News

Memory Café Meeting at Irvin L. Young Memorial Library on May 13

The Irvin L. Young Memorial Library, in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association, is hosting a monthly Memory Café for individuals who are living with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), early-stage Alzheimer’s or other dementia, and their care partners. This free social event is held on the second Monday of every month in the Library Community Room at 431 W. Center St. in Whitewater, at 10:30 am.

The next meeting is May 13th. The theme will be Harp Music, with special guest musician Sarah Foll.  She will share some information about the history of harps with us, how she became interested in them, and play some lovely music as well.

The Memory Café offers participants a safe and fun way to share their stories and socialize with others who have similar experiences. Learn how staying physically, socially and mentally active is good for the brain.

If you are attending for the first time please call 800-272-3900.

WMS Students participate in Jefferson County Courthouse Job Shadow


Participants L-R: Keith Cameron, Monica Juette, Halee Peters, Aubrey Shepard, Ashlynn Prah

Five selected 8th-graders (with an interest in pursuing a legal career) participated in a job shadow event at the Jefferson County Courthouse on Friday, April 26.

Students from area middle schools were invited to participate in the special day.  Each group of students was assigned to a courthouse staff member whom they followed through their workday asking questions and receiving answers to those questions. Whitewater students were assigned to a lawyer and were given tours of both the courthouse and the lawyer’s office in addition to being able to sit in on several courtroom cases. They had a question & answer lunch with a Judge and in the afternoon participated in two mock trial scenarios where they role-played different participants in the mock trials.

Participating students were then required to write an essay about the experience which will be on display at the Jefferson Co. Courthouse as Law Day is celebrated. 

Whitewater City Market Outdoor Season Starts May 7

The first Whitewater City Market of the 2019 outdoor market season will be held on May 7, 2019, 4-7 pm at the Historic Train Depot on Whitewater Street.

Since 2015, the Whitewater City Market has featured local vendors selling produce, baked goods, handcrafted gifts, hot food and more. Now running year-round, the market season is held indoors on Saturday mornings at the Irvin L. Young Memorial Library November through April and then moves outdoors Tuesday afternoons May through October.

More than 50 vendors and organizations will participate in the market this year. Every week will feature live music from a local musician and a variety of food trucks. This season will see the return of many of last year’s vendors with some exciting new additions.

“We are happy to welcome back market favorites like Komboocho Brewing, Flying Cow Pizza, Pop’s Kettle Corn, Stormy’s Grilled Cheese, Soap of the Earth, Wood Street Bakery, Sitka Salmon Shares, Decatur Dairy and the amazing array of fresh produce from Sunny Brook Farm, C & C Farms, and Peach Tree Organic Gardens,” said Kristine Zaballos, market co-manager and vendor contact. “And we are excited to welcome new vendors like Bubble Tea, Alice Hall Fiber Designs, Hoots Fruits and Vegetables, and Sweet Sawyer Creations — among many others.”

While most vendors attend weekly, a few have a biweekly or more sporadic schedule. Interested market goers can follow “Whitewater City Market” on Facebook for a regular update on the specific vendors who plan to attend the market on a given week or email director@downtownwhitewater.com and ask to be added to the market e-newsletter, which includes the vendor line up and other weekly market highlights.

About the organizations:

The Whitewater City Market is a weekly farmers market that was started to create a space for the community to come together and shop for locally sourced goods. Downtown Whitewater, Inc is a nonprofit, community-based organization devoted to preserving, improving, and promoting Whitewater’s quality of life by strengthening our historic downtown as the heartbeat of the community. The programming district includes a distinctive three-sided wedge — formed by Main Street, Whitewater Street, and Fremont Street — that is the origin for our neighborhood’s nickname and brand, the Triangle.

For more about Whitewater City Market:

https://www.facebook.com/WhitewaterCityMarket/

Whitewater Landmarks Commission launches banner project

Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Whitewater’s Main Street Historic District, the Whitewater Landmarks Commission has mounted a Main Street Historic District lamp post banner project to commemorate the event. Banners have been placed on the lamp posts in the historic district which extends from the corner of Fremont and Main Streets west to the corner of Prairie and Main Streets.

Whitewater’s Main Street Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. Carol Cartwright, current President of the Whitewater Historical Society and a member of the Landmarks Commission in 1989, submitted the application detailing the significance of the most prestigious residential neighborhood in Whitewater during the nineteenth and early twentieth century.

To commemorate this event, the Landmarks Commission began the lamp post banner project in October, 2018 on a suggestion made by and encouragement from local historian, Kori Oberle. Funding for the project was provided by grants received from the Whitewater Community Foundation, the Whitewater Bureau of Tourism and the generosity of private donors who own properties within the district or support the efforts of the Landmarks Commission.

Whitewater businessman, Dave Salsaa provided a photograph for the background of the banner. The photo, taken at the Bassett House features a portion of the western brick wall. The bricks for the home which was built in 1858 for local merchant, Thomas Bassett, are reported to have been made in Whitewater.

While the Bassett House, which was bequeathed to the Whitewater Federation of Women’s Clubs in 1926 by Florence Bassett is one of the historic homes in the district, there are 12 other sites.

Included in that number are the locally landmarked structures: the Engebretsen-Dorr House (Victoria on Main); the George Esterly House (Delta Zeta Sorority); the Esterly Carriage House; the Sanger-Marsh House (Olm Law Office); the J.J. Starin House (Mercy Health Clinic); the Territorial Oak Site; the Nelson Salisbury House; the White Memorial Library (Cultural Arts Center); Birge Fountain; the Hamilton House Bed & Breakfast and the Smith-Allen House. In addition to locally landmarked structures are other residences and businesses of historic and architectural significance.

The Landmarks Commission has joined forces with the Whitewater Federation of Women’s Clubs to offer a tour of several venues in the Main Street Historic District on the “HERITAGE DAY TOUR” scheduled for June 23, 2019 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Proceeds from the tour will assist with the major restoration taking place at the Bassett House. For more information please contact the Whitewater Landmarks Commission chairperson at 262-458-2178.

Ninth Annual “Chip in fore Kids” Golf Tournament

The Tree House Child and Family Center (Tree House) will host its 9th annual “Chip in fore Kids” golf outing on Friday, May 17 at the Evergreen Golf Course in Elkhorn, Wisconsin.

The tournament will be a four-person scramble format. Tournament day check-in begins at 11:00 a.m. and Tee Time is at 1:00 p.m. with a shotgun start. Registration fees are just $90 per player, and include lunch, golf, cart, and dinner.

Groups are welcome, and individual registrants will be paired with other players. For those attending the evening dinner and festivities only, the cost is $30.

In addition to golf prizes and a 50/50 cash raffle, blind booze and putting-on-dime pulls will be available as well as innovative bucket raffle and silent auction items. Everyone has the potential to go home with something!
Proceeds from the golf outing support the Tree House Child and Family Center’s efforts to provide child abuse education services and prevention programs both at the Tree House and throughout Walworth County. “These prevention programs are essential in helping to break the cycle of abuse in our children’s lives in addition to serving as the catalyst in giving all children the chance to live in a home free from abuse and neglect,” said Joaquin Alonzo, Tree House President.

To register an individual or a team, sponsor a hole or donate a silent auction item, please visit www.treehouseforkids.net.

For more information, contact Kathy Brown at info@treehouseforkids.net or call 262.741.1441.

Rock County Aging & Disability Resource Center to host Caregiver Pizza Party & Sharing night on May 14

The Rock County Aging & Disability Resource Center and Council on Aging will host a Caregiver Pizza Party & Sharing Night on Tuesday, May 14, 2019 at 6:00 PM. The gathering will take place at the Job Center, 1900 Center Avenue, Janesville, WI.

We will gather to share stories, answer questions and explore ideas for managing changes. Attendees can enjoy the pizza and company, and maybe share some of your own story. Come alone, or come as a family—this program is free and open to any family on the Alzheimer’s or related dementia journey. The Marvin Curry family will take this opportunity to share about their recent trip to Washington, DC where they had the chance to advocate on behalf of those impacted by Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia with our nation’s lawmakers.

Reservations are required by noon on May 14, 2019. Contact Cori Marsh at 608-741-3615 or Julie Seeman at 608-758-8455 for more information or to make reservation.

For more information please contact Cori Marsh at 608-741-3615 or marsh@co.rock.wi.us or visit www.co.rock.wi.us/adrc.

“Mind the Gap” Lunch Fixings Program for the Summer of 2019 seeking donations

As London subway trains approach each station, riders are warned to “Mind the gap!” The warning alerts riders to the space between the train and the subway platform, so that they won’t trip on their way off the train.

As the calendar carries us toward summer (yes, it is coming!) we must mind a different gap. For summer brings with it a period of eight weeks during which our schools’ feeding programs do not operate. These feeding programs are the main nutritional support for many of our Whitewater children. Without these programs, or a substitute program, the children go hungry.

Whitewater Unites Lives (WUL), in cooperation with The Community Space, community churches, groups and individuals, fills that feeding gap. Last year, food donations together with cash donations of $7,473 enabled WUL to distribute 1,015 meals that fed 145 children. WUL volunteers acquired the groceries, sorted them, filled bags, loaded the bags into cars, and delivered the food.

It’s time to do it again. WUL is preparing to do the volunteer work that keeps our children healthy and adequately nourished through the summer. We need your help. Please donate cash or groceries to help us fill the pantries of our people. Help us fight childhood hunger in our community.

Our fund-raising target is $7,500. Every dollar we receive will be used to feed people who need your help. Food contributions are welcome and helpful, too.*

Please send your gift to:

UCC Congregational Church

133 S. Franklin St.

Whitewater, WI 53190

In the memo please identify “Lunch Fixings”

If you have questions or would like to volunteer, please contact:

Mary Sue Reutebuch (608) 931-9844

Lauren Smith (262) 490-4326

Marjorie Stoneman (414) 861-4126 or margiestoneman@sbcglobal.net

Thank you,

Whitewater Unites Lives

Whitewater Unites Lives (WUL) Mission:  Whitewater Unites Lives (WUL) is a locally-focused civil and human rights group that works to connect the people in our community and to create opportunities for all people to learn and support each other in our common humanity.

* If you are deciding whether to contribute food or contribute money, here is something to consider. We are able to buy food at cost or at substantial discounts, so your money goes further if you contribute cash instead of buying food and giving it to our program.

Mukwonago Area Community Choir presents “Songs of Americana” at Fairhaven on May 11

The Mukwonago Area Community Choir will be performing at Fairhaven on Saturday, May 11 at 6 p.m. The theme is “Songs of Americana” and we are celebrating the folk and less formal music from America’s past. Our selections will include: God Bless America, He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands, Erie Canal, America the Beautiful, Cindy, I Dream of Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair, Streets of Laredo, and many more. Our hope is to show how we can unify our people through song no matter their political ideology, socioeconomic status, race, gender, religion, etc. We are a nation of one people, “E pluribus unum,” and together we are stronger than we are as individuals. Music has the power to bring us together for the greater good of our nation and these songs are our heritage and strength. A free-will offering will be taken to support the UW-W InterVarsity Christian Ministries.