News

Thursday, April 24, 5-7 p.m.

St. John’s Masonic Lodge, 226 W. Main St, Whitewater

$15 Adults, $5 Children <12 yrs

Dine in or Carry-out

Roast Pork Loin, Mashed Potatoes & Gravy, Corn, Applesauce, Dessert

Fort HealthCare is very honored to accept two Top Workplaces awards: the 2025 Top Workplaces award by Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and, for the fifth year in a row, the 2025 Top Workplaces USA award by USA Today.

“Fort HealthCare is an exemplary place to work. To receive numerous Top Workplaces awards the past several years is a testament to the culture we have instilled and nurtured,” Michael Anderson, MD, President and CEO of Fort HealthCare, remarked. “We are extremely proud of our Fort HealthCare employees. They are responsible for contributing to and sustaining the
supportive workplace environment we have.”

Top Workplaces USA celebrates organizations with 150 or more employees that have positive work cultures. More than 42,000 organizations were invited to participate in the Top Workplaces USA survey. Award winners are chosen based solely on employee feedback gathered through an employee-engagement survey issued by Energage. The confidential survey measures the unique employee experience and reveals the strengths of Fort HealthCare’s culture, including how engaged, valued, respected, and supported employees feel.

“Earning a Top Workplaces award is a badge of honor for companies, especially because it comes authentically from their employees,” said Eric Rubino, Energage CEO. “That’s something to be proud of. In today’s market, leaders must ensure they’re allowing employees to have a voice and be heard. That’s paramount. Top Workplaces do this, and it pays dividends.”

About Energage
Making the world a better place to work together. TM
Energage is a purpose-driven company that helps organizations turn employee feedback into useful business intelligence and credible employer recognition through Top Workplaces. Built on 18 years of culture research and the results from 27 million employees surveyed across more than 70,000 organizations, Energage delivers the most accurate competitive benchmark
available. With access to a unique combination of patented analytic tools and expert guidance, Energage customers lead the competition with an engaged workforce and an opportunity to gain recognition for their people-first approach to culture. For more information or to nominate your organization, visit energage.com or topworkplaces.com.

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. Please visit FortHealthCare.com for more information.

A previous article in The Whitewater Banner indicated that Lettsew K9 Foundation is dissolving after five years of fundraising for Jefferson County K9s and the surrounding area. Lettsew K9 is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. LETTSEWK9
FOUNDATION stands for Law Enforcement Training Teams of Southeastern Wisconsin.

LETTSEWK9 shared the following story and photos from their Facebook page.

“Yesterday was a very bittersweet day…..

“The mission of Lettsew is to support canines in law enforcement and educate the communities they serve and protect.”

Our local K9s are trained to assist in

—explosive detection

—narcotic detection

—suspect apprehension

—searching for suspects and missing persons

—crowd control and building searches.

These small K-9 units have always been “FOR the community, BY the community, which means they are not taxpayer funded.

Through Lettsew’s hard work and dedication we were able to present each K9 and handler with a check in the amount of $5,550, totaling $55,500!!!!! This achievement is something that we, as a very small nonprofit, are extremely proud of. It has been an honor to provide funds to these units for various expenses, including individual and group trainings, vet bills, emergency services, dental bills, training drugs, dog food, protective vests, leashes, reward toys, treats, etc.

We are truly blessed to have these dedicated teams in our communities. Thank you for all that you do to keep us safe.”

Officer Lawrence and K9 Smitty from Fort Atkinson with Melanie Lynn Crandall

Program Helps People with Type 2 Diabetes, Pre-Diabetes

More than 100 million adults in the U.S. are now living with diabetes or pre-diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While that statistic is startling, there is good news. People with diabetes or pre-diabetes can improve their health by joining a Healthy Living with Diabetes workshop sponsored by the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) of Walworth County and Aurora Health Care. The program has been researched and proven to improve the health of adults with diabetes or pre-diabetes.  

In just six weekly sessions, Healthy Living with Diabetes gives participants strategies for managing diabetes, including techniques to deal with symptoms and information about healthy eating, appropriate medication use, exercise, and working effectively with health care providers. Participants learn to make realistic, achievable action plans, share their experiences, and help each other solve problems.

Healthy Living with Diabetes will be held on Tuesdays, from April 29 to June 3, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., at the Walworth County Health and Human Services building at 1910 County Road NN Elkhorn, WI.  The workshop has a suggested contribution of $10. 

For questions or to register for the program, contact Edie Africano, Health Promotion Coordinator, at 262-741-3309.

About the ADRC of Walworth County: The ADRC provides information and assistance to older and disabled adults, their friends, family, caregivers, and the public. We can assist by evaluating your current needs and providing options available to meet the needs of your situation. Learn more at www.co.walworth.wi.us/376/Aging-Disability-Resource-Center.

Editor’s note: The above press release was provided by the ADRC of Walworth County.

By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com

The four Common Councilmembers who were elected in the spring election were installed at the April 15 council meeting that was held at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. City Clerk Heather Boehm administered the Oath of Office. Patrick Singer, beginning his eighth full term, was elected as president of the body.

There was a brief period in early 2024 when the majority of the council was female: Brienne Brown, Jill Gerber, Carol McCormick and Lisa Dawsey Smith were serving. It would seem that might have been the first time in city history when that occurred. (If anyone knows otherwise, please advise the Banner.) Today, however, all seven members are male. No females chose to run for an open seat in the April election.

Photos are courtesy of Tom Ganser.

Steven Sahyun was installed for his first term on the Common Council representing Aldermanic District 3.

Neil Hicks was installed for his second term representing the 5th Aldermanic District.

Patrick Singer, who most recently served as the Aldermanic District 1 Councilmember, assumed his at-large role.

Easter,^{[nb 1]} also called Pascha^{[nb 2]} (Aramaic, Greek, Latin) or Resurrection Sunday,^{[nb 3]} is a Christian festival and cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in the New Testament as having occurred on the third day of his burial following his crucifixion by the Romans at Calvary c. 30 AD.^[12][13] It is the culmination of the Passion of Jesus Christ, preceded by Lent (or Great Lent), a 40-day period of fasting, prayer, and penance.

Easter and its related holidays are moveable feasts, not falling on a fixed date; its date is computed based on a lunisolar calendar (solar year plus Moon phase) similar to the Hebrew calendar. The First Council of Nicaea (325) established only two rules, namely independence from the Hebrew calendar and worldwide uniformity. No details for the computation were specified; these were worked out in practice, a process that took centuries and generated a number of controversies. It has come to be the first Sunday after the ecclesiastical full moon that occurs on or soonest after 21 March.^[18] Even if calculated on the basis of the more accurate Gregorian calendar, the date of that full moon sometimes differs from that of the astronomical first full moon after the March equinox.^[19]

The earliest date on which [Western] Easter Sunday can occur is March 22. This was the case in the year 1818, and it will not happen again until the year 2285.

The latest date it can fall on is April 25. The last time Easter Sunday fell on April 25 was in 1943, and the next occurrence will be in 2038.

[From Wikipedia]

Whitewater Unified School District students earned top placements in the Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association (WEMTA) statewide Battle of the Books competition, demonstrating their dedication to reading, teamwork, and critical thinking.

Students from Lakeview Elementary, Washington Elementary, Whitewater Middle School, and Whitewater High School competed against hundreds of schools. Whitewater High School’s team, “The Final Braincell,” placed third among 65 high schools. Meanwhile, Whitewater Middle School’s team, “The Red Knights” finished 19th. At the elementary level, Lakeview Elementary’s “Grumpy Monkeys” secured 23rd place, while Washington Elementary’s “Reading Costco Guys” placed 41st out of 259 teams.

“We are incredibly proud of our students’ dedication and enthusiasm for this program,” said Kathy Retzke, WUSD Library Media Specialist. “This competition is about more than books—it’s about teamwork, comprehension, and critical thinking. Our students put in countless hours preparing, and their hard work has certainly paid off.”

Each year, book lists for Battle of the Books are released on June 1, and teams form in November. Students read and analyze 20 books before competing in quiz-style “battles” in late January. Weekly meetings with advisors help teams refine their strategies and deepen their understanding.

To view full statewide rankings and more information, visit the WEMTA website at https://sites.google.com/wemta.org/battle/home.

Editor’s note: The above press release was provided by the Whitewater Unified School District.

[From myjewishlearning.com] In 2025, Passover begins on the evening of Saturday, April 12 and concludes at nightfall on Sunday, April 20 for most Jews in diaspora. Jews in the land of Israel and some Reform Jews in diaspora will end Passover on the evening of Monday, April 29th.

(From Wikipedia) Passover, also called Pesach or Pesakh (/ˈpɛsɑːx, ˈpeɪ-/;^[2] Hebrew: פֶּסַח‎ Pesaḥ) is a ritual meal, the Pesach seder, that occurs the night of the paschal full moon after the 14th of Nisan, eve of the 15th, telling the story of the exodus, and remembering how the angel of death “passed over” the houses of the Israelites during the tenth plague on Egypt. It begins Feast of Unleavened Bread that continues through the 22nd of Nisan, and is one of three pilgrimage festivals in which all Jewish males living in the land of Israel are obliged. On the 16th of Nisan, jews begin the counting of the omer, the memorial offering of the firstfruits of the barley harvest. The counting continues for seven weeks until the Feast of Shavuot, also known as Pentecost.

When the Temple in Jerusalem stood, the paschal lamb was offered and eaten on Passover eve, while the wave offering of barley was offered on the second day of the festival. Nowadays, in addition to the biblical prohibition of owning leavened foods for the duration of the holiday, the Passover seder is one of the most widely observed rituals in Judaism. In the Diaspora the unleavened bread is celebrated for 8 days, based on the concept of yom tov sheni shel galuyot.

Wisconsin Makers is adding more sessions of its popular “Copper Enameling” workshop. The “Mondays@Makers” activity will take place at the community makerspace, 200 E. Clay St., from 5 to 8 p.m. on both April 21 and 28 at the makerspace, located at 200 E. Clay St. in Whitewater.

The fee for the one-session workshop is $20 plus the price of copper used, likely $1-$10 depending on the size of the piece. Students may register by calling Chris Spangler at (920) 728-2960 or emailing her at editorspangler@gmail.com.
Payment may be made at the workshop, which is geared toward ages 10 and up.

Leading “Copper Enameling for Beginners and Beyond” is Leani Schoor of Madison. Copper enameling is a traditional technique that involves fusing powdered glass to a copper surface at high heat to create a permanent, colorful coating.

Students will be able to decorate a small dish and/or jewelry to take home that night. Schoor earned her bachelor of science degree in art education and master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. She taught art at Jefferson High School for 38 years. The owner of Studio 2154 in Madison, Schoor teaches wet and needle felting, beadwork,
glass fusing, cement yard art, ceramics, copper enameling, metal work and quilting.

Mondays@Makers

Suggestions for “Mondays@Makers” classes are welcomed. “If there is a skill in the arts you are interested in learning, please let us know and we will see what we can do to help you on your journey,” Schoor said.

Located at the corner of East Clay and Wisconsin streets in Whitewater, Wisconsin Makers is a makerspace that creates an
affordable, collaborative and educational environment that inspires people of all ages to becoming innovators by unlocking their skills through continual training. It has members from Jefferson, Walworth, Rock, Dane and Waukesha counties and beyond, and all have access to the workshops around the clock.

The facility houses machine, welding/fabrication, electronics, automotive, 3-D printing, laser engraving and woodworking shops. It also offers pottery, ceramics, metal art, quilting, fabric arts, matting/framing and more. The building is accessible and has off-street parking, Wi-Fi, and many other amenities.

For more information about the makerspace or workshops, contact Chris Spangler at (920) 728-2960.

 Seamless transfer opportunities for students pursuing fitness, recreation, and wellness careers

Madison College and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater have forged a new articulation agreement to enhance the success of students pursuing careers in the fitness, recreation, and wellness industry.

Madison College and UW-Whitewater leadership celebrated the agreement during an April 17 signing at the Madison College Truax Campus.

“As we navigate the evolving landscape of education, the future of health care and an increasing emphasis on physical health, it is essential that we support students aiming to make a lasting positive impact in the health and wellness sector,” said Madison College Provost Beth Giles. “This partnership embodies both institutions’ commitment to providing effective and efficient educational pathways in this vital field.”

This innovative agreement ensures a seamless transfer process between Madison College and UW-Whitewater, promoting a smooth transition for future professionals in the field.

“With the need for community health workers growing much faster than the average occupation, it’s no surprise that human performance is one of our most sought-after majors,” said UW-Whitewater Interim Provost Robin Fox. “Students who complete the program receive a well-rounded experience that prepares them to enter a variety of careers, including exercise physiology, strength and conditioning, community health, and spots and recreation.”

Students in the Associate of Applied Science in Fitness, Recreation, and Wellness Management at Madison College are guaranteed admission to UW-Whitewater’s Human Performance major and minors in Recreation and Leisure Studies, Strength and Conditioning, Sports Management, and Health Promotion, earning a minimum of 57 credits toward their degree.

To qualify, students must apply to UW-Whitewater, submit the required documents, and complete their applied associate degree in Fitness, Recreation & Wellness Management from Madison College with a GPA of 2.25 or higher.

The two institutions have a long-standing, successful history of transfer collaboration opportunities for students in early childhood education, human services, IT, paralegal studies, and liberal arts.

For more information, please visit the Madison College Transfer Partnership program page.

For more information about transferring to UW-Whitewater, visit https://www.uww.edu/admissions/transfer

Editor’s note: The above press release was provided by Madison College.