The Annual UW-Whitewater Ceramics Sale provides visitors with the opportunity to view and purchase handmade, one-of-a-kind ceramic vessels/pottery forms that have been created by a mix of emeritus and current faculty members, student alumni, and current students involved in the UW-Whitewater, Dept. of Art and Design’s Ceramics program.
The nearest parking area to the main entrance of the Center of the Arts’ Crossman Gallery venue is Lot 1 of the UW-Whitewater campus. To avoid being issued a parking ticket/citation, a parking permit must be purchased. The UW-Whitewater Ceramics Organization’s members are not responsible for parking tickets/citations issued to visitors of the Ceramics Sale. A visitor day parking pass may be purchased here for $5. To purchase hourly parking Passport Pay by Space see the information here. There are several spaces with signage for this program in Lot 1 near the Center of the Arts entrance. Cost is $1.65 for an hour or $3.05 for two hours. Further information about parking at UW-W may be found here.
If you’re willing to park at an off-campus, free, public parking spot that is fairly close to the Center of the Arts building, consider such parking areas located along South Prince Street, Florence Street, and/or North Lindsey Court. Note, too, that parking is free in most of UW-Whitewater’s Lot 1 parking stalls during the 5-7 p.m. segment of the Sale’s overall, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16th, open hours, and during the entirety of the Sale’s 9 a.m.-5 p.m. open hours on Saturday, Dec. 17th.
Cash, personal check, debit, and credit cards are acceptable to purchase items at the 44th Annual UW-Whitewater Ceramics Sale. Handmade ceramic vessels/pottery serve as excellent winter holiday gifts for your friends, family members, and/or co-workers – we hope that you will visit the 44th Annual UW-Whitewater Ceramics Sale!
It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society.
Yesterday, December 15, was the busiest day for the U.S. Postal Service during the Christmas season, so what better image to present than Whitewater’s own post office building.
The building, completed in 1936 is a fine example of the streamlined Classical Revival style buildings constructed by the federal government during the Great Depression of the 1930s. Before moving to this new building, Whitewater’s post office was located on Main Street, for the longest time at 137 Main St. (1875-1920s), now part of Gus’s Pizza.
Join us next week for more from the Whitewater Historical Society.
Thousands of Special Olympics Wisconsin athletes, coaches, volunteers, and fans converged on Carroll University in Waukesha for the 50th Anniversary Celebration Games July 29-31.
More than 1,800 Special Olympics Wisconsin athletes and coaches will gather at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater to compete in the 2023 State Summer Games. The event is scheduled to take place June 8-10 and will include competitions in powerlifting, gymnastics, track and field, tennis, soccer and cornhole.
“We are honored to serve as the host site for Special Olympics Wisconsin, and we extend a warm Warhawk welcome to all of the athletes and their friends and family members who will be cheering them on,” said interim Chancellor John Chenoweth. “Hosting the games takes on a deeper meaning for UW-Whitewater, as we are a university with a core mission to help students of diverse abilities find success both academically and athletically. We look forward to supporting the competitions and witnessing the determination and sportsmanship of the athletes.”
“We are excited to bring our revamped Summer Games to Whitewater this summer,” Special Olympics Wisconsin President & CEO Chad Hershner said. “The university facilities will provide an awesome experience for our athletes as we continue to grow our organization for the next 50 years. We look forward to working with UW-Whitewater to create an incredible Games and long-lasting memories for all those involved.”
The 2023 State Summer Games will begin with an opening ceremony on Thursday, June 8. Competition will kick-off on Friday, June 9 and run through June 10. An evening dance will take place on Friday. UW-Whitewater’s Camps and Conferences will help provide a collegiate experience for the athletes with residence hall stays and meals on campus.
Additional information about other events and programs taking place during the games is forthcoming. Volunteers for the 2023 State Summer Games are needed and opportunities will come available on SpecialOlympicsWisconsin.org. Or, contact volunteer@specialolympicswisconsin.org if you are interested.
At the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater we inspire, engage and transform lives. Our higher education mission began more than 150 years ago — and we now serve more than 11,000 students at our Whitewater and Rock County campuses. Camps and Conferences is committed to offering summer camps, day clinics, competitions and virtual events that allow participants to work closely with our award-winning coaches, directors and staff.
If you have a disability and require accommodations, please advise us as soon as possible. Requests are confidential. UW- Whitewater provides equal opportunities in employment and programming, including Title IX and ADA. Please contact Morgan Anderson at andersml@uww.edu or 262-472-1095 for further information.
Edgerton Hospital and Health Services is pleased to expand access to mental health services with the addition of a new psychiatric nurse practitioner. Beginning on Monday, January 9, 2023, Rebecca Beese, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC will see patients at the hospital’s Milton Clinic location, 831 Arthur Drive, Milton. The appointment line is now open, 608-868-3526. No referral is needed.
Dr. Beese provides excellent patient-centered care using a wide variety of integrated healing methods including medications, supplements, supportive therapy, psychoeducation, environmental modifications, mindfulness, yoga, and Reiki. She primarily works with patients who are experiencing the following conditions:
ADHD
Adjustment Disorders
Anxiety
Autism
Bipolar Disorder
Depression
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Trauma
With the ever-increasing need for mental health services, Dr. Beese says that she’s happy to offer her care locally. “When I’m caring for my patients, it’s always my priority to ensure that each individual feels seen, heard, and valued. I spend time not only treating chemical imbalances, but also closely evaluating my patients’ lifestyles, relationships, and environments, using a holistic mind-body-spirit approach. Together, we create a plan to help them live their best lives,” said Dr. Beese.
Edgerton Hospital CEO, Marc Augsburger, MBA, BSN, says that Dr. Beese will be answering a need that the community so desperately has. “The hospital’s Community Health Needs Assessment tells us that mental health is a growing concern locally. It’s been our goal to directly address this need, and we are delighted to be adding Rebecca Beese as our new psychiatric nurse practitioner. Her expertise in mental health will surely benefit many,” said Augsburger.
Rebecca Beese, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC is a board certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. She holds her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from the University of Minnesota, her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Wisconsin, and her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin. Dr. Beese has 16 years of direct nursing experience at organizations including St. Mary’s Hospital and University of Colorado Hospital. She held the role of Clinical Instructor at the University of Minnesota and Minnesota State University Mankato, where she specifically focused on psych/mental health. For the past five years, Dr. Beese has been an Integrative Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner at PrairieCare in Chaska, MN. In addition to her clinical experience, Dr. Beese is also a certified Yoga instructor and a Reiki Master. Her trained therapy dog, Finnigan, joins her at almost all patient appointments.
Individuals interested in scheduling an appointment with Rebecca Beese, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC should call 608-868-3526. For more information, please visit www.edgertonhospital.com.
Editor’s note: The Banner appreciates having permission to use the image on the homepage by Serena Wong from Pixabay.
Members and friends of the Whitewater Aquatic and Fitness Center were invited to a “Jolly Holiday Party” on December 9. They were promised a special visit from Santa, together with food, games and open swim for all to enjoy. Admission was free with a nonperishable food item donation. All collected food items were donated to the Community Space. Photos are courtesy of Tom Ganser.
Robin Fox, center left, and Kim Simes, center right, with their daughters at the White House on December 13 [Provided to MJS]
The below quotes are from an article by Lawrence Andrea and Kelly Meyerhofer in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel [MJS] on December 13. The complete article is considerably longer and may be accessed without a subscription here.
“A Whitewater couple and their two children stood at the front of a crowd of thousands on the White House South Lawn on Tuesday afternoon as President Joe Biden signed into federal law landmark legislation codifying same-sex and interracial marriage protections.
Robin Fox, Kim Simes and their daughters were among the president and First Lady Jill Biden’s special guests for an elaborate ceremony in which the president signed the Respect for Marriage Act — a bill the two women say gives their family security.
“I think I wasn’t really emotionally prepared for what it would be like,” Fox told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel after the bill was signed, noting the new law protects both their marriage and the rights of their adopted children to marry who they want in the future.
“It’s like a mix of just sheer and complete joy and a whole lot of anger that we even had to get to this point.” ……
Fox and Simes, a couple for 25 years, were invited to the ceremony because of Simes’ role as chief of staff for Family Equality, an advocacy organization for LGBTQ families. Fox, meanwhile, has spent 32 years working a variety of positions at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Last spring, Fox was tapped to be interim provost, an administrative position that is second only to the chancellor…….
The new law requires states to recognize marriages that are considered valid in the state where they were performed….It also grants protections for interracial couples, an important safeguard that Fox said shouldn’t be overlooked.
The couple’s adopted daughters, Brennan, 18, and Sanibel, 14, are of a different race than Fox and her wife.
Both Fox and Simes are UW-Whitewater alumni. They met on campus when Simes was a graduate student and Fox was director of the university’s children’s center. Their oldest daughter is now studying political science there.
This is just as hands-on as it gets,” Brennan said after the bill was signed into law.
Though the family’s trip to Washington was last minute — the White House invitation for Tuesday’s event came Sunday — they were quick to accept.
“I’m thrilled to be here,” Fox said. “We were very quick to say yes and drop everything we have going on. It’s important for us to be here and for our children to be here to watch this happen.”
According to a press release, the following individuals from our area are among the 1,890 prospective candidates for degree attending University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee commencement exercises Sunday, December 18, 2022 in Milwaukee.
UWM is the second largest university in the State of Wisconsin, with over 22,000 undergraduate and graduate students.
Marijose Cuellar Meza, College of Nursing, Bachelor of Science Madison Garland, Helen Bader School of Social Welfare, Master of Science Hassime Traore, School of Nursing, Master of Sustainable Peacebuilding
Plan and Architectural Review Commission Meeting – Monday @ 6:00 p.m. Agenda includes Public Hearing For Consideration Of A Conditional Use Permit For A Proposed 4 Family Residence Apartment Complex To Be Located At N. Tratt St. Parcel ID#/05-15-3233-018 (Physical Address To Be Determined At A Later Date) For Joseph Esther/Or Assigns and Public Hearing Regarding Consideration Of A Conditional Use Permit For A Proposed Auto Repair Service With Rental Of Box Trucks And Trailers Located At 1002 S Janesville Street, Parcel ID#/WUP 00341 For Big Deal LLC. (Lee Loveall). City of Whitewater Municipal Building 312 W. Whitewater St. Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone. https://meet.goto.com/281060381 You can also dial in using your phone. United States: +1 (312) 757-3121 Access Code: 281-060-381
City of Whitewater Public Works Committee – Tuesday @ 6:00 p.m. Agenda includes Discussion And Possible Action Regarding Draft Starin Park Water Tower Structural Analysis Report. Cravath Conference Room Municipal Building – 2 Floor 312 W Whitewater St
City of Whitewater Community Development AuthorityBoard of Directors – Thursday @ 5:30 p.m. Agenda includes Discussion regarding Economic Development Director Timeline, Discussion regarding Starin Road Site – Development Concept, and closed session (followed by open session) regarding Potential sale of Business Park lot located on the corner of Prospect and Endeavor to David & Goliath. Location: Municipal Building – Community Room 1st Floor 312 W. Whitewater St. This will be an IN‐PERSON and VIRTUAL MEETING Citizens are welcome (and encouraged) to join us via computer, smart phone or telephone. Citizen participation is welcome during topic discussion periods. You are invited to a Zoom webinar. Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89300240370?pwd=clI4eTRSS0wvMGEvVW16TkZLeHA5dz09 Passcode: 575484 Or Telephone: Dial: 1 312 626 6799 Webinar ID: 893 0024 0370 Passcode: 575484
Editor’s note: The CDA phone-in number was updated on 12/12/22.
Editor’s note: The following article is from the uww.edu website. The link was provided to us by Jennifer Rulon, who wrote, “I wanted to share the article written for the UWW Commencement for December 2022. I will return to Whitewater to share my story at the graduation in a couple of weeks. I said in the article, “I was a Whippet before I was a Warhawk.”
Written by Dave Fidlin | Photos submitted
Jennifer Rulon lives thousands of miles from Whitewater. But the city — and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater campus — are still very close to her heart.
Rulon, who graduated with a Bachelor of Science in biology and a minor in psychology in 1993, has embarked on a series of accomplishments and pivotal life moments in various areas of the U.S. and beyond since she earned her undergraduate degree.
She will share her inspiring story as commencement speaker for UW-Whitewater’s December 2022 commencement ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 17.
Rulon’s Whitewater roots run deep and were established at a young age. Her family moved from Detroit to Whitewater when she was in her earliest years of elementary school. Her love for the community ultimately prompted her to attend the local university after graduating from high school.
“I was a Whippet before I was a Warhawk. When it came time to applying to colleges, my mom and I talked it out, and they said, ‘Why don’t you apply to Whitewater and see what happens?’”
The rest, as the saying goes, is history.
From a young age, Rulon knew she wanted to work with marine life. While Whitewater is far from any setting where whales, sea lions or dolphins swim, the campus only continued to instill within her that innate love and fascination.
She was involved with Upham Geeks, a biology club, where she was able to enjoy the company of like-minded classmates. The club’s advisor, Dr. Sable, led the group in a number of interesting activities — including the fine art of snacking on dried bugs.
“I worked in the admissions office, and I played intramural sports every other day, whether it was flag football, inner tube water polo or softball. I was always involved in sports somehow or I was working on campus.”
After graduating nearly three decades ago, she has pursued additional education, including a master’s degree in kinesiology with an emphasis in exercise science from the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Rulon also has achieved goals during three monumental life moments.
Her first milestone required a bold step — one she was ready and willing to take. She landed a job working as a marine animal trainer and behaviorist at SeaWorld. She had to leave Whitewater, Wisconsin, and the Midwest to realize the dream she’d held for so long.
“People said, ‘Oh, you’re going to have to move if you want this kind of job.’ And I said, ‘That’s OK. I want this dream.’”
While at SeaWorld, she became a triathlon coach, started her own company — JenRulon.com — and built a triathlon team called Rulon Racing.
Rulon competed in the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, in 2017.
In 2010, she was ready to leave SeaWorld and begin her next adventure — one that would test her endurance physically, intellectually and emotionally. A friend sent her a Walt Disney quote that comforted and encouraged her: “All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.” With strength, determination and perseverance, over time she became a 15-time Ironman Triathlete and qualified to participate in the World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, in 2017.
Rulon speaking at a TEDx talk in 2016.
Through her brand JenRulon.com, she shares her inspiring messages to people from all walks of life. Her wisdom has been published and shared in disparate publications and venues, including the TEDx stage, Triathlete Magazine, Runners World and The New York Times.
Rulon in Costa Rica, where she now lives.
Now, Rulon is in the beginning stages of her third monumental life moment — one that allows her to go back to her innate love of oceanic life — establishing roots as a resident in another country: Costa Rica.
“I observed it, and I fell in love — I fell in love with the country, I fell in love with the people, I fell in love with the ocean. I’m just ‘in the now.’ I’ve been here nearly a year, and I absolutely love it here.”
Whitewater might be far geographically, but — in a full-circle moment — she realizes how her time on campus is put to good work in her new setting.
“I ride my bike all over the place here, just like I did on the Whitewater campus. I rode my bike everywhere when I went to school there, whether it was to and from my classes or to work. I really loved that campus.”
For all of her accomplishments, Rulon also readily points out the overflowing encouragement she received in Whitewater was worth its weight in gold.
“I did have professors and I had co-workers in the admissions office who believed in me. They believed who I was going to become. That was powerful.”
For more information on UW-Whitewater’s commencement ceremonies, visit the commencement website at uww.edu/commencement.
On December 4 at the Prairie Village Community Center, the League of Women Voters – Whitewater Area presented their “Making Democracy Work” award to Patrick Singer and Lynn Binnie. Both Patrick and Lynn served on the City of Whitewater Common Council for 14 years, with Patrick having retired in 2021 and Lynn in 2022. Unfortunately Patrick was unable to attend the presentation due to family illness. Photos below are courtesy of Tom Ganser.
The award read as follows: WHEREAS, the League of Women Voters of the Whitewater Area is affiliated with the LWV of the United States (LWVUS), the organization where hands-on work to safeguard democracy leads to civic improvement in America and in Whitewater, Wisconsin; and,
WHEREAS, the League is a nonpartisan political organization that has fought since 1920 to improve our systems of government and impact public policies through citizen education and advocacy; and
WHEREAS, the Whitewater Area League’s Making Democracy Work Award honors community members that exemplify the League’s mission; and
WHEREAS, the Whitewater Area League collaborates with LWVUS and other organizations to achieve mutual goals, increase civic participation, create lasting change in the community, and, above all, signify to others that the League of Women Voters “Makes Democracy Work;”
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the LWV of the Whitewater Area has chosen LYNN BINNIE and PATRICK SINGER as the recipients of the 2022 Making Democracy Work Award for their civility and influential leadership as members and past presidents of the Whitewater Common Council and for their years of service on many community boards and committees.
NOW THEREFORE, we members of the League of Women Voters of the Whitewater Area, urge all residents of Whitewater, Wisconsin to pay great tribute and respect to LYNN BINNIE and PATRICK SINGER for all they represent and have accomplished on behalf of their fellow citizens.”
Ellen Penwell, Co-President of LWV – Whitewater area welcoming the audience (Tom Ganser photos)
Jim Winship shares message from former City Manager Cameron Clapper and his own remarks
Ellen Penwell presenting award to Lynn Binnie, with current Common Council members Carol McCormick, Brienne Brown looking on
Carol McCormick and Brienne Brown accepting award on behalf of Patrick Singer
Carol McCormick speaking of her Common Council tenure with Patrick and Lynn
