Lynn Binnie

Whitewater High School Alumni Association Seeks Members

The Whitewater High School Alumni Association is seeking alumni members’ assistance with the Whitewater High School Alumni Association’s activities, which primarily includes awarding scholarships for Whitewater High School graduates.

“All students who graduated from Whitewater High School are automatic members of the Whitewater High School Alumni Association, and we would love their involvement,” said Jerry Grant (class of 1955,) a board member for the association.

Interested Alumni can contact the Whitewater High School Alumni Association by email at wwhsaa@yahoo.com. They can also contact by phone: Jerry Grant at 262-473-2214, or Sirina Hoffmann (class of 1979) at 608-239-1890.

Per Lee Hollingshead, the annual lot owners and directors meetings of the Cemetery Association of Whitewater will be held on Thursday, January 26, 2023, 7:00 p.m., at Blackhawk Manor, 1155 W. Blackhawk Dr., in Whitewater WI. The association is responsible for Hillside and Oak Grove Cemeteries.

There have been several reports of a robocall scam spoofing First Citizens State Bank’s phone number. If you received a call that appeared to come from 262-473-2112 and no voicemail was left, please disregard the call. If you answered the call and gave out personal information, please contact your local law enforcement agency for assistance. For more information on phone spoofing, please visit https://www.fcc.gov/spoofed-robocalls

Editor’s note: Shown below are the consumer tips from the above website.

Consumer Tips

• Don’t answer calls from unknown numbers. Let them go to voicemail.
• If the caller claims to be from a legitimate company or organization, hang up and call them back using a valid number found on their website or on your latest bill if you do business with them.
• If you answer and the caller (often a recording) asks you to press a button to stop receiving calls, or asks you to say “yes” in response to a question, just hang up. Scammers often use these tricks to identify, and then target, live respondents, or to use your “yes” to apply unauthorized charges on your bill.
• Be Aware: Caller ID showing a “local” number no longer means it is necessarily a local caller.
• If you answer and the caller asks for payment using a gift card, it’s likely a scam. Legitimate organizations like law enforcement will not ask for payment with a gift card.
• If you receive a scam call, file a complaint with the FCC Consumer Complaint Center by selecting the “phone” option and selecting “unwanted calls.” The data we collect helps us track trends and supports our enforcement investigations.
• If you have lost money because of a scam call, contact your local law enforcement agency for assistance.
• Ask your phone company if it offers a robocall blocking service. If not, encourage them to offer one. You can also visit the FCC’s website for more information about illegal robocalls and resources on available robocall blocking tools to help reduce unwanted calls.
• Consider registering your telephone numbers in the National Do Not Call Registry. Lawful telemarketers use this list to avoid calling consumers on the list.

University of Wisconsin Oshkosh officials have released the names of students who qualified for the Dean’s List and Honor Roll in fall 2022 across its three campuses (Fond du Lac, Fox Cities and Oshkosh).

The term grade-point average (GPA) requirement for University Honor Roll is 3.3; the term GPA requirement for Dean’s List is 3.75 out of a possible 4.0.

To qualify, a student must have been enrolled in a minimum of 12 credits. There can be no individual grades below a “C” and no incomplete or non-reported grades at the time the process is run.

 James DuVal, Honor Roll
 Martin Gonzalez, Honor Roll
 Jazmine Peterson, Honor Roll

Editor’s note: The following press release was received from Rock River Community Clinic.

Rock River Community Clinic (RRCC) has recently announced the hiring of Traci Wilson as the new Medical Operations Manager to oversee the operations of their three medical clinics located in Jefferson, Watertown and Whitewater.

“We are thrilled to have Traci join and lead our outstanding medical team at RRCC,” states Olivia Nicholas, CEO/Executive Director of RRCC. “The experience Traci brings in organizing community health efforts along her passion for making healthcare and health education more accessible will be a tremendous asset to our organization and our community.”

Wilson is a senior health education and outreach specialist and brings over two decades of experience with developing and leading community health initiatives. Wilson previously served as the Clinic Health Educator/Dietician at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, and most recently served as the Community Health Program Coordinator and Grant Compliance Specialist at Fort Healthcare.

“I believe this position aligns perfectly with my skills and interests, including project management, problem solving, and relationship management,” states Wilson. “Experience with both federal and state grants, including project management and compliance, healthcare quality improvement, and previous work experience in a clinical setting, will allow me to quickly assimilate into the team at RRCC. Additionally, my background as a Registered Dietitian and Certified Health Coach will provide a new perspective to the team-based care approach at RRCC.”

Wilson’s responsibilities will include, but are not limited to, overseeing the day-to-day medical clinic activities, working closely with physicians, providers and clinic personnel in strengthening clinic operations, leading quality improvement and community initiatives, and much more.

“With our new designation as a Federally Qualified Health Center, we have added responsibilities as well as opportunities for expanded resources and services that further support our patients and staff,” adds Nichols. “Traci’s leadership comes at an exciting, pivotal time in our journey and will make a difference for years to come.”

“The network I have built over the years working on collaborative community health improvement initiatives will help RRCC to expand its network and opportunities,” Wilson adds. “Patients at RRCC already receive support beyond healthcare, such as assistance with transportation, referrals to community resources, and other services that can help reduce barriers and ensure patients receive the care they need. The opportunities we are able to offer patients at RRCC will only continue to grow in this new year.”

Wilson officially began her role with RRCC on January 3.

All three RRCC medical clinics accept Medicare, BadgerCare and most private health insurance plans for health services. Financial assistance is also available for uninsured and underinsured families to ensure all families have access to high quality, affordable healthcare. For a full list of insurance plans and eligibility details, visit https://rockrivercommunityclinic.com/eligibility/.

Rock River Community Clinic is actively hiring for additional clinic positions, including a nurse practitioner. The Fort Atkinson dental clinic also has open hygiene and dental assistant positions. Both part-time and full-time options are available. Interested applicants can visit https://rockrivercommunityclinic.com/careers/ for full details.

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Rock River Community Clinic (RRCC) provides comprehensive and cost-effective health care services to ensure all community members have access to the care they need. Serving families in Jefferson, Dodge and parts of Walworth County, RRCC includes three medical clinics located in Whitewater, Watertown, and Jefferson, and a dental clinic located in Fort Atkinson. Referrals for behavioral health care services will be available in Whitewater and Watertown locations soon.

At RRCC, all community members are welcome and accepted, regardless of ability to pay, with discounted prices for patients who are uninsured or underinsured (high deductible plans). RRCC also provides care coordination services to help patients overcome barriers to accessing healthcare (e.g. transportation), and helps to coordinate referrals. Bilingual staff (Spanish and English) are available to support patients and their families. By increasing access to health care services, offering care at affordable costs, and assisting with healthcare navigation, RRCC works to create a healthier, more equitable, community. For clinic hours and directions, visit www.rockrivercommunityclinic.org

At RRCC, all community members are welcome and accepted, regardless of ability to pay, with
discounted prices for patients who are uninsured or underinsured (high deductible plans). RRCC also
provides care coordination services to help patients overcome barriers to accessing healthcare (e.g.,
transportation), and helps to coordinate referrals. Bilingual staff (Spanish & English) are available to
support patients and their families. By increasing access to health care services, offering care at
affordable costs, and assisting with healthcare navigation, RRCC works to create a healthier, more
equitable, community. For clinic hours and directions, visit www.rockrivercommunityclinic.org

Editor’s note: The following press release was received from the Dementia Friendly Community Initiative.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU UNITED WAY CONTRIBUTORS

Bernadette and Eric Russow moved to Elkhorn thirteen years ago bringing with them patience, a thirst to
learn and find humor in the day-to-day, and an ability to love others. Let’s cycle through the evolution of
Bernadette and Eric Russow’s major milestones!

In 2008, Bernadette and Eric Russow joined the Walworth County Aging Network and assisted in raising
awareness and funding for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, in Lake Geneva. Three years after, the walk was
recognized as the #1 walk in the United States for communities of similar size.

In 2015, Bernadette and Eric became trained and established the first Memory Café at the Matheson
Memorial Library in Elkhorn. Since then five additional Memory Cafés have been added: Lake Geneva, Delavan,
Burlington, Whitewater and a second one in Elkhorn. Memory Cafés are comfortable, social gatherings for
those experiencing minor memory loss and/or have mild cognitive impairments, and for caregivers.

In 2017, Bernadette, President, and Eric, Secretary/Treasurer, launched the nonprofit Dementia Friendly Community
Initiative (DFCI) in Walworth County, providing free training to individuals, police, first responders, groups, faith
communities and businesses, interested in learning more about dementia. Their goal is to help the
community become dementia friendly. According to former Wisconsin Governor Martin Schreiber, in his
book My Two Elaines, “The biggest problem is ignorance about Alzheimer’s.” Walworth County became the
first county in Wisconsin to be nationally recognized as dementia-friendly by the Dementia Friends of
America and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging. To date, 6,000 people and 70 businesses
in Walworth County have been trained.

After learning about the 16% increase in death by those with Alzheimer’s in 2020 due to isolation,
Bernadette and Eric began sponsoring Cycling Without Age, a grassroots movement, which started in 2012 in
Copenhagen, Denmark, with the purpose of providing free rides to elderly citizens struggling with isolation,
dementia, Alzheimer’s, and mobility issues. This interactive activity allows these citizens the time and space
to feel the wind in their faces and recall the joy of mobility. Cycling Without Age is an international
phenomenon in over 52 countries. Wisconsin holds the title of most Chapters in the U.S., with 16.

In 2021, DFCI’s first year of operating Cycling Without Age, 400 rides were provided with the use of two trishaw bikes,
called Chats, purchased, and shipped from Denmark at a cost of about $10,000 each. In 2022, 700 rides
were provided with the help of 30 volunteer trishaw pilots, the oldest pilot being 88 years old! Most recently
Bernadette and Eric became the winners of the David Bretl Community Betterment Award, presented by The
Walworth County Economic Development Alliance (WCEDA).

Because of the generosity of contributors to the United Way of Walworth County, DFCI was awarded United
Way funds and ARPA Grants managed by United Way of Walworth County, totaling $20,750. DFCI was just one
of the 45+ community vetted organizations helped by United Way of Walworth County.

This financial contribution helped Bernadette and Eric purchase two additional trishaw bikes for DFCI, at an
increased price of $13,800 each due to inflation, and a second trailer. Bernadette and Eric also noted,
“There are a myriad of ways. We would be remiss if we didn’t thank Kunes Automotive.” Kunes is loaning
the use of a pickup truck used to pull the trailer to and from the numerous locations.

DFCI’s need for financial and volunteer support continues, including the need of specialized skills in computer
and accounting, social media, art design, and project management, as well as more volunteer pilots, for as
little time as 2 to 3 hours a month. Please consider supporting the mission of Bernadette and Eric, to create
dementia-friendly spaces and promote dementia awareness throughout the community.  Bernadette says,
“There is a role for everyone in Walworth county with the Dementia Friendly Community Initiative and
Cycling Without Age.”