Local Student Recognized with Honors at UW-Stevens Point

The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point honored more than 2,300 undergraduate students for attaining high grade point averages during the spring semester of the 2023-2024 academic year.

Full-time undergraduates who earned grade points of 3.90 to 4.0 (4.0 equals straight A) are given the highest honors designation.  High honor citations go to those with grade point averages from 3.75 to 3.89 and honor recognition is accorded to those with grade point averages from 3.50 to 3.74.

Personalized certificates of scholastic achievement are sent to those who earned highest honors distinction.

Students who received honors include:

Whitewater, WI

 Wyatt Anderson, Honors

WHS Choirs Spring Concert Photo Gallery

The Whitewater High School Choirs presented their spring concert, Ms. Tordera’s last, on May 15. Photos courtesy of Tom Ganser.

Local Student Named to Troy University Chancellor’s List

TROY, AL — Abby Grosinske of Whitewater, WI has been named to the Chancellor’s List at Troy University for the spring semester/Term 4 of the 2023-2024 academic year.

The Chancellor’s List honors full-time undergraduate students who are registered for at least 12 semester hours and who earn a grade point average of 4.0.

About Troy University

Troy University is a public, historic, international university with 22,500 students and 154,000 alumni. Students choose TROY for its quality academic programs, reasonable costs and availability of financial aid, outstanding faculty, and flexible in-class and online class offerings. Students on the Troy, Ala. campus enjoy a traditional college experience, while adult students are the centers of attention at campuses in Dothan, Montgomery and Phenix City, Ala., as well as at locations around the world and online.

Free Book Study This Summer on Building Relationships

Editor’s Note: The following was organized and provided by First English Lutheran Church.

In our divisive world, we have opportunities like this to work toward gathering our community together, getting to know one another, and build healthier and stronger relationships and communities.  That idea is at the heart of David Brooks’ How to Know a Person.

BREAKFAST WITH “BROOKS”*

*David Brooks will not be in attendance, but others in our community will.  Organized by First English Lutheran Church.

Where:                 The book study will be held at Jessica’s Restaurant in Whitewater so we can discuss around breakfast! 

When:  We will meet for 6 sessions (every other Thursday in the summer) beginning on June 13 at 7 am!  The early start time is to allow people who work or have other morning commitments to be on their way by 8 am.

The 6 sessions are scheduled for the following Thursday mornings:   June 13, June 27, July 11, July 25, August 8, August 22

Needed:    A copy of the book—A few copies are still available in the church office for $20, or they can be purchased from Amazon.com or most other book dealers.

To Sign Up:   Registration not required, but if you would like to let us know you’re coming, call the church office (262-473-5076)

Most people find this best-selling book an interesting read that is helpful in building strong relationships with family, friends, co-workers and the many others we encounter daily.  The book study promises to be a fun learning and social activity for the summer.  Come join us!

Wisconsin Makers Presents Free Movie: Fantastic Mr. Fox

Wisconsin Makers will be showing “Fantastic Mr. Fox” at its free Movie Night Friday, May 31. Pictured in front of the 15-foot-wide movie screen are the makerspace’s board members. From left are Treasurer Ron Binning, Kent Taylor and President Al Jewer.

“Fantastic Mr. Fox” will be presented Friday, May 31, as Wisconsin Makers presents its free Movie Night.

The public is invited to attend the free showing of the family-friendly film at 7 p.m. at the community makerspace, located at 200 E. Clay St. in Whitewater. The doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Free popcorn will be served. Pizza, soda and water will be available for $1.

Before and after the film, attendees may tour the makerspace and see what it has to offer. In addition, they may shop at a rummage sale in which almost all items are free of charge, although donations are gratefully accepted.

Wisconsin Makers President Al Jewer said “Fantastic Mr. Fox” will be shown on a 15-foot-wide movie screen with a 500-watt surround-sound in the common area.

“We want to provide a fun, affordable evening out for people of all ages,” he said.

Rated PG, “Fantastic Mr. Fox” is a 2009 American animated adventure-comedy based on a novel by Roald Dahl. Its voice cast includes George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe, Owen Wilson and many other well-known stars.

The plot focuses on a spree of thefts led by Mr. Fox (Clooney) that result in his family, and later his animal community, being hunted down by three farmers.

In addition to an original score by Alexandre Desplat, the soundtrack includes several songs from other artists. The film received Academy Award nominations for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Score.

Located at the corner of Wisconsin and East Clay streets, Wisconsin Makers is a makerspace that creates an affordable, collaborative and educational environment that inspires people of all ages to becoming innovators within their communities by unlocking their skills through continual training.

It has members from Jefferson, Walworth, Rock 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 ceramics, metal art, quilting, fabric arts, matting/framing and more.

The building is handicapped accessible, and has off-street parking, WiFi, and many other amenities.

For more information about Movie Night or the makerspace, contact Jewer at lafcat@lafcat.com or (630) 430-9498.

A new video tour of the makerspace may be viewed at https://youtu.be/Pqa9N8p1Fqw.

Whitewater Savory Sounds Summer Concerts Become More Savory

Whitewater Savory Sounds Summer Concerts Become More Savory

The Whitewater Alliance’s Savory Sounds Summer Concerts – 2024, is back and suddenly becoming “more savory” than ever. With a dedication to cultural diversity this year, the concert series not only has a diversely cultural selection of musical groups, but it will also have vendors that offer a savory food selection that will match the culture of the music. Concerts include: Peggy Mueller & Friends – German Folk music, The Currach Irish Trio – Irish Reel music, Piper Road Spring Band – American Bluegrass music, Amancer y Mas – Hispanic music, and Jimmy Sugarcane – Nigerian Reggae Fusion Rock music. So, attend all the concerts for a diverse aural and flavorful cultural experience! Concerts are each Thursday, June 20, 27, July 11, 18, and 25, from 11:30am-12:45pm at Flat Iron Park, and are free to the public. The food is for sale at the vendor station – so come hungry!

This year, we have wonderful local companies who chose to fully sponsor a band: Fairhaven, The First Citizens State Bank, The Coburn Company, Premier Bank, and Olm and Associates, along with donations from Fort Community Credit Union and an Anonymous Donor. This allowed us to reach out further into the region for more diverse bands. Thank you companies!

Celebrating the Joy of Art: “The Beauty of Nature” Exhibition at Cultural Arts Center

Whitewater Arts Alliance is proud to present “The Beauty of Nature,” a shared exhibition featuring the expressive watercolors of Painter Woody Olsen and the nature inspired ceramics of Tile Artist Jennifer Alexander. The exhibition will run from June 1st to June 30th, 2024, with an Artists’ Talk on Thursday, June 6th from 5pm to 7pm at the Cultural Arts Center 402 West Main Street, Whitewater.

Painter Woody Olsen, a former member of the prestigious Arts Club of Chicago, invites viewers to experience images of playfulness and happiness through his artwork. With over 40 years of residency in Chicago, including living in Mies Van Der Rohe’s iconic modernist Esplanade apartments on Lake Shore Drive, Olsen brings a wealth of artistic experience and insight to his pieces. Having studied at the Layton School of Art in Milwaukee and the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD), Olsen’s paintings reflect a deep appreciation for nature and a desire to provide respite from the negative forces of the world. “I want the viewer to experience images of playfulness and happiness, allowing for a moment to forget their surroundings and the negative forces that abound in our world today,” says Woody Olsen of his artistic vision.

In contrast, Ceramic Tile Artist Jennifer Alexander draws inspiration from stained glass artwork. With a background in glazing and a keen eye for design, Alexander’s creations evoke the organic beauty of nature. Founding Alexander Ceramics in Waukesha, WI, in 2020, Alexander looks forward to sharing her unique design creativity with a growing audience. “I’m drawn to the depth of color and richness found in stained glass artwork and enjoy the organic, sweeping lines that flow through art nouveau,” shares Jennifer Alexander about her inspiration.

The exhibition will be open to the public Thursdays through Sundays from 12 pm to 4 pm. For more information, please contact Gallery Director Kim Adams at 608-201-2151 or visit www.whitewaterarts.org.

About Whitewater Arts Alliance:

The Whitewater Arts Alliance, Inc. is dedicated to supporting, promoting, and developing the arts as an essential and integral part of the community.

Richmond Cemetery Association Annual Mtg.

Richmond Cemetery Association Annual Meeting- Monday, June 3, 2024 @ 7 pm, Richmond Town Hall.

Editor’s note: This announcement was submitted by Wayne L. Redenius. The image on the homepage is from findagrave.com and was submitted by Clara Ann Straws.

Uniquely Painted Pieces Shine a Light on the World of Augmentative and Alternative Communication Devices

Editor’s Note: The following was provided by Roberta’s Art Gallery at UW-Whitewater.

Engage with the world of Augmentative and Alternative Communication at Roberta’s Art Gallery with “The World of AAC” by UW-Whitewater alum and artist Anastasia (Stasia) Wilson. This exhibit showcases paintings of Wilson’s communication device icons that she sees and selects with her eyes for communication due to her experience with cerebral palsy. She wants to open the broader public to the world of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). After much consideration and planning, Wilson has created a painting of each icon on her communication device, equating to 144 individual paintings. Her artwork will be showcased starting on Tuesday, May 28.

Emotions by Anastasia (Stasia) Wilson

“I was talking with my art mentor about my struggle to make art about my disabilities, and he encouraged me to start right away by painting my assistive technology. I began with a couple of paintings of my hand braces. Then, one day, I was thinking about what to paint next. I asked myself, ‘Girl, what is in front of your face almost 24/7?” says Wilson. In addition to the 144 icon paintings, Wilson’s four-piece Emotions series will be displayed. These pieces, completed in 2005, are part of the Crossman Gallery’s permanent artwork collection. “As an adult, I am so appreciative of this device that gives me my voice. By creating this piece, I will introduce the broader public to the world of AAC. I want to show other people who use AAC that they aren’t alone and provide some support on their journey to accept their augmented voice,” says Wilson.

Anastasia Wilson is the founder of HeadStrong Art. She graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a minor in English from the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater. Wilson uses specially crafted headgear to hold the paintbrush as she paints because her head has more mobility and control than her hands. Wilson has exhibited previously at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Inspiring Hope Ministries, and is currently collaborating with the Wisconsin-based Chatter Matters overnight camp for AAC users and their families for this exhibit. The open house reception will take place on June 20, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., is open to the public and will include light refreshments.

Roberta’s Art Gallery is located on the first floor of the James R. Connor University Center at 190 Hamilton Green Way, Whitewater, Wis. The gallery collaborates with campus departments, student organizations, and community artists to coordinate and sponsor exhibits. The gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday to Friday, with extended hours to 4:30 p.m. during SOAR orientation days on May 29 and 31, along with June 4, 10, 12, 14, 18, and 20. Roberta’s Art Gallery is closed on Saturday and Sunday.

At Roberta’s Art Gallery, we pride ourselves in providing free and open exhibits to the public, and attending certain events can earn students class credit. If you are interested in being featured in the gallery, please contact us for a proposal request. Reach us at ucart@uww.edu or 262-472-3193. Visit our website for any questions or inquiries, and follow our Instagram @uww_rag for updates on exhibits. Anyone interested in learning more about Wilson and her artwork should check out Headstrong Art on Facebook. For more information on Chatter Matters Camp, visit: /www.uww.edu/ce/camps/additional/chatter.