Dustin Reichwald

The Whitewater Arts Alliance (WAA) Board of Directors welcomed Robert Mertens back to the board of directors as well as new member Jason Miklik, bid farewell to Linda Long and Everett Long, shared the successes in 2018, and announced the 2019 Public Art Project “Portal to the Past, Portal to the Future.”

Linda Long, who has been president or co-president for the last four years and involved in the WAA for 10 years, received many accolades for her work as President and then Co-President of the Whitewater Arts Alliance.  Board member Christine Hayes commented on how much the board appreciated Linda’s hard work, enthusiastic support of the arts in Whitewater, and her can-do attitude.  The Board also recognized both Mary Kenne and Marjorie Stoneman for their tireless work for the WAA.  Mary has coordinated the docents and scheduling, while Marjorie has handled the group’s publicity.  The Board also thanked Everett Long for his six years of service on the board.

The WAA announced its public art project for 2019 as “Portal to the Past, Portal to the Future.”  Artists will decorate plywood boards that will hang on the light posts in the downtown area during the summer.  Artists can choose a person, place or thing of past significance to the history of Whitewater or a vision of what they see in the future for Whitewater.  Sponsorships of the artwork again this year will make it possible for artists to participate without any cost to them.

Local historian, Carol Cartwright, will be making a presentation on interesting facts and photos of Whitewater history to help spark the imagination of the artists.

The plywood boards, along with the entry forms and instructions, are available now at the Whitewater Arts Alliance’s Cultural Art Center (CAC).  The CAC is at 402 W. Main Street.  Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.  Forms can also be downloaded online at the WAA website www.whitewaterarts.org.  For more information, contact Linda Long at lcubed12@gmail.com or 262-473-5538 or Mary Nevicosi at marynevicosi@yahoo.com  or 608-883-2000.

2018 at the Cultural Arts Center was a success, with a Quilt Show, a Portrait Exhibit, a Photography Invitational, the Whitewater Unified School District Art Exhibit with Lincoln Elementary School music students performing, the Wisconsin Regional Arts Program, the Fran Achen Photography Contest, Making Magic with Mixed Media, Artrageous Birds, “Transitions” by the Whitewater Circle of Artists, and the upcoming Whitewater Arts Alliance Members Show.  Performances, demonstrations and other events included:  five Savory Sounds concerts, one major watercolor workshop, three technique demonstrations, a photography workshop, a poetry reading, dedication of the mobile “Peace and Harmony” to Jim Coburn, and the Annual Public Art Project “Windows on Whitewater.”  The Alliance has 165 members, a record for the group, with 1,650 visitors to the CAC so far this year and 650 volunteer hours recorded to date.  Also in 2018 Board Member Audra Lange reformatted and reconfigured the Whitewater Arts Alliance Website, www.whitewaterarts.org.

2019 promises to be very busy:  January the CAC will again be closed for upkeep and maintenance;  February features The Art of the Quilt; March features Janet Nelson’s art; April is about the Whitewater Unified School District art and music performances; Karolyn Alexander’s art will be the May focus; June will be the WRAP show; July will feature the 10^th Annual Fran Achen Photography Contest; August will feature Mixed Media – Part 2; September will feature “The Road Less Traveled”; October will feature the Cambridge Artists Society Exhibit, and November-December features the Annual WAA Members Show. Savory Sounds is scheduled for June 13, 20, and 27 as well as July 11 and 18.

The annual board meeting was started out with a piano performance by WHS Freshman, Sophie Walton. She also spoke of her involvement in music through her life.

Friday, November 2 at 10:30 am

Starin Park Community Center

This talk focuses on the work of a Burial Archaeologist; similar to those who do forensic anthropology. They deal with the legal and ethical aspects of what happens when burials that are historical and not of criminal interest are uncovered, usually individuals who have unmarked graves that are disturbed through construction or other types of development. The process involved in the legal and ethical treatment in the recovery and protection of these individuals and some of the new tools available to help us identify and document these people will also be covered.

Peter E Killoran, Lecturer, Depart. of Sociology, Criminology, and Anthropology.  He is an Anthropologist specializing in Forensic Science and Bio-archaeology.

Please register in advance if you will be attending by calling 262-473-0535.

The Discover Whitewater Series (DWS): Half Marathon, Half Marathon Relay and 5K sponsors, team leaders, volunteers, and five local charities gathered for a night of celebration at Willow Brook Golf Course on Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018.

“The race always has great support from the community and we’re always eager to give back,” DWS Executive Director Jeffery Knight said. “This year we had excellent numbers and were able to make a larger donation!”

The DWS donated $5,500 to each of the five charities for a total of $27,500. These charities include: Working for Whitewater’s Wellness, Bethel House, Whitewater Unified School District, Whitewater LEADS and J-Hawk Aquatic Club.

Each of the seven title sponsors for the DWS were given a chance to personally hand the donation and be photographed with a charity partner of their choice during the banquet.

“This is the second year I have been the Race Director and I am still filled with joy to give back to my home community,” DWS Race Director Dawson Miller said. “I have no doubt that next year will be just as good, if not better.”

A survey was posted on the DWS’s Facebook page (facebook.com/runwhitewater) for participants to voice their opinions on the 2018 race. The survey was created for the DWS team to learn what went well and what didn’t go so well on race day; this year a large majority of the respondents were extremely satisfied. The top response was made to the DWS volunteers. Eighty-nine percent of respondents reviewed the DWS volunteers as excellent and helpful on race day. Many respondents were also pleased with the challenge of the DWS course. Roughly 65 percent of respondents ranked the DWS as better than other races of similar size.

“The DWS has volunteers from all around the City and without their help the DWS wouldn’t be possible,” GWC Chairman Larry Kachel said. “The banquet is meant to honor our charity partners and thank all those that participated on race day, from runners to volunteers.” The seventh annual DWS will take place on Sunday, September 22, 2019.

For more information about the DWS contact Knight at jpk@knightpublicaffairs.com or 920.728.0662

Jake Schmidt, Geneva Lake Conservancy (GLC) staff member, Kevin Brunner, GLC Board Member, and Karen Yancey, GLC Executive Director display a map of the remnant oak forests in Walworth County, many of which are located in the Whitewater area.

Whitewater residents Kevin and Nancy Brunner and the Geneva Lake Conservancy (GLC) hosted a Community Conversation for members of the Whitewater and LaGrange communities on October 4 at the Cravath Lakefront Community Center.

The conversation focused on the current and future conservation needs of the Whitewater and LaGrange communities.

“If we are to protect our land and water resources, we need to begin by involving the community in envisioning what kind of the community we want to be in 2050,” said Kevin Brunner, a GLC Board Member who will serve as GLC Chairman beginning in 2019.

The Geneva Lake Conservancy has expanded its efforts to the Whitewater area and recently worked with the Whitewater Rice Lake Management District to send a letter to its members on how they can help reduce phosphorus in area waterways.

The Conservancy has also received a DNR Knowles Nelson grant recently to preserve an oak forest and kettle pond in LaGrange for public use and is currently raising the matching funds to purchase this property, Brunner said.

Approximately 20 area residents attended the conversation and discussed their concerns about the area’s urban and rural forests, the increase in invasive species and the need to protect lakes and other natural resources.

The Kettle Moraine area is rated by conservationists as having global importance to migrating birds and other wildlife, according to the GLC’s Executive Director Karen Yancey.   She said that a major goal of any conservation efforts must be to protect the area’s high conservation values, particularly its lakes and oak forests.

The Community Conversation will be held regularly in the Whitewater area and the Conservancy will report back annually on programs and land protection efforts it has undertaken in the area.  Area residents are invited to join in the conversation by contacting the Geneva Lake Conservancy at glc@genevalakeconservancy.org or by calling 1-262-275-5700.