News

The Whippets of the Ferradermis FIRST Robotics Competition Team had a fantastic experience at Roboteer Rumble in Tremont, Illinois on November 4 and 5. The competition hosted 32 robots from 28 schools from Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Missouri, and Wisconsin.

The team felt it was important to participate in a fall competition to help the many new members get a better feel for how FIRST events work before we launch into the new season in January. Learning opportunities were plentiful over the last few weeks as Ferradermis combined the best features of their two existing robots into one machine. They were able to attach the highly successful climber from the 2022 season robot to the swerve drive base that was their summer project. The robot also featured a cargo shooter designed this summer that for the first time could aim from a distance using a special camera.

Driver Jazmin Cederberg, Operator Andrew O’Toole, and Technician Zoe Olson led the team onto the field for each match with human player duties rotating through some of the new members. Dayna Carlson, Chacha Binagi, Rae Breisath, Margaret Brown, Belle Cohen, and Erison Dreksler all had a chance to take this role in matches and get a feel for how the drive team operates. Senior Peter Portwine took on the duties of pit crew chief, while Arson Webster-Barczak and Elora Wildermuth-Breitzman worked on electrical duties in the pit. Andrew Zimmermann, with an assist from Mel Prince, headed up the scouting crew and represented the team for alliance selections, while Maddi LaHaie and Cosette Wildermuth-Breitzman started work on building a greater social media presence for the team. Team members also rotated through the pit and took turns collecting scouting data in conjunction with the Warrriorbots from Muskego.

Friday evening and Saturday morning, teams had the ability to freely enter practice matches before playing five qualification matches over the course of the day on Saturday. Following qualifications, Ferradermis was invited to join the number six seeded alliance for the playoffs by the Warriorbots from Muskego High School and the HexHounds from Cedarburg High School, forming an all-Wisconsin alliance. The alliance fell in the quarter-finals.

Team members always take advantage of the chance to learn how other teams operate when we travel. The Roboteers, hosts of the event, are currently constructing a new robotics center adjacent to the high school. Several of our students had the opportunity to tour the construction site and were truly excited by the possibilities this new center will offer for the Roboteers robotics program.

Ferradermis is excited for what the new season will bring and thanks our many sponsors for their continued support! If additional students are still interested in joining before the start of the 2023 season, they should reach out to Laura Masbruch at lmasbruch@wwusd.org.

Article and Photos Submitted by Laura Masbruch
Whitewater High School Robotics Advisor
lmasbruch@wwusd.org

Editor’s note: The following news release was received from Fort HealthCare.

For 38 years, the response from individuals, organizations, clubs and businesses have made the Fort HealthCare Partners Love Lights Tree project a successful annual event, exemplifying the spirit of giving.

The Love Lights Tree project began in 1985. it is a heartfelt way to acknowledge loved ones and those who have passed away. By charging $2 per light, the Love Light Tree has been raising money to purchase new equipment, educations, and services for the surrounding communities of FortHealthCare.
 
A Love Light is the perfect way to tell someone they are special while helping members of your community. A donation of $2 of more will add a light to one of the trees outside the Fort Memorial Hospital throughout the holiday season. The light will be displayed either as a gift to honor someone (colored light), or as a memorial (white light) for a loved one that has passed away. Special cards are available, upon request, to notify the person or family of someone being remembered that a Love Light has been purchased in their honor.  

Love Lights can be ordered by mail; order forms can be found online at FortHealthCare.com/LoveLights. Online donations are also available on the website. A $5 minimum is required for online donations. honor cards can be emailed to families for online purchases to show that you’ve made a gift in their honor. Donations of $25 or more are recognized as Love Light Tree sponsors. To ensure you are properly recognized in this year’s sponsor and donor listings published in late December, Fort HealthCare Partners must receive your donations by December 12.

Every year Love Lights raises money in ways that will enhance the well-bring of our community. Funds raised during the 2022 Love Lights campaign will be used to help subsidize the cost of the CareLine service for those who cannot afford it. CareLine is a medical personal emergency response service that allows subscribers to get emergency help 24/7 at the press of a button. Fund will also be used to support several healthcare scholarships for students and professionals in the community.

Kari Behling, Fort HealthCare Volunteer Services Manager, states, “We would like to raise funds for our CareLine Program, because there are people in our community who have chronic health conditions who cannot afford this life-saving equipment and service. The funds will allow the Partners CareLine Program to provide FREE or reduced rates to qualifying clients. CareLine also allows individuals to remain in their homes and avoid losing their independence.”

Behling adds, “We also believe that providing scholarships to students and professionals seeking further education in healthcare is important because they are our future. Studies suggest that retiring baby boomers are causing a rise in the demand for jobs, including healthcare. We want to ensure that the people entering the healthcare field have resources available to pay for their education. Your contributions to these worthwhile projects will be greatly appreciated by the partners and the many local people who will benefit.”  

Love Lights Tree Lighting Ceremony

The Love Lights Tree lighting ceremony will take place on Tuesday, December 6, at 6:30 p.m. on the Sherman Avenue lawn in front of Fort Memorial Hospital in Fort Atkinson.
 
As members of the Fort HealthCare Partners organization, Fort Memorial Hospital volunteers are an invaluable resource to the community. Important roles filled by volunteers add a tremendous amount of value to Fort HealthCare’s services. Call 920-568-5276 or toll-free at 1-800-421-4677 ext. 5276 or visit FortHealthcare.com/volunteer to learn more. More information
 
As members of the Fort HealthCare Partners organization, Fort Memorial Hospital volunteers
are an invaluable resource to the community. Important roles filled by volunteers add a tremendous amount of value to Fort HealthCare’s services. Call 920-568-5276 or toll-free at 1-800-421-4677 ext. 5276 or visit
FortHealthcare.com/volunteer to learn more.

Editor’s Note: The following information was provided by University of Wisconsin – Whitewater.

The Autumn Art Nights will take place at the Community Engagement Center every Tuesday in November from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. This event is a free workshop that welcomes all ages, but it was designed with middle schoolers in mind. Also, these weekly sessions have an open studio format, but it is preferred for students to come for the whole session.

City of Whitewater Equal Opportunities Commission – Monday @ 5:00 p.m.
Agenda includes Issues with Recent Immigration into Whitewater, Issues Facing the Unhoused (Homelessness)
Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://meet.goto.com/702703413
You can also dial in using your phone.
United States: +1 (646) 749-3122
Access Code: 702-703-413

Whitewater Unified School District Board of Canvassers – Friday @ 2:00 p.m.
CANVASS OF REFERENDUM RESULTS
Whitewater Unified School District Central Office
419 South Elizabeth Street

Daylight Savings Time ends this Sunday, November 6th at 2:00 a.m. In March, the U.S. Senate approved a bill known as the Sunshine Protection Act to make daylight saving time permanent nationwide. But the legislation stalled in the House, which has not yet scheduled a debate on the topic.

The Rock County Sheriff’s Office offers the following safety reminders to help you prepare for an emergency.
▪ Check household safety items
o Smoke detectors
o Carbon monoxide detectors
o Furnaces
o Wood burning stoves
o Fire extinguishers

▪ Create or update emergency kits for home
and vehicle(s)
o Swap summer items for winter items
o Restock and check expiration dates
• Batteries
• Food
• First aid supplies

For more emergency preparedness tips, visit https://readywisconsin.wi.gov. You can also
follow Ready Wisconsin on Facebook and Twitter.

Editor’s note: The following announcement was provided by the National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan Weather Forecast Office on November 4 at 3:50 p.m.

Winds will increase overnight, with very windy conditions expected on Saturday.  Wind gusts to 50-55 MPH are expected in some locations (see above map).  Peak wind gusts will occur from late morning through mid afternoon. 

-There is a conditional risk for a few spin-up tornadoes along the cold front between about 7 a.m. and noon tomorrow as it surges through the area.  It is not clear if enough energy will develop ahead of the front for these to develop, however. 

The Discover Whitewater Series (DWS): Half Marathon, 5K, and W3 Fit Kid Shuffle held its tenth annual race banquet on Wednesday, November 2nd, 2022, at Willow Brook Golf Course. Race sponsors, team leaders, volunteers, and five local charities came together for an evening to celebrate the success of the 10th Anniversary DWS race.

“The DWS’s mission is to give back to the community and organizations that dedicate their time to support others around the city,” DWS Executive Director Jefferey Knight says.

During the banquet, DWS presented $5,000 to each of the five charity partners, for a total of $25,000 distributed. These five charities include: Working for Whitewater’s Wellness, Bethel House, Whitewater Unified School District, Whitewater LEADS, and the J-Hawk Aquatic Club. 

Excluding the DWS donations, an additional $622 was directly donated from anonymous individuals to the charities of their choosing on the DWS website. Over the last ten years, the DWS has raised a total of $254,500 for the local charities of Whitewater. 

“It is always a great experience to witness the hard work local sponsors, volunteers, community members, and race partners put into the DWS,” Course Marshall, Jeff Miller said. “The DWS this year is one to remember; to see the community come together and make the DWS a success is incredible.”

The DWS Team would like to thank everyone who came together to make the 10th Anniversary race a success. Celebrating the hard work and dedication that was put forth by volunteers, races, and sponsors, the 10th Anniversary DWS Banquet was incredibly successful.

About the DWS

The goal of the DWS is to promote the City of Whitewater and highlight its greatest features. The DWS partners with the city, business community, university, and school district to make this a fantastic event that benefits all who participate. For more information about the race visit runwhitewater.com. For general race inquiries, email info@runwhitewater.com

Editor’s note: The Banner appreciates having permission to use the image on the homepage by hokiefacs on Flickr.

“Where the Crawdads Sing”

Tuesday, November 8, 1 p.m.

( Drama/Mystery/Thriller)

Rated PG-13; 2 hours, 5 minutes (2022)

The film adaptation of the novel that has been on the New York Times Bestsellers List for over 3.5 years. A woman who raised herself in the marshes of the Deep South becomes a suspect in the murder of a man with whom she was once involved.