News & Events

It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society.

This is the last in our series of business transition photos taken by George Scharfenberg in the 1990’s and early 2000’s. In this case, it is the going out of business sale for the Gift Hutch in 2000.

Many retail businesses have come and gone in downtown Whitewater, but this gift store was one of the longest businesses of the 20th century. Helen Ridge established the store as Helen’s Gift Shop in 1962 and ran the business until 1973, when new owners purchased the business and renamed it the “Gift Hutch.” They operated the store until going out of business in 2000. That’s almost 40 years.

Join us next week for more from the Whitewater Historical Society.

(Photo from the George Scharfenberg collection, Whitewater Historical Society)

Whitewater’s CCS Disbands

After more than 50 years of worship, fellowship, and benevolence, the membership of Community of Christ the Servant (CCS) has voted to disband the congregation. The difficult decision followed the passing of Mike Obinger, who had served as the church’s pastor since November 1987.

Arising from the political turmoil of the time, the church was founded on October 3, 1971 as a new non-denominational Christian fellowship. It brought together people of many faiths, including Congregational, Quaker, Presbyterian, Methodist, Lutheran, Baptist and others.

Founding members sought a new type of church with less emphasis on fundamentalism and ritual and more emphasis on relating the ancient truths of Scripture and Sacrament to living in current times. Being a Christian community through fellowship, discussion, study, involvement, and benevolence was a hallmark of CCS throughout its history.

Community of Christ the Servant especially was dedicated to serving those in need. Its bylaws mandated that fully 25 percent of all church income be donated to well-vetted local, national and international causes. Over the past 52 years, countless organizations at all levels have benefited from CCS’s generosity. At their last meeting, members of CCS voted to disperse the church’s remaining assets to Bethel House, Whitewater Food Pantry, Whitewater Community Space, Salvation Army, Planned Parenthood, Habitat for Humanity, Heifer International, Doctors Without Borders, the UN’s International Children’s Fund, and the Carter Center.

Editor’s note: The above announcement was provided by Community of Christ the Servant. The image is of a CCS banner designed and made by CCS Quilters.  

Wonderful Whitewater Estate Sale of Wally and Mary Goeglein by S&H Estate Sales & Service

Thu, Aug 24, 2023, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Fri, Aug 25, 2023, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Sat, Aug 26, 2023, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

256 S Cottage St., Whitewater

Wonderfully Clean and Neat Estate Sale! Two Story House., Two Car Garage, & Two Basements Even! And It’s All Packed Full! 

Many additional photos may be viewed here.

A few items to note:
Indian Motorcycle Misc. Clothes/Hats/Jackets/Tailpipes/Parts/Decor/Etc.
Disney 
Hallmark
Pandora
Amber Jewelry
Tempur-Pedic Adjustable Bed
Bobbleheads
Yard Tools
Power Tools
Garage Misc.
Grill
Kitchen/Bathroom Misc.
Furniture
Antique Telephones
Artwork

Terms & Conditions

S&H Estate Sales & Service Rules:

Please Park respectfully.  Do NOT park in front of mailboxes or driveways. The side of the street in front of the house is NO Parking. 

If you don’t feel good, we ask that you kindly refrain from coming to this sale. The safety of our customers and staff is our highest priority.

We will be abiding by our limited amount of people allowed in the house and garage at one time. (NO MORE THAN 20/30 AT A TIME). This is due to the size of the house and the amount of items in it. If you are waiting outside in line, we ask that you dress according to weather conditions. You may experience longer wait times (one person in = one person out, whether you came with another person or not).  WE DO NOT DO LISTS!

Numbers will be out at 8 am on Thursday and Friday (We open at 9). First Come, First Served on Saturday. Please line up by the front door.

Please remember you are a guest in someone’s home. Please wipe your feet! No pets allowed (except for service animals). The old adage of “you break it, you buy it” will apply. Our staff is NOT able to lift/carry/haul your purchases, so PLEASE arrange for pick-up and help of whatever you plan on buying, especially large appliances and furniture. In fairness to all customers we will NOT give out price information in advance. The address will be published one day before the sale.

Terms and Conditions: Cash & Local Checks are accepted. A $30 charge will apply for NSF. Credit Cards will be accepted based on internet reception and a 3% fee will apply. (All Check transactions will require a signature & phone number.) Taxes are required to be collected at a 5.5% rate, per State law. S&H is Not Responsible for Accidents. All Items are Sold AS IS, NO REFUNDS/RETURNS/EXCHANGES. Please check your purchases thoroughly before buying. All Sales are FINAL. There will be a Limited Number of Pink Estate Sale signs located in the vicinity to direct you to this house.

Thank you for your understanding and patience. We are sorry for any inconvenience.

At its August 14 meeting, the Whitewater Unified School District Board unanimously voted to rename the Whitewater High School auditorium after the late James Stewart.

Stewart served on the School Board for nearly 27 years, from 1981 to 2002 and again from 2016 until his passing on November 26, 2021. During his service to the district, he was board president and treasurer—each for six years—and vice president for two years. 

“Jim was a dedicated public servant and a true champion for public education,” said WUSD Superintendent Dr. Caroline Pate-Hefty. “His unwavering commitment to our district and his passion for education have shaped our educational community. The James M. Stewart Auditorium will serve as a tribute to his service and will carry on his legacy for many years to come.”

Stewart’s commitment to serving others extended well beyond his role on the Board of Education. Following his graduation from UW-Madison in 1959, he served in the military for 20 years, touring in France, Vietnam, and South Korea before moving to the ROTC program at UW-Whitewater. Additionally, he served the people of Wisconsin as state assemblyman for the 32nd district and the community of Whitewater as a member of the Common Council and the Whitewater Police and Fire Commission. 

Stewart’s legacy also includes an instrumental role in founding the Whitewater Banner, an essential source of local news and information for the Whitewater community since its inception in 2006. The website has played a crucial role in connecting the community.

Stewart’s memory and service will remain an integral part of WUSD, and the James M. Stewart Auditorium will serve as an ongoing testament to his enduring legacy.

According to the National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan Weather Forecast Office:  Heat index values are expected to be slightly lower, but still dangerous.  Values of around 105 degrees are expected for southern and south central Wisconsin, with values around 100 degrees for central.  An Excessive Heat Warning remains in effect for south central and southeastern Wisconsin.

Studio 84, a nonprofit art studio located in Whitewater, WI is doing a most unusual fundraiser. It’s an Escape Room with the theme of….well….what else….an art gallery! After all Studio 84 is an art studio, so it seems rather fitting.

One half of Studio 84’s space will be transformed into an art gallery called Musee Gallerie 84. The director, Benjamin Kelly, will play the part of the exhibit’s curator Monsieur Claude Restes and founder Deborah Blackwell transforms into Mademoiselle Deborah Noir Bien. A curator, for those unfamiliar with the term, is an art gallery’s key person that organizes an exhibit. The curator and team are the ones who do the research, gather resources, secure the art and organize the details of an exhibit.

Set with the theme of an art gallery, the ‘exhibit’ Life and Death Through the Artist’s Eyes will be sure to bring on chills and make you put your thinking caps on to solve the clues in order to escape this rather creepy exhibit. Director Ben Kelly states, “Since it will be during the month of October (aka Halloween month) we went with a creepy/scary/horror feeling.”

No knowledge about art or even interest in art is required to visit this gallery because it’s more about the escape than anything else. Once inside an escape room the goal is to escape as the team of up to ten participants are ‘locked’ inside and need to decipher clues to obtain the code that unlocks the door. All within the one-hour time period.

The Escape Room runs October 1 – 31, 2023 and tickets are on sale now. You can purchase a ticket for yourself and become part of a team of others during the same day/time. Or sign up with one friend or as a group of ten friends. Each time slot has a maximum of ten people with a minimum of five. Team members must work together to solve the clues for the code. Tickets are $30 each.

Studio 84’s founder Deborah Blackwell said, “Ben and I have been working on this for a few years now, not because it took that long, but we had plans to open in 2020 and then the pandemic hit and we had many delays afterwards as our focus was getting the Studio back to pre-pandemic operational mode again. We lost so many of our students and people just weren’t ready for such group events. We felt 2023 was the year and people were ready. So, we kicked into high gear to finish up the details of it. We are truly excited to have this come to fruition.”

All proceeds from the event will support Studio 84’s programing in the arts for people with disabilities and the community. They offer daytime studio time for all ages and all abilities. Kelly states, “We understand the needs of those with disabilities and so have a focus with them and provide experiences that support their individual needs to help them become successful and discover their artistic, creative side, but know that you don’t have to have a disability to sign up for studio time; we are open to all ages and all abilities.”

Order your escape room tickets at www.studio84inc.org/escape-room.

Editor’s note: The Banner appreciates having permission to use the image by ha11ok from Pixabay.