Kids Out and About

I wanted to share a wonderful resource with all of you with children in your lives. Kids Out and About, is a website run by Debra Ross and sponsored by Excellus Blue Cross and Blue Shield. You can find all sorts of information regarding activities involving children in the Rochester area. The beautiful thing about this site is not only that it is free for you to read it, it is also free for organizations, profit and non-profit, to post their activities. This allows the reader to learn about activities they may otherwise have never heard of. They also offer a free newsletter that is sent out once a week,typically on Fridays, and has lots of information for the upcoming week. There is also much more than just activities listed on the website. You will also find local giveaways (often tickets to shows or gift certificates to local merchants), a listing of kid-friendly restaurants and a list of area restaurants that offer specials on kids meals (kids eat free, pay what they weigh, etc), articles on raising healthy kids, and "everyday" places to bring the kids that are not necessarily tied into an activity or event, such as the zoo or playgrounds. Debra Ross is also a homeschooler and offers several homeschool resources on the website.

I have personally, used this website for the past several years and received the newsletter for just as long. We have been blessed to have won a few of the giveaways and have always received the prizes. I have been introduced to several wonderful events and businesses that I had no idea existed in this area. If you have anything to do with children in the Rochester area, I highly recommend that you check out Kids Out and About.

175th Anniversary New Year's Eve Celebration and Big Wish

As Rochester's 175th anniversary year comes to an end, Mayor Duffy will be celebrating with us during an evening of fun family events. It starts at 6PM with free ice skating at Manhattan Square Park. This only covers skate admission. If you do not own ice skates, there will be a limited number available for rent at the cost of $3 a pair. From 6:30-9:30PM, there will be a host of family activities at the Riverside Convention Center. There will be a Family DJ Dance Party with Jimmy C's Music Machine, giant inflatables, carnival games, a free photo booth, face painting, airbrush tattoos, and caricature drawings. A professional clown, magician, stilt-walker and balloon sculptor will also be there. Camp Good Days and Special Times will also be on site to encourage you to participate in their KazooFest. At 9:30PM, there will be a presentation by Mayor Bob Duffy and then the elevator of the First Federal building will raise a star to the top. When the star reaches the top, the Big Wish, Globe of Fire Ceremony will begin. This ceremony will occur on the Sister Cities Bridge overlooking the Genesee River. What is the Big Wish, Globe of Fire ceremony, you ask? Over the past year, the city has collected wishes from people in the community. During the ceremony, the wishes will be placed inside a metal globe and will be set afire. This is reminiscent of a Native American ceremony of offering intentions to the spirits. The evening will conclude with a fire work display at 10PM. There will be free parking at street meters and the city-owned parking garages (Court St Garage, Washington Square Garage, Sister Cities Garage and South Ave Garage) after 6PM on December 31, 2009. This should prove to be a wonderful time for all. I hope you will take advantage of this fun and free opportunity.

Col. Nathaniel Rochester

Col. Nathaniel Rochester was born February 21, 1752 in West Moreland County, Virginia. As an adult, he served as a major and a colonel in the North Carolina militia, a county clerk in the North Carolina Assembly of 1777, in the Maryland General Assembly, and as a postmaster. He married Sophia Beatty in 1788 in Hagerstown, MD. Together they had 12 children, 9 of which survived until adulthood. Thomas, one of their sons, became the 6th mayor of Rochester. In 1810, Col. Rochester moved his family to a tract of land he had purchased near Dansville. He quickly immersed himself in the local business life and politics. The following year, he began establishing a town on another tract of land he had bought near High Falls. He offered plots of land for sale and it became known as the town of Rochesterville. In 1812, he moved his family from Dansville to Rochesterville. Col. Rochester was also pivotal in creating Monroe County (named after President James Monroe) in 1821 and served as the first county clerk and the county's first representative in the New York State Assembly. He continued to help develop Rochesterville and Monroe County in many ways, by actively participating in politics and helping to establish several churches and banks. He was the first president of Rochester Institute of Technology (then known as Rochester Athenaenum). Col. Rochester died May 17, 1831 from a painful illness and is interred at Mt. hope Cemetary.

2010 Census

Are you looking for work? It is census time again and the US Census Bureau is hiring census takers in the Rochester area. The majority of the hiring will take place in the spring of 2010 and these are temporary positions. Pay for this area starts at $13.50 an hour.You will be paid weekly via direct deposit. You will receive up to 4 days of paid training and can receive reimbursement for approved expenses, such as mileage. The job qualifications include: must be age 18 or older, males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service, you are either a US citizen or you possess a bilingual skill which no qualified US citizen is available and you are a legal permanent resident or a non-citizen with the appropriate work visa, you have a valid social security number, you have a valid driver's license, you pass a background check, you pass a written test and you can commit to the 4 days of training. You can learn more about the census jobs, take a practice test and learn how to apply at the US Census Bureau website. Being a census worker is not only a great way to make some money, but it is a great way to serve your community, by helping to ensure that EVERYONE is counted.

Free visit with Santa

Tom and Theresa Kernan are the brother and sister team that run the State Farm Agency in Chili. They, and everyone in the office, are very kind and helpful, and I highly recommend them to anyone seeking an insurance agent in the area. For the past several years, they have had Santa Claus come visit their office and they are doing so again this year. When we have gone in the past, it has always been a pleasant experience. Unlike the mall, the line is short and you get a FREE picture. Being the wonderful people they are, the Kernans open this event to everyone in the community, not just their customers. In fact, we switched agencies over a year ago (due to the fact my sister works for another agent, NOT due to anything the Kernans or their office did) and today, I personally received a phone call inviting us to come see Santa. He will be at their office on Friday, December 18th from 3-5PM. They are located at 3221 Chili Avenue, across from the Chili Paul Plaza. If you need to reach them by phone for questions or to learn more about the products they offer, you can call them at (585) 889-3210. Have a wonderful holiday season!


***Disclaimer***- This is NOT a sponsored post. I did not receive any compensation, monetary or otherwise, for writing this. This is my personal opinion and should be taken as such.

What this blog is about

I decided to start this blog in order for Rochesterians and visitors to Rochester, to see all the great things this city has to offer. Too often I hear people saying there is nothing to do here, but I disagree. Rochester is a wonderful city with a rich history and activities for everyone, from the youngest to the oldest. I invite you to stop by often as I feature various local activities, restaurants, venues, and people. I will also be posting special deals, history tidbits, news items, and hopefully giveaways.