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Editor’s note: We are grateful for you, our reader, and wish you a Happy Thanksgiving. We’d also like to express our appreciation to the many individuals and organizations that provide event announcements, Readers Share submissions, obituaries, etc. for us to share with the greater Whitewater community.
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Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in the United States, Canada, Grenada, Saint Lucia, and Liberia. It began as a day of giving thanks for the blessings of the harvest and of the preceding year. Similarly named festival holidays occur in Germany and Japan. Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States and around the same part of the year in other places. Although Thanksgiving has historical roots in religious and cultural traditions, it has long been celebrated as a secular holiday as well.
Prayers of thanks and special thanksgiving ceremonies are common among most religions after harvests and at other times of the year. The Thanksgiving holiday’s history in North America is rooted in English traditions dating from the Protestant Reformation. It also has aspects of a harvest festival, even though the harvest in New England occurs well before the late-November date on which the modern Thanksgiving holiday is celebrated.
[The above information is from Wikipedia.]
The Banner appreciates having permission to use the image on the homepage by Sue Junky from Pixabay.
Editor’s Note: The following was provided by Deb Weberpal.
For November National Caregivers Month, the Whitewater Dementia Friendly Community Initiative recognized local caregivers with gift cards, flowers and cards of thanks. Pictured are some of the caregivers from Rockin’ Respite.
It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society. This week it is Flashback Friday on a Thursday as we use this opportunity to offer everyone a Happy Thanksgiving via one of the penny postcards in our collection. We hope you are all having a wonderful holiday.
Join us next week for more from the Whitewater Historical Society.
By Broderick P. Frye
Asst. Sports Information Director
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women’s basketball team headed down to Bloomington, IL for a big non-conference match-up against Illinois Wesleyan. Trailing for most of the game, the Warhawks put together a huge run in the fourth to pull out the 82-80 victory.
After falling behind after the first quarter, the Warhawks closed the gap to just one point at halftime after a huge second quarter. The Titans regained their hold on the lead in the third & kept a hold on that lead for most of the fourth, but a huge Warhawk run pushed the Warhawks into the lead with just two minutes remaining.
In the first quarter, the Titans outscored the Warhawks 27 to 17. The large lead was fueled by three-point shooting, with IWU making four of their first five shots from behind the arc. An offensive tip-in rebound by Lunden Alexander (Dolton, Ill./Thornwood) at the buzzer brought the Titan lead to only 10 at the end of the first quarter.
The Warhawks picked it up the second, outscoring the home team 21 to 12. UW-Whitewater was unable to take the lead, but the one point difference at halftime pulled the Warhawks closer.
After the break, both teams had a high-scoring third quarter, but the Titans regained some of that first quarter lead, outscoring UWW 26 to 20.
In the fourth quarter, the Titan lead grew to 10 points with five minutes to go in the game. But the Warhawks weren’t finished, as they put together a 13-0 run to pull ahead. After the media timeout, the Warhawks outscored the Titans 18-6 on their way to the comeback.
Aleah Grundahl (DeForest, Wis./DeForest) led all scorers with a huge 33-point outing. To go along with the scoring, Grundahl also pulled down 10 rebounds & dished out 5 assists. Katie Hildebrandt (McFarland, Wis./McFarland) also recorded her own double-double, with 12 points & 10 rebounds. Rounding out the scoring & nearly recording her own double-double, Kacie Carollo (Whitewater, Wis./Whitewater) finished with 10 points & 8 rebounds.
UW-Whitewater dominated on the glass throughout the game, pulling down 49 rebounds to Illinois Wesleyan’s 29. The Warhawks had 24 offensive rebounds that they turned into 20 second chance points.
After the Thanksgiving break, the Warhawks will head out on the road to take on Calvin on Saturday, November 25th. Tip-off is set for 4:00 p.m. (ET).
By Broderick P. Frye
Asst. Sports Information Director
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men’s basketball team welcomed Augustana (IL) for a basketball match before the Thanksgiving break. The Warhawks cruised to a 93-79 win despite the pressure defense from the visiting Vikings.
Box Score
For the first few minutes, the teams traded baskets, but the Vikings pulled ahead slightly, leading by 5 at the 13 minute mark. After falling behind, the Warhawks put together a huge run, outscoring the Vikings 17-0 over the next 4 minutes. After that huge run, the Warhawks’ lead never dropped below double digits for the rest of the game.
UW-Whitewater entered the break up by 16, leading 49-33 over the Vikings. In the first half the Warhawks shot lights out, going 18-for-28 from the floor (64%).
The Warhawks kept cruising, going up by 21 points halfway through the second half. Augustana looked to chip away at the lead, but every time they scored, the Warhawks had an answer. Augustana pulled the game within 10 points, but the Warhawks immediately went on a 6-0 run to give themselves a cushion.
As a team, the Warhawks finished out the game shooting 56% (31-for-55). The Warhawks assisted on 23 of those 31 makes, picking apart the Augustana zone defense.
Trevon Chislom (McFarland, Wis./McFarland) dished out 7 assists & also added 20-points of his own.
Miles Barnstable (Sheboygan, Wis./Howards Grove) led all scorers with 23 points, making 6 three-pointers.Delvin Barnstable (Sheboygan, Wis./Sheboygan Lutheran) added 14 points off the bench, going 2-for-2 from behind the arc. Carter Capstran (Franklin, Wis./Franklin) rounded out the scoring with 10 points.
On the glass, UWW outrebounded the Vikings 27 to 25. Isaac Verges (Franklin, Wis./Franklin) pulled down 10 rebounds of his own throughout the game.
The Warhawks head out on the road after the Thanksgiving break, heading to Ripon for their first road game of the season. The tip off against the Red Hawks is set for 3 p.m. on Saturday, November 25th.
Paul Jhona writes, “A no fly zone exists around Holy Hill for drones. You reach a point in height and closeness where you are stopped by an invisible barrier from going any higher or closer. What an impressive Religious Site!”
Our thanks to Paul Jhona AKA “A Bird’s View” for another beautiful drone photo.
— Our Readers Share: We hope that you might have something that you’d be willing to share. Anything that’s been created by someone else should, of course, be credited, and you should ask their permission if you’re able. We cannot post copyrighted material without permission. We can’t guarantee that we’ll have space for all submissions, and contributions will be subject to editorial board approval. The one definite exclusion is anything politically oriented. We will assume that you’re willing for us to include your name as the submitter unless you indicate that you prefer to remain anonymous. Send to whitewaterbanner@gmail.com. Thanks for thinking about this!
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“3 – 2 – 1 – LEGO!” These words could be heard over and over from the announcers at Mukwonago High School on Saturday, November 18, as they counted down to the start of a match for the 36 FIRST Lego League (FLL) Teams from around southeastern Wisconsin who had gathered for their regional tournament. The Whitewater Unified School District (WUSD) was well represented with five teams participating – the Lakeview BrickLayers, Lincoln BrickLayers, Washington BrickLayers, and two teams from the middle school: WMS Iron Dragons – Silver and WMS Iron Dragons – Red.
Earlier this fall, teams learned the details of this year’s season theme – Masterpiece! All of the FIRST Robotics games this year are celebrating STEAM, adding Art to the traditional STEM acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. FLL teams were asked to prepare an Innovation Project where they explored the use of art and technology to solve a problem related to one of their hobbies. They were also presented with a playing field that celebrated all aspects of art, music, and theater. The playing field had 15 missions for the students to complete, and teams could choose which missions they wanted to try and accomplish in each 2-minute 30-second robot run with their Lego Spike Prime robot, designing attachments for the robot that would be appropriate for the variety of missions.
Sara Brautigam at Lakeview, Lisa Kaminski at Lincoln, and Chris Nate, Val Troxel, and Michelle Marshall at Washington formed their teams of 4th and 5th graders soon after the school year started. Teams have been meeting up to two nights after school each week ever since in order to prepare for the Mukwonago event. The Washington team was also able to participate in a scrimmage in Muskego in early October to get the feel for what a competition would be like. With so many students interested in joining FLL, Lincoln also created two additional teams that were able to compete in-house at an event at Lincoln Elementary on November 16. Kerry Ramsden at the middle school was able to register two teams officially with FIRST, and both were able to travel to Mukwonago.
When the teams arrived in Mukwonago, they were able to set up a display of their materials in the pit, the area where teams can go to work between judging sessions and robot runs. This pit also provides an opportunity for teams to check out each other’s work.
During an event, each team spends a 30-minute period with a panel of three judges. This time is divided into two 5-minute presentations (one for the project and one for the robot design) with question and answer periods with the judges in between. Teams are also allotted time to discuss the core values of FIRST (discovery, innovation, impact, fun, inclusion, and teamwork) with the judges. The judges love to hear about how everyone on the team worked together to solve problems throughout the season!
In addition to the judging session, teams were each scheduled for four robot runs in the gym. The first of these was a practice match to allow the students to work with the referees to make sure they understood what they could and couldn’t do during a match. Scores for each of their three official robot runs were compiled and only their best score counted in the final rankings. The Washington Bricklayers earned the top robot score of any Whitewater team, increasing their score from 200 in their first run to 220 in their second run, and finally to 250 in their last run. Everyone was incredibly proud of how the middle school red team responded after dropping their robot on the way to their first match and needing to rewrite all of their code on the fly between matches. In addition to recording their robot scores, referees also rated each team on their gracious professionalism (think sportsmanship) during matches, which factored into each team’s core values rankings.
A team’s final ranking was calculated by weighting scores from each of four areas: 25% from the project rubric, 25% from the robot explanation rubric, 25% from the best robot run, and 25% from the core values rubric/gracious professionalism score. While the judges deliberated the final awards and decided which teams would advance to sectionals, students and mentors participated in a team parade in the gym, followed by a dance party! Washington Elementary was nominated by the judges for both the Rising All-Star Award and the Break-through Award. None of the Whitewater teams will advance to the next level this year, but the students learned an incredible amount about teamwork, organization, documentation, and coding and are already talking about next year.
If you have questions about robotics programs in the Whitewater Unified School District, please reach out to one of the following:
- Lakeview Elementary – Sara Brautigam
- Lincoln Elementary – Lisa Kaminski
- Washington Elementary – Chris Nate or Val Troxel
- Whitewater Middle School – Kerry Ramsden
- Whitewater High School – Laura Masbruch
Article Submitted by Laura Masbruch
Whitewater High School Robotics Advisor
lmasbruch@wwusd.org
Photos Courtesy of Numerous Parents, Ferradermis Members, and FIRST Wisconsin
John’s Disposal will be closed on Thursday, November 23, 2023, in observance of Thanksgiving Day.
Please note the following route changes:
• Thursday’s (Thanksgiving Day) route is delayed to Friday, November 24.
• Friday’s route is delayed to Saturday, November 25.
Additional questions may be directed to John’s Disposal at (262) 473-4700.
Obituaries
Janet Irene Heckert, age 87, passed away peacefully on July 25, 2024 in Delavan, Wisconsin. Born on November 1, 1936, in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, she was the daughter of Gladys and Henry Jansen. Janet was preceded in death by her loving husband Kenneth Heckert and her brothers Sonny and Paul and sister Darlene. Janet was a graduate of Elkhorn High School in 1955. On October 24, 1957, she married the love of her life, Kenneth Heckert, at Elkhorn Baptist Church in their hometown of Elkhorn, Wisconsin. Janet worked for many years as a seamstress, but her true passion was as a … Read more
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Obituary: Fred Chester Traxler, 78 Fred was born in Whitewater, Wisconsin on October 23, 1945, son of Chester and Elva (Klug) Traxler. He was born to eternal life at Ascension St. Francis Place in Milwaukee on June 1, 2024. Fred was a 1964 graduate of Whitewater High School. In his younger days Fred enjoyed bowling and polka dancing–and was very good at both. He was very competitive, especially when pitching horseshoes with his Dad, brothers, and cousin Sid. He was always ready for a card game, and was also a big fan of the Packers and Brewers. Fred is preceded … Read more
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Harry Oliver Dempsey passed away peacefully and among family in Elkhorn, WI on July 24, 2024 at the age of 80. Born on May 21, 1944 to William and Norma (Shober) Dempsey, Harry grew up on the family farm in Whitewater. In his younger years, Harry enjoyed hunting and fishing, a passion that he later passed on to his own children. All his life he could often be found in his shop, building or fixing something – from a child’s toy to lawn mowers, cars, and tractors. His passion for self-sufficiency extended to his large garden whose abundance he happily … Read more
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SHIRLEY A. KNUTESON, age 85, of Whitewater, died Thursday, June 27, 2024 at Glenwood at Mulberry Campus in Whitewater. She was born to Hugo and Helen (Wilson) Ferge of Elkhorn, WI. She attended school in Walworth High School, graduating in 1956. Shirley worked at Sterlingworth in Elkhorn and then Fairhaven Nursing Home prior to retirement. As a young woman, she loved roller skating, had a love for animals, especially her dogs and horses on the farm. She was a loyal Brewer and Packer fan. Her diverse family was her pride and joy. Shirley is survived by her six children Jerry … Read more
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A celebration of life for Dave Triebold will be held July 27 at Triebold Farms, with festivities beginning around 11:30 am. A rememberance service will take place at 12:30 pm. A pig roast will follow, and the pool will be open. The family encourages you to stay through the evening for a bonfire as well. Contact Kris (262)949-5474 or Kath (414)412-4385 with questions.
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James Paul Fisher, 86, known by friends as JP or Jay, passed away on Sunday, June 9, 2024, at UW Hospital, Madison, with his immediate family by his side. His body finally surrendered to a heart attack after battling heart and kidney ailments for many years. Born in Fond du lac, Wisconsin, on October 25, 1937, to Lorraine and James Fisher, JP was a resident of Elkhorn and then Whitewater, Wisconsin. At age 2 JP was diagnosed with polio. Through daily therapy administered by his mother and grandmother, he overcame this life threatening virus, and with a prognosis of limited … Read more
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Shirley M. Messier, 86, of Whitewater, Wisconsin, passed away on July 8, 2024. Shirley was born to Erwin and Leona Reese on May 20, 1938, in Farmington, Wisconsin. Shirley (“Shirttail”) attended the local country school, then set out on her own, taking a job doing factory work. On August 24, 1957, she married Blaine Messier in Jefferson, Wisconsin. They had three daughters, Michele (Shelly), Terry, and Karen. Shirley spent many years being a working wife and mother, finally retiring from Polymer Technologies / MacLean Fogg in Whitewater. Shirley loved country music and spent her retirement years going to George Jones … Read more
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Patricia Ann ParrBorn 7/20/42Departed to Heaven 5/10/23 About herself, Patricia often said “I love life, I love God, He always has taken care of me, and He always will”. Patricia died peacefully at Angels Grace Hospice in Oconomowoc, after a long and courageously fought season of declining health. Patricia was born in Beaver Dam, to a lovely family, which included her older brother Dennis and not too long after, her lifetime best friend and little sister Mary. They grew up on an idyllic “Gentlemen’s Farm” outside of Jefferson, with horses and many animals. Her parents, Floyd and Kathryn owned the … Read more
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Marjorie Alice “GG” Roloff, 89, passed away Tuesday, July 2, 2024, at Golden Years in Lake Geneva, WI. She was born July 31, 1934, to Fred and Martha (Arndt) Papcke, in Whitewater, WI, the fifth of eleven children. GG attended South Heart Prairie School, across the road from the family’s home farm. She is a Whitewater High School graduate. On April 19, 1953, she married her high school sweetheart, Eric. She worked a variety of jobs over the years. Her most memorable of those being the local canning factory and as a crossing guard. After retiring, she and Eric would … Read more
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Marilyn Mae Fuerstenberg, 81 of Whitewater, WI., passed away on June 27, 2024, at Agrace Hospice in Janesville, WI. Marilyn was born May 27, 1943, in Geneva Township, to Raymond and Doris Kilpin. Marilyn was preceded in death by her parents, her two younger brothers, Mike and Donny Kilpin. Marilyn married William (Bill) Fuerstenberg on September 21, 1963. Bill and Marilyn lived in Whitewater. Together they raised three children, taking the family on yearly vacations and camping trips throughout the years. Marilyn worked for Walworth County Health and Social Services as a Child Protection Social Worker. She dedicated 25 years … Read more
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