Lynn Binnie

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It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society. This week’s image is in honor of Whitewater High School graduation this Sunday. It is a picture of the high school band, sometime in the 1950s since S. E. Mear, also in the picture, became the band director in 1954. Congratulations to all high school graduates this Sunday.

Join us next week for more from the Whitewater Historical Society

(5072PC Whitewater Historical Society)

The Milwaukee Handbell Ensemble (MHE) will present its 20th anniversary concert at 3:00 p.m. Saturday, June 3th, 2023, at First United Methodist Church, 145 South Prairie Street, Whitewater, WI. Children (ages 6-12) and their families are invited to a free preconcert talk at 2:15 in the front of church which includes playing handbells and active discussion. This Platinum Celebration includes well-loved classic music, along with festive new works, traditional favorites from the past 20 years.

The world premier of “Platinum Celebration” composed for this event for the Milwaukee Handbell Ensemble is based on many of the pieces the Milwaukee Handbell Ensemble has played and includes many unique handbell techniques such as quickly pressing the bells on a table, using mallets, tipping them sideways and more. Other pieces include “Footloose” (1984 movie), “All You Need is Love” (Beatles), original handbell compositions showcasing the various handbell techniques.

Karen Armstrong currently plays handbells for two churches in Janesville, helps out with the bell choir at Fairhaven Senior Services in Whitewater, and plays for the Milwaukee Handbell Ensemble. She has been playing handbells for more than 30 years. She lived in Kenosha, played in an adult handbell choir, directed Children’s Chime & Handbell Choirs, and played in small ensembles. Then in 2016 she moved to Whitewater Lake, 20 minutes south of Whitewater. She got a job as an Occupational Therapist in the Janesville School District and began playing bells in three Janesville area churches where she met Jim Dahlgran, of Janesville, who also played in multiple church bell choirs. She had never rung duets before but with Jim’s guidance and patience, she learned the techniques involved and they have shared music with various audiences since 2017. They both auditioned for the MHE in August 2021 and they were ecstatic to be invited to join. Most of the MHE concerts in the past few years have been in the Milwaukee area so she is delighted that the First United Methodist Church of Whitewater is hosting a MHE concert on Sat. June 3rd at 3 p.m. It is a great location because she knows that some of the bell ringers from Fairhaven, as well as handbell ringers, friends and family from the surrounding communities will love to attend.

“I love playing handbells,” Karen Armstrong, Whitewater resident says , “because a handbell choir is an ensemble in the truest sense of the word. An entire handbell choir is itself a single instrument, with each musician responsible for their one, two, or more notes in the chromatic scale, like the black and white keys of the piano. Rich melodies are achieved when the members of the ensemble play together. I also love that the handbell repertoire has increased greatly in the last 20 or so years with handbell music coming in a variety of levels of difficulty and in a variety of genres, from religious to secular including many arrangements of popular tunes.”

“I love making music with handbells,” Jim Dahlgran from Janesville says. “I have always loved music and have been active in it since I was 8-10 yrs old. Handbells are a unique instrument in the percussion family that not only ring, but have a now myriad of other playing techniques that provide a very wide spectrum of sound. What other instrument can you beat with a stick or slam into the table? The other reason is friendship and extended family of like minded musicians.”

The Milwaukee Handbell Ensemble is grateful for its season sponsor: UNITY Lutheran Church in Brookfield.

About the Milwaukee Handbell Ensemble
Founded in 2003 the Milwaukee Handbell Ensemble (MHE) has gained wide popularity in our community and beyond. The organization is dedicated to further the art of handbell ringing by educating, inspiring and informing others on the art form by showcasing advanced handbell repertoire while being a musical resource for the Milwaukee metropolitan area and beyond. MHE is an auditioned community handbell ensemble with thirteen ringers who play 73 handbells and 73 hand chimes.

Within these 19 years, MHE has become known for amazing memorized performances, for premiering new arrangements of popular music, as well as being the recording choir for AGEHR Publishing. They have been guest performers with the Midwest Vocal Express, Bel Canto Chorus, Present Music and the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. In fact, MHE has performed five times with MSO under conductors: Doc Severinsen, Stuart Chafetz, Jeff Tyzik, and Andreas Delfs.

Over the past seven years, MHE has expanded their reach by taking mini-tours to Minnesota, South Dakota and Michigan performing by invitation at the Area 7 Handbell Festival in Sioux Falls in 2016 and most recently, in the summer of 2018, played the closing concert of the National Seminar for the Handbell Musicians of America in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

About the Musical Director
Conductor, Kaethe Grabenhofer is the Artistic Director of The Milwaukee Handbell Ensemble. Grabenhofer has more than 25 years of handbell ringing experience and is driven to inspire and help others find inspiration in music. She believes in the power of music and brings music to a variety of audiences from senior centers to educational settings.

Grabenhofer has traveled to three continents in order to make music in different environments and with different people, with new experiences each time. This has shown her how people can communicate musically across language barriers. Through all of these experiences, she is eager to share music of other cultures to enable people to better understand the world around them and to engage them in the human musical experience.

Tracey Bowers, president of MHE, said, “She (Kaethe Grabenhofer) has many great ideas on where to take the group both physically and musically. I look forward to reaching out to more audiences with Kaethe leading MHE as we move into the future.”

“This concert has been 20 years in the making. As a former handbell musician, I am excited and inspired by the handbell talent in Milwaukee.,” said Grabenhofer. “I have always admired their innovation and precise ringing.”
Grabenhofer enjoys teaching music and playing the organ at First Immanuel Lutheran School in Cedarburg, Wisconsin. Her educational background includes an MA in Music Education from the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota and a BA in education and music from Concordia University in Wisconsin. She holds a master teacher’s license in Wisconsin, Orff Master’s certificate, Kodaly levels and is a National Board Certified Teacher.

Northern Illinois University announces its spring 2023 Dean’s List students. To earn this distinction, students must meet a minimum semester grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale in the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology or a minimum of 3.75 on a 4.0 scale in the colleges of Business, Education, Health and Human Sciences, Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Visual and Performing Arts.

The student from your area who achieved this honor:

Brianna Tillett, of Whitewater, who is majoring in Rehabilitation & Disability Se. Tillett is a graduate of Kettle Moraine High School.

Northern Illinois University is a student-centered, nationally recognized public research university, with expertise that benefits its region and spans the globe in a wide variety of fields, including the sciences, humanities, arts, business, engineering, education, health and law. Through its main campus in DeKalb, Illinois, and education centers for students and working professionals in Chicago, Hoffman Estates, Naperville, Oregon and Rockford, NIU offers more than 100 courses of study while serving a diverse and international student body of about 19,000. The 17 NIU Huskie athletic teams compete in the Mid-American Conference at the highest NCAA Division I level. For more information, visit www.niu.edu.

The Walworth County Sheriff’s Office reports that on May 10, 2023 two persons were caught on a trail cam three times in one day stealing flower baskets, pots, vegetables, and flower trays from a stand at County Trunk P and Territorial Road in the Town of Richmond. The incidents occurred at 7:00 a.m., 12:55 p.m., and 4:45 p.m. Anyone with information or who recognizes the individuals or the vehicle in the photos above is asked to contact Deputy Kirk Dodge at 262-741-4422. Alternatively if you wish to remain anonymous please contact www.p3tips.com or call 262-723-2677.

The City of Whitewater and the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater are excited to host the 2023 Special Olympics Summer Games June 8-10, 2023. All events will take place on the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater campus. More than 1,400 athletes from across the state will compete in track & field, cornhole, powerlifting, tennis, and soccer.

Special Olympics is a global movement that unleashes the human spirit through the transformative power and joy of sports. It empowers individuals with intellectual disabilities to become accepted and valued members of their communities, leading to a more respectful and inclusive society for all. Using sports as the catalyst as well as programming around health and education, Special Olympics works to end inactivity, injustice and intolerance.

John Weidl, Whitewater city manager, shares, “The City of Whitewater couldn’t be happier to do our part supporting the 2023 Special Olympic games taking place in our community. It’s fitting that such a diverse and inclusive event be hosted in such a diverse and inclusive community. Please join us in welcoming and celebrating these athletes, their families, friends, and visitors alike.”

The 2023 Special Olympics Summer Games will include a parade of athletes and the opening ceremony, the final leg of the Law Enforcement Torch Run® LETR medal moments, and more (learn more about the event). Fun for the whole family! Fans are welcome to watch the Summer Games from the stands or to get involved by volunteering.

The mission of the LETR is to raise funds and awareness for the Special Olympics Movement. LETR is ever growing and has raised over $600 million for Special Olympics programs since forming. Known as Guardians of the Flame, law enforcement members and Special Olympics athletes carry the “Flame of Hope” into the Opening Ceremonies.

Join or cheer them on as they finish strong and carry the Flame of Hope through our community. All community members are welcome to cheer on the runners or participate in the LETR (Learn more about LETR – see “final leg.”) To participate, registration is required. There are various registration options: register to participate and receive a t-shirt for $25, register to be fan and receive a t-shirt for $25, or register to participate in the event for free. LETR will take place Thursday, June 8th, 2023. Participants will gather at Cravath Lakefront Park at 5:00 p.m. The Torch Run will begin at 5:30 p.m. from Cravath Lakefront Park and end at approximately 6:00 p.m. at Perkins Stadium.

Eric Boettcher, Parks & Recreation Director, shares, “It’s an excellent opportunity for our community to host such a great event at one of our parks and along with other community partners. The partnership we have with Special Olympics is a great way to support these athletes and provide volunteer opportunities for residents to get involved.”

Editor’s note: The following urgent communication was received from John Weidl, Whitewater city manager.

I have been working with a group of community members, including employees of the school district, university, and the League of Women Voters (LWV), who have been trying to secure rental housing for the tenants who are living in the Hawk Apartments. Direct contact with the ownership group of the apartments indicates that the tenants were asked to vacate the premises in April and the deadline of June 30th is approaching. Several have found other places to live, but tenants from approximately 15 units are still in need of housing. Of these tenants, two consist of families with school‐aged children. These two families are our highest priority.

In partnership with the City, the community group has talked to the four local hotels seeking long‐term stay arrangements at reduced prices. The least expensive option is $2,300 per month. The group has also looked into services from the Bethel House and Salvation Army. The group has even investigated whether space is available at the university and Fairhaven. While there is the potential for funding, the need is really in terms of available space in Whitewater. At this time, we are still seeking housing.

Because of the urgency of the situation, we ask the members of the Whitewater Rental Association or anyone in the community to contact the City Manager at citymanager@whitewater‐wi.gov if you have immediate housing availability for these families.

Warmest Regards,
John S. Weidl
City Manager

Editor’s note: The Banner will post information on the Residential Clean Sweep in the near future.