News

Event is part of a nationwide observation of Falls Prevention Awareness Day featuring education and fun

Each year, thousands of educators, caregivers, health and aging professionals, and older adults across the country focus their efforts on one goal: preventing falls. That is why Fort HealthCare is collaborating with the National Council on Aging (NCOA) and the Falls Free® Initiative to celebrate Falls Prevention Awareness Day on September 23. This year’s activities will focus on the teamwork needed to prevent falls effectively.

Falls are a leading cause of injury for people aged 65 and older, but they are not an inevitable part of aging. There are proven ways to prevent them. Fort Healthcare’s fun community event will empower older adults to stay active, independent, and safe in their homes and communities. Activities will include…free balance assessment on Monday September 23 from 11:00 to 2:00 at Fort Therapy & Sport (1504 Madison Ave, Fort Atkinson).   Please call to schedule your balance assessment at 920-563-9357. 

Wisconsin leads the country in the highest rate of deadly falls. “Falls prevention is a team effort that takes a balance of education, intervention, and community support,” said Kathleen Cameron, Senior Director of NCOA’s National Falls Prevention Resource Center. “This is an opportunity to empower and educate everyone about their roles in preventing falls.”

In addition to the event, NCOA is hosting a Falls Prevention Awareness Day national photo contest, a live video broadcast and discussion on Facebook with experts and seniors on September 23 at 11:00 a.m. CDT, and a Twitter chat for aging services professionals on September 24 at 12:00 p.m. CDT.

To find out more about Falls Prevention Awareness Day, go to www.ncoa.org/FPAD. 

About NCOA

The National Council on Aging (NCOA) is the national voice for every person’s right to age well. NCOA empowers individuals with trusted solutions to improve their own health and economic security—and protects and strengthens federal programs that people depend on as they age. Working with a nationwide network of partners, NCOA’s goal is to improve the lives of 10 million older adults by 2020. Learn more at ncoa.org and @NCOAging.

About the Falls Free® Initiative
Led by the National Council on Aging, the Falls Free^® Initiative includes 43 states and 70 national organizations, professional associations, and federal agencies working collaboratively to bring education, awareness, and evidence-based solutions to local communities. Falls Free^® seeks to provide hundreds of thousands of older Americans with the resources and education needed to reduce their risk of injury. For more information, visit: www.ncoa.org/FallsFreeInitiative. Use #FPAD2019 to join the conversation on social media.

About Fort HealthCare Fort HealthCare is committed to improving the health and well-being of our communities, with a vision to be the healthiest community in Wisconsin. As the leading healthcare provider in the region, it is our goal to reach as many members of the community as possible with health and wellness messages, providing tools and resources to help individuals improve their health and quality of life, while collaborating with several partners to positively improve the population’s health overall on a long term basis. For more information, visit FortHealthCare.com

Calling all Kids!  Whitewater Area Regional Ministry of the United Methodist Church has Youth Programming starting up again and all are welcome. 

 Beginning Wednesday, September 11th and meeting weekly at First United Methodist Church (145 S. Prairie St, Whitewater), they offer activities for kids ranging from age 4 through 7th grade (see schedule below).  Dinner is served from 5:15-6 p.m. and families are welcome to join them for the meal.  All are welcome and membership in the United Methodist Church is not required for participating in any event.  If you have any questions or to get a registration form please contact Beth at 262-473-2131. 

Our Wednesday Evening Schedule is as follows:
   Promise Point: After school until 6 pm for kids from age 4 through 5th grade.  Join us for snacks,
        games, crafts, Bible Study and lots of fun.  Dinner is served from 5:15-6 p.m.
        for all kids and families
Youth Drumming: All kids in grades 3-7 are invited to join us to learn African Drumming
       from 5:45-6:15 p.m.
Middle School Youth Group: Meeting from 6:30-8 p.m., this group is for 6th and 7th
       students.  You are invited for evenings of Crafts, Service Projects, Fun Nights, snacks,
       and Bible Study

The University/Community Band is starting up again! If you play a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument – COME JOIN US! 

We rehearse on Monday evenings starting at 6:30 p.m. in the Greenhill Center of the Arts. Our first rehearsal is Monday, September 9. The band is open to all area residents.

Our next concert is on Sunday, November 10. 

Please contact Glenn Hayes at hayes@uww.edu if you have any questions.

In 1971 Durham, NC, civil rights activist Ann Atwater (Taraji P. Henson) faces off against C.P. Ellis (Sam Rockwell), the Exalted Cyclops of the Ku Klux Klan, over school desegregation. 

When: Tuesday, September 10, 12:30 p.m.

Where: Seniors in the Park

Movie Information: Rated PG-13; Biography/Drama/History; 2 hours, 13 minutes (2019)

All are invited to the Whitewater High School Athletic Booster club Annual Cookout and Membership drive on Friday, September 6 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Whitewater High School.

A quote from a past recipient of the Award:
“This is an incredible honor that has left me speechless.”

The year 2010 was the first year of presenting the Making Democracy Work Award to a community leader who has worked toward the goal of enhancing life in the Whitewater area through the recipient’s service. The first award winner was Jim Stewart, founder of the Whitewater Banner.  Other recipients were Marilyn Kienbaum (2011); Michele Smith (2012);  Anjie Kokan, Jorge Islas, Sandra Heyer and Marge Fischer (2013); Emma Lou Sederholm (2014); Marion Burrows (2015); Greg Stewart (2016); James Hartwick and Lacey Reichwald (2017) and Miguel Aranda (2018).

We are asking you to consider nominating a person for this award.  Though the past honorees have made worthy contributions, there are others who should be recognized who reflect the League’s values, such as diversity, equity, inclusion and informed civic engagement.  You may pick up a nomination form at the September 19 League meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers of the Municipal Building.  This year the award will be presented at the League’s Holiday Dinner on Sunday, December 1.  Please submit your nominations to Virginia Laurent by the deadline, November 1. 

The work and accomplishments of all previous recipients of the League’s Making Democracy Work award can be viewed on our website.  (http://lwvwhitewater.org/making_democracy_work.html)   

Per the Gazette, “Former UW-Whitewater Chancellor Beverly Kopper is not teaching psychology courses on campus this fall as planned and instead is on paid leave, a university spokesman said Tuesday. Kopper resigned as chancellor Dec. 31, months after her husband, Alan “Pete” Hill, was banned from campus in the wake of repeated claims of sexual harassment.

In response to questions from The Gazette, Jeff Angileri, assistant director of marketing and communications, wrote in an email Tuesday: “Beverly Kopper was scheduled to teach four courses during the fall 2019 semester, all of which have been reassigned to other UW-Whitewater faculty and are commencing as scheduled. Her leave is paid.” In an earlier email, Angileri wrote, “Because this is a personnel matter, I cannot comment any further.” Angileri did not answer Gazette questions about when students were notified Kopper would not be teaching, when Kopper’s leave went into effect and if Kopper had requested the leave.

The UW-Whitewater course listing for the fall 2019 semester did not list Kopper as teaching any courses.”

For the article from The Gazette, click here: https://www.gazettextra.com/news/education/former-uw-whitewater-chancellor-beverly-kopper-on-paid-leave-again/article_289dba76-1458-5d8e-a262-8190af5a241f.html

Kay Robers was recognized as the Outstanding Senior Citizen of Walworth County for 2019 at the Walworth County Fair on August 29th.

Kay was one of the founders of the “Clothes Closet” which was housed at the Congregational United Church of Christ. In 2018 it was moved and expanded to become “The Community Space” a free source for clothing, household items and a food bank for everyone no matter where they live or their circumstances in life. The Community Space is located in the former Coburn Building at 834 E. Milwaukee St. in Whitewater.

For years, even before her retirement, Kay has invested her time to serve others through many acts of personal service as well as utilizing her organizational skills to infect others with her philosophy of service. There is no job too small or too large to receive Kay’s energy.