Editor’s Note: The following was provided by University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
The community is invited to a free music event that will be happening in Whitewater on Saturday, July 16 at 7:15 p.m., at Light Recital Hall in the Greenhill Center of the Arts on UW-Whitewater campus. Featured will be the UW-Whitewater 1980s/1990s Piano Camp Alumni Recital, which will be free and open to the public. There will be a variety of performers, all former students, faculty, or counselors at UW-Whitewater Piano Camp from the 1980s and 1990s.
Dolores M. Feltych, age 80, of Janesville, passed away on Wednesday, June 29, 2022 at Cedar Crest Assisted Living. She was born in Cicero, Illinois on July 9, 1941; the daughter of John Sr. and Marie (Nemecek) Fleck. Dolores married Chester M. Feltych Jr. on October 14, 1961 at Holy Lady of the Mount Catholic Church in Cicero, Illinois. They eventually settled in Schaumburg where they raised their three children: Deborah, Christine and Bryan. In 2001 they moved to Whitewater Lake in Wisconsin to enjoy the rest of their retirement. They shared 47 years together before Chester’s passing on June 2, 2009. Dolores was very active in her church, St. Marcellines and volunteering at The Twinbrook YMCA. After moving to Whitewater, she worked at First United Methodist Church serving the Univ. of Wis. WW students free lunch every week. She loved working with the volunteers and supporting the many students.
Dolores is survived by her daughters, Deborah Simpson and Christine (James) Caley; grandchildren: Nate (Whitney) Simpson, Ben (Kilee) Simpson, Elainna (Antone) Simpson, Brianna (Caitlin Ball) Feltych, Zachary (Megan) Caley, Avery Caley and Jamison Caley; great grandchildren: Logan and Rosalee Simpson and Kayden Feltych; brother, Phillip (Linda) Fleck; and numerous extended family members. She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Chester Feltych; son, Bryan Feltych; son in law, Edgar Simpson; and brother, John “Jack” Fleck, Jr.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 10, 2022 at SCHNEIDER FUNERAL HOME; with visitation from 1:00 p.m. until time of service. SCHNEIDER FUNERAL HOME & CREMATORY is assisting her family. For online condolences and guestbook, please visit: www.schneiderfuneraldirectors.com
A special thank you to Cedar Crest Assisted Living Staff. You made mom feel at home and cared for.
Born on November 22, 1931, and passed away peacefully surrounded by her children on June 26, 2022 at the age of 90. She is preceded in death by her loving husband Lynton of 66 years, and 7 of the 9 children of Lawrence and Anna Jacobs of Nezperce, Idaho. She is survived by her 100-year-old sister Bernice Lanza, her children: Pam (Larry) Hansen, Julie (Dick) Enerson, Tim (Heidi) Piatt, Darcie (Richard) Payne, Grandchildren: Breanna, Cassandra (Seth), Justin, Chelsey, Kajsa (Dane), Olivia, Malina, Seth (Blanca) and great-grandchildren Quinn, Tristan, and Nora.
Mary Kay and Lyn resided in Whitewater, Wisconsin for 47 years, and moved to the Twin Cities for their final years to be closer to many family members. She worked at the UW-Whitewater Health Center as an administrative assistant soon after moving to Whitewater until her retirement in 1993.
She was always within arm’s reach of a book, crossword puzzle, knitting or handiwork, and enjoyed painting and doing ceramics. Mary Kay was smart, wise, resourceful, strong, and always had a “can-do” attitude while being content with staying out of the limelight. She was passionate about politics and worked for many years as an election judge and campaigned for her favorite candidates.
She had a great sense of humor, a beautiful smile, was willing to help others – particularly the underdog, and loved and served her family well. We will miss her greatly.
We want to thank the staff at Saint Therese of New Hope, Minnesota for their loving care during these past 3 years.
Notice of burial arrangements and memorial for both Mary Kay and Lynton Piatt will be determined at a future date.
“Wisconsin-Whitewater is home to one of the most dominant sports programs the state has ever seen.
The Warhawks’ wheelchair basketball teams are national powerhouses, with the men and women combining for 16 championships since 1982.
Whitewater players and alumni are heavily represented on Team USA for international competitions, including the upcoming International Wheelchair Basketball Federation America’s Cup in São Paulo, Brazil. That event, which begins July 9, is a qualifier for the world championships in November in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Whitewater prides itself on being one of the most wheelchair-accessible campuses in the nation. The men’s wheelchair basketball team started almost 50 years ago….
The National Wheelchair Basketball Association has 12 teams in its men’s intercollegiate division, including Illinois, Arizona and Alabama.
“I think it’s kind of cool to see these other big schools that offer these huge scholarships and have these big facilities and Whitewater is just kind of blue collar and people that want to work hard,” Boie said. [John Boie is a former wheelchair basketball player who is now an academic advisor at UW-W] “If you want to get better, this is where you come to play against the best and to become the best.”
The women’s division includes six teams.
“I’m not really that old and the fact that I had to choose between really just one school that had an established women’s team about 20 years ago,” Schwab said, “And now women have the opportunity to choose between six universities and where they want to go.”
Editor’s note: The photo on the homepage is a UW-Whitewater photo.
By Lynn Binnie Whitewater Banner volunteer staff whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
Although the road construction signs are still posted, it appears that the work on Highway 59 between County Line Road and the approach to Milton has been essentially completed. The resurfaced road looks great.
City of Whitewater Landmarks Commission – Thursday @ 6:00 p.m. AGENDA includes Heritage Day Tour (planning update for 2023) and Starin Park water tower restoration Whitewater Landmarks Commission Cravath Lakefront Room 312 Whitewater Street Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone. https://meet.goto.com/448593965 You can also dial in using your phone. United States: +1 (408) 650-3123 Access Code: 448-593-965
Whitewater Fire Department, Inc Business Meeting Agenda: https://www.whitewater-wi.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07072022-1555 Date/Time: Thursday July 7, 2022 @ 6:30pm Location: WFD Meeting Room This meeting will have a virtual viewing only option. Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone : meet.google.com/yhe-ppkd-dxh You can also dial in using your phone United States: Meeting ID: +1 443-671-8565 Passcode139 469 351#
By Lynn Binnie Whitewater Banner volunteer staff whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
Art on the Square (Source: travelwisconsin.com)
Whitewater native Fletcher Crone is one of fourteen “emerging artists” participating in next weekend’s 64th annual Art Fair on the Square which is sponsored by the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art. Filling the streets surrounding the Capitol, the juried show is one of the Midwest’s most popular and highly regarded outdoors celebrations of the arts. Nearly 500 artists exhibit their work, which includes paintings, prints, photographs, sculpture, jewelry, and handmade clothing. Nearly 200,000 visitors are expected to the free admission event.
Growing up, Fletcher says he was constantly exposed to the natural world through family camping trips and “a genetic love for the outdoors.” He bought a “cheap point-and-shoot” camera in high school that he used on family trips, but it was during the COVID-19 pandemic that he began to explore photography more seriously, inspired by professional photographers such as Nigel Danson of Britain. Having a lot of free time during the pandemic, he went on a lot of hikes in the area and watched Youtubes to teach himself composition. He upgraded to a DSLR, a Canon 250D, which he is still using. (DSLR stands for digital single-lens reflex camera, notable for allowing interchangeable lenses on the same camera body.)
For spring break in 2021, his senior year of high school, Crone took off on an ambitious solo photography-focused road trip to the Mountain West. His first big stop was the Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado, followed by Arches National Park in Utah. There he spent the night in a Walmart parking lot, as the campground was full, and was the first person in the park the next morning before the sunrise. Then he headed to Vermilion Cliffs National Monument near the Grand Canyon, and finally to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. The last day he drove all the way from Wyoming to home, a trip of nearly 16 hours. He had covered about 4000 miles in a week. How far had he previously driven alone? “Probably Madison or Milwaukee,” Fletcher answered.
Crone in his exhibit that will be transported to Art on the Square. His favorite photo, “Solitude,” is the upper left image.
Fletcher’s first entries in an exhibit took place for the 12th annual Fran Achen Photography Competition last summer at Whitewater’s Cultural Arts Center. Fletcher appreciated the help of an accomplished local landscape photographer, Everett Long, as he prepared for that show. He was excited to win the Outstanding Youth award for a favorite photo of his titled “Solitude,” which was taken at Vermilion Cliffs. He entered three photos in this year’s show, and having aged out of the youth category he is now competing with other adults. His waterfall photo, “Tranquility of Mind,” was awarded Honorable Mention. The show may be viewed in person at the building next to the Birge Fountain, Thursday through Sunday, 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. from now through July 31. (Bear in mind, however, that on the 31st the photographers will be picking up their work beginning at 3 p.m.) The show is also available for online viewing here.
A “dry run” for the Art on the Square exhibit (Photos courtesy of Fletcher Crone)
Crone’s favorite times to shoot are sunrise and sunset, due to the variability of colors, but, “I have been able to make really cool pictures at any time,” he shared. As for the seasons, “I really love winter, especially with the snow. It makes you think more about the composition when there’s a lot more simplicity in the landscape.” Though pure landscapes are his specialty, he also enjoys shooting lighthouses and recently has been shooting rural Wisconsin church buildings. What’s on his bucket list? Number one would be Patagonia, at the southern end of South America, followed by Kyrgyzstan in central Asia.
Fletcher recently completed his freshman year at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington, where his major is undecided, “leaning toward environmental science.” He started thinking, though, about trying to turn his talents into a career as a landscape photographer. “I’m to a point now that I’m pretty confident in my ability and ready to put my work out there and see how well it does. It’s my dream career but if it doesn’t work out it’s still amazing. As long as I can get out and shoot and edit my pictures it really doesn’t matter. I just really enjoy being able to do that,” he concluded. “I love being lucky enough to see and capture amazing moments in nature.”
The Art Fair on the Square is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, July 9 and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, July 10. Fletcher’s exhibit will be found at Booth E13. His work will be available for sale on stretched canvas, on metal, or unframed paper prints. More of his work may be found on his website, https://fletchercrone.wixsite.com/photography
Editor’s Note: The following was provided by Fort HealthCare.
The Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality (WCHQ) hosted their WCHQ Quality and Value Improvement Event and Diabetes Summit on June 22, 2022, at the Monona Terrace Convention Center in Madison. Among the featured speakers was the 2022 WCHQ Quality Leadership Award Recipient and Fort HealthCare President and CEO, Michael Wallace, FACHE. His presentation shared Fort HealthCare’s approach to quality and community health improvement.
Michael Wallace, FACHE, Fort HealthCare President and CEO, receives the 2022 Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality (WCHQ) Quality Leadership Award at the 2022 WCHQ Quality and Value Improvement Event and Diabetes Summit on June 22, 2022, held at the Monona Terrace Convention Center in Madison.
The annual WCHQ event focuses on sharing opportunities for health systems to improve care for patients with obesity, diabetes, and hypertension, as these chronic diseases have been linked to other more serious conditions that can develop in patients over time. Fort HealthCare works continuously on developing methods to help improve high-quality chronic disease management at both individual and system levels.
The WCHQ presented Fort HealthCare with its top award for excellence in quality improvement leadership. WCHQ annually recognizes a select number of member organizations for superior clinical performance and patient outcomes.
A June 22, 2022 press release from the WCHQ states, “This award, however, honors one organization for exceptional quality improvement, active engagement with WCHQ’s work, and mentorship of other organizations. One of the attributes that is considered for this award is Fort HealthCare’s notable improvement across many of the WCHQ measures and their participation on and willingness to serve in leadership positions on committees, work groups, and on the WCHQ Board of Directors.”
Fort HealthCare Improving Diabetes Care for Healthier Communities program team supporters at the recent Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality and Value Improvement Event and Diabetes Summit. Pictured (left to right): Stacy Kutz, Samantha Fuller, Anthony Knutson, Erin Sterwald, Michael Wallace, Christopher Barron, Alyssa Turcotte, Kati Wetzel, and Traci Wilson. Not pictured: Latisha Smith-Chase, MD, and Abigail Bare.
WCHQ President and CEO, Gabrielle Rude, Ph.D., presented the award to Fort HealthCare. She comments, “Fort HealthCare performs well across many of the quality measures that WCHQ scores, but it is their willingness to share what they know with other organizations that is truly invaluable.”
According to Dr. Rude, “Sharing with other organizations how they are improving patient care demonstrates their commitment to ensuring that everyone in Wisconsin has access to high-quality care, no matter where they live.”
Chris Barron, Fort HealthCare Executive Director of Population Health and Clinical Services, notes, “Our teams are very committed to quality improvement and I’m really proud to have their hard work recognized. We want the best health outcomes for our community.”
Fort HealthCare developed the Improving Diabetes Care for Healthier Communities program in 2019. The internal multi-disciplinary program is designed to improve clinical outcomes and process measures for patients, increase community access to health care services, and improve the understanding of how social determinants of health impact people living with diabetes in the Jefferson County, WI area. Overall, the program works to positively impact the quality of life for patients with diabetes.
“Improving Diabetes Care for Healthier Communities is a great example of population health in action, tying together programming that addresses both health outcomes and health factors,” Barron adds.
The program includes many facets for improving diabetes self-management education and support, comprehensive care management, interdisciplinary collaboration, and community partnerships.
Barron continues, “Our vision with the program was ambitious, encompassing nine subprojects that innovated care delivery for patients with diabetes and began to build a foundation for future work, particularly within the realms of health disparities and social determinants of health. Despite a global pandemic, the team did a phenomenal job of executing on our vision. Fort HealthCare is well-positioned to build on this work with future projects.”
The Improving Diabetes Care for Healthier Communities program is supported by a grant awarded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The HRSA grant allows Fort HealthCare to better serve patients with diabetes and bridge gaps in the system to ensure residents receive high-quality diabetes care, while also improving chronic disease management at both the individual and system level. Fort HealthCare chose to focus on diabetes care because it is one of three chronic conditions that impact a significant percentage of the local population.
About the WCHQ
The WCHQ is dedicated to helping healthcare professionals improve the quality and value of health care through collaboration, sharing best practices, and publicly reporting information that healthcare organizations can use to benchmark and compare their performance. WCHQ’s membership includes Wisconsin’s integrated health systems, hospitals, medical and dental clinics, and independent physician groups. Visit WCHQ.org for more information.
Improving Diabetes Care for Healthier Communities
This program was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $600,000 with 0% financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA,HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.
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. FortHealthCare.com.
Students within this summer’s new WHITEWATER BUILDS Tech Ed Summer School Program will be building a brand new shed [retail value approximately $6500] that the Whitewater Unified School District will be donating to a member of the community.
This is a unique opportunity to:
Nominate a veteran or active military personnel
Nominate a deserving member of the community
Apply yourself
Nominate someone by completing the Nomination Form. You will be asked to acknowledge having read the terms and conditions (see “Official Rules” below). Entries must be received by Friday, July 15. The superintendent will select five finalists and a winner will be chosen at the July 25th school board meeting.
The recipient is responsible for any permits associated with having an outbuilding on their property.
The shed will be moved to the premises and can be set in place on level ground. The recipient is responsible for moving the shed if there are obstacles, uneven ground, or landscape obstacles.
