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Editor’s note: The following information was provided by the Whitewater Breakfast Kiwanis Club.

The Whitewater Kiwanis Breakfast Club is selling red poinsettia plants, in 6-inch pots with plants 15 to 18 inches tall, this year for $15, and the beautiful red blossoms will be available for distribution after December 2. Anyone interested in ordering the plants should contact Jerry Grant at 262-473-2214 or any Kiwanian.

Whitewater Kiwanis Breakfast Club President Patrick Taylor said, “We are delighted to be able to sell poinsettias this year, with the funds helping children in our community and the world. We have 1,000 plants available, and for just $15, a beautiful red poinsettia could brighten your holidays and the lives of children.”

The Kiwanis Whitewater Breakfast Club is made up of dedicated volunteers who help children in the Whitewater community and the world, all with funds raised going directly to projects helping improve the lives of children. Each year, the club distributes approximately $20,000, with over half going to the Whitewater Unified School District, including scholarships. Kiwanis helped to build the Flowing Well Shelter, the shelter and accessible playground at Starin Park and Treyton’s Field of Dreams, the WHS football field lights and press box, as well as adopting a highway to clean up. In addition, the group donates to the Whitewater Youth Soccer Club, the Friends of the Whitewater Aquatic and Fitness Center Family Partnership Fund, the Whitewater Food Pantry, Bethel House and more.

More information can be found on the Whitewater Kiwanis Breakfast Club Facebook page.

Editor’s note: The following information was provided by the Irvin L. Young Library.

The Irvin L. Young Memorial Library invites you to our first NASA@ My Library program!
In the Irvin L. Young Memorial Library Community Room
Presented by Dennis Roscoe, Ph.D. NASA Solar System Ambassador
Tuesday, December 7th at 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, December 11th at 1:00 p.m.
The presentation will be the same on both dates so please register for ONE of the presentations at whitewaterlibrary.org

The James Webb Space Telescope is going to be the Marvel Superhero that discovers how the first galaxies were built over 13 billion years ago. With its infrared eyes, Webb will be able to see through interstellar dust and clouds and allow us to witness the birth of stars and planets. Is there life on planets beyond our own solar system? Webb may find the answer by analyzing the atmospheres of exoplanets. Join us on this incredible journey through the universe. This program is geared towards school-aged children and their families.

NASA@ My Library is based upon work funded by NASA under cooperative agreement No. NNX16AE30A. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of NASA@ My Library and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society.

Monday, November 29th marks the 70th anniversary of the last passenger train to go through Whitewater. This photograph was taken to memorialize this event in 1951 and was printed in the Whitewater Register. Interestingly, train service began in Whitewater in 1852, almost 100 years earlier.

Whitewater could also take pride in it being one of the first stops on the very first rail line to be built in the state of Wisconsin, the Milwaukee and Mississippi Railroad line. This line was consolidated into the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railroad about 10 years later, a line that would build track all the way to the Pacific Coast and be known as the “Milwaukee Road.”

The Historical Society is proud that our museum of local history has been housed in the historic Whitewater Passenger Depot since 1974.

Join us next week for more from the collections of the Whitewater Historical Society.

(#2675P Whitewater Historical Society)

Editor’s note: The following information was provided by the Dwight Foster Public Library.

Remembering Pearl Harbor

The US Veterans Project Library and the Dwight Foster Public Library invite you to attend an event commemorating the 80^th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the event that marked the United States entry into World War II. It will take place beginning at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, December 7 in the FCCU Community Room on the first floor of the library. This program will take place in-person and remotely on Zoom. Go to fortlibrary.org/pearl-harbor/ for the Zoom registration link.

The surprise attack by Japanese navy planes came early on December 7, 1941, a day that President Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “will live in infamy.” Ninety minutes after it began, the attack was over. 2,008 sailors were killed and 710 others wounded; 218 soldiers and airmen were killed and 364 wounded; 109 Marines were killed and 69 wounded; and 68 civilians were killed and 35 wounded. In total, 2,403 Americans were killed, and 1,143 were wounded.^[105] Eighteen ships were sunk or run aground, including five battleships, and the United States Pacific Fleet was in ruins.

This event will feature speakers, a film and WWII Veterans who survived this assault. The Dwight Foster Public Library is located at 209 Merchants Avenue in Fort Atkinson. Contact Amy Lutzke at (920) 563-7790. Our building is handicapped accessible.

The Dwight Foster Public Library is committed to providing universal access to all of our events. Please contact Amy Lutzke at (920) 563-7790 to request disability accommodations. Advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility needs.

The image on the homepage, “Pearl Harbor” by The U.S. Army is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

“Dream Horse” showing Tuesday, November 30, 1 p.m., Seniors in the Park (Biography/Comedy/Drama/Sports)1 hour, 53 minutes; Rated PG (2020)

The inspiring true story of Dream Alliance, an unlikely race horse bred by a small town Welsh bartender Toni Collette) with no equestrian experience. She convinces her patrons and  neighbors to chip in their meager earnings to help raise and train the horse in the hope he can compete  with the racing elite. Their investment begins to pay off, as Dream Alliance begins to rise through the ranks, and approaches the Welsh Grand National. 

On October 16, Whitewater resident, Rollie Cooper along with his escort Bill Cooper, Rollie and Nancy Cooper’s youngest son, spent a day in Washington, D.C. thanks to the Milwaukee Stars and Stripes Honor Flight. Stars and Stripes Honor Flight, Inc. honors veterans with a life-changing trip to Washington, D.C. to visit the memorials and experience a day of honor and thanks.

Lieutenant Cooper served in the Korean Conflict in the Army Signal Corps.  He was one of six Korean military honorees on this flight, while the others on the flight, including active Whitewater resident Jim Stewart, were Viet Nam veterans.

The veterans visited the Viet Nam Memorial, the Korean Memorial, and the Air Force Memorial. The group visited Arlington Cemetery where they witnessed the changing of the guard and saw the grave of Audie Murphy, one of the most decorated World War II soldiers.  They drove around the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial and the Capitol area.

One of the high points of the visit was the Mail Call.  A throwback to when the veterans were deployed and waited anxiously each day to see if letters had arrived from home, on that day cards and letters from family and friends expressing their appreciation and thanks for their service were distributed. Rollie received so much mail at Mail Call that he was able to receive/read only a portion of the mail he received on the flight.  The rest of the mail came home with him to read/appreciate later.

Upon return to Milwaukee, the veterans were greeted by friends and family members during a parade with bands, cheerleaders, and honor guard units.

Banner note: Our thanks to the author, who indicated that they wished to remain anonymous.

Our thanks to Jeff Bierman for allowing the Banner to publish his beautiful photography.