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WHS Gymnastics Holds Year End Banquet

From coach Kelly O’Hara:

Whitewater High School Gymnastics wrapped up the 2017-2018 season with a banquet held Thursday, March 8th at Whitewater High School.  The gymnasts did a fantastic job this season and they will continue to do so in future seasons. Thank you to the parents for supporting the girls, organizing pasta parties, and all the other amazing things you do. Also thank you to Mr. Mischka for coming to the gymnastics meets and taking pictures of the girls. Overall it was an amazing season and I couldn’t ask for a better group of girls to work with. Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication. Go Whippets!

Plaques:

Sydney Treder – MVP, Captain

Caitlyn Zimdars – Captain

Autumn Lesar – Most Dedicated

Nicole Tomomitsu – Most Improved Varsity

Jocelin Beecroft – Rookie of the Year

Ella Willman – Most Improved JV

Maribel Alvarez – Positive Attitude

Honorable Mention Southern Lake Conference:

Autumn Lesar

Nicole Tomomitsu

 

UWW Students Join Effort to Help Local Brain Injury Survivor

Students from UW-Whitewater have joined fundraising efforts for local brain injury survivor and UWW alum Thomas Hapka.

Hapka continues to struggle with complications from a traumatic brain injury he sustained during a chiropractic appointment. He never received any settlement, and UWW students are working to organize fundraisers throughout southern Wisconsin to help pay for Hapka’s rehabilitative care and offset the massive medical expenses he and his family incurred.

Andrew Gardner, a public relations major, joined Hapka’s campaign after learning of his story on campus.

“I felt compelled to get involved when I heard about Tom’s story and the hardships that he and his family are going through,” Gardner said. “I was also drawn to Tom’s story because he’s a UW-Whitewater alum and his family has given many years to the campus.”

Hannah Maes, a double major in Entrepreneurship and International Business, hopes Hapka’s story can be used to raise awareness about traumatic brain injuries.

“Tom has faced so many injustices, and his entire life was seriously damaged by this single incident,” Maes said. “I hope this effort can educate people about prevention and the early warning signs of a TBI so those who are injured get treatment as soon as possible.”

The next event for Hapka will be held at Mac’s Pizza Shack in Janesville on Wednesday, March 14 from 4 pm to 8 pm, with 10 percent of all sales during those hours being donated to Hapka’s fund. The event is open to the public, and those who cannot attend are encouraged to visit LifeBeyondBrainInjury.org and make a secure donation.

WHS students National History Day state qualifiers present to Delta Kappa Gamma

Nine National History Day state qualifiers presented for the Delta Kappa Gamma organization at Whitewater’s Cultural Arts Center on Thursday, March 9, 2017. Mr. Chris Wiegman, social studies teacher at Whitewater High School, gave an overview of the NHD program before the students took to the stage.

Whitewater advanced nine students to the state competition in five categories: Senior Individual Performance, Senior Individual Exhibit, Senior Group Exhibit, Senior Individual Website, and Senior Group Exhibit. The NHD Regional had schools from across South Central Wisconsin.

Participation continues to grow with more than 500,000 students participating annually across the nation. The National History Day program in Wisconsin is coordinated by the Wisconsin Historical Society. The NHD coordinators for Whitewater High School are Mr. Scott Phillips and Mr. Chris Wiegman

Whitewater High School students who were selected as state finalists and their subject:

Kiwanis and Culver’s Give $1,000 Scholarship

Culver’s of Whitewater and the Kiwanis Whitewater Breakfast Club recently presented a scholarship of $1,000 to Nicole Alt, a 2017 graduate of Whitewater High School. She is a student at Gateway Technical College and is pursuing a degree in Nursing.  The scholarship combines the funds raised at a Culver’s Night for a Kiwanis fundraiser with a matching donation by Kiwanis.
Kiwanis Treasurer Rick Norman said, “We would like to thank the Whitewater community for supporting this project.”
 
The next Culver’s and Kiwanis fundraiser will be April 10 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., when a percentage of sales will be donated by Culver’s toward the scholarship, and matched by Kiwanis.
Left to right: Kiwanis Treasurer Rick Norman, Culver’s Owner Jon Laundrie, Scholarship Recipient Nicole Alt; General Manager Dylan Weimer, and Ed Schweitzer of Kiwanis.

  

WMS Wins Regional Academic Bowl Competition

Congratulations to the fifteen 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade students that represented Whitewater Middle School at the Southern Lakes Advanced Learners Network Academic Bowl. Seven school districts participated. Whitewater Middle School did very well earning first place overall with 678 points.  Jefferson took second place with 649 points and East Troy came in third with 642 points. .

The following Whitewater students earned special recognition:
Language Arts 
Sophie Walton – 1st place, 8th grade
Science 
Calvin Baker – 2nd place, 8th grade
Emerson Ellenwood – 2nd place, 6th grade
Social Studies 
Andrew Rollette – 1st place, 8th grade
Henry Mortimer – 1st place, 7th grade
Emma Weigel – 2nd place, 7th grade
Math 
Emma Clarksen – 3rd place, 7th grade

Whitewater Team 2 (Silas Baker, Anderson Waelchli, Atreyu Blahnik, Emma Weigel, Andrew Rollette) placed first in the Current Events portion of the competition.
Whitewater Team 3 (Cosette Wildermuth-Breitzman, Calvin Baker, Keith Cameron, Max Hsu, Emma Clarksen) placed third in the Current Events competition.
Whitewater team members included: Jared Apgar and Brock Grosinske.

Congratulations to all of the participants for their contributions to the team’s overall success and a special thank you for doing a great job representing Whitewater and Whitewater Middle School.

Back – Keith Cameron, Max Hsu, Henry Mortimer, Brock Grosinske; Middle – Emma Weigel, Anderson Waelchli, Sophie Walton, Silas Baker, Emerson Ellenwood, Calvin Baker; Front – Emma Clarksen, Cossette Wildermuth-Breitzman, Jared Apgar, Atreyu Blahnik, Andrew Rollette

 

Memory Cafe on March 12

The Irvin L. Young Memorial Library, in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association, is hosting a monthly Memory Café for individuals who are living with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), early-stage Alzheimer’s or other dementia, and their care partners. This free social event is held on the second Monday of every month in the Library Community Room at 431 W. Center St. in Whitewater, at 10:30 am. The next meeting will be March 12th. The theme will be “Squishy Plinking” with fun target practice games.

The Memory Café offers participants a safe and fun way to share their stories and socialize with others who have similar experiences. Learn how staying physically, socially and mentally active is good for the brain.

Registration is required for first-time attendees. Please call 800-272-3900 to register.

Carol Emmaline Siddons passed away on March 8, 2018 at Ridgestone Assisted Living in Delavan, Wisconsin.

Carol was born on May 24, 1925, to Albert and Nora (Kobelman) Smith in the Town of Sugar Creek, Wisconsin. Carol graduated from Elkhorn Area High School in 1943 and from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in 1947 with a degree in Elementary Education. She taught first grade at Caswell Elementary in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin for four years and second grade at Wileman Elementary in Delavan, Wisconsin for 36 years, retiring from her beloved profession in 1988. She married Howard Francis Siddons on October 14, 1961, in the Historic Heart Prairie Church on the shores of Whitewater Lake. Reading, gardening, bird watching, ceramics, and needlework were just a few of her special interests. Carol loved her animal companions and was a devoted supporter of animal shelters and environmental conservation. She volunteered for Lakeland Medical Center for 17 years, Meals on Wheels, and Lutherdale Bible Camp. Carol was a member of Sugar Creek Lutheran Church and the Walworth County Retired Teachers Association.

Carol is survived by Steven and Judith Jacobson, Elkhorn; Lloyd and Julie Romie, Elkhorn; Madalyn (Ryan) Reichert, Elkhorn; Rebecca (Jedadiah) Terpstra, Delavan. Hannah (Lars) Heggernes, New Richmond, WI; Maren Jacobson and Emmaline Jacobson. Special great-grandchildren that brought joy to her life include Rylie, Madison, Levi, Owen, Arie, and Anders.  Carol will be remembered by her best friend and college roommate, Helen Lippitt, Oconomowoc, her extended family, dear friends and teaching colleagues. She is preceded in death by her parents, husband, and an infant brother.

Visitation will be at 9:30 AM on Saturday, March 17, 2018, at Sugar Creek Lutheran Church, N5690 Cobblestone Road, Elkhorn.  Funeral service will be at 11:00 AM on Saturday at church. Interment will follow services at Sugar Creek Lutheran Cemetery. Memorials in memory of Carol may be made to Sugar Creek Lutheran Church. Haase-Lockwood & Associates Funeral Homes and Crematory is assisting the family. Online guestbook at www.haaselockwoodfhs.com.

The Jacobson family would like to extend our sincerest thanks and gratitude to the amazing staff of Ridgestone Village, St. Croix Hospice Care,  the doctors, and nurses, most importantly Dr. Michael S. Hobbs, and Dr. Kenneth B. Bortin for taking care of Carol.

Message from the Whitewater Food Pantry

To  the Whitewater Community,

Thank you for your generous donations to the Whitewater Community Food Pantry. Your thoughtfulness and support to the Whitewater Pantry are very much appreciated.  We are so very blessed to have such a fantastic community so willing to help.

The Whitewater Community Food Pantry

The Whitewater Community Food Pantry is located at 146 North Street on the second floor. There is a ramp and an elevator for disabled folks.  It is open Wednesday and Thursday morning from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon for anyone who needs groceries. Last year, the food pantry was able to serve 649 families.

Donations can be brought to the pantry Wednesday or Thursday mornings, or by calling the pantry at 262-458-2720.

Monetary donations can be mailed to:
The Whitewater Community Food Pantry
P. O. Box 63
Whitewater, Wisconsin, 53190

Two Community Events on Saturday March 10 at the Irving L. Young Library

Indoor City Market

March 10, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm

The March 10 Indoor City Market will be held at the Irvin L. Young Memorial Library from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Look for us — and 18 of our favorite local vendors — in the Community Room, just off the main entrance. You’ll find eggs, cheese, vegetables, local beef and chicken, honey, baked goods and LOTS MORE.  See you there!

Jeff Pockat, Gaelic Harpist

March 10, 1:00 pm

Jeff Pockat, a self-taught Celtic harp (Gaelic harp) musician and composer, will be at the library to share his music.  His music is performed on the Ancient Wire Strung Celtic Harp. These are traditional and original pieces that soothe the mind, soul, body, and spirit.  This performance is free and open to all ages.