The light, the lives and the textures of contemporary, working class, Mumbai (formerly Bombay). The New York Times says “a soulful study of the transformative power of friendship and sisterhood, in all its complexities and richness.” Grand prize winner, Cannes Film Festival, 2024. Shown with English subtitles.
Seniors in the Park is located in Starin Park, 504 W. Starin Road. Although there is no charge to attend, regular participants are encouraged to join Seniors in the Park. The annual fee for residents of the Whitewater Unified School District is $10 and non-residents is $15. The funds support about half of the cost of our front desk staff person for 15 hours per week. The rest comes out of our fundraising monies. If you cannot afford the fee, we have a fund that will cover it for you. Fees are accepted at the Starin Park Community Building or online at https://schedulesplus.com/wwtr/kiosk/
Free Collage Card Making Workshops: Friday, June 20, 1-3 pm and Thursday, June 26, 1-3 pm.To sign up for the free workshops, please email wwartsalliance@gmail.com or add your name to the list in the CAC gallery.
The Whitewater Arts Alliance is proud to present Collage x Five: Up Close and Personal, a new exhibition showcasing the creative storytelling of five women artists: Ann Engelman, Dawn Hunter, Sally Koehler, Allison Russo, and Della Wells. The show will be on display from June 5 to June 29, 2025, at the Whitewater Cultural Arts Center, located at 402 W. Main Street in Whitewater.
Led by acclaimed artist and teacher Della Wells-whose work is featured in the collections of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, the Milwaukee Art Museum, and the American Folk Art Museum — the group explores personal stories and shared experiences through the art of collage. Wells explains, “I am a storyteller and an artist. I like to think of myself as an ‘arts provocateur.’ In my work, women guard their own fears and truths. They are not going to let anyone twist them into stereotypes.”
Ann Engelman creates vivid art through stitched Memory Cloths and collage, inspired by global storytelling traditions such as South Africa’s Amazwi Abesifazane project. Engelman believes, “Storytelling provides context of life experiences. My artistic expressions help me reflect.” Her work captures the emotional landscape of memory, tradition, and resilience.
Dawn Hunter, a founding member and first president of the Whitewater Arts Alliance, brings decades of leadership and creativity to the exhibition. Hunter has earned multiple Wisconsin Regional Arts Program awards and recently published her children’s book, The Lavender Lady, in 2025. She shares, “Creative people don’t have a mess — they have ideas lying around everywhere.” Her collage work, like her writing, invites viewers into colorful, imaginative worlds.
Sally Koehler, a Fort Atkinson-based artist with a degree from the University of Wisconsin, combines her background in arts education with her fine art practice. She has participated in national arts training through the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and has continued to expand her collaborative work. Koehler says, “I use texture, color, and patterns to express my vision and gratitude for the rhythms and dance of life,” a spirit that radiates through her collage pieces.
Allison Russo, a former Art Director at Scholastic Inc. and a current Board Member of the Public Art Fund in New York City, draws inspiration from the fleeting beauty of everyday moments. Her collages explore themes of motherhood, time, and transformation. Russo reflects, “Fleeting, precious moments shape my understanding of the world. Learning together with these women has been a gift.”
Throughout the month of June, visitors are invited to participate in a series of special events designed to engage with the artists and the art. Two free collage card-making workshops will be offered on Friday, June 20, and Thursday, June 26, from 1 pm-3 pm, inviting participants to create their own art inspired by the exhibition. Gallery Exhibit Hours Thursdays: 12 pm – 4 pm Fridays: 12 pm – 4 pm Saturdays: 12 pm – 4 pm Sundays:12 pm – 4 pm [The gallery will be closed on June 15, Father’s Day.] Please Note: The gallery is closed outside of Gallery Exhibit Hours except for special events and is also closed when no show is currently running.
Admission to the exhibition and all events is free, and everyone is welcome.
Collage x Five: Up Close and Personal offers a vivid and heartfelt glimpse into women’s lived experiences, translated into layered and imaginative works of art. The exhibition promises to be an inspiring celebration of memory, creativity, and community.
It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society. To celebrate Father’s Day this Sunday, we are including an image of a father of a different sort. This is Joseph Bower, the “father” of Whitewater’s current downtown appearance. Bower was a builder who worked in Whitewater during the mid-to-late 19th century and can be credited with building at least 13 existing brick buildings in downtown Whitewater today, including the five-storefront block on the south side of the middle of Center Street, and several double-storefront blocks in the west block of Main Street in downtown Whitewater. The Whitewater Historical Society wishes all fathers a great day on Sunday!
Join us next week for more from the Whitewater Historical Society.
Gov. Evers Orders Flags to Half-Staff in Honor of Former Wisconsin National Guard Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Jerome “Jerry” Berard
MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers signed Executive Order #266 ordering the flags of the United States and the state of Wisconsin to be flown at half-staff on Fri., June 13, 2025, in honor of former Maj. Gen. Jerome “Jerry” Berard, who passed away on Mon., Jan 27, 2025, at the age of 87.
“Former Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Berard led a proud life of service, dedicating over four decades of his life to the Wisconsin National Guard, protecting the values and freedoms that we hold dear, and achieving many accolades along the way thanks to his steadfast commitment to serving our state and nation,” said Gov. Evers. “Kathy and I are sending our deepest condolences to Maj. Gen. Berard’s family, friends, and colleagues as they honor his life of dedicated and decorated service.”
Born in Hayward, Maj. Gen. Berard led an accomplished career in the Wisconsin National Guard for over four decades, including serving as adjutant general from 1996 to 1997. A graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and later attending the Naval Post Graduate School, Maj. Gen. Berard earned several accolades and awards throughout his honorable service, including the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, the Silver de Fleury Medal, and three Meritorious Service Medals. In addition to his service in the Guard, Maj. Gen. Berard worked at Telemark and Historyland for 26 years, managed the Lumberjack World Championships for two decades, and in 1978, he received the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Paul Bacon Award for his contributions to ski race organizing.
Services for former Maj. Gen. Jerome “Jerry” Berard will take place on Fri., June 13, 2025, in Hayward and at the Northern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Spooner.
Robert Raymond Brown, 59, of Wooster, died May 29, 2025 at Wooster Community Hospital, in Wooster, Ohio.
Robert was born November 9, 1965 in Fort Atkinson, WI to Raymond Robert and Suzan {Mayer} Brown.
He married Laura Kling on April 07, 2008.
Robert was a Pipeliner since 2007, he really enjoyed his job. He loved his time off with his wife, spending time with his family and friends and he especially loved his sister Kathy, who was always there for him. They were truly two peas in a pod.
Robert will be deeply missed by his wife; stepson Dustan (Angie) Kling; grandchildren Samantha, Nathan, Kelsey; great-granddaughter Kaira; sister Dawn (Don) Brown-Rothmer and Kathy (Joe) Zamora.
Robert was preceded in death by his parents, grandparent Frank Mayer and his nephew Joey.
Roberts Funeral Home-Sherwood Chapel in Wooster, Ohio will be handling arrangements. Online tributes may be made at www.RobertsFuneralHome.com.
Friends may call June 25, 2025 from 10-11:00 A.M. at St. Patrick Church, 1225 W. Main Street, Whitewater, WI 53190 until time of service at 11. A luncheon will immediately follow services.
This image was taken by volunteers or staff of Downtown Whitewater, Inc at a prior year’s fireworks show.
The Whitewater 4th of July Festival Committee is thrilled to announce that fireworks will light up the sky on both Friday, July 4, and Saturday, July 5, 2025, at 10:00 p.m. over Cravath Lake as part of this year’s celebration.
This spectacular tradition is made possible through the generous support of local businesses and partners. A special thank you goes to Coburn Company for sponsoring this year’s fireworks and to commend their remarkable milestone — 100 years in business. We proudly applaud their century of excellence and impact in the Whitewater area.
We also extend our sincere thanks to DLK Enterprises and the City of Whitewater for their continued sponsorship and ongoing support of the festival. Thanks to their dedication, the festival continues to shine as a highlight of Whitewater’s summer.
As we prepare for this exciting holiday weekend, we’re inviting members of the community to get a behind-the-scenes look at how the magic happens. Volunteers are needed to assist with launching the fireworks barge and other logistics surrounding the festival. We’re especially looking for a local boat owner willing to help tow the barge into Cravath Lake, as well as helping hands ready to be part of the action.
“This festival is a true community effort,” said a representative of the Whitewater 4th of July Committee. “Whether you’re sponsoring, volunteering, or attending, you’re part of something special.”
Editor’s note: The following schedule is from the above website.
Thursday, July 3, 2025
Christman Family Amusements Wrist Band Session: 5-9 PM, $25 each wrist band Family Day Sponsored by Generac 4-7 PM Karaoke at Frawley Ampitheater: 4-6 PM Miss Whitewater Pageant at Frawley Ampitheater: 6:30 PM Civic Organization Food Vendors: 4-11 PM
Friday, July 4
Whippet City Mile: 9:45 AM along parade route 4th of July Parade: 10 AM Civic Organization Food Vendors: 10 AM to 11 PM Christman Family Amusements: 12-4 PM Wrist band Session Live Music at Frawley Amphitheater: After the Parade – enjoy one of the bands in the parade on stage! 2 PM Jeff Winard Polka Party 5 PM Rural Route 3 8 PM Stetsin and Lace Fireworks: 10 PM
Saturday, July 5
Christman Family Amusements Wrist Band Session: $25 40th Annual Car Show 2-6 PM Civic Organization Food Vendors: Noon to 11 PM Live Music at the Frawley Ampitheater: 2 PM Sawyer Road 5 PM Gebel Girls 8 PM Brightside Fireworks 10 PM
Sunday, July 6
Carnival Only – Last chance for rides and a wrist band session! Christman Family Amusements Wrist Band Special: 12 to 4 PM, $25 each
Former University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football kicker Jeff Schebler and longtime Head Coach Forrest Perkins are candidates for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame according to an announcement from the National Football Foundation [NFF].
To become a member of the NFF [with a $60 donation] and cast your vote for Schebler and Perkins today – click here. Votes must be cast by July 1, 2025.
The 2026 College Football Hall of Fame ballot includes 79 players and 9 coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 100 players and 35 coaches from divisional ranks. The 2026 NFF College Football Hall of Fame Class will be officially inducted during the 68th annual awards dinner on December 8, 2026 in Las Vegas.
To be eligible, a player must have received first team All-America recognition by an NCAA-recognized selector and played in his final season at least 10 full seasons ago but no more than 50 years ago. A player’s post-football record as a citizen and academic honors accumulated are also weighted in the selection process.
Coaches must have coached a minimum of 10 years and 100 games as a head coach, won at least 60 percent of their games and be retired from coaching for at least three years.
Schebler (#11) Photos courtesy of UW-Whitewater Athletics
Schebler was a four-year All-American and four-year First Team All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference kicker for the Warhawks from 2006-09. He helped lead UW-Whitewater to four appearances in the Stagg Bowl, including national championships in 2007 and 2009, when he was selected as a First Team All-American by D3football.com. The team also earned WIAC titles during all four years of Schebler’s career.
Schebler earned the Fred Mitchell Award as the nation’s best non-FBS kicker in 2009 after converting 14-of-18 on field goals and 83-of-85 on PATs. He also averaged 60.3 yards per kickoff as UW-W finished with a perfect 15-0 mark on its way to the national title.
For his career, Schebler is the program’s all-time leader in PATs attempted (256), PATs made (245) and field goals made (75). He tied the school record for longest field goal with a pair of 52-yarders in 2007. Schebler still holds the Division III career records for points scored by a kicker (470), highest percentage of field goals made (78.9) and field goals made (75).
Forrest Perkins
Perkins coached the Warhawks for 29 seasons from 1956-84. He is currently the school’s all-time leader in victories after leading UW-Whitewater to a 190-88-8 record, good for a .678 winning percentage.
Perkins led the Warhawks to 11 conference championships and was named NAIA National Coach of the Year in 1966 after leading UW-Whitewater to a 10-1 record and the program’s first-ever postseason appearance. After a 41-18 triumph over Central (Iowa) in the national semifinals, the Warhawks reached the title game, where they fell against Waynesburg (Pa.).
At the time of his retirement, Perkins was the league’s all-time leader in wins and had the second-most wins of active coaches at the Division III level. He is currently No. 2 in the conference in victories and among the top 50 on the NCAA Division III all-time wins list.
College Football Hall of Fame votes are cast by more than 12,000 NFF members and current Hall of Famers. Their votes will be tabulated and submitted to the NFF’s Honors Court, which includes a diverse pool of athletic administrators, Hall of Famers and members of the media, for final class selection.
Taken at about 9 p.m., June 10, shortly after moon rise. Taken with what amounts to the equivalent of a 510 mm lens.
Taken about 2:35 a.m. on June 11 at the full moon’s brightest. Interesting to see how the image of the moon’s surface is different in the two photos, as the moon is rotating.
Strawberry Moon – June 2025
Named After Ripening Strawberries
June’s Full Moon is named after the wild strawberries that ripen this month and could be gathered by the Native American tribes. Other native names are Berries Ripen Moon, Green Corn Moon, and Hot Moon.
The Celtic names are Horse Moon, Dyan Moon, and Rose Moon. Other English names are Flower Moon and Planting Moon. Other sources quote Mead Moon as the Anglo-Saxon name because this was the time for mowing the meads, or meadows.
PORTLAND, Ore. — The first full moon of the summer, coined the strawberry moon, will light up the sky starting Tuesday night. It will be the lowest full moon in decades and one that astronomers have said won’t happen again until 2043.
The moon will appear full for about three days, from June 10 through the morning of June 12, according to NASA. Despite its name, the moon won’t visually look pink or red in color.
Its name is attributed to the Algonquin tribes, where “strawberry moon” refers to the time of year when fresh berries are harvested. In Europe, it can be referred to as the “rose moon.”
What’s special about this June’s full moon?
It will be the lowest full moon of the calendar year and the lowest it’s been in the sky in nearly two decades. The moon’s low position in the sky gives it a larger appearance, a term known as the “Moon Illusion.”
NASA’s interactive map for observing the Moon each day of the year shows the strawberry moon will actually be a few thousand miles closer to Earth during the full moon phase.
Our thanks to Tom Ganser for sharing these interesting photos and information.
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Dawn Hunter, a founding member and first president of the Whitewater Arts Alliance, will host a book signing for her newly published children’s book, The Lavender Lady, Thursday, June 12 from 1-4 pm. Dawn is also a featured artist in this month’s Collage x 5: Up Close and Personal exhibit at the Cultural Arts Center, 402 W. Main Street, Whitewater.
Editor’s Note: The following was provided by the Whitewater Community Foundation.
Over $10,000 has been awarded to the following local organizations through the Whitewater Community Foundation’s (WCF) Community Action Grant program: Fairhaven Senior Services, Impact Team Trinity, Irvin L. Young Memorial Library, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Children’s Center, Whitewater Makers Inc., and the Whitewater Youth Soccer Club.
“We were thrilled to distribute more than $10,000 to several organizations doing work to benefit the Whitewater community. Making a difference in the lives of our residents is our key purpose,” said Virginia Coburn, Chair of the Community Action Grant committee for the Whitewater Community Foundation.
Following is more information about each grant:
Fairhaven Senior Services was granted $2,500 for batteries to recharge Cycling Without Age Trishaw Rides. Each summer, volunteers spend hours bicycling around town with residents of Fairhaven enjoying the ride.
Front: Kat Mawhinney (WCF Co-president), Therese Kennedy (WCF Co-president), Brian Robinson (Fairhaven) Rear: Virginia Coburn (WCF CAG Committee Chair), Geoff Hale (WCF Board)
Impact Team Trinity (formerly W3) was granted $368.49 to purchase youth mental health books for each school library and the Irvin L. Young Memorial Library.
Geoff Hale (WCF Board), Virginia Coburn (WCF CAG Committee Chair), Therese Kennedy (WCF Co-president), Beth Nickels (Impact Team Trinity), Kat Mawhinney (WCF Co-president)
Irvin L Young Memorial Library was granted $4,500 for a computer to help young library visitors and their parents with the AWE literacy and reading readiness program in English and Spanish.
Virginia Coburn (WCF CAG Committee Chair), Kat Mawhinney (WCF Co-president), Therese Kennedy (WCF Co-president), Diane Jaroch (ILY Library), Geoff Hale (WCF Board)
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Children’s Center was granted $1,000 to purchase Born Learning Trail Signs for a city park. The Born Learning Campaign provides caregivers and children with fun, free, bi-lingual, interactive activities to promote literacy and math in an outdoor setting.
Geoff Hale (WCF Board), Chelsea Newman (UWW Children’s Center), Virginia Coburn (WCF CAG Committee Chair), Jennalee Johnson (UWW Children’s Center)
Whitewater Makers Inc. was granted $500 to purchase supplies and to repair their printer and laser cutter/engraver.
Geoff Hale (WCF Board), Therese Kennedy (WCF Co-president), Al Jewer (WI Makers), Virginia Coburn (WCF CAG Committee Chair)
Whitewater Youth Soccer Club was granted $1,500 to purchase soccer goals for the players who are under 8 years old.
Kat Mawhinney (WCF Co-president), Tony Aranda (Whitewater Youth Soccer), Virginia Coburn (WCF CAG Committee Chair)
Twice a year, the WCF offers Community Action Grants for projects that the community and board of directors believe are worthwhile and beneficial to various segments of the population. Grant proposals are due on April 30th and October 31st of each year.
“The Foundation remains committed to funding projects that foster community engagement. We encourage more local organizations to apply for our upcoming grants and continue making a positive impact,” said Coburn.
The Foundation continues to provide and host scholarships for Whitewater High School students and also offers fiscal sponsorship to organizations that are seeking 501(c) (3) status or require temporary pass-through funds for worthy community projects.
The Whitewater Community Foundation’s mission is to “enhance quality of life in the Whitewater area via educational, cultural, charitable or benevolent expenditures.”
