groups: 0-2, 3-5 and 6-10. Arrive any time after 10:30 a.m. Our local business owners and community agencies are preparing almost 5,000 eggs, so no fear — there will be enough for everyone. (And some eggs have a secret surprise.)
The Easter Bunny will be there, too, so bring your cameras! This great event is sponsored by the village’s Business Improvement District.
By the way, the organizers could use some volunteers to help set up and run the event. If you’re interested in having a little fun and helping out, click here to sign up!
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Those young Brownies from Troop 60344 are at it again.
They’re going to be outside the Webster Walmart Home entrance on Saturday April 1 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. with their table of Girl Scout cookies. So no worries if you thought you’d missed out on Girl Scout Cookie season this year.
The girls will also be encouraging people to donate a box of cookies to the Blue Star Mothers NY8 chapter to be included in care packages for locally deployed troops. (The soldiers LOVE to get Girl Scout cookies.)
The Blue Star Mothers plan to send out more than 200 care packages soon, and would love to have a box of cookies to put in each one.
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The next Friends of the Webster Public Library book sale is quickly approaching!
The Friends’ Spring Book Sale will be held Wednesday April 26 through Saturday April 29. Gently used hardcover books will be available for only $1, paperback books will be $.50.
Members of the Friends can shop before everyone else, on Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m. If you’re not a member and want a sneak peek, memberships will be available at the door or on the library website.
The general public sale will begin Thursday April 27 from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. Friday, April 28 is BYOB (bring your own bag) Bag Sale from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m, when you can fill a bag with gently used books for only $5. The bag sale continues on Saturday, April 29 but only from 10 a.m. til noon.
Proceeds from the spring book sale directly benefit library programs, book collections and other special projects.
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This notice from the Webster Central School District:
Applications for absentee ballots for the Webster CSD Annual Budget Vote and School Board Election are now available.
Qualified voters of the district who will be unable to attend the polls on the day of the vote may wish to use an absentee ballot. Voters must apply for the ballot in advance. Absentee ballot applications are available from District Clerk Cynthia Cushman, 119 South Avenue, Webster, phone (585) 216-0001, or at the news story on the district website.
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.
The Webster CSD Annual Budget Vote and election of Board of Education candidates takes place Tuesday, May 16, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the Webster Schroeder High School gym, 875 Ridge Road.
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Here’s a great way to celebrate Earth Day this coming April 22: a Family Scavenger Hunt.
This easy hike/scavenger hunt will take place at Liberty Lodge/Finn Park on Maple Drive from 10 a.m. to noon. Different hunts will be available for three three skill levels, ages 2 through 12. The event will take place rain or shine, so dress for the weather, and make sure to wear boots if it’s been wet. It would also be helpful if you could bring your own clipboard and pencil.
The Family Scavenger Hunt costs $5, and registrations are being taken through the Webster Recreation Center. PLEASE register ahead of time so we know how many kids to expect. Payment can be made when you arrive at the park. Click here to register.
Do you still have some candy left over from Halloween? Consider trading it in at Webster Pediatric Dentistry’s Candy Buyback, happening through this Thursday Nov. 10.
Turn your candy in for a prize, and they’ll make a donation to the Webster Community Chest. You can also enter to win an Amazon gift card.
Webster Pediatric Dentistry is located at 39 West Main St. in the Village of Webster.
Two — count them, TWO — craft fairs are coming your way.
The first is this coming Saturday Nov. 12 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Drive.
More than 30 vendors will be there, and proceeds will benefit the Webster Association of Senior Program Supporters. Check out the flier below for more information.
The second craft fair is being held at Schlegel Elementary School on Saturday Nov. 19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will benefit the Schlegel PTSA. More information on the flier below.
The Village of Webster will hold a Veteran’s Day ceremony this Friday Nov. 11 in Veterans Memorial Park on North Ave.
The ceremony will begin at 11 a.m., after which the Village Board will host a free takeout lunch for all veterans, current military personnel and their families, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., in the parking lot behind 29 South Ave.
Absentee ballots are now available for the Webster Central School District Capital Project Vote on Dec. 13.
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 Cynthia Cushman, 119 South Ave., Webster.
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.
The Webster CSD Capital Project Vote takes place Tuesday, Dec. 13 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the Webster Schroeder High School gymnasium, 875 Ridge Rd., Webster.
Here’s a look at what the Webster Public Library has going on this month:
Do you know about Naloxone? This is an emergency medication, a nasal spray, that can save the life of a suspected opioid/heroin overdose patient.
An upcoming FREE online Naloxone training session, hosted by the Webster Health & Education Network (WHEN), will teach local residents how to administer Naloxone. The class will be held via Zoom on Monday Nov. 14 from 6 to 7 p.m. You can get more information and register online here.
I can’t speak for everyone in my generation, but I’ve come to a point in my life where I can’t keep up with the pace of technology. That’s especially the case with the proliferation of social media outlets. I mean, I’m still not even on board with TikTok and Snapchat, which in 2022 are among the elder statesmen of social media.
So I can’t even imagine how difficult it must be to have kids right now, who seem to be on their phones every waking moment. Keeping them safe and focused on school and other responsibilities is a formidable task.
A program coming up on Tuesday Oct. 4 is designed to help parents with that task.
The program, sponsored by the Webster Central PTSA and the Webster Health Education Network (WHEN), is called Social Media and Your Kids. It features Mark Stossel, an award-winning poet and filmmaker, who will speak on how technology affects, influences, and makes addicts of all of us.
Stossel is kind of an expert in the field. He ran social media for multinational brands and worked for a social media company where he designed some of the same notification structures to distract people that he now raises awareness about. He has spoken with hundreds of thousands of students, parents, and educators around the world about social media’s impact on our lives and provides a unique and much needed critical perspective on the role of technology in schools and in our society.
His presentation will illustrate some of the specific ways technology is designed to be addictive and distracting, give an overview of how students are using social media, and give recommendations on how to improve focus and diminish distraction in learning environments.
Stossel will speak at assemblies at both Webster Thomas and Schroeder high schools, but the presentation on Oct. 4 is meant for the entire Webster community. It will be held at Webster Schroeder High School, 975 Ridge Rd., on Tuesday Oct. 4 beginning at 7 p.m. Admission is free.
For more information on Stossel, go to socialawakening.org. For more information on his Webster School District presentations, contact Joe Montemaro, district director of educational technology and information, at 216-0123 or joe_montemaro@webstercsd.org.
As I was looking through my “what am I going to blog about next?” notes, I noticed that there are no fewer than FOUR events coming up this weekend — well, Saturday Aril 30, specifically — which I thought I’d better remind you all about.
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.
Cars Along the Creek
The Friends of Webster Trails will be leading a guided hike through Four Mile Creek Preserve on Saturday, and telling you all about the six abandoned cars you can see along the trails. Apparently the land on which the preserve is now located, at the corner of Phillips and Lake roads, used to be used by the local youth as a makeshift racetrack in the early 1960s. Among the cars you’ll see are:
* 1951 Chevrolet Styleine Deluxe Bel Air * 1961 Ford 500 Galaxy Club Victoria * 1959 Nash Rambler * 1959 Chevy Bel Air * 1954 Plymouth Belvedere Suburban * 1949 Green Nash Airflyte
The two-hour hike will begin at 10 a.m. at the parking lot on Phillips Rd.
Drug Take-Back
Also on Saturday April 30, the Webster Health and Education Network is holding a Drug Take-Back Event in conjunction with Wegmans, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at both the Holt Rd. and Baytowne locations. No appointment is necessary. Just look for a drop-off location in the parking lot.
Only pills and patches will be accepted, no needles, liquids or sharps.
Shredding Event
The Webster Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Shredding Event on Saturday, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Chamber of Commerce office, 1110 Crosspointe Lane. The event is open to everyone and there’s no quantity limits, but please remove all file folders, binders and plastic bags.
Harmony House concert to benefit Hope House
This last event is something I only learned about a few days ago but it sounds like a lot of fun AND it’s for a good cause.
Five live bands will be coming together at the Harmony House on Saturday from 2 to 8 p.m. for a family-friendly “Spring Harmony Unmasked” concert to benefit Hope House.
The bands — Group Therapy Country Grass Band, Gabrielle Owen, the BarnStrummers, Fragile Ego and Eli & Co. — will play a wide range of music including country, bluegrass, southern rock, pop and more.
Suggested donation at the door is only $5 for a whole afternoon and evening of music, and all proceeds will benefit Hope House of Webster. There will be a cash bar as well. For more information, including more about each band and when each band will be playing, click here.
The Harmony House is located at 58 E. Main Street in the Village of Webster.
And this just in…
I found out that a few local Girl Scout troops will be setting up shop Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. in front of Barry’s Old School Irish to sell their leftover Girl Scout cookies.
This is a great opportunity to stock up again — and perhaps try a new variety — especially if you’re like me and somehow the freezer in the garage was not QUITE far enough away to keep you from eating all of your original batch of cookies.
Barry’s is located at 2 West Main Street in the Village of Webster, right at the village’s four corners.
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
If you and your kids haven’t had a chance to complete the Clovers and Clues Scavenger Hunt yet, there’s still plenty of time to win a great prize!
This family-friendly scavenger hunt is sponsored by Webster Parks and Recreation and the Webster Health and Education Network (WHEN). Through Thursday March 17, participants hunt for clues placed in 13 locations all around the Town of Webster. Each clue consists of different letters, and when all the letters are collected, you’ll use them to decode a final message prompting healthy choices.
Completed answers can be submitted to Webster Parks and Recreation for the chance to win a beautiful gift basket.
Visit the WHEN website to get your first clue. Collecting letters will take about an hour or two, can be done anytime and is a great activity for all ages. A smart phone is encouraged to help find clue locations and to scan QR codes.
This is a fun family adventure, a great way to get a little exercise and learn about healthy choices all at the same time. (And keep your eyes peeled for leprechauns; who knows where they might be hiding at this time of year!)
Get your leprechaun-hunting skills tuned up, because there are two great opportunities in March to go in search of these playful little sprites.
(OK, OK, neither of these events actually MENTIONS looking for leprechauns, but they ARE scavenger hunts, and since it’s St. Patrick’s Day season, I figure there’s a good chance some will turn up!)
What you WILL find with these two family-friendly scavenger hunts is some great exercise and good fun — and everyone might learn something new to boot.
The first is called the “Clovers and Clues” scavenger hunt, sponsored by Webster Parks and Recreation and the Webster Health and Education Network (WHEN). From March 1 through March 17, participants will hunt for clues placed in 13 locations all around the Town of Webster. Each clue consists of different letters, and when all the letters are collected, you’ll use them to decode a final message prompting healthy choices.
Completed answers can be submitted to Webster Parks and Recreation for the chance to win a prize.
Visit the WHEN website beginning March 1 to get your first clue. The hunt will run continuously through March 17. Collecting letters will take about an hour or two, can be done anytime and is a great activity for all ages. A smart phone is encouraged to help find clue locations and to scan QR codes.
This second Family Scavenger Hunt is also co-sponsored by the Webster Recreation Center in partnership with the Friends of Webster Trails.
This one-day event takes place on Sunday March 6 beginning at 10 a.m. at Gosnell Big Woods preserve on Vosburg Rd., rain or shine. Participants can sign in anytime between 10 and noon and receive an age-appropriate scavenger hunt answer key. Three skill levels will be provided for ages 2 to 12. Then just walk through the park gathering answers, submit your sheet when you’re done and get a prize.
Registration is $5 per person, and can be paid when you get there. All proceeds will benefit the Friends of Webster Trails and their efforts to maintain and improve our terrific trail system.
This is at least the third Family Scavenger Hunt the Friends have hosted, and they’ve all been very popular. These folks do a great job making sure that kids of all ages (and their adults) can participate and have fun.
So, you see, no mention of leprechauns. But if I were you, I’d keep my eye out for them anyway.
For all of you ice skating fans out there, here’s a phone number you’ll want to put up on your fridge:
585-872-7103 (option 3)
That’s the number to call for an update on the conditions at the Webster Parks and Recreation ice rink. I checked it yesterday and the good news is, thanks to the recent cold weather, the rink is finally open!
The community ice rink is located in front of the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Drive, off of Phillips Rd. just north of the village. It’s a nice size, 52 ft. by 104 ft., fully lined, and is totally FREE for anyone to use. You don’t even have to be a member of the Rec Center. There’s even a warming shed where you can sit to put on your skates. You’ll want to bring your own skates, though, because there rentals are not available.
Make sure you call that number before you go, however, to make sure that our capricious winter weather hasn’t turned the ice surface into mush.
Since we’re talking about Webster Parks and Recreation, here are a few other fun events they’re running which I wanted to pass along.
The first is the Four by Four Community Art Project. Basically this is a fun way to get your whole family crafting, and help decorate the Rec Center at the same time.
Here’s the deal: for $2 each, you pick up a 4×4″ canvas square anytime between Jan. 1 and Feb. 1. Take it home and design it any way you’d like. Once it’s complete, return your square to the Rec Center by Tuesday March 1, and all the squares will be hung side-by-side to create one huge art piece.
And this looks like something I’m going to want to try myself: the Clovers and Clues Scavenger Hunt.
From March 1 through March 17, families are encouraged to participate in a self-guided scavenger hunt, co-sponsored by the Webster Heath and Education Network (WHEN). Visit the WHEN website beginning March 1, and from there you’ll visit multiple spots throughout the Town of Webster, gathering letters at each location which will ultimately decode a final message promoting healthy choices.
Once decoded, the message can be submitted to Webster Parks and Recreation for a chance to win a prize.
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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