News

Editor’s Note: The following was provided by the University of Wisconsin Extension.

Prior to the COVID -19 Pandemic, in 2018 24% of Walworth County residents lived at the ALICE rates every day according to the 2020 ALICE data (https://www.unitedforalice.org/county-profiles/wisconsin). ALICE is an acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed — households that earn more than the Federal Poverty Level, but less than the basic cost of living for the county. 9% of Walworth County residents live in poverty. In the 2021 Community Health Survey by Walworth County Health and Human Services, 22% of respondents say their financial situation has declined since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. As data that is more recent becomes available, it will be interesting to see the effects of COVID–19 on these statistics.

A breakdown of the 2018 labor force in the 2020 ALICE data shows a small portion of Walworth county adults (16 years and older) who are unemployed (2.5%) and a large number who are working (64.4%). However, significant portions of full- and part-time workers are paid by the hour; these workers are more likely to have fluctuations in income and less likely to receive benefits. If you are curious about the effect of COVID-19 on ALICE families, visit https://unitedforalice.org/COVID19.

It is difficult for those of us who have enough to truly understand the situations that families living in poverty experience every day – the decisions they have to make, and the fears and frustrations they feel. That is why we are inviting you to walk a mile in the shoes of those facing poverty by participating in a Poverty Simulation.

A Poverty Simulation provides participants with the opportunity to assume the role of a low-income family member living on a limited budget. The experience is divided into four 15-minute sessions, each of which represents one week in which you must provide for your family and maintain your home. As one participant commented, “This poverty simulation dramatically demonstrates how much time and energy many families have to give just to survive from day to day. It quickly dispels the myth “that people would do fine if they would only go out and get a job!”

This event is appropriate for community organizations that serve low-income families, faith based organizations, volunteers at food distribution sites, school administrators and educators, business owners and economic development specialists, elected officials, high school and college students, social workers, concerned citizens and anyone who would like to learn more about their community and find ways to improve life for others.

Saturday, July 16, 2022 Trinity Church will host a poverty simulation facilitated by UW-Madison Extension. The Elkhorn Fund provided the funds to purchase the poverty simulation kit. The poverty simulation is free and open to the public! The simulation will be held at Trinity Church, W775 Geranium Rd., Genoa City, WI – 9 a.m. to around Noon(ish). Thrivent Financial will provide lunch.

Space is limited so registration is required. Please register by going to http://go.wisc.edu/walcops22 or by emailing amanda.kostman@wisc.edu or by calling 262-741-4951. If you are unable to attend this simulation but wish to be notified of future simulations, you may indicate this on the registration form.

If you would like to help by volunteering, please contact Amanda at amanda.kostman@wisc.edu / 262-741-4951

Editor’s Note: The following was provided by the Whitewater Lions Club.

Editor’s Note: The following was provided by the University of Wisconsin-Stout.

The following students from Whitewater graduated in May 2022 from University of Wisconsin-Stout in Menomonie, Wis.: Zach Gross, BS Computer Science, and Michael Hilliger, BFA Entertainment Design and BFA Game Design and Development-Art.

UW-Stout, Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University, has 47 undergraduate majors and 24 graduate programs, including one doctoral degree. UW-Stout, established in 1891, prides itself on the success of its students in the workplace, with an employment rate above 97% for recent graduates. The university was awarded the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 2001.

 

July 7, 8, 9 – 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Rummage Sale

214 S. Woodland Drive – Whitewater

Mickey Mouse set
PJ Mask set
Wild Kratts set
Hot Wheels sets
Dinosaurs
Animal toys
Power wheels truck
20” Schwinn mountain bike
Trucks, dress up items, books, just about anything you need for kids toys!

Adult books, Tupperware, bowls, clothing (kids and adults), and so much more!

Rummage Sale July 7, 8, 9

Plan ahead, you won’t want to miss this one!

No holds, no early sales

A Banner Service: Garage Sale Ads

As a result of a reader’s comment that it’s hard to find garage sales in Whitewater now that we no longer have a weekly shopper, the Banner staff agreed to begin a “consolidated” garage sale posting that will be published by Thursday morning for the upcoming weekend’s sales. This announcement will only be for garage sales (a sale of miscellaneous household goods, often held in the garage or front yard of someone’s house) in the city and school district boundaries. We will not be accepting, for example, ads for cars or other items that are not part of a scheduled garage sale. There will be a limit of three times per year for a particular property. Although we may eventually make a small charge for this service, initially it will be complimentary.

Those wishing to place a notice must send the information to whitewaterbanner@gmail.com by Wednesday at 6 p.m. You may include a brief description of the items that are for sale, the hours and days of the sale, and of course your address.

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.

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.