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The Public Art is up on the light poles in downtown Whitewater! The Whitewater Arts Alliance would like to thank all of the artists, volunteers and sponsors of the 2019 Public Art Project, “Portals to the Past, Portals to the Future.” 

The following artists chose 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:  Joanna Marr Baker, Dawn Hunter, Derek Hambly, 4th and 5th grade Lakeview students, Janet Nelson, Linda Preussner, Issak Miklik, Daniela Porras, Everett Long, Karolyn Alexander, Whitney Scherr, Erika Schwalbe, Alfredo Gomez, and Morgan Stillwagon.

This project is possible thanks to the sponsors:

Mary Nevicosi, chair of the exhibit and WAA board member said, “The WAA thanks Carol Cartwright for her fun and informative presentation of Whitewater history at the January kick-off, David Linton for making sure the hanging holes were correct, Home Lumber for cutting the wood, the sponsors for making this project possible, the artists who shared their talent and time, and a special thanks to the city crew and Chris Munz-Pritchard for their enthusiastic help in hanging the pieces. We hope that, as part of their summer enjoyment, people will stroll in downtown Whitewater and enjoy the beautiful original art!”

Additional information on the Public Art Project can be found at the Whitewater Arts Alliance website www.whitewaterarts.org or via a walk-along video-tour on the StriveOn app. The application is free for mobile phones, and it allows people to watch artists’ interviews and find the name of the pieces and the artists as they stroll in Whitewater.

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.

If we had a dollar for each time we’ve heard that in the past three years, we’d be rich. But Downtown Whitewater, Inc. is a volunteer led and driven non-profit committed to Whitewater, so we’re certainly not rich, and if we did indeed have those dollars we would continue to do what we do – invest in the community.

Several years ago Fort Community Credit Union also wanted to make an investment in Whitewater, and they allocated a sizable donation through Downtown Whitewater, Inc. that manifested in the form of the Eastgate Sculptures. You can find out more about the sculpture design and artist at https://www.downtownwhitewater.com/eastgate. 

Back to those “weeds.” We’ll assume that you may not be intimately aware of the full scope of all that we do at Downtown Whitewater, which we sincerely hope to change, but one part of our mission is to ease the burden of government. So, when the committee moved on to looking at options for landscaping around the two sculptures, one of the most important parts of that planning was asking, “What is a sustainable landscaping plan that minimizes the burden of upkeep to the dedicated crews who keep our city looking its finest?”

Enter the prairie, and the following quote from the company that we’ve been working with for the past three years, Tallgrass Restoration: “Native plants offer several benefits for your land. Due to the fact they have evolved to live in the climate, they require minimal care. Native plants are already accustomed to the amount of rainfall, soil type, area pests, and wildlife, which means that you will save on water, pesticides, and maintenance.” Sounds like a win, right?

But how do you go from grassy space to established prairie? A lot of sweat equity. To date we’ve logged about 250 volunteer hours. It takes generally about four years for a seeded prairie of the type selected for the footprint of these two sculptures to be fully established. Each year in that process, volunteers coordinate with Tallgrass Restoration for what needs the prairies have, which is almost always pulling weeds. It is worth noting that the prairie located by the new downtown business 70×7 Trends (also known as the north prairie) has an aster that should bloom in a few weeks that indicates the age of that prairie has now reached the four-year mark. The south prairie, located in front of Floral Villa, has had its share of challenges between a water main break and an unscheduled mowing that have stunted its growth. With an additional reseeding and installation of seedlings this spring to jump-start growth, it continues to be at about a two-year age mark. 

We wanted to update the community on this process because it is a process, and as we spotted the first of the blooms this week we decided to share with you now. We hope that you’ll look on your way past this space at the sculptures that chronicle many of the wonderful parts of Whitewater and a little bit of native plant life in the heart of downtown. If you find yourself curious about what species are included in our prairie seed mix, we’ve compiled those at https://www.downtownwhitewater.com/landscaping-for-the-sculptures.

Thank you for your time in reading through this update, thank you for supporting the many small businesses in downtown, and most importantly thank you as a member of this community for being the single most important part of what makes Whitewater special – its people.

Kindly submitted by Lisa Dawsey Smith, Board President, Downtown Whitewater, Inc.

The Whitewater High School Class of 1989 will be hosting their 30th Class Reunion at Willow Brook Golf Course on Saturday, August 10, 2019.

Please visit https://whs89reunion.lunasoleil.com/ for more information and the registration link.

Also, “pass the word,” because we are having difficulty locating some of our classmates. Thank you!

The Whitewater Unified School District Summer School commenced on Monday, June 17. Per the district: “We are very excited about the number of families taking advantage of this fun and enriching extended learning experience. We are equally excited to have some new and engaging course offerings such as Blacklight Art, Pottery, Girls Who Code, American Sign Language, Spanish for Elementary Students among many others!”

Attached are some pictures of the Week 1 action:

The Power of Produce (PoP) Club was piloted at the Whitewater City Market in 2018.  Sponsored by W3, Inc. and UW-Whitewater Sustainability, this program is back for 8 weeks at the Whitewater City Market, starting June 11th.  This program was developed to teach kids about food and healthy eating, and to educate them about where their food comes from. Designed for 3-12 years of age, kids can participate in weekly games and activities and receive a coupon to spend at the market on fresh fruits and vegetables from local growers.

Parents and kids were surveyed at the end of last season.  When asked if kids tried any new fruits and vegetables after participating in the PoP Club, one kid replied, “Yes, honey dew! I loved it!” Other parent comments included, “The kids were more interested in picking out and eating healthy foods,” and “We have really enjoyed the activities and my daughter loves spending her coupon.”  Vendors were also surveyed and indicated that they noticed an increase in interactions with kids at the market. One vendor noted, “I like when kids get excited about buying vegetables.”

The 2019 season will bring new, fun education and activities for kids on nutrition, plant parts, and environmental education.  Kids can join the PoP club by visiting the W3 tent on market days through July 30, 2019. For more information, visit www.W3wellness.org or follow Facebook @WhitewaterWellness3.

About the organizations:

Working for Whitewater’s Wellness, Inc. is a 501(c)3 organization. Founding members include UW-Whitewater, the City of Whitewater, the Whitewater Unified School District, and Fort HealthCare. Our Vision – A community where people live longer, happier, healthier lives.

Whitewater City Market, established in 2015, brings area farmers, artisans, food carts, craft beer, live music, and the community together at the historic Train Depot (301 W Whitewater Street) every Tuesday from 4 to 7 p.m. to create not only a unique shopping experience but a celebration of what is local. Hosted by Downtown Whitewater, this vibrant market includes free music, kids’ activities, and over 50 vendors.

For more information contact:

Lisa Dawsey Smith
Downtown Whitewater Inc Board President
Whitewater City Market Co-Manager
ldawsey06@gmail.com | (262) 473-2200

Take a step into the world of owning your craft. From rustic candle pedestals, to a new outfit, this exhibit has it all. Come check out The Book Teller Makers by artists from The Book Teller, now open at Roberta’s Art Gallery.

Roberta’s Art Gallery will be hosting The Book Teller Makers by artists from The Book Teller June 21-July 24, 2019. The gallery will be open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Please join us for a free, opening reception with the artists on Monday, June 24 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. to learn more about The Book Teller and its artists’ specialties, products, and techniques.

The Book Teller is a quaint store found in the heart of Whitewater. As an old bank transformed, the store’s main attraction is the endless amount of books throughout the store and in the back safe vault. Outside of the books, local artists feature their businesses here – KMA Jewelry, The Krafty Kat, and many others. Some businesses include personal craft, such as Alice Hall’s Fiber Design using wool, and others include photography or stained glass pieces. Roberta’s Art Gallery has been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to share each of the artists’ personal crafts in which their talents are displayed.

Roberta’s Art Gallery is a full service gallery that focuses on numerous styles of art exhibits, workshops and aims to reach students, faculty and staff, alumni, community members, and other visitors. Art is believed to be a universal language, and being a resource for the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Roberta’s Art
Gallery collaborates with students, campus departments, and student organizations.

All exhibits and receptions are free and open to the public. Roberta’s Art Gallery is located on the first floor of the James R. Connor University Center (UC) at UW-Whitewater. If you would like more information, feel free to contact Roberta’s Art Gallery via email ucart@uww.edu or via phone (262) 472-3193. We look forward to seeing you!

Representatives from Downtown Whitewater Inc. and PremierBank presented a $650 donation to the United Way of Walworth County. Pictured left to right, Lisa Dawsey Smith, Board President of Downtown Whitewater, Inc., Ray Bucholtz, Vice President, Commercial Loan Officer, PremierBank, Meghan Hartwick, Executive Director United Way of Jefferson and North Walworth Counties, and Kristen Burton, United Way Board Member.

Due to inclement weather, this year’s Half-a-ween event, scheduled on Saturday, April 27th, was cancelled but still resulted in a donation to the United Way. 

Half-a-ween is a 0.5K fun “run” born out of the committed partnership of Downtown Whitewater, Inc and PremierBank to support the United Way of Walworth County. The event was to feature coffee, donuts, beer, and costumes and intended to be a nod to the local lore of Whitewater in a Christmas-in-July sort of way. 

“The United Way supports projects and people in our community and our organization will continue to find collaborative endeavors that allow us to support the United Way because what matters first in any community are the people that make up the community,” says Lisa Dawsey Smith, the Board President of Downtown Whitewater, Inc. Half-a-ween will return in 2020 to further support the United Way of Walworth County.

About the organizations:

The mission of United Way of Jefferson and North Walworth Counties (UNJNWC) is to unite communities, increase and focus resources and inspire people to measurably improve citizens’ lives in our area. UWJNWC focuses on three building blocks of EDUCATION, INCOME & HEALTH in order to create long-lasting changes by advancing the common good. Everyone strives for the opportunity to have a good life; everyone deserves a quality education that leads to a stable job, enough income to support a family through retirement, and good health.

Downtown Whitewater, Inc. is a volunteer-driven organization spearheading community efforts to re-energize and enhance our historic downtown. We are community advocates and volunteers who share a passion for Whitewater. We bring people from all walks of life together to celebrate Whitewater’s history and traditions, to care for our downtown neighborhood, and to inspire confidence and investments that are flowing toward an economically vibrant, engaging and exciting place in the heart of Whitewater – a place we love, a place we’re proud to call home, and a place where future generations can grow and take pride in calling their own.

From the Whitewater Police Department Facebook page

A first in perhaps many, many decades!

During our 2nd shift briefing today (Friday, June 21), a caller reported three unaccompanied horses cantering west on Main Street.

The WPD dispatcher sent WPD personnel to remedy the situation. Community Service Officer Beecroft, Officer Borchardt, Detective Schleis, Lieutenant Gempler and Chief Raap responded.

With incredible assistance from our community, horse owners from the Whitewater area and the UW-W P.D., these beautiful animals were safely returned to their home.

There were no injuries to man nor beast. Also, no property damage occurred during this nearly one hour of teamwork!

For more pictures and over a hundred comments, including Joey Marx’s link to a video of the horses on Main Street, click here and open the post from June 21: #WPDconnecting #WPDprotecting