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190 Years
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United Methodist Church of Webster Celebrates 190 Years
The United Methodist Church of Webster celebrates a very long and proud history of 190 years of ministry. The core mission of the church has been to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
The current church located at 169 East Main Street is a product of the merger of two churches each with rich history. The First Methodist Episcopal Church was incorporated in 1832 on West Main Street. In 1861, the Zion Church of the Evangelical Association began on Salt Road, but in 1907 purchased the land on the corner of East Main and Curtis Park and moved the church there and joined the Evangelical United Brethren denomination. In 1972, the Methodists on West Main merged with the EUB on East Main and became the United Methodist Church of Webster.
Throughout its history, the church has kept Biblical teaching and discipleship as a foundation. They have always been mission-oriented supporting local food cupboards and sending teams on national and international mission trips. They also offer space rent-free in their Outreach House to Caring Choices crisis pregnancy center and the Webster Community Chest. This year they started a monthly community dinner to promote fellowship in our community. It is being held the third Saturday of every month and is free and open to all.
Congratulations to this wonderful congregation for serving the needs of Webster and beyond for the last 190 years!
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165 Years
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Webster Baptist Church - 165 Years
By November 10, 1830, a branch of the Ontario and Penfield Baptist Church had grown to a membership of 50 and was given recognition as an independent church to be named the North Penfield Baptist Church. In 1846, the name was changed to the Webster Baptist Church, following the establishment of the Township of Webster in 1840.
A frame building served the congregation for over 20 years. This wooden structure was then moved one block west to be used by the Webster Academy until it burned in 1872. Two members of the congregation, Luther Curtice and Horace Holt, gathered and hauled fieldstone and cobblestones from the shores of Lake Ontario, and the present fieldstone and cobblestone structure was built by the 250-member congregation in 1855 – 1856. It was dedicated on January 1, 1857. The church had the first church bell in Webster, and it was tolled for the funeral of any Webster resident regardless of their faith.
The following years brought growth and improvements, including a furnace, baptistry, memorial stained-glass windows, and pews. Rent was charged for the pews to cover church expenses. The 100th birthday of the Webster Baptist congregation was celebrated May 11 – 13, 1930.
A significant addition to the church includes the Aeolian Pipe Organ, given in memory of William and Elizabeth Chapin, and installed in November 1938. It was dedicated on November 20, 1938, and was rededicated exactly 50 years later on November 20, 1988.
The Christian Education Building was added in 1957, the centennial year of the church building. The Edith Bowman Memorial window and tower lights were installed in 1960. During the 1965 restoration, the sanctuary was completely renovated, and classrooms and offices were added to the lower level. An elevator was installed on the south side of the church. The year 1980 marked 150 years of Christian fellowship and 124 years in the present building. The tower clock was dedicated on June 5, 1983. In August 1991, a chair lift, a Bart VanIngen memorial gift, was put in on the north stairway to facilitate easier access to the sanctuary.
In November 1991, the church was placed on both the State and National Registers of Historic Places and a plaque was attached to the front of the church. It is the largest cobblestone building in the United States still being used for the same purposes for which it was constructed.
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90 Years
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West Webster Fire District - 90 Years
As a result of the January 1925 fire at the northwest corner of Ridge and Gravel Roads, 25 concerned citizens in the hamlet of West Webster organized to form a fire department. This group formed the West Webster Volunteer Fireman’s Association, incorporating it in 1926. This small charter membership took on the task of raising funds, obtaining equipment, and training its members. In order to create a local government responsible to provide fire protection, a District was created. The first Board of Fire Commissioners took their oaths of office on January 1st, 1932. This was the beginning of the West Webster Fire District, which we are recognizing today. Initially, the District helped support the Association through the purchasing of smaller items and establishing guidelines in administering the department. However, for the first 30 years the members of the Fireman’s Association raised the funds needed to support the organization. During the 1950’s the Fire District started to take over some of the financial responsibility in providing fire protection. Improving technology and finances enabled home receivers to be issued to members for their homes while the communities need for emergency medical service increased the number of calls for service. The 1960’s and 70’s were decades of growth, demonstrated by the district taking over the purchasing of fire apparatus, the institution of preplanning for target facilities, and the adoption of several innovative practices on the fireground that improved the department’s performance. In 1962, the first District fire station was built on Backus Road improving the response time for residents in the north end of the district while the 1966 construction of the station on Gravel Road served the residents to the center and south areas. Significant changes occurred in fire service starting in the 1980’s including improved emergency medical training and protective gear for firefighters. These trends, together with improved research in firefighting tactics, has increased fireground safety and accountability. In 2000, with the population growing and service calls increasing, the district authorized a third station on Plank Road and expanded its marine capabilities on Irondequoit Bay. Throughout this period, the West Webster Fire District took over many of the expenses of the department while maintaining one of the lowest tax rates in Monroe County, primarily as a result of the Association’s volunteer membership. Recently, the replacement of the Gravel Road station has given the district an improved facility to house and train the organizations approximately 100 members. The district would like to thank the community for its support and particularly the West Webster Volunteer Fireman’s Association for its years of dedicated service. We look forward to celebrating the Association’s 100th year Anniversary in 2026 with you.
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75 Years
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The Maplewood Nursing Home - 75 Years ago
Exceptional personal care has been a family tradition for three generations, and it's still their philosophy today. Simply put, they begin every day with a clear vision to treat and provide care for your loved ones as you would at home. Everything Maplewood does flows from that philosophy.
The Maplewood was founded by Thomas and Johanna Chambery, who opened the facility in 1947 on Lake Avenue in the City of Rochester. In 1960, James and Judith Chambery took over the operation, serving as Administrator and Director of Nursing Services. To meet growing demands, they moved to their Webster location in 1976. They picked Webster because of the strong community feeling here.
Run today by Greg Chambery, the grandson of the founders, The Maplewood still reflects the Chambery Family commitment to providing comfortable accommodations, attentive service, and affordable quality care.
A lot has changed since the early days on Lake Avenue, but the desire to provide superior service and their commitment to distinctive personal care remains the same. Their clients deserve the best, and that's what they deliver at every level, with every interaction, every single day.
Congratulations to Maplewood Nursing Home on 75 years of caring for our most cherished citizens.
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70 Years
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Anthony Funeral Chapels – started 70 Years ago
Anthony Funeral Chapels –Anthony Funeral Chapel, Inc. started in November 1952 fulfilling a childhood dream of Ben Anthony who was first introduced to the business on trips to Schenectady to visit an aunt who along with her husband ran a funeral home.
In 1941, after graduating from Brighton High School he entered Simmons School of Mortuary Science in Syracuse. World War II slowed that process down but after serving in the South Pacific he completed his schooling and did his apprenticeship and residency at Hedges Memorial Chapel in Rochester. During the next several years, while also working in his father’s sand and gravel business as a truck driver, Ben acquired land on Monroe Avenue in Brighton to build his dream. His brother was licensed and joined Ben in the business soon after its doors opened.
This was the only funeral home in Brighton and the challenge was to attract families who for generations went to Hedges Memorial and other downtown funeral homes. The business grew as the community grew, and in 1984 the business was sold to the next generation and the brother’s two eldest sons Mark and Scott took over. A short time later they purchased the Smith & Lotze Funeral Home in the village of Webster.
That business was started in the late 1800’s as the Harris & Nagle Funeral Home and Cabinet Makers. In the 1920’s, Earl Smith and Carl Lotze took over the business and changed the name to Smith & Lotze Funeral Home and Furniture Store. After WWII, John (Jack) Elliott, Frank Klick, and Bruce O’Dell became the owners. In addition to the funeral home and furniture store they also ran an ambulance service for some years.
Many families have been served in Brighton, Pittsford, and Rochester over the last 70 years and many families in Webster have been served by that funeral home for over one hundred years.
Anthony Funeral Chapels is grateful to have to opportunity to serve those communities.
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60 Years
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Chamberlain Septic & Sewer / Beh Excavating - Celebrates 60 Years
In 1962, Gordon Beh was a dairy farmer who purchased a backhoe to do some needed drainage work around his dairy farm. Little did he know that his great work would capture the attention of his neighbors. By 1964, other farmers, friends and builders were asking him to do drainage work, install septic systems, and install water services on their properties.
It didn't take long for it to become clear that Gordon's true calling was not milk, but mud. He left the dairy business to concentrate exclusively on excavation work and in 1970, he incorporated and became Gordon Beh Excavating Contractors, Inc.
Installing septic systems was already a part of the business, so when he had the opportunity to purchase Chamberlain Septic Tank Service in 1972, it was the perfect complement and meant he could service the septic and sewer systems he installed.
The business is a family affair. Sons, Dean and David, joined their dad in the 1970s, and when Gordon retired in 1990, they carried on the longstanding tradition of providing unsurpassed customer service.
Today, Chamberlain Septic and Sewer uses state-of-the-art technology for the industry including power snaking equipment, video cameras and confined space equipment, along with an expanded fleet of large and small capacity septic tank trucks. Gordon Beh Excavating maintains the latest equipment including backhoes, bulldozers, and dump trucks that are updated regularly.
They have the knowledge and expertise to get the job done. Dean and David hold numerous industry certifications, and more than half of their staff have been with the company for more than 20 years.
Congratulations on their 60 years in business.
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55 Years
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Turner Auto Care - Celebrates 55 Years
Turner Auto Care is located at 1411 Empire Boulevard in Webster. You can find them at the south end of Irondequoit Bay directly across the street from Waters Edge apartments. It’s a bright blue building with yellow trim – you can’t miss it!
The name kind of gives it away but they are in the auto repair and maintenance business. They work on most makes and models of vehicles and do everything from diagnostics, brakes, and oil changes to custom exhausts.
The name Turner Auto Care comes from the original three Turner brothers who established the business in 1967. The first location was in Greece, and they moved to Webster in 1970 and have been at this same location since. In 2011, Scott Bartlett was looking to break away from the dealerships and open his own shop. He stopped by the shop and met Robert Turner, who was the remaining Turner brother running the business. Robert’s words to Scott were “Where have you been? I’ve been waiting for you!” That was the beginning of the Turner/Bartlett partnership. In 2014, Scott took over and Robert retired. In 2016 Vicki joined Scott at the shop after many years working in the corporate world.
The goals and values aligned between the Bartlett’s and the Turner’s so the transition was very smooth. They are in the business of helping people. They truly believe everyone should have someone they trust taking care of their vehicles. Turner Auto also focuses on their customers and their experience at the shop. They strive to make them feel welcome and safe. They love laughing and joking with them and learning who they are outside of their vehicles.
Turner Auto is proud to be a AAA Top Customer Service provider for last four years; have an average of 4.8/5 star reviews on Google, Facebook, and Sure Critic; and have ASE accredited technicians and service advisors.
Their community involvement is diverse and includes supporting the Webster Girl Scouts, Webster PTSA, Lyric Voices (a group of middle and high school students), highlighting and promoting their customers who have their own small businesses or extraordinary skills and services, but their focus has been working with the local Webster group, Making Spirits Bright and local animal rescue, GRASP.
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55 Years
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Monroe Piping & Sheet Metal, LLC - Celebrates 55 Years
Monroe Piping and Sheet Metal is a full-service commercial mechanical contractor. They are responsible for the heating and cooling systems, refrigeration, piping and plumbing of a building. They offer equipment installation, repair, and 24-hour service and preventive maintenance.
Monroe Piping and Sheet Metal was founded in 1967 by Harold Shearer as Monroe Piping. In 1974 Harold Nairy and Reno Lippa purchased the business, and in 1983, they acquired Schneider Sheet Metal and renamed the company Monroe Piping and Sheet Metal. In 1995, longtime employees Phil Somers and Curt Peterson purchased the company and currently Phil, his son Brian, and Curt’s son Troy own and run Monroe Piping & Sheet Metal.
Monroe Piping & Sheet Metal has worked on many different projects over 55 years, such as the ROC airport, Riverwood Tech Campus, and the Highpoint buildings in Victor. Some of the projects Monroe is currently working on are the Aqueduct Building, which is the new Constellation Brands Headquarters, the U of R project at Marketplace Mall, and the SUNY Geneseo Milne Library.
Monroe Piping & Sheet metal currently has 90 employees, and over the years have added many services such as fire protection, building automation and control, design build, and 3D building information modeling.
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50 Years
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Pride Mark Homes - Celebrates 50 Years
Tradition, pride, and honesty run deep at Pride Mark Homes. These are the core values that drove James R. Barbato to create Pride Mark in Rochester, New York in 1972. By spending summers on the job site, and then growing into a management role, his son Jim formed an appreciation for hard work.
Thorough planning strategies go into each home they build. Their commitment is to offer the new home buyer solid craftsmanship and quality construction with special attention to every detail. In doing so, Pride Mark has been able to create quality homes in beautiful neighborhoods throughout communities in the Rochester area for over 40 years. Pride Mark’s presence as a quality Rochester homebuilder in the single-family marketplace has created the strong foundation at the heart of every home built today.
While adapting homebuilding to the evolving needs of our community, Jim continues to carry the values that his father instilled in him. Pride Mark Homes has become a complete general contracting company. While their single-family homes, patio homes, and townhomes continue to be the backbone of the company, they have evolved into building apartments, light commercial, assisted living and skilled nursing facilities. Pride Mark has developed over 20 neighborhoods and built more than 2,000 homes. Each project is unique, but the superior quality and craftsmanship that their customers have grown accustomed to remains strong.
Pride Mark Homes offers a home buyer a unique blend of contemporary and traditional styles to suit personal preferences. Their homes and townhomes are unique, with creative designs and floor plans to fit today’s lifestyles and ensure as much flexibility as possible. Several of their customers who built single family homes for their young family years ago return when they are empty nesters and ready to transition into a low maintenance townhome.
The dedicated team at Pride Mark is a vital part of their success. This group of highly skilled, motivated professionals is devoted to their customers from start to finish. From planning to delivery, their employees and subcontractors work as a team. The partnership and shared office community with Inde Design Center allows customers a seamless selection experience as they work with the area’s best design professionals to plan their new home. The ease of being able to see a variety of finishes in one location makes the process go smoothly and helps customers envision their new home.
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50 Years
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Passero Associates – in business for 50 Years
Fifty years ago, on April 15, 1972, Gary W. Passero founded Passero Associates in Rochester as an engineering firm. The firm began with two employees in a small office on Lake Avenue. Under Gary's leadership, Passero Associates has grown to over 140 engineers, architects, planners, surveyors, and support personnel, with nine offices in New York, Florida, Ohio, North Carolina, Georgia, and Vermont, serving clients in the Northeast, Southeast, and Midwestern United States.
Passero’s dedicated staff provides high-quality, value-oriented planning, engineering, architectural design, structural, surveying, sustainability, program management, design-build, construction observation, 3D visualization, and virtual infrastructure services and solutions to commercial and general aviation airports, municipalities, institutions, manufacturers, commercial developers, residential developers, and faith-based institutions.
Providing exceptional service and partnering with clients to achieve their goals is Passero's objective on every project, with every client. Passero develops projects that clients can be proud of for years to come. As part of the firm's philosophy of giving, Passero returns at least 10% of firm profits every year to the communities in which they work.
Congratulations to Passero Associates on 50 years in business.
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45 Years
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Webster Wine & Spirits – in business for 40 Years
In July 1977, John Gonzalez and his wife Shari opened Webster Wine & Spirits next to Hegedorn’s. The store opened with 2 part time employees while John continued his full-time management responsibilities with Hegedorn’s. John and Shari covered both opening and closing the store for most of the 72 hours they were open each week. The store has always relied on two key components: friendly, knowledgeable staff and excellent products. It has a small footprint which lets the staff get to know each customer and their needs well. Through many hours of hard work, good decisions, great staff, and valued customers the store is still going strong 45 years later.
A critical development happened in 2005 when Paul Bialobok was hired to manage the store. Paul used his talents to make some major strides with the store. In 2010, Paul was deployed to the Middle East by the Army Reserves and Kevin Cook was hired as interim Manager. Kevin proved himself invaluable in Paul’s absence and both Managers stayed on staff once Paul returned. With their knowledge and ability to select the right products they continued to develop and grow the business. Today, the store has one of the highest sales volumes per square foot in Monroe County.
John began the generational transition in 2013 by getting both of his sons involved in the business. Jonathan oversees financial management while Michael does administrative work and works in the store weekly.
Congratulations on your 45 years of success!
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45 Years
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CDS Monarch – in business for 45 years
Forty-five years ago, in 1977, there were few options for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities after high school. Understanding this and with the goal of ensuring quality services would always be available for their children, no matter their ages, a group of parents set out to form Continuing Developmental Services, Inc. (CDS), a not-for-profit, private organization.
A year later, in August of 1978, they opened their first community residence. Since then, the organization once known as CDS has spread its wings and developed into a widely respected service provider for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities, veterans, and seniors.
Now known as CDS Life Transitions, the organization employs 1,200 people, touches 42 New York counties, and has positively impacted 14,800 people’s lives through care management, insurance, pharmacy medications, and affordable housing in the last year alone.
With its headquarters at 860 Hard Road in Webster, CDS Life Transitions, along with affiliates CDS Monarch, Unistel Industries, Warrior Salute Veteran Services, iCircle, Prime Care Coordination, CDS Rx Pharmacy, and the CDS Wolf Foundation, continually create opportunities for people to live their best lives through their compassionate, community-focused organization.
The organization is open and available for scheduled tours and encourages everyone to consider attending their upcoming SALUTE: A Toast to Our Veterans event in support of Warrior Salute Veterans Services on Thursday, November 10 at the Strathallan Hotel Rooftop Ballroom. For more information about how to register for that event or even to become a sponsor, please see CDS Wolf Foundation Executive Director Tom DeRoller or Content and Communications Specialist Hannah Bell, who are both here today on behalf of CDS Life Transitions.
Please help me congratulate CDS Life Transitions and thank them for their 45 years of service and commitment to our community!
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40 Years
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Best Times Financial - Celebrates 40 Years
In 1982, Jack and Kathy Best started Best Times Financial Planning. Because of Jack’s unbending ethic to always do right and Kathy’s desire to provide a great experience, Kevin was able to come in, learn from them and take over a successful business in 2007. It is now 2022 and Kevin is celebrating the 40th anniversary of his parent’s wonderful decision.
Their business today looks very different than it did in 1982. They have evolved and changed the name to Best Times Financial. The name better fits who they are to the families who employ them. They are now their clients’ personal Chief Financial Officer. Like a CFO in a company, Best Times oversees all aspects of their client’s financial lives. Best Times Financial provides a Virtual Family Office for their clients to be able to utilize whenever they have financial, legal, tax, and health concerns for themselves or any member of their family. They work on a team basis utilizing the family’s best advisors and Best Times fully vetted advisors as needed.
Best Times Financial makes sure that their clients’ life objectives are implemented, and their families feel confident about the decisions made by the matriarchs and patriarchs of the family. The firm’s success is defined by the families the serve when they confidently focus on the important parts of their lives: time with family, time improving the community they have helped to build, and time to meet the new milestones the clients always establish.
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35 Years
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Performance Hobbies - Celebrates 35 Years
TMC RC Cars was founded at 205 North Ave in 1984 by Tom McCoy. That was the real start of Performance Hobbies although the name change would not happen until the late 80's. Tom moved the business to the back side of 15 West Main Street in the early 1990's where it remains to this day.
As the business grew quickly during this time, Tom has had four expansions made to the shop. The first was to move to the front of the building (on Main Street) and the second was to take both the front and back of the location. Again, the store grew out of the space it was in and, in order to keep the shop in its current location, Tom’s landlord, Bob Lindsey, put an edition on the building in 2004 and Performance Hobbies expanded once again taking half of the 1,500 square foot space. It wasn't long before they needed more space again, expanding to the entire addition and taking over the next-door apartment for a work room and storage area.
The pandemic was the final jewel in the crown for Performance Hobbies. As the government shut most retail business's down Performance Hobbies remained open and flourished during this time doubling its sales in 2020.
They now are in the top 10% of hobby shops in the country. Even with the current downturn of the economy the future still looks bright for Performance Hobbies as they have established themselves as one of the best hobby shops in New York. People are traveling from all over the state to visit this small Hobby Shop on Main Street in the Village of Webster.
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30 Years
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R.S Lindsay Building & Interior Finishes - Celebrates 30 Years
RS Lindsay Building & Interior Finishes has been serving western New York’s commercial, residential, and historical construction needs since 1992, and they take pride in their work. They handle both small and large-scale projects, and they pay attention to detail. From leading the renovation in the High Falls District in Rochester, to the renovation of the Discovery Museum in Lockport, they have completed many jobs in the area.
They specialize in commercial, residential, and historical construction and remodeling services. They are able to take the lead on a new project or bring things back to life in an old building.
Congratulations on your 30 years of success!
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25 Years
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The Opportunity Group – Celebrates 25 Years
In 1997 Bob Freese was stressed out, tired and frustrated. So, he made a choice, follow the money or follow his heart. The heart won and the Opportunity Group was created.
Bob had one simple vision, find ways to enable people to live a better life, with less stress, more energy, more joy.
As he listened to stakeholders, something bigger emerged and that was the need for real leaders practicing authentic leadership that attracts, inspires and retains the right people so organizations can fulfill their purpose. The challenge presented itself beyond teaching leadership principles! The leaders who came to workshops were stressed out, tired, and frustrated. So that issue had to be solved too. Over time, the Conscious Leader experience was born, refined, and rewritten to be what it is today, an 8-week, immersive experience.
Now Bob and his team gather people from all walks of life and all kinds of organizations who are stressed out, tired, and frustrated and the program first focuses on the person. Participants learn how to understand their stress and make it their friend; they learn to relax more and manage frustration as opportunity. Then it’s time to focus on the tools to lead, drive change, and create what’s possible. Once learned with this simple process, stakeholders win, the team is inspired, and the leaders themselves, well, they feel like they are winning too.
You see, authentic leaders don’t wait for direction, they create it, and in the process, they generate organizational pressure because they drive toward a future others may not understand. Leaders need the tools to build success versus create chaos. Leaders drive a YES based on authentic values, they live a mindset that honors and fulfills the WHY of all the people around them, and leaders SHOW UP, because they know they are always Role Models.
When we lead well, we produce positive energy, we focus on building something bigger than ourselves, and it feeds our soul and the spirit of those around us. That spirit of Can Do is very alive in upstate New York and according to Bob, he feels it at every Chamber event, because the room is always full of people that want to make a difference and build a better future.
25 years, and still learning.
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25 Years
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Heartland Payroll – Celebrates 25 Years
The road to success for small businesses is uphill. Heartland knows because they’re entrepreneurs too. That’s why Heartland is committed to being the complete technology solution for growing small businesses. It’s why over 1.2 million customers trust them to provide the financial technology to make money, move money, manage employees, and engage their customers.
Heartland delivers a human touch across all their solutions, services, and support. All designed to help overcome everyday challenges. From new startups to experienced enterprises — when people want a partner, they can trust to help them build a remarkable business — they do it with Heartland, because they’re entrepreneurs, they’re people and they get it.
Heartland Payment Systems, Inc. is a U.S. based payment processing and technology provider. Founded in July of 1997, Heartland assists clients all across the US. They help in areas of payroll and human resources, credit card services, point of sale, and online payments. They employ over 4,000 employees across the US with a local office here in Rochester on Jefferson Road.
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