News

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources indicates that the storms on May 21 “caused tree damage and downed power lines at many state properties across Wisconsin. Staff will be out assessing damage and clearing downed trees. If you see them, please give them space. Please use caution while recreating at state parks, forests, trails, recreation areas and wildlife areas in the coming days and report any property damage or downed trees to the local property office. At this time, please avoid Blue Mound State Park due to more widespread storm damage and downed powerlines. Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we get things cleaned up.”

W8205 Nature Drive, Whitewater, Wisconsin
HUGE LIFE SIMPLIFYING GARAGE SALE
Friday- May 24: 8-1.
Saturday- May 25: 9-12
Golf bag cart
Duck blind, goose and duck motion decoys
Brushed nickel vanity lights/ 4 ceiling fan/lights/shower head and wand
Portable table saw/ drill press
Oak vanity mirrors (3) + Additional mirrors
Pottery Barn queen duvet set
Women’s L 3/4 length leather coat in excellent condition
High quality household and home decor items.
Vintage Hurricane lamp

447 S. Woodland Drive
Moving Sale, Everything must go. 
Friday May 24 and Saturday May 25 8 am – 4 pm
Collectables:  Colored Glass Decor, Department 56 Dickens Village Series, Rae Dunn Pottery and Holiday Collections, Longaberger Baskets and Pottery
Everyday Items:  Kitchen Items, Games, Crafts, Tools, Table and Chairs, Cabinet, more added every day.

W4370 County Rd U
Whitewater
Rummage Sale
Thursday  8:00 am-4:00 pm
Friday  8:00 am-2:00 pm
Packer jackets and caps
Household items
Small kitchen appliances
Collectibles
Seasonal items
And much more!

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

Whitewater Wrap & Ship, located at 116 E. Main Street, recently announced that it will be closing its doors, with the last day for domestic shipments being Friday, May 24. The following is the announcement that was posted to their Facebook page by Lori Tanis. When a question was posed on Facebook as to whether they were planning to sell the business, the response was that they have no plans as of now, but, “if someone is wanting to have a conversation about it, we are willing to sit down with them.”
Please see the bottom of this post for alternative shipping services in Whitewater and beyond.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“It is with a heavy heart that I am announcing the closure of our store. We wanted to express our gratitude for the support over the last 4 years from this community.

It is due to many reasons including the explosive growth of the business and many personal reasons that growth affects, our family has made the difficult choice to close our doors. This decision was not made lightly and everyone involved with the store running is in complete agreement the decision is best for all of us personally.

Everyone here at Whitewater Wrap & Ship wants to take the opportunity to thank you for your loyalty and patronage. It has been an honor to serve this community and we are beyond grateful for the relationships we have built with our customers. Your support as we took the risk to open during the early COVID lockdown and the following time as we navigated the growth and changes that came through the shipping industry.

With this closure we are committed to helping the community through the transition to closure. As we close, anyone shipping a package will have the support provided until the packages arrive. Our last day shipping internationally is May 17th. For domestic it will be May 24th. Even though our doors are closed, I will personally be reachable via phone or email for any follow up or issues.

Even though we are closing the shipping store, Kelsey and I are still providing apparel services. We will be updating our contact information for that in the coming weeks.

As we close this chapter, we encourage you to continue supporting our local businesses. Your support is vital in sustaining the local economy and preserving the unique character of our community. We look forward to all the growth and changes that are coming to Whitewater!

Once again we thank you for your support and we are grateful to have been a part of this community. We will cherish the memories, friendships, and connections we have made. Thank you for your understanding and support.”

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Alternative shipping services

Unfortunately with the closing of Whitewater Wrap & Ship (WWS), there will be no business in the city providing the full range of services that they have offered. For one, as their name implies, customers have been able to rely on the business to provide an envelope or box and to prepare same for mailing. Additionally, WWS has represented and provided pricing for DHL, FedEx, UPS, and USPS. Going forward the Banner is not aware that any business will provide “wrapping” service; further, it appears that existing businesses ship through only one carrier. A significant challenge with using FedEx or UPS is that many people probably don’t have a scale, or at least one that’s sure to be accurate to the pound. WWS and True Value Hardware provided a scale, but that service will apparently only be available at the Post Office now.

Advance Auto Parts, 1184 W. Main Street
Only UPS shipping
Drop off: Customer must bring the package labeled and prepaid. They are not able to work from a QR code. Parcels are typically picked up between 3-4 p.m., Mon. – Fri. (There is also a UPS drop box outside Associated Bank.)
Pick up: Those wishing to have parcels delivered to the store rather than to their home may have parcels addressed with their name care of the store. When residents are not home to accept a UPS delivery that requires a signature the driver will leave a note asking for them to pick up the package at this store.

United States Post Office, 213 W. Center Strett
Only USPS shipping. Envelopes and boxes are available for sale.

Walgreens, 1041 W. Main Street
Only FedEx shipping
Drop off: Customer must bring the package labeled and prepaid. For retail returns, they prefer that the customer have the label, but with the QR code they can usually provide one. FedEx picks up ground parcels Mon-Fri at 3 p.m., express parcels at 12 and 3 p.m.

The Shipping Depot
58 W. Market St., Elkhorn (Next to Taste of China)
Offers “wrapping” service, sells envelopes and boxes. Will provide a label for an Amazon return with QR code for $1.
Ships by DHL (international), FedEx, UPS, USPS.
Open Monday-Friday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

The UPS Store
2811 Milton Ave., Janesville
Offers “wrapping” service, sells envelopes and boxes. Will provide a label for an Amazon return with QR code (as of a few months ago, no charge for the label.)
Open Monday-Friday 8 a.m. – 6:30 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Editor’s note: Any readers having further information about mailing services is requested to email us at whitewaterbanner@gmail.com so that we may update this information.

The Bassett House Spring Concert Series continues on Sunday, May 26 at 1:00 pm with a concert of vocal music presented by UW-Whitewater faculty Bob and Sarah Gehrenbeck, joined by special guests Nahuel Recoba, Molly Wanless, and Angela Bleke. The three guest singers are former UW-W voice majors who have worked closely with the Gehrenbecks in the past, who have each made their mark on the local music scene and beyond. Recoba recently made his professional debut at The Fireside in Fiddler on the Roof; Wanless will be starting a Masters program in vocal performance at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln in the fall, and Bleke recently moved back to Wisconsin after completing a Masters at the University of Louisiana.

The program will consist of classical and musical theatre songs sung in German, Italian, and English, including art songs by Robert Schumann, Gioachino Rossini, and Charles Ives, along with selections from My Fair Lady, Pirates of Penzance, Les Misérables, and Anastasia. A unique feature of the event will be an audience sing-along of Memorial-Day themed music, based on a song by American composer Charles Ives called “The Things our Fathers Loved.”

The concert is a fundraiser sponsored by the Whitewater Federation of Women’s Clubs, with all proceeds going toward the preservation of the historic Bassett House, 708 W. Main St, Whitewater.

The two Gehrenbecks have been a musical duo for 25 years since they first met during a performance of a Bach cantata during their graduate school days at Indiana University (Sarah was the organist, and Bob, the baritone soloist). Since that time, they presented additional recitals together in Indiana and Illinois, and portions of recitals in Whitewater, but the upcoming Bassett House concert will be their first joint recital since the birth of their musically talented sons, Henry and Theo. Both Sarah and Bob hold doctorates in music from Indiana University and both also earned degrees at Boston University prior to their paths finally crossing in Indiana. Sarah is currently music director and organist at First English Lutheran Church in Whitewater, and instructor of piano, organ, and harpsichord; staff accompanist, and vocal coach, at UW-W. Bob is director of choral activities at UW-W and artistic director of the Wisconsin Chamber Choir, based in Madison. In addition to their main pursuits as pianist/organist/coach (Sarah) and conductor (Bob), both are also trained singers, having studied once upon a time with the same teacher, Mary Ann Hart, former chair of the Voice Department at Indiana University.

Congratulations to this year’s Jerry Award winners for their roles in the WHS Players production of Mean Girls. WHS competed against 80 other high school musicals throughout the state in a wide range of categories. The awards ceremony, on June 9th, at the Overture Center, showcases the talents of the student performers and outstanding musicals. Chacha and Cosette will be performing. Tickets ($35, or $25 for students when purchased in-person) for the event go on sale to the public May 24th by calling the Overture box office or online. There is also a virtual streaming option, which is already on sale, for a “pay what you wish” price.  Please congratulate all our winners on a job well done.

2024 Jerry Award Winners
Outstanding Supporting Performance – Cosette Wildermuth-Breitzman
Spirit Award – Chacha Binagi
Outstanding Musical Direction- Liz Elliott
Outstanding Scenic Design- Jim McCulloch and Kat Dunham

Article Submitted by Jim McCulloch
Whitewater Unified School District Drama Director
jmcculloch@wwusd.org
Photos Courtesy of Tom Ganser

The WUSD Robotics Booster Club hosted the first annual STEAM Faire at Whitewater High School on May 18. The event was free and open to the public and was designed to say thank you to the community for the support it has already offered the robotics programs in the school district. STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, arts, and math. The event featured over 30 exhibitors.

Photos are courtesy of Tom Ganser.

The following individuals from our area are among the 2,480 prospective candidates for degree attending University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee commencement exercises Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Milwaukee.

UWM is the second largest university in the State of Wisconsin, with over 22,900 undergraduate and graduate students.

Whitewater, WI

 Nicole Tomomitsu, Bachelor of Science, School of Biomedical Sciences & Health Care Administration
 Emma Van Daele, Bachelor of Science, School of Rehabilitation Sciences & Technology

The Whitewater Arts Alliance (WAA) invites photographers of all levels to submit their photography for consideration in the 15th Annual Fran Achen Juried Photography Exhibition.

The gallery exhibit will be held during the month of July, 2024 at the WAA’s Cultural Arts Center Gallery. The photographs in the exhibit will be displayed on the walls of the gallery and, concurrently, in an online virtual exhibit that will appear at the WAA website.

New this year: a free commemorative PDF catalog containing all of the photographs chosen for the exhibit will be produced and made available for download.

All are welcome to enter. Submissions must be received no later than Wednesday, May 29 and must include 1) a completed online entry form, 2) entry fee of $35 ($30 for current WAA members), and 3) emailed digital copies of entered photos. The entry includes submission of up to four photographs. Complete information, along with the online entry form, key dates, and rules is located at www.whitewaterarts.org/fran-achen-2024

Contacts

• Jeff McDonald, Exhibit Chair – waa.franachen@gmail.com
• Kim Adams, WAA Gallery Director – wwartsalliance@gmail.com

Awards

• First Place Award: ($150)
• Second Place Award: ($125)
• Third Place Award: ($100)
• Viewer Choice Award: ($75)
• Honorable Mention Certificates

Key Dates

• Entries, fees, and image files due: Wednesday, May 29, 2024
• Notice of acceptance: Wednesday, June 5, 2024
• Gallery exhibit Dates: July 5 – 28, 2024
• Reception and awards presentation: Sunday, July 7, 2024 ( 1pm – 4 pm), awards at 2 pm
• Viewers’ Choice Award Announcement: Sunday, July 28

Entry Fees

• $30 for current WAA members, $35 for non-members
• Fee includes up to 4 photographs
• An entrant may optionally enter 2 additional photographs (making a total of 6) for an additional fee of $20
• Photographs must receive an acceptance to be included in the exhibit.

Entry Process

• Described in detail at  www.whitewaterarts.org/fran-achen-2024

An opening reception featuring the presentation of awards will be held Sunday, July 7 at 1:00 P.M. at the Cultural Arts Center where light refreshments will be served. Voting for Viewers’ Choice will continue throughout the run of the exhibit and its winner will be announced Sunday, July 28.

Jeff McDonald, the exhibit’s 10-year chair and a longtime WAA board member, said “The Fran Achen exhibition is an annual highlight. Fran Achen was a revered member of the community and an exceptional photographer. His collection of images continues to inspire. This exhibit, named in his honor, is an excellent opportunity to showcase the outstanding work created by both established and aspiring area photographers. The participation and support of many skilled artists from all over southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois is greatly appreciated and is the reason for this program’s continued success. Each year brings a new crop of inspired work.”

Admission to the exhibit and its reception are free of charge, open to the public, and all are invited. The gallery is open Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 12:00 P.M. (Noon) to 4:00 P.M. and the website is open 24/7. The exhibit runs from Friday, July 5 through Sunday, July 28.

The Whitewater Arts Alliance believes art plays a significant role in transforming the cultural fabric. It brings people together, fosters dialogue and reflection, and creates a sense of pride and ownership.

This event had been scheduled for Tuesday, May 21. It is rescheduled for Tuesday, May 28 at 5:30 p.m.

Editor’s note: The Banner appreciates having permission to use the image on the homepage by Esmoth from Pixabay.