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(The Community Space submission) A fantastic organization in Madison, Free Bikes 4 Kids Madison, gathers bicycles in need of repair, fixes them up, and offers them to nonprofit organizations to distribute to their community for free. The Community Space reached out to them — thanks to a tip from Miguel Aranda — and found that all they needed to do was sign up specific children and send on their height — very important for selecting and fitting a bike properly — and desired style, color, etc. Soon they had the bikes ready for us!

TCS volunteer John drove a trailer up to pick them up on Friday, March 19. He took seven bikes from TCS with him that had been donated to us but need repair — so we donated them on to Free Bikes 4 Kids. And he brought back 19 bikes — with new tires, seats, brakes, kickstands — for lucky kids of all ages. When Wesley, pictured, spotted his blue bike, he said, “Is that a SPEED bike?!?”

John said the Bikes 4 Kids volunteer, Harvey, was super helpful and that he looks forward to going back to get more. Thanks to all the helpers who made this possible!

To sign up for a free bike, stop in at the Community Space during open hours and talk to Kay. All ages are welcome to sign up, including adults. The Community Space is open at 834 E. Milwaukee Street on Tuesdays, 8:30-11 am, Wednesdays 3;30-7 pm, Thursdays 8:30-11 am, and Saturdays 8:30 am to 2 pm.

The Community Space is open to all, without restrictions. We have food, clothing, furniture and housewares. No appointment is necessary. No documentation/proof of anything is needed. We accept donations of all kinds (just no TVs that aren’t flat screen, please). The vestibule in front is open for donations 24/7. For larger items or bigger donation, please come during our open hours, drive around the back, and ring the bell.

(City of Whitewater press release) The compost site will open for the season on Saturday, April 3, 2021, at 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. The compost site will also open on Wednesdays beginning April 7, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. The City will provide a loader for loading chips and compost beginning Saturday, April 3. This loader will be available the first Saturday of every month until the site closes for the season.

*Please allow enough time for unloading as the compost site will close promptly at the posted times.*

NOTICE: It is against city ordinance to deposit any yard waste debris on right of ways other than City of Whitewater designated days.

If you have any questions, please call the Streets Department at 473-0560.

(UW-W College of Arts and Communication, Department of Theatre/Dance submission) The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Department of Theatre/Dance is excited to announce the world premiere of the first dance-for-camera concert with “DanceScapes ‘21.” An annual event, this year’s works have been choreographed specifically for the camera instead of the stage, making for an impactful and immersive experience. “DanceScapes ‘21” will be released on March 30 at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices are $13 for a single viewer ticket and $26 for a family viewing ticket for two or more viewers. Tickets are on sale and can be purchased online at tickets.uww.edu or by calling (262) 472-2222. 

This year’s concert features works from artistic director and faculty member Barbara Grubel, award-winning guest artist Li Chiao Ping, faculty members Amy Slater and Piper Morgan Hayes, and student choreographers Nathan Hill, Kayla Knuth, Anna Heckel and Kristina Burmeister. Audiences can expect “DanceScapes ’21” to be a showcase of unique talent in our shared experience of this new digital age.

Having served as the artistic director and mentor for DanceScapes since its inception, Grubel was ready to tackle the challenge of a virtual concert. “Having to rethink the entirety of this annual event  – the magnitude of it was overwhelming. In a pandemic year, the things we take for granted such as sharing a rehearsal space and breathing the same air while the dancers are physically exerting themselves had to be completely rethought and remapped. I’m proud to have worked with the team that made this concert possible. I’m even more thrilled to have guest artist Li Chiao Ping creating this experience alongside the faculty and the students. The insight and experience she brings to the table has elevated our creativity and opened our minds to new possibilities. In addition to seeing the dance for screen works that have been created, audiences will get to hear from the choreographers about their inspirations, aspirations and what they have learned along the way. It’s going to be a visceral experience for all of us.”

Chiao Ping was brought in as the featured guest artist for “DanceScapes,” but with the switch to a virtual event her experience in dance for camera works has been a real asset. In addition to choreographing a piece for the concert, she offered workshops on screen dance this past fall to students in the dance minor at UW-Whitewater.  Chiao Ping was named by Dance Magazine as one of “25 to watch,” makes work for the stage, screen, and other sites for individuals and organizations around the country. She has choreographed for musical theater, opera, and ballet, in addition to concert dance, dance theater, and screen dance. Artistic Director of Li Chiao-Ping Dance and Co-Director of the SF-based Dziga Vertov Performance Group with Douglas Rosenberg from 1992-94, Li was the Director of the Dance Program at Hollins College and on faculty at Mills College. 

At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Li has received one of the highest honors bestowed by the university, and one of only two artists to ever receive one, a Vilas Research Professorship. She has also received prestigious grants from the MAP Fund and the NEA, and fellowships from the Wisconsin Arts Board and Scripps/ADF Humphrey-Weidman-Limon. For more information on Chiao Ping, visit her Facebook page.

The virtual production of “DanceScapes ‘21” will be released on March 30 at 7:30 p.m.This content will be available through April 12, 2021 for viewing. Ticket prices are $13 for a single viewer ticket and $26 for a family viewing ticket for two or more viewers. Tickets are on sale and can be purchased online at tickets.uww.edu or by calling (262) 472-2222. 

(Fort Memorial Hospital submission) Fort Memorial Hospital has been recognized as a 2021 Top 100 Rural & Community Hospital. Compiled by The Chartis Center for Rural Health, this 11^th annual recognition program honors outstanding performance among the nation’s rural hospitals based on the results of the Hospital Strength INDEX®.

“Being named a Top 100 Rural & Community Hospital again in 2021 is a great tribute to our employees,” said Mike Wallace, President and CEO of Fort HealthCare. “In a year of remarkable challenges, our employees continued using our mission, vision and values as their guide during this pandemic and achieving this honorable recognition is quite an accomplishment.”

“The Top 100 program continues to illuminate strategies and innovation for delivering higher quality care and better outcomes within rural communities,” said Michael Topchik, National Leader, The Chartis Center for Rural Health. “We are delighted to be able to spotlight the efforts of these facilities through the INDEX framework.”

Over the course of the last 11 years, the INDEX has grown to become the industry’s most comprehensive and objective assessment of rural hospital performance. Based entirely on public data and utilizing 36 independent indicators, the INDEX assesses rural hospitals across eight pillars of performance, including market share, quality, outcomes, patient perspective, cost, charge, and financial efficiency. The INDEX framework is widely used across the nation by independent rural hospitals, health systems with rural footprints and state offices of rural health, which provide access to INDEX analytics through grant-funded initiatives.

For more information visit https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/rankings-and-ratings

About Fort HealthCare

Fort HealthCare is committed to improving the health and well-being of our communities, with a vision to be the healthiest community in Wisconsin. As the leading healthcare provider in the region, it is our goal to reach as many members of the community as possible with health and wellness messages, providing tools and resources to help individuals improve their health and quality of life, while collaborating with several partners to positively improve the population’s health overall on a long term basis. For more information, visit FortHealthCare.com.

VOTING BY ABSENTEE BALLOT – April 6, 2021

Any qualified elector who is unable or unwilling to appear at the polling place on Election Day may request to vote an absentee ballot. A qualified elector is any U.S. citizen, who will be 18 years of age or older on Election Day, who has resided in the ward or municipality where he or she wishes to vote for at least 28 consecutive days before the election. The elector must also be registered in order to receive an absentee ballot. Proof of identification must be provided before an absentee ballot may be issued.

You must make a request for an absentee ballot in writing.

Contact your municipal clerk and request that an application for an absentee ballot be sent to you for the primary or election or both. You may also submit a written request in the form of a letter. Your written request must list your voting address within the municipality where you wish to vote, the address where the absentee ballot should be sent, if different, and your signature. You may make application for an absentee ballot by mail, email or in person.

Making application to receive an absentee ballot by mail.

The deadline for making application to receive an absentee ballot by mail is:

5 pm on the fifth day before the election. (4/1/2021).

Note: Special absentee voting application provisions apply to electors who are indefinitely confined to home or a care facility, in the military, hospitalized, or serving as a sequestered juror. If this applies to you, contact the municipal clerk regarding deadlines for requesting and submitting an absentee ballot.

Voting an absentee ballot in person

You may also request and vote an absentee ballot in the clerk’s office or other specified location during the days and hours specified for casting an absentee ballot in person.

CITY OF WHITEWATER
Michele R. Smith, Clerk
312 W. Whitewater St.
(Phone) 262 473-0102
3/23/21 – 3/26/21 – 1-5 pm daily
3/29/21 – 4/2/21 – 8:30 am – 5 pm

TOWN OF COLD SPRING
Lisa Griep, Clerk
W3497 Vannoy Rd.
(262) 473-6228
Absentee Hours by Appt.

TOWN OF LAGRANGE
Crystal Hoffmann, Clerk
P.O. Box 359
(262) 495-8200
Absentee Hours by Appt.

TOWN OF LIMA
Pam Hookstead, Clerk
11053 Willow Drive
(262) 473-8515
Absentee Hours by Appt.

TOWN OF RICHMOND
Barb Ceas, Clerk
Mail: W8776 Territorial Rd.
Whitewater, WI 53190
(608) 883-2017
Vote Absentee in Person
at W9046 County Road A
Delavan, WI 53115
Sat., March 27, 2021 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Tues., March 30, 2021 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

TOWN OF WHITEWATER
Jorja Boiley, Clerk
W8590 Willis Ray Road
(262) 473-4639
T, Th, 3/24/21 & 3/25/21 – 9am – 1:30 pm
M, T, Th 3/29/21, 3/30/21 and 4/1/21 9am – 1:30pm

The first day to vote an absentee ballot in the clerk’s office is: March 23, 2021.

The last day to vote an absentee ballot in the clerk’s office: April 2, 2021.

No in-person absentee voting may occur on the day before the election.

The municipal clerk will deliver voted ballots returned on or before Election Day to the proper polling place or counting location before the polls close on April 6, 2021. Any ballots received after the polls close will not be counted.

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(Whitewater Arts Alliance submission) The Whitewater Arts Alliance (WAA) is hosting a virtual filmed theatre production of “Gruesome Playground Injuries” written by Rajiv Joseph, digitally available on April 24th-April 25th. “Gruesome Playground Injuries” tickets are offered “pay as you are able.” The play is a two-person show featuring actors Johnathon Krautkramer and Alyssa Hannam, who are from Appleton and the Fort Atkinson area.

Matt Denney, WAA Board Member and director of the play is also a Residential Learning Advisor at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Following is a synopsis of the play: It’s not your typical love story: Doug and Kayleen meet at the nurse’s office in their elementary school; she’s got a painful stomach ache, and he’s all banged up from a running dive off the roof of the school. Over the next thirty years, these scar-crossed lovers meet again and again, brought together by injury, heartbreak, and their own self-destructive tendencies. With great compassion and humor, playwright Rajiv Joseph (Broadway’s Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo) crafts a compelling and unconventional love story about the intimacy between two people when they allow their defenses to drop and their wounds to show.

Tickets: Pay-What-You-Can at http://bit.ly/WAAGPI0421

The WAA has been ramping up their Virtual Theatre Productions and Readings in 2021, and they recently did a virtual reading which raised money for the Whitewater Dream Fund for undocumented students.

The mission of the Whitewater Arts Alliance is to promote the visual and performing arts through an alliance of artists, individuals, educational resources, and organizations to promote creativity and diversity that will serve to educate and enrich the lives of the residents of the Whitewater community and surrounding areas.

(UW-Extension submission) University of Wisconsin – Madison, Division of Extension Walworth County invites the community to attend these upcoming online learning opportunities about pollinator plantings and gardens. Join our specialists from UW-Madison as they share insight into how to plan for a successful pollinator planting, select and care for plants that attract and support diverse pollinators in the garden all season long. These are free events but registration is required. Please see the links below to register.

Weed Management When Establishing Pollinator Plantings, by Dr. Mark Renz

Wednesday, March 31

12:00-1:30 p.m.

Join Dr. Mark Renz to learn more about weed management for greater success of your pollinator plantings! He will share his research that evaluates the impact of cover crops, herbicides and mowing on establishing native plants for pollinators. Results from over 30 pollinator plantings in Wisconsin will provide insight as to what factors you should consider when planning a pollinator planting.

Please use the following link to register https://go.wisc.edu/aqelvq

and

Pollinator Gardens: Plant Selection and Garden Care, by Susan Carpenter

Tuesday, April 6

6:30-7:30 p.m.

Join Susan Carpenter to learn how to select and care for plants to attract and support diverse pollinators in your garden all season long. This presentation will emphasize native plants and pollinators and will include sustainable gardening practices.

Please use the following link to register https://go.wisc.edu/842s07

If you have questions about these events, please contact Julie Hill, Horticulture Outreach Specialist, julie.hill@wisc.edu

To find additional upcoming local and statewide events from Extension, see our calendar: https://extension.wisc.edu/events/ or visit our Extension Walworth County website: https://walworth.extension.wisc.edu/

(Whitewater Public Library submission) The Irvin L. Young Memorial Library is offering a new book subscription service for teens called YAAASSS (Young Adult Amazingly Awesome Super Subscription Service.) Students in grades six through twelve are invited to participate.

Teens – do you like surprises? Request a free YAAASSS Bag from the library to receive a handpicked library book and goodies galore! It’s easy:
• Visit whitewaterlibrary.org/teens.asp
• Fill out the form
• Wait (impatiently) for your goodies to arrive!
*A public library card is required
*Limit one bag per student per month
*Participants must fill out the form each month

(UW-Whitewater submission) The following Whitewater students are UW-Whitewater’s 2021 Greek chapter presidents: Anai Parker, who is studying psychology, is president of Alpha Kappa Alpha; Devin Lewis, who is studying human resource management, is president of Alpha Phi Alpha; and Joseph Senyah, who is studying psychology, is president of Phi Chi Epsilon.

UW-Whitewater currently has 23 active Greek chapters, which stem from national organizations. They offer leadership, personal fulfillment through philanthropy, and opportunities to forge lifelong relationships with peers and alumni. The Greek Community does its best to excel in all ways possible and at the same time, represents Warhawk spirit through academics, sports, social events, leadership, and much more.

While the individual goals of each chapter are different, the overall mission of the presidents of the chapters are largely centered around engagement and commitment to campus.

“As the president of either a fraternity or sorority, we are the face of our organizations,” said Neil McCants, president of the National Pan-Hellenic Council and Phi Beta Sigma fraternity. “The president’s role can be an overwhelming position to handle, but just like anything that gets difficult, you have to dig deep, use your resources and do what you need to do to be successful.”

For more information on the presidents of the Greek chapters or the Greek community at UW-Whitewater visit https://www.uww.edu/career-and-leadership-development/student-involvement/greek-community.