News & Events

The Irvin L. Young Memorial Library will host local author Peggy Race, this Thursday, September 23^rd, at 6:00 p.m. via Zoom.  Participants should register for the Zoom program on the library’s website www.whitewaterlibrary.org in order to receive the link to the program an hour before it begins.  If you need help registering, please call the library and we will assist you.

Editor’s note: The following information was provided by Knight Public Affairs, LLC.

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The Greater Whitewater Committee (GWC)’s annual Discover Whitewater Series (DWS): Half Marathon and 5K exceeded last year’s participation numbers for its ninth year, on Sept. 19, 2021. 

The DWS Planning Committee were joined by over 380 participants, more than 240 volunteers and more than 60 sponsors for a hugely successful event. There were sunny skies for everyone that turned out to support the Whitewater community and the runners had the perfect temperature of 64 degrees at the start of both races.

UW-W Interim Chancellor Dr. Jim Henderson and UW-W Athletic Director Ryan Callahan arrived bright and early on race day to give the welcoming remarks and wish all the participants a great race. 

The top runners in the women’s half marathon:First Place: 1:19:24.45 – Runner 982 Naomi FultonSecond Place: 1:23:28.93 – Runner 1015 Samantha SlatteryThird Place: 1:29:23.80 – Runner 1009 Lauren Mordini	The top runners in the men’s half marathon:First Place: 1:10:27.05 – Runner 1027 Alexander CushmanSecond Place: 1:11:41.55 – Runner 931 Danny MacHmuellerThird Place: 1:15:31.97 – Runner 1025 David Krall
The top runners in the women’s 5K:First Place: 19:00.22 – Runner 1465 Kayla WolfSecond Place: 19:44.60 – Runner 1539 Jessie BraunThird Place: 21:31.60 – Runner 1489 Heidi Mane	The top runners in the men’s 5K:First Place: 16:53.98 – Runner 1501 Benjamin StrickerSecond Place: 17:23.27 – Runner 1376 Mark ElworthyThird Place: 18:09.54 – Runner 1519 Corbin Bevry

For all race results, visit www.runwhitewater.com, under race results. 

For some runners, it was their first time racing in the Discover Whitewater Series. A common theme from first time runners, including first place winner Naomi Fulton, was that the DWS is overwhelmingly organized and friendly. 

Every year the DWS is in conjunction with the Working for Whitewater’s Wellness (W3) Fit Kid Shuffle on Saturday, Sept. 18. During the Shuffle, children 10-years-old and younger participated in a one-mile run. This year the Shuffle had 46 participants. 

The main goals of the DWS are to build a stronger community and showcase the City of Whitewater. All proceeds from the event are put directly back into the community each year.  The five local non-profit partners are Bethel House, Whitewater LEADS, Working for Whitewater’s Wellness, Whitewater Unified School District and the J-Hawk Aquatics Club. 

“Everyone involved in the DWS has a mission to support the Whitewater community,” DWS Race Director Dawson Miller said. “It’s always an honor and joy to see the community come together every year.”

The DWS would like to thank everyone involved in making the ninth year a success. The Whitewater community is a great place to visit, live and work. 

The DWS Planning Committee is already starting on next year’s race; new editions and features for 2022 are in the works. Save the date for September 18, 2022 for our tenth anniversary of the Discover Whitewater Series. We hope everyone will join us!

About the DWS

The goal of the DWS is to promote the City of Whitewater and highlight its greatest features, while keeping everyone in the community active. All the proceeds from the race are donated to five local non-profit partners: Bethel House (which provides interim housing for homeless families), Whitewater LEADS, Working for Whitewater’s Wellness (W3), Whitewater Unified School District and the J-Hawk Aquatic Club. The DWS partners with the city, business community, university and the school district to make this a tremendous event that benefits all who participate. For more information about the race visit www.runwhitewater.com.

Editor’s note: The following information was provided by UW-Whitewater.

When Dan Stein, the Department of Homeland Security’s branch chief for cybersecurity education, visited the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in 2017, he noted the university’s expertise and leadership in business and computer science and encouraged it to develop cybersecurity programs to provide a pipeline for this critical industry.

Just four years later, the university has established a Cybersecurity Center for Business that provides cybersecurity education and training for businesses, local governments and educational institutions throughout the region, launched an online M.S. in Cybersecurity, and, in July, received UW System Board of Regents approval to provide a new B.S. in Cybersecurity, only the second such undergraduate degree offered in the UW System.

Building on the strength of a popular cybersecurity minor within the College of Letters and Sciences, the new undergraduate cybersecurity program will offer both a major and a minor as well as three emphases, including a cyber-operations emphasis that is designed to offer a seamless transfer pathway for two-year technical college graduates. 

Provost John Chenoweth, who was dean of the university’s College of Business and Economics when the online master’s degree in cybersecurity was developed and launched, said, “This undergraduate program responds to the regional and national needs for cybersecurity talent to protect both business and government from cybersecurity attacks and will produce graduates better equipped to pursue lucrative, in-demand cybersecurity careers such as security engineers, security analysts, security consultants, and security managers.”

An interdisciplinary major housed in the College of Letters and Sciences, the program will involve faculty and coursework from the departments of computer science, mathematics, and sociology as well as colleagues in the department of information technology and supply chain management in the university’s business college. Coursework within the degree includes intro to cybersecurity, intrusion detection, information assurance and security, statistics, discrete mathematics, programming, cryptography, and network and computer systems security. 

In a collaboration with the university’s Cybersecurity Center for Business, the center’s cyber range will be used for hands-on simulation practice. And, while not required for the cybersecurity program, an internship will be strongly recommended. 

The degree’s capstone will be in cybersecurity systems engineering.

“Our Cyber 459 course is systems security engineering, which will help our students prepare for an internship,” said Jiazhen Zhou, chair of the Department of Computer Science at UW-Whitewater. “It’s a hands-on course designed to prepare them to apply. Companies and organizations in both the private and public sectors — from American Family Insurance, Acuity, Northwestern Mutual, and Cuna to the U.S. government and the military — are looking to develop cybersecurity talent.”

The 120-credit undergraduate program will initially be offered in person, and online coursework will be added over time. 

According to Cyber Seek, a project supported by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the U.S. Department of Commerce, and the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education, the average salary is $91,000 for a cybersecurity consultant, $99,000 for a cybersecurity engineer, and $103,000 for a cybersecurity manager/administrator.

For information on UW-Whitewater’s B.S. in cybersecurity, contact Jiazhen Zhou, chair of the Department of Computer Science, at zhouj@uww.edu or 262-472-5172.

Editor’s note: The following information was provided by the Aging and Disability Resource Center of Jefferson County.

Tuesday, September 21, 2021 is World Alzheimer’s Day! Each year, this is a day on which Alzheimer’s organizations around the world concentrate their efforts on raising awareness about Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, a group of disorders that impairs mental functioning.

Every 65 seconds, someone develops Alzheimer’s disease. So what are some things that you can do to raise awareness?

Raise Alzheimer’s Awareness by:

• Learning the warning signs and sharing those with others
• Talk about the “D” or “A” word!! (D: dementia, A: Alzheimer’s).
• Visit someone with memory loss or someone diagnosed
• Join a Dementia-Friendly Coalition in your community
• Become a Dementia-Friendly Business/Organization
• Share brain health tips (healthy eating, good night’s sleep, etc.)
• Distribute presentations/flyers/upcoming events with others
• Learn all you can about the disease!
• Attend local groups, gatherings and community events
• Share your personal story
• Fundraise
• Wear purple or teal on 9/21 and 6/21 (The Longest Day)
• Share information on your social media pages
• Volunteer to help others
• Support the caregivers in your life
• Become a Dementia Friend
• Make time for self-care  

Helpful websites:

www.alz.org
www.alzfdn.org
www.alzheimers.gov
https://www.jeffersoncountywi.gov/departments/human_services/aging_and_disability_resource_center/dementia_care.php
https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/dementia/index.htm
https://www.usagainstalzheimers.org/
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/alzheimers

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out!

Heather Janes, Dementia Care Specialist

(she, hers, her)

Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) of Jefferson County

1541 Annex Road  Jefferson, WI 53549   920-674-8734

Direct Line: 920-675-4035

Work Cell:   920-728-7261

ADRC Fax: 920-674-7603     

https://www.jeffersoncountywi.gov/

“By giving of ourselves to others, we truly live.” Ethel Percy Audrus (1885-1967)

Editor’s note: The following information was provided by the Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources.

WHITEWATER, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced Whitewater resident Ginny Coburn as the 2021 State Natural Areas Volunteer Steward of the Year for her work within the Southern Kettle Moraine State Forest.

Driven by a passion for nature and ecology, Coburn started volunteering at Kettle Moraine State Forest in 2012. Coburn and fellow volunteers have provided thousands of hours of labor at Bluff Creek, Kettle Moraine Oak Opening, Whitewater Oak Opening and Clover Valley Fen State Natural Areas in the Kettle Moraine State Forest, including removing brush, controlling invasive plants and collecting and sowing native prairie seeds. Coburn also serves as a contact for monthly workdays and greets and signs in volunteers.

“Ginny has had an important role in protecting and restoring some truly amazing prairies, springs, oak openings and fens in the Kettle Moraine,” said Jared Urban, the DNR’s Volunteer Program Coordinator for State Natural Areas. “She was the first one to say yes to starting volunteer workdays to remove invasive plants in the Kettle Moraine and has been essential to keeping monthly workdays going.” 

With nearly 10 years of volunteering at Kettle Moraine State Forest, Coburn possesses a wealth of knowledge, including safely wielding a chainsaw, collecting seeds and controlling invasive plants. Coburn is also instrumental in engaging others in this vital work, including her grandchildren who have volunteered alongside her on various projects.

Coburn’s deep community connections helped her recruit individuals and organizations for special projects, including a cooperative project to install a boot brush at Bluff Creek to prevent anglers from inadvertently spreading aquatic invasive species.

“Everyone likes Ginny,” said Urban. “I most admire her energy to help make things happen. She is always ready to learn and is a let’s-go-do-it kind of person.”

In addition to seeing great progress at State Natural Areas in Kettle Moraine State Forest, one of Coburn’s favorite parts of volunteering is the people she’s met along the way.

“They are fun and knowledgeable and will come out and help or work in any weather,” said Coburn. “We learn a lot from each other and have a very enjoyable time. We feel like we’ve done good work toward a really big goal.”

Become A State Natural Area Volunteer

State Natural Areas are designated to conserve the best of Wisconsin prairies, forests, wetlands and other habitats. These unique places support 90% of rare plant species and 75% of rare wildlife species. Nearly all properties are open to the public to enjoy while bird watching, hiking, hunting and fishing.

The Wisconsin DNR is actively recruiting volunteers to help care for these unique places. No experience is necessary, and training and equipment are provided on-site.

To get involved and sign up for notifications of workdays, visit the DNR’s State Natural Areas Volunteer Program webpage.

Editor’s note: The following information was received from the Irvin L. Young Library.

THE IRVIN L. YOUNG LIBRARY RECEIVES NATIONAL GRANT FOR SMALL AND RURAL LIBRARIES
$3,000 Grant Will Help the Library Work with students to improve services for tweens and teens.

The Whitewater Public Library has been selected as one of 300 libraries to participate in Libraries Transforming Communities: Focus on Small and Rural Libraries, an American Library Association (ALA) initiative that helps library workers better serve their small and rural communities.

The competitive award comes with a grant that will allow the Library to host a community conversation and develop programs, services and resources for middle school students. As part of the grant, Library staff will take an online course in how to lead conversations, a skill vital to library work today.

Library staff will host a conversation with students at Whitewater Middle School to collect information about how the Library can improve services for this age group. The Library wants to encourage young people to feel a sense of ownership and agency over what the Library does for them. The intention is to hear directly from the students about their current needs, interests and concerns.

Middle school students and their parents are invited to participate in this community conversation at the Whitewater Middle School Library Wednesday, October 13^th at 5:30 p.m. Dinner will be provided. Please follow us on social media and visit whitewaterlibrary.org for continued updates and information about this project.

Since 2014, ALA’s Libraries Transforming Communities initiative has re-imagined the role libraries play in supporting communities. Libraries of all types have utilized free dialogue and deliberation training and resources to lead community and campus forums; take part in anti-violence activities; provide a space for residents to come together and discuss challenging topics; and have productive conversations with civic leaders, library trustees and staff.

“Libraries Transforming Communities: Focus on Small and Rural Libraries is an initiative of the American Library Association (ALA) in collaboration with the Association for Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL).”

(Above) Viviana Lechuga and Laura Flores Cortes, co-presidents of the Dream Scholars and Colleagues student organization at UW-Whitewater, proudly display a generous donation from the Whitewater Lions Club to the Whitewater Dream Fund. The Fund helps support DACA-eligible students attending UW-Whitewater. Thank you, Whitewater Lions for helping to make someone’s dream of a higher education come true.

Editor’s note: The above information was provided by the Whitewater Lions Club.