The Village Focus

Webster Herald

Wednesday July 21, 2010

by Carol Klem

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So Long Charley

WATER! Charley Duffy has been all about water for 30 years.  He knows everything from thirst to baths, laundry – knows its importance to village residents and those who use Webster Village Water. He knows hard water, soft water, evaporation, condensation, precipitation, puddles, lakes and water cycles.

 

 Charley, after 30 years working with the water department, has called it a day. This announcement could only mean that it was time for a celebration as he took the plunge - dove into retirement, so to speak, and his new life of leisure began

.

(Surely the fact that he knows when he should retire proves he is no drip).

 

Someone said that “nothing is work unless you would rather be doing something else.” It is obvious that Charley would rather be doing something else at this point in his life.  He would much rather be on a golf course in Ocala, Florida swinging a golf club. . The focus for his future - centers mainly on golf and family. By moving with his wife, Deb, they will be closer to their family; their daughter, Laura who is a teacher in Virginia and Patrick who lives in Savannah.

 

Charley hopes to be playing golf on Christmas Day.

 

A luncheon was held on Thursday to honor and thank him for his years of service and to wish him the best in retirement.  His wife and daughter were on hand as were those who retired before him – all looking noticeably happy and rested.

 

AnnMarie Champagne, administrator of the water department said that Charley (and many of the old-time staff members) have been through a lot of changes in both technology and in the size of the water district.

 

He will miss and be missed by his co-workers, customers, contractors and those from other water departments.

 

He enjoyed his job, he said, especially because it was never the same every day.

Well, the water department will not be the same either without Charley.

 

Welcoming a new face

 

Jenna Battaglia feels “blessed” – happy that she landed an internship with the Village of Webster, helping out and learning the workings of a village. Jenna is an attractive personable senior at SUNY Brockport working towards a public administration degree. In fact she is taking the same program that Village Clerk Kathy Vendel took. Mayor Peter Elder said that Jenna “is a huge help in the office and is quickly learning the essential duties. She has a keen interest in what we do.”

Jenna learned on- the- job training recently about crowds as the village hall was swamped with last minute passport sales. “Passports were nuts,” said Kathy.  Eighty-five passports were processed one day and 75 the next. That’s a lot of passports and “it worked”, said Kathy proudly thanks to great organization and a wonderful office staff that included Jenna.

 

She is the daughter of Robert and Cheri Battaglia of Webster .

You can run but you can’t hide –and I have proof.

 

 Don’t you sometime just try to get away? Let your hair down, Lucy... so to speak?

So you find a friendly town or spot - south, east, west of Webster (not north or you’ll drown) where nobody knows your name. We do that sometimes…and on purpose. 

 However, no matter where we go, a certain foursome appears to think like us.

Seriously if we are in Fairport, East Rochester, Ellicottville or Port Bay …they are there.

At least they are fun! 

They are Bill and Joan Southwell and   Jim and Jane Hoffman .

So the moral of the story is simply…and the lesson to be learned is - don’t think you can get away with anything anywhere if you are from Webster because someone, besides God, is watching.

 

Gone fishin' has been reeled in to play at the Gazebo

Friday night, July 23

Gone Fishin' is not just a sing on the door when you need to step away from the hustle and bustle of every day work and stress.  To many of us websterites, it's a genre of local music created by 6 great friends, some brother, who have been entertaining in the Webster and surround area for 30 years!

This 6-piece Bluegrass band will be playing at the Gazebo at Veterans Memorial Park this Friday night starting at 7 p.m

Webster natives Don Hauza (guitar) and Danny Beh (banjo) joined Dick Cataldi (fiddle) in the late 70's as they took a vacation in the western Adirondacks, an area familiar to Dick who attended nearby Clarkson University. Brothers Tony (bass) and Steve Cataldi (mandolin/vocals) quickly joined the group as Steve also attended Clarkson. Soon thereafter, Mark Manzoni (lead guitar/vocals) helped step the band into high gear with strong musical talent and an injection of great new songs.

Bluegrass music has attracted a diverse and extremely loyal following worldwide. Bluegrass pioneer Bill Monroe characterized the genre: “It’s plain music that tells a good story. It's played from my heart to your heart, and it will touch you. Bluegrass is music that matters." 

Whatever it is …everyone loves it.

These  musicians have made many friends after playing for 30 years and they love playing for the joy of it – whether  in front of a crowd, whether a coffee house, pub  but most especially here in Webster.

Dedication to Veterans at Hatters

 

An event …unusual as it may seem to be held in a village pub, will take place Thursday, July 22.

Jeanne Klem-Goonan, in lasting gratitude for veterans and in order to honor her family members who have served in the armed forces, has created a wall in her establishment dedicated to all American veterans.

A dedication ceremony will take place at 7 p.m. – officiated /blessed by Jeanne’s uncle,

Fr. Bob Klem, CSB of Sugarland, Texas. Jeanne is thrilled that Fr. Bob will be on hand for the dedication as “his father, brother, and niece are in the display,” she said.

She is also hoping that others may want to honor their veteran for a small fee ($20) that will be directed to our troops oversees.

For more information contact Jeanne.

 

Lion King Raffle to benefit the Arboretum

 

Good News! The Lion King is coming to the Rochester Auditorium Theatre again in March, 2011…and the arboretum is selling chances on four tickets thanks to the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Bill Saucke.

 

Everyone who loves the best in Broadway musicals and our wonderful resource – the Webster Arboretum on Schlegel Road is asked to support the Webster Arboretum. Send in your donation/check now. This package is worth $600…wow! Tickets are $5 per ticket; 3 for $10.

 

Include your name, address, telephone number – email address and please, make your check payable to the Webster Arboretum, Inc. PO Box 782, Webster, N.Y. 14580-0782.

 (Hear the birds and the plants? Listen. They are saying “thank-you!)