Meet your Village of Webster Trustee candidates

10 Jun

Next Tuesday June 16, from noon to 9 p.m. at Village Hall, Village of Webster residents will have the opportunity to vote in a Special Election being held for an open Village Trustee position.

Two candidates are running for the position: Mike Morency and Brian McGraw. Morency — who is currently serving as Trustee, having been appointed last July to fill the seat vacated by Jude Lancy — is running under the Republican and Conservative lines. McGraw is running under the Webster Neighbors party.

About a week ago, I invited both candidates to submit a 400-word essay for my blog to introduce themselves. I told them they could write about anything they’d like, but suggested my readers would be especially interested to know 1) how your personal background prepares you to be a trustee, and 2) how you plan to address village problems and improve our village.

Here are the candidates’ unedited responses, in the order in which they were received:

Brian McGraw

Hi Neighbors,

Thank you, Missy, for providing this opportunity. My name is Brian McGraw, and I’m running for Village Trustee.

Before settling in the Village, I grew up in rural Maryland, lived in student housing at college, and spent time in downtown Pittsburgh. Webster is a mix of the areas with its walkable Main Street, apartment communities, and green space. I am running to continuously improve the Village and make sure every neighbor has a voice in the process.

I’ve worked as an engineer for almost twenty years. I solve problems and ensure reliability by asking questions and analyzing numbers. Fixing problems often involves navigating constraints like tight budgets and limited resources. I love the creative challenge of finding solutions, and I want to put those skills to work for the Village.

We’re losing valuable tax dollars, jobs, and community every time folks leave the Village to shop. I plan to keep our business district vibrant with a proactive approach: identifying which businesses our neighbors frequent outside the Village, using grant funding to help property owners prepare spaces, and partnering with the BID and Chamber of Commerce to match entrepreneurs with existing demand.

Beautiful landscapes and walkable streets make the Village special. I walk my dogs every day and often navigate discarded food, trash, and broken glass. I’ve had to care for one after they found a chicken bone hidden in the grass. I’ll work with DPW to use inexpensive nudges to reduce littering. I’ll also push to replant trees lost during our sidewalk expansion, using state forestry grant funding to offset Village costs.

Low turnout at the recent Xerox street dedication and diminishing boundaries hearings suggests Village communication methods aren’t reaching neighbors. I started getting woken up on my days off by a lawn care company slamming its trailer door open and firing up its equipment earlier than I remembered. I double-checked the town code before complaining and saw the residential noise ordinance had been amended in 2022 with zero public comment at the hearing. I would have voiced my concern had I known about it, and I want to make sure villagers have their voices heard at future hearings. I’ll advocate for a supplementary push-based public notification system to reduce the burden on villagers to stay informed about important Village decisions.

Vote June 16 at Village Hall. Polls open noon to 9.

Brian McGraw for Webster Neighbors

Mike Morency

As a Trustee for the Village of Webster, it has been a privilege to represent the residents to help preserve and enhance the quality of life that makes our Village such a great place to call home. 

My wife and I have deep roots in the Webster community. We currently reside on Judson Street and have been married for 32 years, raised three children, and are proud grandparents. My wife is a retired teacher from Schroeder HS. We understand the importance of investing in our community and preserving the character and quality of life in our Village. 

Throughout my career in law enforcement, I had the opportunity to serve the public and work with people from all walks of life. Those experiences taught me the importance of listening, treating people with respect, and working together to solve problems. These are the skills I continue to rely on as a Trustee. 

Since joining the Village Board, I have enjoyed learning more about resident needs, ideas, and priorities. Those conversations help me to better understand what matters most to residents and how I can effectively serve them. The best solutions often come from listening, keeping an open mind, and being willing to work toward a common goal that benefits our residents. 

One initiative I have championed is improving our parks, including Schantz and Wilmorite. Our parks are a significant part of what makes our village great. I also support efforts that improve walkability, keeping our village welcoming and connected. One of the things that makes village life so unique is the ability to walk to local businesses, and community events while connecting with friends and neighbors along the way. These opportunities strengthen our sense of community and preserve the character that sets us apart. I also look forward to working with my fellow board members to continue to strengthen Main Street and showcase everything our village has to offer. A vibrant downtown benefits residents, supports local businesses, and helps make our Village a destination for visitors. 

Serving on the Village Board has been truly an honor and I appreciate the opportunity to give back to the community that has given so much to my family. I hope to continue serving the residents of our village.

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(posted 6/10/2026)

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

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June History Bit: History in a cigar box

9 Jun

Sometimes, historical surprises can show up in unexpected places.

About two years ago, hidden away in the recesses of a storage room at the American Legion Post 942, one of the Legion members discovered a dusty old Phillies cigar box. Among the treasures tucked inside, stacked in a neat pile, were more than 150 small pages, about 3″ x 6″ each, apparently taken from a spiral-bound notebook. Each of the pages is covered with neat, hand-written notes about an individual soldier — a Webster veteran. It indicates in which cemetery the soldier is buried, and in most cases provides a half dozen or more details about the soldier’s life and service.

The Legion member knew he had stumbled upon something important, so he handed the pages over to Post Historian Herb Gauch for safekeeping.

“As I started looking at them,” Gauch said, “I realized what a treasure trove of Webster we had discovered.” Not sure what to do with them, he kept them safe for a long time. But “finally, I realized that our very own Webster (Union Cemetery) Historian, and driving force behind Wreaths Across America, Cherie Wood, would know best.”

Wood was thrilled to receive the pages and become their new caretaker, and immediately started poring through them to see what new details she could discover about our town’s veterans.

Every veteran in each of our Webster area cemeteries — Webster Union, West Webster, Webster Rural, Holy Trinity and Union Hill — has a page. Someone clearly spent countless hours researching each one (not an easy job in the days before Ancestry.com) and painstakingly recording what he found out. The information encompasses each one of our nation’s wars, from the Revolutionary War through the War of 1812, the Civil War, the Indian Wars, the Spanish-American War and WWI. They even include the Tripolitan War in the early 1800s, America’s first foreign war.

The pages don’t include any WWII veterans, which seems to indicate that whoever was doing the research didn’t or couldn’t continue the project at that point, or started to record the information in a different manner. (It’s interesting to note that the WWI pages only indicate “World War,” because at that point there was only one World War, the “war to end all wars.”)

The details include where the veteran’s grave is located in each cemetery, which led Gauch and Wood to theorize that the pages were used by the American Legion to place flags on the veterans’ graves every Memorial Day. But there’s a lot more information than would be necessary to simply locate the markers to place a flag. In addition to the standard details you might commonly find on a gravestone — birth and death dates, rank, and unit in which they served — the pages often also include other personal details, like when and where a soldier enlisted and was discharged, the battles he fought in, his commanding officer, how he died and where he died, sometimes even noting the hospital’s name.

Reading through the papers is a fascinating exercise. There are many familiar Webster names, including Jonas Whiting, Robert Woodhull and John Schlegel. The pages include 14 Revolutionary War veterans; John Shoecraft’s page even notes that he served under General George Washington. James Adams fought in two wars, the Spanish-American War and WWI, and several of the soldiers died at Antietam. One noted that the veteran was taken prisoner at Spotsylvania during the Civil War and spent three months in Andersonville prison. Another recorded that WWI veteran Henry Pembrock died from tuberculosis of the throat “caused by gas.”

Perhaps the most interesting of them all is the record for Cpl. Edwin C. Smith, a Civil War veteran who fought in the battles of Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, Petersburg and Ream’s Station, and was present at Lee’s surrender at the Appomattox Court House.

Eventually, Wood will hand the pages over to Webster Town Historian Lynn Barton for safekeeping. But in the meantime they’re providing some valuable information about the veterans buried in our local cemeteries. And more importantly, every time one of them is read, a veteran is remembered.

“These are our people,” Wood said. “They lived here, they died here or on the battlefield. They belong to our town. I don’t want them forgotten. “

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(posted 6/9/2026)

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Summer Celebration returns this weekend

9 Jun

Here’s a quick, bonus blog today about an event that totally snuck up on me.

It’s the annual Summer Celebration at the Webster Recreation Center. It takes place this Saturday, June 13 from 4 to 10 p.m. at the Rec Center, 1350 Chiyoda Drive (off of Phillips).

This is an evening of family-friendly fun, bounce houses, LOTS of food trucks, live music and fireworks. Dr. Jem takes the stage from 6 to 7:15 p.m., followed by ZBTB from 7:45 to 10 p.m.. And at the end of it all (did I mention?) there’s a huge fireworks display.

The event is free and open to the community. Parking will be available in the Xerox parking lots directly south of the Recreation Center. Handicap parking will be available closer to the festivities.

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(posted 6/7/2026)

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Book performance brought the joy of reading to our district’s preschoolers

8 Jun

The Webster School District’s youngest students danced, laughed, sang, and saw several children’s books come to life last Friday June 5 at the third annual Preschool Book Performance, organized and hosted by Webster Schroeder preschool teacher Jamie Palmer.

More than 300 preschool students, teachers and aides from the district’s seven elementary schools and Schroeder and Thomas high schools attended the performance in the Schroeder auditorium. As the audience members filed in and settled with great excitement into their seats, behind the curtain, an assortment of characters (including a wolf, cows, a dragon, bear, lion, donkey, duck, sheep, Elephant and Piggie, Ballet Cat and more) got into their costumes and arranged their props.

Ballet Cat herself (Jamie Palmer in her bright pink tutu) introduced the performance, which featured several of the preschoolers’ favorite children’s books and authors:

  • Ballet Cat: the Totally Secret Secret by Bob Shea
  • What’s Your Favorite Favorite? by Bob Shea
  • A Delicious Story by Barney Saltzberg
  • Oh! Are You Awake? by Bob Shea
  • Elephant and Piggie: Let’s Go for a Drive! by Mo Willems
  • My Friends Make Me Happy by Jan Thomas
  • My Toothbrush is Missing! by Jan Thomas

In between books, as cast members prepared behind the curtain, the young audience members danced and clapped to songs performed by Webster Public Library (WPL) Outreach Coordinator Jason Poole, and laughed at some pretty bad knock-knock jokes.

Jason Poole and Tanner Peters welcomed the students with music.
Shana Lynott and Hannah Baumgartner in Let’s Go For a Ride!

Palmer was supported by a talented cast of WPL staff members, Webster School District (WCSD) staff members and Schroeder students. I even got to play the supporting role of Grandma in What’s Your Favorite Favorite? Other performers included:

  • WPL Children and Family Experiences Librarian Hannah Baumgartner
  • WPL Assistant Director Shana Lynott
  • WCSD Special Education Consultant Teacher Bill Ambler
  • Webster Schroeder Librarian Jennifer Strege
  • WCSD Security Sentry Lynne Weeks
  • Webster Schroeder students Brody Walrath and Tanner Peters

You could definitely see the joy in the faces of the preschoolers as they danced and sang, laughed and clapped, and watched with delight as their favorite book characters came to life. And since there’s a new crop of preschoolers every year, you can bet this won’t be the last of these shows.

The cast of My Toothbrush is Missing!
Lynne Weeks takes her star turn as a dragon

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(posted 6/8/2026)

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Outdoor concerts at the middle schools will welcome summer

7 Jun

Next Thursday and Friday, June 11 and 12, Webster’s two middle schools will host some musical treats for the entire community, to bid goodbye to another school year and welcome summer.

On Thursday June 11, Spry Middle School and Webster Schroeder High School will team up to present their Summer Sendoff concert from 6 to 8 p.m. Students, families, and community members are invited to gather outside the Cafetorium doors near the southernmost parking lot, for an evening of music and treats. The concert will feature performances by student musicians from each school’s band, choir, and orchestra.

Spry Middle School is located at 119 South Ave.

On Friday June 12, from 6 p.m.until sundown, Willink Middle School will host their Third Annual Concert on the Lawn. I’m not certain what musical ensembles will be performing, but I imagine you can expect to see a variety of Willink M.S. and Thomas H.S. bad, chorus and orchestra groups as well.

I DO know that the Willink event will include community and craft vendors. Plus, please bring your gently used sporting equipment and musical instruments to donate to students in need, and/or an item for the Willink Food Pantry.

Willink Middle School is located at 900 Publishers Parkway.

Attendees for both events are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets to sit on. Food trucks will be on hand at both venues. Let’s hope for good weather and welcome summer with music!

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(posted 6/7/2026)

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Webster Girl Scouts earn Gold Awards

6 Jun

Congratulations to four Webster Girl Scouts for earning recognition as Gold Award Girl Scouts.

At a ceremony held on Saturday, May 30, Amelia Thompson, Addison Terrana, Karolynn Shaw and Ava Hartfield all received their Gold Awards. The award recognizes Girl Scouts for their years of dedication to Scouting, and their outstanding accomplishments and service to the Webster community.

Here’s more information about these incredible young ladies and their projects:

Ava Hatfield

Ava’s Gold Award Project was called Trailside Comfort: Benches and Table for Everyone. She partnered with the Friends of Webster Trails to enhance the State Rd. Nature Preserve. The project assessed the need for accessible rest areas to improve the visitor experience along the trails. She and her team of volunteers installed two benches and a table at separate locations, sites which were selected to improve accessibility and use, and they made additional improvements to create welcoming spaces for bikers and families.

Ava is a junior at Webster Schroeder High School, and is a member of Troop 60415.

Karolynn Shaw

Kari’s Music Revamp project addressed the financial barriers preventing low-income students in Rochester city schools from fully participating in music education. Many students lack proper instrument cases and essential supplies, making it impossible to practice outside of school. Kari worked with a Rochester City School band director to collect donations from families, friends and community members to provide students with sturdy instrument cases, reeds, cleaning kits, and other necessary supplies. She also created and provided materials for a year’s worth of bulletin board ideas, musician compliment cards and a website.

Kari is a senior at Webster Thomas High School, and a member of Troop 63113. She was also the recipient of the GSWNY Education Scholarship and the Ralph and Mary McLean Wilson Scholarship.

Addison Terrana

Addison’s Keeping Your Dog Safe in All Weather project partnered with local veterinary offices, animal rescues and Scout leaders to promote safe outdoor recreation with pets. The project addressed gaps in accessible information on pet safety and its connection to mental wellness. She created a comprehensive website and brochure called “Badge in a Box,” and developed a virtual option for Brownie troops. She also created materials designed to support families in safely engaging with pets outdoors.

Addison is a senior at Webster Schroeder, and a member of Troop 63113. She was also the recipient of the GSWNY Education Scholarship. Click here to see the website she created: Keeping Your Dog Safe in All Weather 

Amelia Thompson

Amelia worked with Challenger Miracle Field’s Track and Field Program to create an inclusive track and field experience for athletes with disabilities. The project addressed the lack of accessible track and field opportunities in the community. Amelia coordinated volunteers, organized and ran two events, held at Webster Thomas High School last year, which included sprinting, relays, shot put, and long jump competitions.

Amelia is a junior at Webster Thomas High School, and a member of Troop 60617.

Earning a Girl Scout Gold Award is a distinguished accomplishment. The award ceremony program explained it best:

Gold Award Girl Scouts are change-makers. They have changed the world, changed their lives, and earned the most prestigious award in Girl Scouting. To earn the Gold Award, a Girl Scout identifies an issue in their community, drafts a plan to address a route cause, and leads a team of volunteers to implement it. When the project is complete, the Gold Award Girl Scout and their team have made a sustainable impact on the world that continues to last beyond their involvement.

It’s a huge accomplishment that also impacts the Gold Award Girl Scout as a person. How they see the world — and how the world sees them — is forever changed, It’s also a credential that will be with them for the rest of their life; having a Girl Scout Gold Award on a high school transcript or resume can make a Girl Scout stand out when it comes to college admissions, scholarship applications, internships, and job interviews.

Only 6% of all Girl Scouts earn a Gold Award. This year, Girl Scouts of Webster NY had 41 Gold Award Scouts, four of which were Webster students.

Congratulations to Ava, Karolynn, Addison and Amelia. You make Webster proud!

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(posted 6/6/2026)

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JF Jones Jewelers opens new store in Webster

5 Jun

The Town of Webster’s newest jeweler is also one of Rochester’s oldest.

The new JF Jones Jewelers recently opened at 1170 Ridge Rd., in the Jackson Crossing plaza, next door to Heart to Heart Bride. Owner Brittany Jones is a third-generation jeweler, following in the footsteps of her father and grandfather, whose shops were well known on Rochester’s west side for decades.

JF Jones is one of the longest-running, family-owned independent jewelers in the Rochester area. Its history spans nearly a century, all the way back to 1928, when Joseph F. Jones founded the business. For ten years, JF Jones Jewelers anchored the corner of Clinton and South Goodman. In 1938, the store moved to Ridge and Dewey, where it remained a vital part of the Greece community for 35 years. Joseph’s son Len and his wife Colleen took over the business in 1976 and over the next many years, moved it to several spots along West Ridge Rd. in Greece.

But now, Joseph Jones’ granddaughter Brittany has taken the reins, and JF Jones Jewelers has finally made it to the east side.

The new JF Jones shop is a beautiful, spacious, welcoming and sparkling experience. Like any respectable jewelry store, JF Jones offers a stunning variety of fashion jewelry including birthstones, bracelets, fashion rings, necklaces, watches, earrings and more. There’s a separate area in back, which Brittany calls her “bridal suite,” complete with a coffee bar, which offers a more private area where couples can choose their engagement and wedding rings in a more relaxed and quiet setting.

Brittany (center) with her staff
Three generations of jewelers overlook JF Jones’ original display cases

Brittany is very proud of the pieces she showcases, and especially proud to show off her grandfather’s original jewelry cases, which she still uses and which have a prominent place in her new shop. But what she considers her specialty, what she thinks sets her apart from other jewelers, is the shop’s ability to offer modern custom design, 3D modeling, and repurposing family heirlooms into cherished keepsakes. (For example, a widow might take her husband’s wedding band and her own, and Brittany can reshape them into something stunning — a beautiful new ring, or perhaps a necklace.)

“Every piece of jewelry tells a story,” Brittany said.

Brittany has an all-women staff, and all of the work is done on-site. Brittany herself is a Graduate Gemologist and a certified appraiser, and prides herself on her personal service.

“We want you to be our family,” she said. “You’re not just a number to us. We’ll remember your name when you come in. We keep track of all your purchases in our computer, so we remember and we can help you find something that matches something you bought before.”

That old-school philosophy has guided the business ever since Joseph F. Jones established it in 1928: do honest repair work, offer a quality product, treat people like neighbors and create cherished memories.

JF Jones Jewelers is located at 1170 Ridge Rd., next to Heart to Heart Bride. Brittany will celebrate her grand opening on Friday, June 19 with an official ribbon cutting ceremony at 11 a.m. Everyone is invited to come by and welcome Brittany to Webster.

To find out more, check out the JF Jones website and Facebook page.

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

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(posted 6/5/2026)

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Blue Star Mothers honored military families with baby shower

4 Jun
Photos courtesy Elena Dilai Photography

For a few hours on Sunday, May 17, ten expectant military mothers (one expecting twins!) were showered with gifts, sweet treats, parfaits, a waffle bar, sandwiches and fruit, when the Blue Star Mothers Rochester Chapter NY8 (BSM NY8) held their Military Baby Shower.

The annual event, held at the Cottreal-Warner American Legion Post, is designed to recognize and provide for young mothers and expectant mothers in local military families. For many of these mothers, this may be the only baby shower they get, since they’re usually stationed far away from their close relatives.

The Blue Star Mothers prepare for this event all year long, shopping for all the infant necessities. In addition to baby clothes, hand-made knitted blankets and sweaters, baby bath essentials, baby boppies, toys, books, diapers and baby wipes, they were also able to give away many other must-have items like a Pack ‘n’ Play, high chairs, car seats, strollers, activity gyms, bouncy seats, diaper bags and a Hatch Baby sound machine. Each family left with a full car, full belly and (hopefully) a happy heart.

A huge shout-out and thank you to the incredible team of volunteers for packing the baby baskets and for all their help on the day of the shower. Also a huge thank-you to the American Legion for allowing the Blue Star Mothers to host the baby shower in their newly renovated event space, and to the generous community members who donated gifts and money.

ALSO many thanks Karen Reyes for donating her time to give massages to the young mothers, Elena from Elena Dilai Photography for taking the beautiful photos, and to Patti’s Party Balloons for the balloon arch..

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. The Baby Shower for Military is one of the most important service projects of the Blue Star Mothers Rochester Chapter. It’s just one small way to say thank you and give back to those who have served our country, and given so much to us.

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(posted 6/4/2026)

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Knollwood Swim Club: a little pool club with a big heart

3 Jun

Tucked away at the end of a long dirt driveway on Shoemaker Road sits a hidden summer playground. For 68 years, the Knollwood Swim Club has served as a beloved refuge for families, and especially kids, looking to fill their sunny summer days with fun. You might easily miss the modest sign at the entrance if you aren’t looking for it, and the club is set so far back from the road that passersby would never guess the activity taking place deep in the wooded property. But for decades, Knollwood has been a happening place for kids and adults of all ages.

Even though I’ve lived in Webster for a while, I didn’t know much — OK, anything — about the club. So at April’s Community Arts Day, I took the opportunity to stop at the club’s information table to find out more, and accept an invitation to visit as they prepared for the 2026 summer season.

Finally, this week, the pool was filled and the grounds tidied up for opening day. So on Tuesday, I drove down that long driveway myself and was delighted by what I found: a large, open, welcoming area that kind of reminded me of a campground. Sara Knowlden, the club’s president, was there to greet me, give me a tour and tell me more about the club’s history.

Knollwood Swim Club first opened in 1958, and sits on 1.7 acres. The heated pool, deep enough for diving, is the focal point of the facility, but members also enjoy an eight-inch deep kiddie pool (also heated), a volleyball court, fire pit, picnic tables and a gas grill. There’s plenty of pool toys for the kids and lots of comfortable lounge chairs and umbrella seating inside and outside the fenced-in pool area. The club is membership-driven and operates as a co-op, which means that it’s run by the families. Each family is assigned to one of three committees: maintenance, chemicals or grounds. That way no outside help needs to be hired, which keeps membership costs reasonable.

One of the club’s main attractions is their swim lessons. They’re offered to members four days a week for six weeks, and are included in the membership price, no matter how many kids are in the family. On top of all that, kids can have their birthday parties there, compete in the cardboard regatta, the Knollwood Olympics and the diving contest (can you make the best splash?), and swim till dusk on Glow Night. There are water aerobics classes, family picnics, toddler storytime, an ice cream social, and a campfire and movie night. Parents even get their own adult-only “steak night,” when they grill steaks and everyone brings a dish to pass.

It’s summer fun exactly as it was meant to be. But as wonderful as the swimming, special activities and swim lessons are, the best part of the Knollwood experience isn’t the pool toys, the lounge chairs, or the diving contests. It’s the sense of family.

“Knollwood is more than just a place to swim,” Sara said. “The pool club is a community gathering place where families connect, friendships grow, and members work together to create a welcoming summer tradition.” It’s the “little pool club with a big heart.”

This Saturday, June 6, you can check out Knollwood Swim Club for yourself, when they host an open house from 2 to 6 p.m. Stop by to try out the pool or just have a look around and enjoy an ice cream. (If the weather is yucky, the open house might be changed to Sunday, so check the Facebook page for the latest details.) For more information on club features and membership, visit the Knollwood Swim Club website here.

Knollwood Swim Club is located at 1043 Shoemaker Rd. Look for the sign!

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(posted 6/3/2026)

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Spry Middle School celebrates its 100th anniversary

2 Jun

Last September, you may remember, I wrote a History Bit piece about how Spry Middle School is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

The school building, located in the Village of Webster at the corner of South Ave. and Sanford St., was built in 1925 to serve not as a middle school as it is now, but as the town’s high school, replacing the Webster Union Free School located just across the street. The new Webster High School welcomed its first students on September 17 of that year. It’s the only school building in the Village, and its long history makes it the oldest building in the district still being used for education.

To honor a century of learning, last Friday Spry held an anniversary ceremony during their morning broadcast. The celebration featured a terrific commemorative video featuring current and former teachers and principals, and does a nice job tracing the building’s history from when it was built in a unique “W” shape, through the recent renovations which have kept the school in step with today’s changing educational needs. It also includes a performance of the Spry Alma Mater.

The 10-minute video is well worth the watch. Click here to go to the Webster School District website to see it.

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(posted 6/2/2026)

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

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